Hello, Dear Reader, and welcome to our very first soulslike feature. With me stepping up and playing a more active role at Rogueliker, it felt like the perfect opportunity to explore another one of my gaming passions, one that shares much of the same DNA as roguelikes.
With soulslikes overlapping heavily in terms of structure, challenge, and progression, a round-up of my personal favourites felt like the most natural place to start. For this list, I’ll be focusing on the cream of the crop of the genre, covering standout releases by FromSoftware and beyond.
As with all of our top lists here at Rogueliker, I’ve played all of the games included, and I won’t write about titles that I’ve not tried myself. That means some good games are missing, but you can expect regular updates as I work to make this the best resource of its kind on the web.
Finally, to keep things balanced, the list is split between FromSoftware titles and games made by other developers. We’re sticking mostly to AA and AAA releases for now, with a future list planned to spotlight the very best indie soulslikes.
But first, so we’re all on the same page, we should define what we mean by the genre term “soulslike”. Obviously, we mean a game that is like Dark Souls, but more specifically, it means tough combat, terrifying boss battles, with action-RPG progression tied to exploration and challenging checkpoint systems.
With that out of the way, let’s move on to our very first pick…
FromSoftware: The Masters
Elden Ring | 2022 | PC (Win), PlayStation, Switch 2, Xbox
Marking the biggest evolution of the series since its inception, Elden Ring took the industry by storm when it launched in 2022, earning GOTY awards from across the industry.
Moving from more structured, linear levels to a vast open world gave players the freedom to forge their own paths, removing the frustration of being stuck on a single boss. Mounted on your trusty steed, Torrent, you can easily lose hours roaming the Lands Between, taking on mini-bosses, searching for upgrades, and delving deeper into its rich lore.
Speaking of lore, Elden Ring was crafted in collaboration with legendary author and Game of Thrones creator, George R.R. Martin, making for one of the most badass partnerships in gaming history.
Bloodborne | 2015 | PlayStation 4
The fact that Bloodborne remains a PS4 exclusive almost 11 years after its launch is, in my eyes, absolutely criminal. This gothic horror masterpiece has long stood as the pinnacle of the series for me, holding a special place as my introduction to the genre.
Combat is brutal and fast-paced, encouraging aggressive strikes over shield-blocking, unlike earlier Dark Souls titles. Its risk-reward regain system makes for truly nail-biting encounters as you can land attacks quickly to recover lost health, but misstep and you’ll be torn apart.
Praise also needs to be given to the hauntingly immersive world of Yharnam. In the grip of a deadly plague, this shadowy Victorian-era metropolis is packed with some of the most memorable locations and nightmarish bosses the series has ever seen, making exploration just as thrilling as combat itself.
Roguelike fans will also get a kick out of the game’s Chalice Dungeons. These randomly generated dungeons feature exclusive bosses you won’t find in the main story and provide an excellent way to farm Blood Echoes, materials, and other valuable rewards.
Dark Souls: Remastered | 2018 | PC (Win), PlayStation, Switch, Xbox
This genre-defining classic still stands tall as the best of the original Dark Souls trilogy. While Demon’s Souls laid the groundwork, Dark Souls perfected the formula and brought its punishing mechanics to a wider audience.
The original Dark Souls is packed with so many memorable moments. Who can forget foolishly thinking you needed to slay the tutorial boss with a busted sword or venturing into Blighttown for the first time, wading through its toxic swamps and braving the choppy frame rates?
It also boasts one of the best boss rosters in a FromSoftware game, with standouts like the infamous double battle against Ornstein and Smough and the heart-wrenching encounter with Sif, the Great Grey Wolf.
Sure, compared to later entries, it can feel a little clunky and visually outdated, but for its contribution to the series and the genre as a whole, it remains an essential experience.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice | 2019 | PC (Win), PlayStation, Xbox
Achieving the rare feat of being described as the most challenging game in the FromSoftware catalogue, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice confidently stands apart from the rest of the series. Set in late 1500s Sengoku Japan, it boasts a unique visual identity, and its parry-heavy combat system is both tricky and immensely satisfying to master.
Another departure from the series is its greater emphasis on stealth and platforming. Using his prosthetic arm as a grappling hook, Wolf can scale new heights and strike from above, avoiding enemy encounters when possible. This handy mechanic can even be used on bosses if planned right, giving you less health to whittle down when battling one-on-one.
