Defeating Eos and Azikiel opens the doors into the Sanctuary, the Citadel. In the entrance hall stands a massive statue of Otto, the last king. From here Eldest Souls opens up. Four bosses inhabit this area. Claiming each of their souls is required for further progress. An elevator leads down into the dungeons where three bonus bosses reside. Correspondingly, the Sanctuary contains an increased number of NPCs. Edd reappears, but only if the player has been interacting with him. This includes talking, but also giving him the Key Items he desires. While Edd expresses an underlying current of arrogance, he is a useful tool for explaining the lore of Eldest Souls. Despite his constant underhanded criticism of the protagonist's actions, he tells the story of the Old Gods, player's foes. Inside the citadel the player must consider the ending they desire. Choosing an ending involves siding with one of four NPCS; the Frigid Father, the Burning Inquisitor, the Crow Lord, or the Forest Sage. They share nearly the same objective; create a vial (this is a separate preceding quest that requires collecting three Key Items and giving them to a different NPC), and fill it with the essence of one of the Old Gods. Each of the four NPCs wants a different God's soul. Their exact plans and intentions remain nebulous, explained in four to eight vague and cryptic sentences. Filling the vial, and handing it to the chosen NPC, awards the protagonist a buff which differs depending on the NPC. The player can vow to aid all of the NPCs, but can only complete the quest for one. Once the player fills the vial with a specific essence they are locked into their decision.
The castle area includes Hyem, The Deer God, Aryana, Drakmur, and The Warden of Purity. There's a trick. It's four battles, but one contains two bosses. All bosses have a second form; a more powerful shape which unleashes devastation. The transformation occurs most often when a boss is reduced to half health. There are exceptions. Some bosses only reveal their second form when they are reduced to zero. This is true of one of the five bosses listed above. I thought the battle was going too easily. After “defeating” the boss, it was crushed by the replacement boss. The visual reminded me of Smough absorbing Ornstein with his hammer in Dark Souls. Of the ten bosses I defeated in Eldest Souls, the toughest was the Ice Dude (the name I called him in my notes). I needed thirty-three attempts to win. This tale of repeated death might sound tiresome but it never felt that way. The battles always felt fair and close. When the player dies they can choose to start the battle again immediately. No walking five minutes over burning lava or through minor enemies. For the four bosses in this area, I expended ninety-two lives.
While exploration can't be bypassed, it's the battles with bosses that is the purpose. Eldest Souls features tough bosses with tons of health. The player can't overpower them in a burst of damage. Bosses don't flinch from damage and can't be knocked about. They power through every wound the player inflicts on them. During battle they reveal and unleash their attacks. Like any good boss they telegraph their moves. Every attack has a preceding animation that informs the player about the upcoming assault. With practice the player learns the moves, recognizes their patterns, and Dashes enough to avoid death. Between each attack the player counter attacks, dealing damage and healing. Every boss features a half dozen unique attacks. When they transform, some bosses unleash empowered versions of previous attacks, while others unveil an entirely new set of spells and strikes.
Every boss feels unique, whether it's the elemental that separates and fuses, the moon goddess wielding giant spears, or the woman/spider hybrid that spits webs on the ground. Bosses shoot ranged projectiles, attack through patterns on ground, stab at the player, and unleash all sorts of visual effects from ice, to fire, to darkness, to light, to vines. Attacks slow the player, poison them, draw them in like a gravity well, or crush them beneath rocky fists. But if the player is paying attention they anticipate their arrival.
The best method of combat is to not overcommit. Be patient and observe each boss' attacks. Learn their openings, the pauses in their actions. Understand the strengths and limitations of Dash. My only criticism with this essential tool is that the protagonist can't Dash through a boss' body. The player must Dash away from a boss, not through them. This was the cause of my demise numerous times.
In this penultimate area exploration can be tricky. No NPC, nor the map, offer sufficient advice on how to proceed. Some areas are locked until a specific boss is defeated. The world is darkly beautiful, but also disturbingly vacant. Traversing the area requires too much time, unless the player chooses the shard that functions as a grappling hook. The citadel has multiple paths to wander, making it seem like a labyrinth. The most complex part features floating platforms as a puzzle to locate a Key Item.
In addition to the four quest NPCs, the player will want to help Edd, and the Blacksmith. This latter NPC upgrades either the protagonist's armor or sword, for increased defense or damage. Whether or not the player commits to the three optional bosses, who must be defeated in a specific order, they'll eventually arrive at Eksyll, the final one. Outside his room, if you've fulfilled his requests, sits Edd. He criticizes the faction I've chosen to help, the Forest Sage, but I bet he does that regardless of the player's choice. The final boss has two forms and reuses many techniques the player has seen before. I needed sixteen attempts to defeat him.
Despite the existence of four NPCS, Eldest Souls contains six possible endings. The additional two can be achieved by 1) not choosing any NPC and 2) choosing to side with Edd. The last option is the “best” outcome. The player earns it by collecting a combination of items to activate a telescope in the final area. In retrospect I realize I completed Edd's quest, but didn't know that at the time. Even if the player completes Edd's task, if they fulfill another NPC's quest, the latter takes precedence.
Considering the short length of Eldest Souls, this brief ending is sufficient, if underwhelming.
After defeating Eksyll, Eldest Souls offers New Game Plus. I don't have any interest, though I am quickly replaying a regular New Game. I've beaten the first four bosses with only one death (compared to the forty-six lives it took the first time).
In Conclusion,
Eldest Souls initially masquerades as a shallow Dark Souls knock off. The brief introduction and atmosphere feel as if they were summoned from the venerable series. With experience I began to enjoy the realm and the animations. The search for and collecting of Key Items is a small and reasonable task. The dialogue of the NPCs, the official reports, and the letters of long dead inhabitants add complexity to the short tale. In the final matter, the bosses offer a fair and yet daunting challenge. Each of them test the player with a different combination of maneuvers. While few players should expect to best them in the first attempt, they are programmed to let any patient gamer learn their behaviors. If you're looking for a fantastic game battling tough but fair bosses, Eldest Souls is that experience.
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