By the time a FromSoftware game has completed its DLC run, fans will usually see the same types of areas being represented. A snowy location is traversed, some kind of massive castle is explored, and a show stealing city serves as a highlight. Further, despite the community’s obvious disdain for them, a poison area always makes the cut. With the next game, FromSoftware should deliver something fresh: a fully underwater location.
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FromSoftware’s Sea-Inspired Enemies Show Promise
The closest thing gamers have to an underwater FromSoftware area is the Fishing Hamlet, an unforgettable section of Bloodborne’s The Old Hunters DLC. Within the caves and huts of this area, players get to battle a number of horrifying sea creatures like the Shark Giants and Deep Sea Hounds. These enemies are not only brutally difficult, but their designs are some of the most memorable in the entire game - which is certainly saying something given the twisted foes found within the PS4 exclusive.
The Fishing Hamlet culminates in the Orphan of Kos boss fight, a battle that many gamers consider to be one of the very best in the Soulsborne series - and also one of the hardest. Seeing Kos appear near the sea is a reminder of the other monstrosities that could be lurking in the depths below, and a future game exploring the ocean could deliver several threats like Kos and the Shark Giants.
Even Elden Ring, FromSoftware’s latest release, played with the idea of an enemy that would fit well in an underwater setting appearing on land. The Giant Land Octopus is a massive and memorable opponent, and while it is hardly the most difficult regular enemy in the Lands Between, its size ensures that players will be intimidated when they first come across one of them. The existence of Land Octopuses implies that there could be more in the sea, and given how expansive the water around Elden Ring’s playable map is, it would make sense for many creatures to exist underwater.
How an Underwater FromSoftware Level Could Work
Obviously, underwater levels in video games have a bad reputation, mainly because they force swimming mechanics and clunky combat changes onto players. FromSoftware could work around this by giving players all the same movement and attacks that they would have on land, justifying the lack of change through some form of in-universe magic. This way, players could fight some terrifying, swimming enemies without needing to change the way they play. It takes one look at Returnal’s final biome to see how well underwater levels can work if the core gameplay style remains intact, and if FromSoftware kept this in mind, it could deliver a very memorable location.
From there, the developer could make use of the massive size of the sea, giving players areas to explore both above and below. Enemies could become more twisted the deeper players get into the ocean, with designs like the Deep Sea Hounds only being the tip of the iceberg. Further, FromSoftware’s excellent art direction could shine, as an underwater area full of unique lighting, coral, and other details would undoubtedly be stunning. While FromSoftware has managed to make multiple snow and castle areas feel unique over the years, it would be nice to see a proper change of pace in the form of a fully underwater area.
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