It also does away with a traditional levelling system, a choice that divided fans at the time. Personally, I found this to be a refreshing change of pace, and I had fun unlocking new Shinobi prosthetic tools such as a flamethrower and the umbrella shield.
Given the massive success of Elden Ring, Sekiro may remain a standalone offshoot. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s an experience every soulslike fan should try.
The Best of the Rest
Lies of P | NEOWIZ | 2023 | PC (Mac, Win), PlayStation, Xbox
In my view, Lies of P is the closest any other studio has come so far to matching the quality of FromSoftware’s output.
Loosely based on the 1883 novel The Adventures of Pinocchio, it draws heavy inspiration from Bloodborne while introducing a few original ideas of its own. Players can craft custom weapons by combining handles and blades, and equip a range of prosthetic arms that offer tactical moves, from stunning foes to blocking attacks, or delivering devastating special blows.
To say it’s from a considerably smaller team, NEOWIZ absolutely nails the gothic Victorian atmosphere that I adored in Bloodborne, and I love how it added its own creepy spin, with many of the enemies you battle also being sentient puppets.
It’s also worth noting that the prequel DLC, The Overture, is equally excellent, adding a whole new map, even deadlier bosses, and more opportunities to experiment with your arsenal.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor | Respawn | 2023 | PC (Win), PlayStation, Xbox
Perhaps the furthest from a traditional soulslike on this list, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is still clearly inspired by the genre.
Both Survivor and its predecessor, Fallen Order, deliver some of the best lightsaber-on-lightsaber action ever seen in a Star Wars game. Mirroring the same stamina-based, high-stakes combat of traditional soulslikes, the games expand on the formula with you being able to parry, deflect projectiles, and use devastating Force powers.
Unlike other entries on this list that have a much more cryptic narrative, the story here is gripping and cinematic, feeling like a standalone movie in its own right. Cameron Monaghan makes for a standout lead, and it’s a blast exploring new planets and catching up with your crew from the first game following the five-year time jump.
The Surge 2 | Deck13 | 2019 | PC (Win), PlayStation, Xbox
When it comes to The Surge 2, ‘overlooked’ and ‘underappreciated’ are two words that spring to mind. While it may lack the polish of FromSoftware’s classics, it does manage to introduce some inventive and gruesome ideas of its own.
Set in a bleak dystopian future, the game’s sci-fi setting distinguishes it from other soulslikes, pitting players against cybernetically enhanced humans and lethal robots in intense, tactical combat. Some of the bosses here feel truly unique, such as Little Jonny, a giant robotic spider that ejects poison and waves of electrical mines.
Its upgrade system is also the goriest I’ve seen in the genre. By performing brutal executions and tearing off enemies’ limbs, you can fuse the harvested parts to your own suit of armour, boosting your defence and crafting a truly unique build.
Another Crab’s Treasure | Aggro Crab | 2024 | PC (Win), PlayStation, Switch, Xbox
This might seem like an odd pick given how grim most soulslikes are, but Another Crab’s Treasure proves the formula works just as well in a bright, Disney-esque, whimsical world.
Playing as an adorable hermit crab, you scuttle across kelp forests, coral reefs, and sandcastle cities in a quest to reclaim your shell from a ruthless debt collector. The game mixes platforming with soulslike combat, letting you experiment with a variety of interchangeable shells – from soda cans to tennis balls – each offering different abilities and stat boosts.
It’s also possibly the most accessible soulslike out there. Struggling with a boss? You can tweak enemy health, damage, and microplastic loss, or go all-in and equip Kril with a giant gun to blast foes into oblivion.
Mortal Shell | Cold Symmetry | 2020 | PC (Win), PlayStation, Switch, Xbox
Continuing the shell-swapping theme, Mortal Shell lets players experiment with different builds by switching between distinct shells.
Unlike traditional soulslikes, which rely on allocating skill points, Mortal Shell streamlines progression with four shells you can swap between to find the setup that best fits your playstyle. It also introduces a unique hardened mechanic, letting you transform into a human statue mid-battle to disrupt enemy combos and shield yourself from heavy damage.
Cold Symmetry is currently cooking up a sequel for this one, which is planned for release in 2026. If it’s able to build on the solid foundations of its predecessor, then it might also be a contender for this list in a future update.
That’s all for now, but stay tuned as I’ll be updating this article with more great soulslike games as I get to them!
