Dark Souls 3: Rejected Metroidvania impresses with concept art
Even though From Software fans may only have eyes for the Elden Ring this year, it’s worth taking a look back in time – for example at Dark Souls 3.
For the finale of the Dark Souls trilogy, Bandai Namco was offered a Metroidvania spin-off six years ago, according to an artist who created concept art specifically for the proposal at the time. The confidentiality agreement has now expired and the artist shared his work on Twitter.
Dark Souls 3: Fighting the Dancer of North Wind Valley with a difference
On the concept image by pixel artist Thomas Feichtmeir, the dancer of the North Wind Valley can be seen, apart from the DLCs, one of the best-known and most popular bosses from Dark Souls 3. With her typical elegance, she smashes her sword on the ground in front of her and only misses the jumping knight by a hair’s breadth.
In addition to the truly impressive pixel art, the menu items of Dark Souls 3 can also be seen in the picture: the life, magic and stamina bars along with the Oath of the Sunlight come into play at the top left, the current equipment is hidden at the top right, including shield, sword, magic and Estus Flask.
A Dark Souls 3 – 2D pixelart metroidvania was pitched to Bandai Namco ~6 years ago.
This is now finally out of NDA, so enjoy the visuals created back then. pic.twitter.com/Dt5BDasWbU— Thomas Feichtmeir (@cyangmou) November 8, 2022
The concept of Dark Souls can, at least visually and artistically, be excellently translated into a 2D format – of course, Soulslike Metroidvanias like Hollow Knight, Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights or Blasphemous have shown it in recent years. And if the embedded image reminds you of the last-mentioned game: Feichtmeir also worked on Blasphemous.
Dark Souls 3 as Metroidvania? Bandai Namco was not interested
In the comments, pixel artist Feichtmeir explains a little about the situation in which the picture was taken. When asked by a Twitter user if this was really an official project and not just a fan project, he replies: “No, it was a real job. And the art here was done in a style that would have met average budget expectations for Metroidvanias at the time.”
“I don’t think From Software was/would not have been involved as Bandai Namco owns the brand. Suggestions like this one are often made for any IP, some of them become games. That is quite normal in everyday business.”
Unfortunately, the concept was rejected, but Feichtmeir doesn’t know why – he only created the artwork shared on Twitter. Even within the last six years after the proposal of the project, From Software and Bandai Namco have not started any attempts in the 2D area. But who knows what the future will bring?
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