Fans of FromSoftware’sDark Soulsknow the franchise has made an unforgettable mark in the gaming industry.Dark Soulsjump-started the popularity of brutally unforgiving yet extremely rewarding game mechanics. Thanks toDark Souls, more games have begun upping the ante in terms of dynamic gameplay options for their action RPG offerings.
Players nowadays have a wealth of options when it comes to games that say they’re “likeDark Souls”,but not all Soulslikes on the market can offer the same compelling experience asDark Souls. In fact, onlya few RPGs manage to captureDark Souls’signature rewarding gameplay and mechanics.
Updated June 05, 2025, by Hamza Haq:The Soulslike genre has evolved massively over the past decade or so, with dozens of game studios, large and small, throwing their hat in the ring set by FromSoftware. Sifting through the trash to find the true gems is a painstaking task and one that not every player has the time to do in their free time. Being the ‘hardest’ doesn’t necessarily mean being the best when talking about a game, but it is a huge factor for Soulslikes in particular because being hard is part of the genre’s identity and what makes overcoming and achieving success in these games so satisfying.
The idea of an anime Soulslike sounds pretty interesting, andCode Veinmakes for a really unique experience in this regard. The surprisingly decent story coupled with great combat makes for a great time indeed.
That being said,Code Veindoes suffer from unbalanced bosses and gameplay at times, along with some truly horrid art and level design. Playing this title in co-op makes most boss fights trivial, while other enemies are so powerful that most players would need to get through these unfair difficulty spikes.
Fans ofDark Soulswould get quite a modern take on its theme withRemnant: From the Ashes.In this game, players fight the tree-like Root, who has begun invading the Earth. As such, players need to rely on a variety of modern weapons and special abilities to take the fight back to the Root. Unfortunately, players quickly find themselves outnumbered as the Root come in various shapes and sizes. Moreover, the technical nature of the game makes enemies extremely unforgiving for careless players.
Similar toDark Souls,Remnantplaces a heavy focus on strategic battles. As such, players are expected to master not just aiming, but also proper dodging. Enemies can easily eliminate players with a few strikes, which demands players to be more careful with their approach to any battle.
Having lots of guns to choose from allows gamers to customize their loadout to suit their preferences. Since the damage the player can do is much greater, due to a gun’s range over melee weapons, the developers ofRemnant: From the Asheshave made it so that one is constantly being assailed by a multitude of enemies. Thankfully, they have balanced these waves of adversaries so that it feels like just enough to be hectic and dangerous, yet not enough to feel ridiculous and unplayable.
It’s a shame that the majority ofDead Cells’coverage in the media came from the plagiarism controversy surrounding it. That being said, some people would argue that this controversy is what brought more eyes towards this title in the first place, andDead Cellsis definitely a game that deserves a ton of fame for its innovative combination of the roguelite and Soulslike genre.
Each run throughDead Cellsfeels fresh and engaging, with players slowly understanding the gameplay mechanics and brutal combat of this title. The sense of progression in this game is quite rewarding indeed, and blasting through enemies that posed a major problem at one point never ceases to be entertaining.
InMortal Shell, players get an experience that is recognizably inspired byDark Soulsbut offers a darker take on esthetics. In the game,players need to find Shellsthat will help them in their journey throughout the game’s vast open world. These Shells, which act like classes, provide players with different abilities and skill sets.
Mortal Shell’s slower take on combat makes it incredibly unique compared to other titles. In fact, this rather “slowed” pace serves as the main highlight of theMortal Shellexperience. This caveat can be incredibly frustrating for players, but also welcoming to those looking for new challenges.
The slower gameplay makes it feel much more like the firstDark Soulsgame as opposed to later FromSoftware titles like the much speedierDark Souls 3andBloodborne.There is a definite rhythm to the gameplay that feels right for the setting, though this slower pace does not make things easy, as enemies can be unpredictable and deal massive damage.
Niohwears its Dark Souls influences on its sleeve and isn’t afraid of being accused of copying FromSoftware’s homework because it’s comfortable being put under the microscope. Why? Because where most Soulslikes are content to put a different coat of paint on the tried-and-true and call it a day,Niohtakes risks and diverges its direction in a way that feels like a natural evolution of the genre.
Nioh’scombat mixes the slower, deliberate pace and stamina management of Soulslikes withover-the-top action, combo meters, and dynamic fighting styles that change a weapon’s entire moveset with a press of a button. Where Dark Souls strips away the frills of powerups and skills for pure skill expression,Niohbrings it back in a way that doesn’t trivialize the experience.
Soulslikes and Metroidvanias are two genres of gaming that have combined quite successfully, allowing players to experience some truly unique and excellent games.Blasphemousis one such title that deserves the limelight for being a great 2D Soulslike.
Blasphemous’art style and bleak atmosphere are the first things that players will notice while trying out this excellent title. The combat is pretty vicious, with the player being punished for being greedy or making too many mistakes — a common trait across most Soulsborne games.
The art style of the firstBlasphemousgame was truly sublime, and this is ramped up even more in the sequel,Blasphemous 2. The world is as messed up as ever, taking inspiration from religious imagery and ramping up the brutality to the max.
Most people consider the second game to be easier than the first, especially with some of the jank from the first game being fixed quite a bit. Platforming isn’t too tedious anymore and the combat is as solid as ever, with players quickly becoming adept with this system in no time at all.
The Surgewas an admirable attempt at trying to create a great sci-fi Soulslike. However, floaty combat and uninspired level design bogged down the entire experience considerably.
This isn’t a problem that players will experience withThe Surge 2,which is a marked improvement over its predecessor. While its boss fights might not be the greatest, the amazing level design and enemies present in this game make it a must-play forany Soulsborne fan.
Albeitopen-worldand co-op,Ashenprovides a gritty and brutal take on action RPGs. As such, players venture into the open and should work their way to survive the game’s roster of challenging bosses. Thankfully, the game does offer a multitude of weapons and the item equivalents of Estus Flasks and Souls – makingAshenboth recognizably inspired byDark Soulsbut still unique in its own right.
Ashenalso demands the same technical prowess as other Soulslike games. However,Ashendoes so with a gorgeous backdrop and an environment that just waits to be explored.
Exploration is a huge part of this game, with the most adventurous players usually finding the best loot and weapons. There are multiple kinds of armaments as well, including those for long and short-range combat which allows players to do battle as they see fit. One thing that separates it fromDark Soulsgames is that the character progression is based more on equipment than stats, making it possible to swap builds a lot easier with little punishment for doing so.
Despite its 2D appearance,Salt and Sanctuaryoffers extremely challenging gameplay perfect forDark Soulsfans. Save for basic mechanics, the game leaves players to their own devices pretty early on. As such, players soon learn they can expand their skills beyond the game’s starting classes and make the best build depending on their gameplay preference.
Salt and Sanctuaryrewards players who take their time tinkering with the game’s features and expanding their combat options. The game offers an intuitive skill system that heavily encourages deep customization and trial and error. These features, on top of challenging bosses, will definitely be rewarding to players.
The weapons, spells, and items that can be used also make it feel very much like aDarkSoulsgame. The boss weapons are especially satisfying as they pack quite a punch, yet do not make the game too easy. Spacing is also a vital component in this game’s combat as melee is usually the most useful for closed-ranged encounters, despite mage builds being totally viable and pretty fun.
