The Best Soulslikes & The Death Of Physical Games | Between Levels Podcast Ep. 3

Join WheelieAverage, Sarthe, and FightinCowboy as they dive into Soulslike games, the future of physical media, digital-only gaming, horror game tropes, PC gaming, and the changing shape of the industry. In this episode, we discuss what actually makes a game a Soulslike, our favorite Soulslike experiences, Elden Ring, co-op and invasion mechanics, build crafting, modding, PlayStation's reported move away from physical game production, digital ownership, game pricing, PC gaming versus consoles, horror game design, The Dark Pictures Anthology, Fantasy Critic updates, and much more. Between Levels is a weekly gaming podcast bringing together three different perspectives from across the gaming community to discuss the latest news, releases, and trends shaping the industry. Follow Between Levels: Instagram: @betweenlevelspodcast Facebook: Between Levels Podcast X: @BtweenLevels Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and host banter 03:24 Best Soulslike games and FromSoftware alternatives 07:38 What actually makes a game a Soulslike? 08:55 Multiplayer, co-op, and invasions in Souls games 11:21 Elden Ring and co-op experiences 13:45 Lords of the Fallen and modern co-op systems 16:04 Modding in FromSoftware games 18:22 Sarthe's favorite non-World of Warcraft game 20:07 Build crafting, lore, and Soulslike depth 22:13 Breaking game mechanics for fun 23:43 Game difficulty and player attitudes 25:33 Sleep schedules, ADHD, and gaming habits 32:35 PlayStation, physical games, and digital-only trends 36:41 Digital ownership and game pricing 40:16 Piracy, preservation, and the value of physical media 44:17 Esports and competitive gaming 50:06 All-digital consoles and the future of hardware 55:12 PC gaming, nostalgia, and hardware choices 1:02:30 How quickly can you tell if a game is for you? 1:09:45 Horror game tropes and genre evolution 1:15:30 The Dark Pictures Anthology discussion 1:20:02 Fantasy Critic updates and bid strategies 1:24:25 Channel updates and subscriber milestones 1:25:44 Upcoming episodes and future topics 1:26:40 Closing thoughts Subscribe for new episodes every week and leave your questions in the comments for future episodes. #GamingPodcast #Soulslike #EldenRing #PhysicalGames #BetweenLevels