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Dark Souls goes mobile with Slashy Souls for iOS, Android

Publisher Bandai Namco has released Slashy Souls, a free-to-play spinoff in its infamously difficult Dark Souls series available exclusively for iOS and Android devices.

Inspired by the upcoming Dark Souls III, Slashy Souls challenges players to survive an endless gauntlet of challenges for as long as possible before meeting their inevitable demise.

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Slashy Souls takes memorable moments and critical gameplay elements from the Dark Souls series and streamlines them, resulting in a pick-up-and-play challenge suited for mobile devices. Players embark on an endless side-scrolling journey through a series of gothic environments, during which they’ll encounter deadly traps and ferocious enemies that can end the game instantly.

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Throughout each gameplay session in Slashy Souls, players must jump to avoid bottomless pits and hazardous terrain in order to stay alive. When engaging with enemies, players must carefully time their sword swings and counterattacks while dodging incoming threats.

Though its premise is simple, Slashy Souls adds gameplay depth with unlockable weapons and power-ups that can be earned either via in-game feats or in-app purchases. Slashy Souls also offers competitive leaderboards and a collection of achievements for dedicated players.

Slashy Souls marks the first mobile venture for the Dark Souls series, which up until now has remained exclusive to consoles and PC platforms. Prior entries in the Dark Souls series are third-person action games that focus on close-quarters combat, environmental exploration, and frequent player death.

Series creator From Software previously released the PlayStation 4-exclusive Bloodborne to critical acclaim in 2015. The studio was not involved in the creation of Slashy Souls.

From Software and publisher Bandai Namco are currently gearing up for the launch of the next series entry, Dark Souls III, for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PCs. Dark Souls III will hit retail and digital distribution services on April 12th.

Danny Cowan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
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