The Soulsborne games are notoriously difficult. That’s in part by design, through challenging gameplay. But for some players, the lack of accessibility features is an impenetrable wall around such a beloved series.
Yet it doesn’t have to be this way.
“The things Souls games ask of players… are possible with the correct accessibility implementations,” said SightlessKombat on Twitter, a Twitch streamer without sight and accessibility consultant who worked on Horizon Forbidden West (watch him showcase the game’s CoPilot feature on Twitch). “I think an accessible Souls game is entirely possible.”
(2/) The things Souls games ask of players (parrying, dodging, learning attack patterns, navigating through areas… All are possible with the correct #accessibility implementations. Along with narrated menus and UI, I think an accessible Souls game is entirely possible.
— SightlessKombat #Accessibility (@sightlessKombat) February 22, 2022
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He added: “What always fascinates me though is why we haven’t seen an accessible mainstream game in the genre yet, even a side-scrolling proof of concept would be a start just to show that it could be done.”
So far, SightlessKombat has been unable to play the Souls games without sighted assistance due to a lack of accessibility options – or mods.
“It’s a shame to see this given how well-loved these titles are, but it’s also not exactly surprising given the lack of uptake on accessibility mods in general,” he told Eurogamer.
“That being said, with the number of overhauls, conversions and the like, I would speculate that it’s possible, it would just take a team of mod creators with a deep knowledge of the game and disabled consultants to make it work.”
From Software’s latest, Elden Ring, certainly seems to be the most approachable Soulsborne game, but it still lacks key features to make it truly accessible.
So, what might an accessible Souls game look like?
In his tweet, SightlessKombat mentions four key areas that Souls games demand of players: parrying, dodging, learning attack patterns, and navigation.
These elements can all vary per game, and of course the accessibility needs of players will vary from person to person. But broadly speaking, some key accessibility features could be implemented to assist with each.
“Navigation is arguably the most complex element to implement, unless it is accounted for from the earliest possible point in development,” says SightlessKombat.
Games such as Dead Space 2 and The Last of Us Part 2 include a feature where the camera is automatically turned towards your next objective, depending on context.
“The key element to making these features work well however is to make sure they account properly for pathfinding and routes the player can take through levels or areas,” he says. “With the Souls games being so open and explorable, it might seem like a daunting task, but even having the ability to set custom beacons could also be an answer to this.