Summary
There are a lot of features that make a game a Soulslike, some of which are more common than others. A high difficulty curve is certainly a major facet, as is timing-based combat that relies on learning and exploiting enemy attack patterns. But one thing that often goes overlooked in the Soulslike genre is fashion.
The originalDark Soulsgames have awealth of different armor options, each with a variety of advantages and disadvantages when it comes to defensive prowess. But there are a lot of fans who prioritize armor based less on how effective they are and more on how they look. The Fashion Souls community mixes and matches armor pieces based on how they look, creating stylish and intimidating armor sets that they can show off in co-op and PVP. Here are Soulslikes with the best armor choices for the fashion-conscious adventurer.
Even by Soulslike standards,Lords of the Fallenwears itsDark Soulsinspiration proudly on its sleeve. This doesn’t stop the game from establishing its own distinct style, though. The world ofLords of the Fallenis extremely dark and gothic, and its outfits reflect this.
The clothing options inLords of the Falleninclude all the tattered robes and imposing metal bulwarks one would expect of a grimdark fantasy realm. In a world wheresinister cosmic forces battlefor control of realms of darkness and power, players have plenty of options if they want to look the part of a shadowed warrior striving against deathly gods.
Lies of P’s bizarre and wholly unique take on the Pinocchio mythos brings the iconic awakened puppet toa strange and sinister steampunk city, overrun with puppets gone berserk and mysterious mutant creatures. It’s an extreme tone shift for the story that works in part due to the striking aesthetic of the city of Krat, with its Victorian trappings and elaborate finery. This look extends to P as well.
Unlike in many other Soulslikes, P’s outfits are purely cosmetic and offer absolutely no stat bonuses or gameplay benefits. There are considerably fewer accessory types to mix and match as well; P can pair a piece of headwear with his outfit, but that’s about it. What the game loses in the breadth of customization, however, it makes up for in accessibility; since the outfits are just cosmetic, players are free to curate their favorite look without worrying about being disadvantaged in battle.
Like any goodDark Soulsgame,Dark Souls 2has a wide variety of armor types to choose from. The kingdom of Drangleic has many different regions, each of which presents different aesthetic styles in art, architecture, and armor design alike.
The wide variety of armor styles to choose from is hampered only slightly by the game’s strict durability mechanic. Weapons and armor break down quickly as they get used, and if players aren’t careful, their carefully curated aesthetic could shatter completely. Luckily, there are usually enough bonfires for players to deal with this problem.
Nioh 2departed from its predecessor by allowing players to build their own playable character, instead of following the journeys of William Adams. This infamously difficult game presents numerous ways for fans to accessorize their custom characters, including over thirty armor sets.
The game takes place in Sengoku-era Japan, and the outfits presented reflect that setting. Despite this historical limitation, however, there’s still a lot of variety on offer. Players can wear the stately robes of monks and priests, deck themselves out in imposing samurai armor, or mix and match to their hearts' content.
Black Myth Wukongtakes itsinspiration from classic Chinese myth, telling a tale of the legendary Monkey King Sun Wukong. In the protagonist’s quest to assume the mantle of this iconic figure, he will emulate many aspects of the legend himself.
While it may not have the character customization that many fans associate with the Soulslike genre,Black Myth Wukongdoes have a variety of armor sets for players to use to dress and customize their destined monkey. Robes, gauntlets, legwear, and headgear can all be freely mixed around so that players can create a warrior unique to them.
Even though it adapted many of the features of FromSoft’s previous game,Demon’s Souls,Dark Soulsis still held up as the founder of the Soulslike genre. Thegame brought revolutionary bossand level design which is still inspiring developers to this day. It also brought a wide variety of armor pieces for fans to dress themselves in and enjoy.
The Fashion Souls community got their start here, mixing and matching armor sets from various enemies and bosses to create unique, brand-new looks. Iconic sets like Havel’s Armor, a series mainstay, got their start here, and many fashion-forward Soulslike fans still remember the game fondly because of it.
The 2020 remake ofDemon’s Soulsgave new fans a chance to experience the grandfather of the Soulslike genre. It also brought improved graphics to every aspect of the game, including its fashion choices.
Compared to the illustriousDark Soulstrilogy that followed it,Demon’s Souls' fashion catalog is relatively slim. But there are still some very impressive options, from imposing suits of plate armor to the opulent robes of the game’s once-grand kingdom. Swapping pieces from sinister armor like the Gloom Set with the Boletarian Royalty outfit can make for a truly distinctive look.
Dark Souls 3is the culmination of the iconic trilogy, taking place at the very end of the Age of Fire. Legends and events from throughout the series are colliding and falling apart around the player as they struggle to bring their final quest to a conclusion. While this collapse of time and space has deeply troubling ramifications for the world itself, it’s a boon for Fashion Souls players.
With a staggering array of more than 75 full armor sets,Dark Soulsfans have a lot to work with. This massive closet contains plenty of old favorites, like Smough’s Set and Havel’s, mixed in with brand-new looks like the Fallen Knight and the gaudy Evangelist. Players can even step into the outfit of the beloved Sun Knight Solaire.
Unlike some of FromSoftware’s other titles,Bloodbornedoesn’t have an extensive library of outfit options. But what it lacks in quantity, it more than makes up for in quality.Bloodborneis arguably the most stylish Soulsborne in FromSoft’s catalog; from the grand gothic chapels of Yharnam’s churches to the iconic heavy coats of its protagonists, thegame is dripping with blood and fashionin equal measure.
Players have some very strong options for their own personal aesthetic. The standard Hunter Garb is already a powerful look, but more exotic gear like the Yahar’gul set and the Bone Ash set give fans some more sinister and ghoulish choices. The stately and imposing White and Black Church sets give fans some very striking color schemes to work with, while at the same time indicating the rigid and strict hierarchy of the game’s sinister Church.
There are no Soulslikes that canmatchElden Ringfor sheer variety. The base game alone has more than a hundred armor sets on offer, and theShadow of the ErdtreeDLC introduces roughly a full game’s worth of additional armor pieces. Players can deck themselves out in grand, chivalric armor, or dress themselves in illustrious robes like sages and royals of yore.
Elden Ringalso boasts several striking and memorable antagonists, and in true Soulslike fashion, players can claim the armor of these legendary figures to further upgrade their style repertoire. Iconic figures like Malenia, Radahn, and the DLC’s Messmer the Impaler can enhance a player’s wardrobe, assuming the player can best them in combat first.
