The sheer influence that FromSoftware and its Souls games have had on gaming culture cannot be overstated. Debates often rage about easy mode in games, while a new subgenre of the "Soulslike" game has become more and more prominent every year. Every time one of these come out, the comparisons go wild, and that's the case for Thymesia as well.
In Thymesia, players take on the role of Corvus in a Souls-inspired action RPG complete with an interesting plague weapon system. There's a kingdom overrun with death, and the players must use powers of disease and plague, a "raven form," and unique playstyles, all to recover their memories. While verdict on the combat is still out, it seems that the overarching tone hints not at a direct Soulslike inspired by Dark Souls, but a step forward that FromSoftware stepped back from.
What Makes a Good Soulslike?
Many may instantly feel that most Souls games are copy and paste, but that's not inherently true. A game that's difficult for difficulty's sake isn't a Soulslike, for example, or at least a good one. Difficulty is only part of the formula, with the overarching tone being the other. Not that there isn't variation, but a good Soulslike game relies on elements of dark fantasy as well. There's more to it than that, such as the Metroidvania approach and other similarities, but if a game nails tone above all, there's a stong likelihood of it succeeding.
However, dark fantasy is a wide umbrella. Elden Ring's premise, for example, is not the same as Dark Souls', nor is Bloodborne. And while many point to Dark Souls as a point of inspiration in a Souls game, it's Bloodborne that Thymesia captures a similar tone too.
FromSoftware, Bloodborne 2, and Thymesia
Thymesia deals with elements of plague and sickness, complete with a powerful gothic overtone. Obviously, until more is shown, there's a few caveats here. Side by side though, Thymesia looks much more like Bloodborne than it does Dark Souls; it promises fast-paced combat, after all. No doubt, if it manages to really be a powerful spiritual successor to Bloodborne, it may be setting itself up for success.
After all, Bloodborne fans have been begging FromSoftware for a sequel for years. It should be noted that FromSoftware has been moving away from sequels since the Dark Souls trilogy, and that approach has certainly got its own merits. Bloodborne from Dark Souls is one such departure, but fans have also gotten Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and the upcoming Elden Ring. Bloodborne 2, as a result, may never exist, but in that, games like Thymesia have room to grow and take this particular inspiration in its own direction.
It remains to be seen if Thymesia is able to make a real splash, as some Soulslikes fall short in that regard. However, as the Soulsborne terminology didn't quite take off as many expected, perhaps Thymesia will be able to deliver on that front and lead a charge of similar Gothic-toned games. That's not to say it's the first, but there is still something mightily impressive enough about Corvus to make it possible.
Thymesia is planned to release on PC later this year.