Enotria: The Last Song Doubles Down on Dark Souls’ Jank

Enotria: The Last Song Doubles Down on Dark Souls' Jank

Key Takeaways

  • Enotria: The Last Song exudes Dark Souls’ jank, with sluggish combat, camera issues, and persistent clunkiness.
  • Dark Souls’ dated mechanics are amplified by Enotria’s similar flaws, failing to improve upon the original formula effectively.
  • Jyamma Games aims to address Enotria’s jank with a patch focusing on character movement, but issues with camera and enemy behaviors persist.

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I must admit that I’ve seen my fair share of games that emulate the janky charm of classics like Dark Souls. However, Enotria: The Last Song seems to have taken this concept to a whole new level.


Once upon a time, “Dark Souls” was widely acclaimed as the pinnacle game in its genre, and there might still be some fans who believe this. However, since then, numerous enhancements to the Soulslike style have emerged, such as “Elden Ring” and its Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, “Bloodborne”, and “Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice”. Nowadays, revisiting “Dark Souls” would necessitate a tremendous amount of nostalgia due to its obvious age. Yet, in defiance of this fact, Enotria: The Last Song by Jyamma Games focuses heavily on one of “Dark Souls'” most outdated aspects.

For those who have experienced the challenging world of Dark Souls, they are well-acquainted with its occasional glitches. Regrettably, Enotria: The Last Song can exhibit similar issues. From frustrating dodge mechanics, erratic camera angles, to slow character maneuvers, Enotria shares many of Dark Souls’ less desirable traits.

Enotria: The Last Song Openly Embraces Dark Souls’ Jank

Dark Souls Was Janky Then, and It’s Still Janky Now

The game Dark Souls gained popularity rapidly in 2011 for its unique concept and design, but it was Elden Ring that truly catapulted the “Soulslike” genre into mainstream success. Elden Ring’s widespread acclaim can be attributed to its improved accessibility, which encouraged a larger number of casual players to engage with the game despite its challenging nature. This influx of players has significantly expanded the Soulslike community, and it continues to grow as more games in this style are released. However, it’s important to note that the popularity of Dark Souls today serves as a testament to why it wasn’t always as popular as it is now.

When Dark Souls debuted in 2011, it presented a significantly difficult playing experience due to its slow and heavy combat mechanics compared to the fluid movements and animations found in Elden Ring. In Dark Souls, dodge rolling was restricted when locked onto an opponent, as the game imposed a cardinal direction lock on rolls. Additionally, managing the camera could prove challenging at times, making it sometimes more of a foe than even the bosses within Dark Souls themselves. Essentially, revisiting Dark Souls today, after numerous advancements to the formula, can be quite a tough journey. Interestingly, Enotria: The Last Song appears to replicate that challenging experience in many aspects.

So Much About Enotria: The Last Song Emulates Dark Souls’ Jank

Frequently, the game Enotria: The Last Song struggles with its own technical issues, similar to how Dark Souls has historically done. Jyamma Games has unveiled a development plan for Enotria, focusing on reducing some of the game’s technical problems. However, it appears that this plan primarily addresses the movement of the main character, which is indeed slow and awkward. Unfortunately, this improvement won’t be rolled out until January, and it’s worth noting that there are other factors contributing to Enotria‘s technical issues besides just the character movement.

In the game Enotria, the player’s struggles aren’t limited to controlling the main character, but also encompass aspects like the camera control. This is reminiscent of the challenging gameplay in Dark Souls. For instance, the camera in Enotria can be unpredictable, moving erratically and even more so when locked onto an enemy. The lock-on feature, intended to help players, often works against them, as enemies will stick to the player, making it difficult to dodge effectively, thus undermining the purpose of dodging. Moreover, some enemies can execute moves that seem unusual, with attacks appearing to have a limited range but actually propelling them across the screen.

Here are some of the issues causing Enotria’s rough gameplay, and they’re the ones that stand out the most. It’s regrettable that Enotria tries to emulate Dark Souls in many aspects, yet it opted for this approach too. Let’s hope future updates address these problems.

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2024-09-23 13:03