As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I can confidently say that grinding is a staple of many games, especially those in the Souls-like genre. However, some games manage to strike a balance between progression and optimization that makes the grind feel less tedious.
Something that you find in just about any RPG or JRPG is a varying reliance on grinding.
Regardless of intent, it’s impossible to conquer certain obstacles unless you invest some time into leveling up through experience and raw progression in the game.
As a passionate gamer, I can’t deny the allure of Souls-like games, which, being role-playing games at heart, aren’t shy about their challenging nature. It’s not that I always enjoy the steep learning curve; but there’s something satisfying about mastering these games with a little numerical edge on my side.
For individuals seeking a more authentic Soulslike experience, the notion that any boss could be defeated through sheer grinding might be perceived as an unfair shortcut or cheating.
Fortunately, numerous Soulslike games offer an experience where, although level grinding is possible, raw ability or skill will always remain paramount over sheer numerical values.
10. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Understanding Fundamentals Is More Important
Among all the games developed by the pioneers of the Soulslike genre, FromSoftware, it’s clear that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice stands out as the one with the least need for repetitive grinding.
The game includes a progression system, awarding skill points which can be utilized to acquire fresh abilities and passive skills.
However, no matter how much experience you grind up, the game’s fundamental combat loop of dodging, parrying, and slashing never diminishes in importance.
As a dedicated player, mastering the fundamentals of combat is crucial for advancement in this game. Without a solid grasp on the basics, no amount of grinding will propel me forward.
9. Hollow Knight
No Leveling To Be Found Here
Hollow Knight stands apart from other games that resemble the Souls series, and it’s not only due to the fact that it’s also a Metroidvania-style game. Instead, its uniqueness goes beyond this shared genre characteristic.
In essence, there’s no traditional level-up mechanism in Hollow Knight; instead, defeating enemies only grants you money, with no direct character progression.
That cash can definitely be used in beneficial ways, unlocking charms and buying useful items, but this is a stone in the proverbial pond.
To navigate the remnants of Hallownest effectively, you’ll mostly rely on your own determination and resilience for the journey ahead.
8. Blasphemous
Exploration Over Grinding
In the game Blasphemous, defeating foes earns you Tear drops, which serve as both currency and experience points. Contrary to Souls in Dark Souls, accumulating Tears doesn’t function in the same manner.
You can’t pour Tears into stats; you can only use them to unlock new sword skills, which only become available as you uncover special shrines.
Instead, advancement in Blasphemous primarily stems from delving into the game’s mysterious world and battling its peculiar enemies as bosses.
Discovering new things helps you unlock paths for personal growth, and it also provides the resources necessary for those paths.
7. Another Crab’s Treasure
Switch Shells As Situations Demand
In the game titled “Another Crab’s Treasure,” each foe you conquer provides microplastics as loot, and these microplastics serve to bolster your character’s four key attributes.
Enhancing your stats can be beneficial when facing larger opponents, yet mastering the game’s defensive shield mechanics and parry system is far more crucial for effective combat.
In addition to that, you also need Umami crystals to unlock the game’s more useful abilities.
As an enthusiast, I’ve come to realize that these precious items can only be found in specific locations and on particular foes, and once obtained, they vanish permanently. This implies that they can’t be repeatedly gathered or farmed for continued use.
6. Mortal Shell
Speaking of Shells
Just like other Souls-like games, this title features a unique equipment system. However, unlike others, Mortal Shell’s equipment system replaces the idea of character leveling altogether.
In simpler terms, you can enhance your Shell and its accessories individually with different resources; however, it’s crucial to have the appropriate tools for specific tasks.
No matter how advanced or powerful your equipment might be, if it’s not specifically tailored for defeating a certain boss, it won’t get the job done.
Mortal Shell focuses more on experimenting with the various Shell options to find what’s effective, rather than repetitively playing to reach a numerical threshold.
5. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
A More Straightforward Soulslike
If ever there were a profession that you can’t get good at by grinding, it’d be a Jedi Knight.
In both the Star Wars films and the various games like Jedi: Fallen Order, Jedi characters grow more powerful through personal development or character progression.
As a devoted fan, I can say that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order features a leveling system, yet the process of leveling up merely grants you skill points. To truly unlock these skills, it’s essential to advance the game’s narrative and delve deeper into the game world by exploring the map.
In terms of immediate clashes, familiarizing yourself with the mechanics of lightsaber combat and the use of Force powers becomes crucial for your defense.
4. Code Vein
Get Good, Not Over-leveled
As a dedicated fan, I appreciate how Code Vein strategically dissuades excessive grinding in unique ways. Firstly, it caps the rewards of leveling up, ensuring that there’s a limit to the benefits I can reap from relentless leveling. Secondly, it sets boundaries on my preparations, suggesting that even a vampire like me has finite resources for stockpiling supplies. And let’s not forget, there’s only so much blood a vampire can drink!
Leveling up in Code Vein only really provides small buffs to your health, stamina, and damage.
Most of the enhancements to your statistics will stem primarily from your equipment, as opposed to your base character attributes.
Beyond that, over-leveling may lead the game to limit your Experience Points (XP) acquisition in lower-tier zones. Regardless of discovering an efficient grinding location, its effectiveness would be short-lived, eventually proving ineffective.
3. Remnant: From The Ashes
It’s Harder To Out-Fight A Bullet
In contrast to many other games in the Soulslike genre, Remnant: From the Ashes stands out as it’s a third-person shooter instead of focusing primarily on melee combat.
As a devoted gamer, I must say that while leveling up does bring gradual enhancements to my character, nothing beats raw skill when it comes to nailing those shots. Melee combat is indeed part of the experience, but it’s not the core element that keeps me hooked on this game.
Furthermore, your character’s additional skills, both common and mysterious, can be acquired as the story unfolds and while venturing into hidden caves and ruins.
Essentially, although grinding can aid, it’s no replacement for comprehensively exploring the world and refining your skill to consistently hit targets accurately.
2. Salt And Sanctuary
Less Grinding, More Optimizing
In Salt and Sanctuary, instead of focusing on increasing raw numbers, it emphasizes strategic planning for better optimization.
Destroying adversaries grants you Salt, a valuable resource that accumulates Black Pearls. Later, these Pearls can be inserted into your advancement chart to boost your attributes.
However, you can’t just stick your Pearls anywhere and expect to automatically be better.
In order to optimize their capabilities according to your character’s build, you should carefully allocate their skills. Some of these abilities won’t become available to you until you have completed a skill tree from a prior character class.
1. Ender Lilies: Quietus Of The Knights
Practice Your Management Skills
In Ender Lilies, it’s not your personal might that drives your combat capabilities, but instead, you have the support of guiding spirits.
Advancing Lily’s levels grants her a minor, static boost to the damage dealt by her Spirits’ attacks. However, she can increase her own health exclusively through specific enhancements discovered throughout the world.
Enhancing and advancing your Spirit levels, along with acquiring unique charms, are key factors that significantly contribute to growth and progress.
It is technically possible to grind out materials to upgrade Spirits, but the sheer volume of materials required versus the necessary effort isn’t worth it compared to just getting better at using your Spirits.
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2024-12-08 17:09