Soulslikes captivate players to risk life and death games as they play again and again. In order to ensure that the live, die, repeat nature of these games remains more “live” and less “die”, certain combat mechanics must be mastered to ensure the player has the upper hand in battle.
One of the most popular and satisfying mechanics to come from the genre is the stagger mechanic. This usually involves interrupting an enemy's attack and leaving them off balance, effectively “taking revenge” on the enemy, meaning they will be defenseless against the player's subsequent attacks and possibly allow more damage to be dealt. Each game in the genre has a different take on this mechanic.
6 Blood borne
When all else fails, just shoot them
Blood borne is among the best of the best Soulslikes, as well as having a brilliant example of a stagger mechanic. The game has a fast and aggressive combat system, and its way of stunning enemies doesn't slow it down.
Just like Indiana Jones brings a gun to a sword fight, you can interrupt an enemy's attack with a well-timed shot from your firearm. If successful, the enemy will be susceptible to a counter attack that will deal extra damage. While this may sound simple, firearms have a limited number of shots, so understanding enemy and boss patterns is key to success.
5 Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
A series of historical uses of Stagger
Stagger-like mechanics have been used for a long time in games, from leaving a fighter dizzy Street Fighter 2 to exploit weak points The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Final Fantasy 13 was one of the earliest proponents of modern stagger mechanics, using them in the same year as Demon's Souls release and its introduction of “dizzying”. The series has continued to use the stagger mechanic as of late Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth but it's just Stranger from Paradise which falls under the soulslike genre.
A fast-paced remake of the original from 1987 Final Fantasy, Stranger from Paradise uses a “Break Gauge” for both the player character and the enemy. Beyond strategy, different jobs and weapons will affect different enemy types, but when the meter is depleted, the enemy (or player) is staggered and left vulnerable to satisfying finishing moves that make combat feel ultra-fluid.
4 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Master The Stagger and die less
FromSoftware deviated somewhat from its predecessor Souls game with Sekiro. Allowing the player character to jump and make their way through areas may make the game sound easier, but the combat is still just as brutal, maybe even more so. To give players a fighting chance, the need for stunning enemies is emphasized more than ever.
Staggers in Sekiro is done through the game's “Posture” mechanic, which is effectively what the Stamina bar was in Souls game. Deflecting attacks and landing hits can break an enemy's hold. This confuses them and leaves them open to a deathblow, and is much more effective than chipping away at an enemy's health bar.
3 Mortal Shell
Stay deadly thanks to your shell
Mortal Shell introduces perhaps one of the most unique takes on the stagger mechanic in Soulslikes. One of the main mechanics of the game revolves around the player character hardening his “shell” during battle. This increases their defense and, if timed correctly, will absorb the enemy's attack. This will then displace the enemy and enable counterattacks.
The game features different skins that each have their own unique abilities and mechanics, which suit different playstyles. These different skins are discovered throughout the game but there is also the option to not use a skin and basically play an extra challenging mode where the player character can only take a single hit. This results in relying solely on weapons to blow up enemies instead.
2 The Surge 2
A Mechanical Stagger Mechanic
While the Souls game and many other Soulslikes adopt a dark, gothic fantasy style, The Surge the series replaces medieval equipment with futuristic robot armor or Exo-Rigs as they are called in-game. These upgradeable rigs are similar to other sci-fi exoskeletons, such as the Power Armor from Fall-out games or Power Loaders from Foreign films and plays an important role in player survival.
Many enemies encountered throughout the game are either other Exo-Rig users or robots running amok. By targeting these enemies, players can disable certain attacks and leave them staggered. This unique limb target mechanic adds an extra layer of strategy to the fast-paced combat.
1 Dark Souls 3
The Original Stagger Refined
The majority of Soulslikes that have a stagger mechanic each use a similar system to the one described above, either requiring players to chip away at a bar other than health, timing it just right, or a mix of both. This is often referred to as “poise”. Dark Souls 3 takes the stagger mechanic introduced in earlier Souls installments and perfects it, along with its fluid combat.
Here the displacement bar is invisible. If the player stops attacking, the enemy's stagger will regenerate, but with enough hits, the enemy's defenses can be broken. This will lead to a staggered state and can turn the tide of a battle. Weapon choice also plays a key role here, as heavier weapons such as greatswords can initiate a staggered state with fewer hits. However, these weapons tend to be slower. It all depends on the fan's preferred play style and their character's stats.
