Soulslike games come in all shapes and sizes these days, from the biggest of the big like Elden Ring, to more focused, experimental experiences like Titan Souls, Hollow Knight, and now Perennial Order. Taking the action in a more 2D direction and cramming itself full of eldritch horrors all with a dark nature theme, it promises to offer something new in an increasingly stuffed genre, and you can play it right now.
Set in a truly disturbing world that’s brought to life with a painterly art style, Perennial Order is determined to make you feel off-kilter. Like all the best soulslike games, it’s full of mystery and its backstory is never told to you outright – you’ll have to piece things together for yourself, while you’re dodging enemies and fighting for your life, of course. Taking inspiration from Princess Mononoke and the original Dark Souls, this is a gritty, monstrous world that is mostly beyond your understanding.
This all serves to give you motivation and a place to stand while you face off against a series of horrible nature-inspired creatures in true boss-rush style. Developer Gardenfiend Games promises that you’ll have to contend with 15 deadly bosses if you want to succeed in your grim quest. Killing them won’t be too simple, however, as you die with a single hit, so each boss fight will have to be perfect – or else.
That isn’t to say that this is an unfairly brutal adventure, as you have two main things going for you. One is you’ll always respawn right outside the boss encounter, as the developer wants you to spend your time on the fights themselves, not on the runs back to where you were. The other is that this game is playable in its entirety in co-op, so you’ll have a warrior at your back – should one be available.
Combine all that with some typically obtuse Dark Souls-esque NPCs and plenty to discover and explore, and you’ve got a recipe for something fresh in the soulslike universe. It seems players agree that this holds something special, as at the time of writing Perennial Order is sitting at a 97% positive review rating on Steam.
Perennial Order is out now and as an introductory offer you can save 10% until Thursday September 12. Head over to the game’s Steam page to learn more, and to check out the title for yourself.
Should you be in the market for something else, our guides to the best horror games and the best action-adventure games will keep you thrilled for many moons yet to come.
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