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DarkMaus is a top-down Dark Souls where your character is a mouse

DarkMaus

Quite why the developers settled on a mouse protagonist instead of a mole for this game is beyond me. If you’re going to have a game that’s a homage to Dark Souls, but starring a rodent, surely you’d go for ‘Dark Moles’. 

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Not only has DarkMaus failed when it comes to naming conventions, but according to the Steam page it’s designed with an Xbox controller in mind. Yes, this is a game where you play as a mouse, but where the preferred control method is not a mouse. That mole thing is looking more and more sensible by the minute.

It does sound rather good, though, riffing on the Souls template, forcing players to learn from their mistakes, to not be greedy, and to adapt. It has all the medieval weaponry you’d expect from a Souls game, too – spears, broadswords, bows and sorcery – so you can be the mouse-ter of your own playstyle.

One thing that’s very different to the Souls games, though, is how DarkMaus makes the game slightly easier each time you die, by summoning a ghost mouse to retrace your steps and fight alongside you as you attempt the encounter again. Mind you, it looks like you might need that help, judging by the trailer below:

If you fancy a challenge, DarkMaus is £6.99 on Steam.