Can I confess something to you? I don’t like Soulslike games. It’s not that they are too hard, I grew up playing games in the 1980s before you could save or even pause your game. Here’s three lives, now play through the whole game from start to finish, no breaks. You’re on the last stage and need the toilet? Tough, quit playing or wet yourself- there were no checkpoints or saving your game back then. I grew up in an era that made modern Soulslike games look like Fisher Price toys aimed at three year olds. It’s more the fact that I find Soulslike games (ironically) soulless and I get bored, fast. Slime Heroes comes from developer, Pancake Games and publisher, Whitethorn Games…and it’s a Soulslike.

“You are the last slime and the only one that can save your home from the corruption consuming it. Play alone or with a friend to find different weapons, dynamically create your own magical abilities, and express the way you want to adventure in this slimes-like action-adventure!”

So then, Slime Heroes sees you playing as that low-level enemy that you find in most RPGs, a slime. You begin be creating the look of your slime via some basic, but fun character creator options. Nothing in-depth, just your eyes. mouth and colour. Oh, and don’t forget to name the little slime too. It’s all very cute and cuddly and that was when it hit me, this Soulslike has a soul. You’re not in some drab and grey world. You’re not playing as some downtrodden hero with a boring past. You’re a colourful slime in a world of wonder and personality.

I smiled, I smiled as I played through Slime Heroes – and I don’t think I’ve ever smiled when playing a Soulslike before. You mean you can take the staples of the subgenre, the difficulty, the respawning enemies when you use a checkpoint, etc and make it fun? I think that simple word sums up Slime Heroes perfectly – fun. In terms of the gameplay mechanics, Slime Heroes isn’t going to blow you away. It’s all basic stuff. Kill enemies, earn in-game currency, use that currency to buy upgrades. Find new weapons and equipment, learn new spells (even combine spells), battle bosses and such. It’s all the usual gubbings, but wrapped up in a very pleasing package.

Slime Heroes also comes with a nice accessibility menu. A bunch of sliders that allows you to adjust how much damage you do, how much damage enemies do and more. You can make everything easy and breeze through the game with little trouble, or you can ramp up the difficulty and give yourself a very tough challenge. I really like this as it means that the game is open to anyone. Younger gamers can use it as a great introduction to the Soulslike subgenre. More experienced gamers can take a break for the dreary and drab world of other Soulslikes and enjoy a challenge in a more vibrant world.

The map is a decent size with secrets to find among the various biomes. Dense jungles overgrown with plant life, freezing cold tundra and even red hot rivers of lava. There are temples to find, puzzles to solve, lore to learn and a pretty good story to lose yourself in too. Don’t get me wrong, if you’re an avid and hardened Soulslike gamer, then Slime Heroes isn’t likely to scratch your itch. It’s not on par with some of the big-hitters of the subgenre. But, it is still a fun way to spend 13-16 hours to reach the end credits while still having that tough Soulslike challenge. It’s also a great way to get introduced to the subgenre if you are not too familiar with it.

Overall, Slime Heroes is a Soulslike that wants to be as fun as it does difficult. Those accessibility sliders allow the game to be played by anyone, new to the subgenre or not. It’s a well rounded title with familiar, but welcome gameplay mechanics. Exploration is not necessary and you can just stick to the story – but exploration is fun and you might just learn a bit more of the backstory and meet some interesting characters if you do decide to wonder off track. I really enjoyed Slime Heroes, I found a Soulslike that didn’t bore me. I found a Soulslike that’s fun, charming and very playable. Oh yeah, and it’s co-op too – great for some parent and child play.