Posted by Mark Sammut on July 1, 2026: I've updated this article to add a few more games, like Lords of the Fallen and Ashen.
The Soulslike genre has come a long way since its creation over a decade ago, but one thing that has always been closely associated with it is difficulty. Bosses that take hours to defeat, brutal enemies that unleash a barrage of attacks from every corner, a world that captivates the player more than even the enemies within it — these are all staples. There is no room for error, and the challenges can often feel a bit unfair.
Fortunately, there are still plenty of Soulslikes that capture satisfying gameplay and expert world-building without players having to strain every muscle in their bodies to clear just one boss. It's nice that the game recognizes its own challenge and that if the developers just turn down the dial a little, it could make it a lot more enjoyable.
Click on the game with a higher OpenCritic rating.
10
Lords of the Fallen is Dark Souls on Easy mode… or even easier.
The perfect Soullike game for beginners
2023 fallen lord It has a positive but not glowing reputation, but it's more than worth playing, not just for Soulslikes fans, but for fans of action RPGs in general. Through a series of updates, Hexworks has fine-tuned and rebalanced the campaign, providing a much easier and more consistent experience. The release version was already too easy, so this change wasn't really necessary.
8 of the best Soullike games you can play your way
This great Soulslike game offers a variety of build options and approaches, allowing players to play their own way.
When playing as standard, Rotieff It plays like Souls, traditional but forgiving, with an automatic safety net. If you die in a certain state, you will be automatically resurrected. Casual enemies are not that easy by genre standards, but RotieffThe bosses in don't really offer much of a challenge. Don't misunderstand. It's still visually impressive and fun. But for most people, just a few tries will be enough to overcome it all.
Veteran mode offers a harder base experience and can also randomize enemies or increase mob density.
9
Steelrising takes you on a soul-like walk through the French Revolution.
Aggressive automation that doesn't push the envelope
Still Rising
9/10
- released
-
September 8, 2022
Still Rising It's an interesting title that takes the world of the French Revolution and fuses it with a mechanical nightmare that's both surprising and frightening. The world is beautiful, and the gameplay follows suit, taking elements of the Soulslike genre while keeping enemy patterns simpler and easier to read to make them more manageable.
There's also a support mode that allows players to play around with damage numbers and stamina drain, and even make themselves immortal. Everything feels more linear and less overwhelming. The enemy designs are still satisfying to fight. But it doesn't make the player feel out of their depth from the start.
8
Ashen is an easy open world soulslike
Bring a friend, human or AI
reconsideration
- released
-
December 7, 2018
Elden Ring Soulslike may not have been the first open world game, but it certainly ranks as one of the most difficult. Beating it to the punch for years, reconsideration It was also one of the first entries in the genre to attempt to provide a more accessible experience, and it succeeded. “Easy” comes from several factors: the co-op implementation, the leveling system, and the less intense atmosphere.
Rather than following a typical progression system, reconsideration By linking your levels with NPC quests and upgrading your equipment, you actually become stronger. As you explore the world deeper, you'll build hub areas that act as little safe zones that reflect the game's cooperative implementation. Even if you don't bring a friend, you can still take on missions with your AI companions, which further lowers the barrier to entry.
7
Remnant 2 defines soulful co-op shooters.
Crunchy gunplay with a decent challenge
residue 2 It builds on the original's DNA to deliver a much more well-rounded experience that allows for immersive cooperative combat against fearsome foes. It's a nice change to bring the Soulslike genre into a more shooting-oriented game, and the enemies have decent combat while still allowing for plenty of response and strategy.
Customization is what really sets the game apart, allowing players to swap out weapons and abilities on the fly and upgrade them to their liking. More importantly, being able to play with a group of other players means that even if the fight turns out to be more difficult than expected, the extra firepower ensures that any boss can be taken down without much trouble.
6
Thymesia presents a simple challenge
Short and sweet, not too much.
A short entry that still shows off a lot; Thimecia It's a great Soulslike that delivers the face-to-face action of games like this: Bloodborne But when difficulties arise, the situation becomes more restrained. The main feature is the ability to use enemy weapons with powerful abilities that change the battle in every fight.
The 21 Hardest Soullike RPGs Ranked by Difficulty
Not all Soulslikes on the market can offer the same compelling experience as Dark Souls. There are only a few RPGs that capture From Soft's rewarding gameplay loop.
When a boss appears, its attack pattern is fairly short and simple. This means you can play the boss as fast or slow as you feel comfortable and still have a lot of success. The HP pool of each boss is never high and always drops after a satisfying, simple, but still rewarding fight.
5
Salt And Sanctuary captures the magic of Dark Souls in 2D.
Simple gameplay with a unique art style
salt and sanctuary is a solid entry into the genre created by two talented individuals with a lot of passion. The level design clearly pays homage to earlier works. dark soul stratagem. This encourages players to venture out into the world without providing the safety net of fast travel back to the hub.
Combat is simple yet fun. Every new enemy presents a new challenge to overcome, and they all feel intuitive in design. There is so much hidden knowledge and information in the world that it is easy to get lost. If you're a fan of the Soulslike genre, there's enough challenge throughout the game to still feel immersive.
4
Mortal Shell is accessible thanks to predefined loadouts
Perfect for soul fans and newcomers to the genre
mortal shell is a small but immersive Soulslike game that introduces some unique mechanics that make it feel fresh in a crowd. Players can use Harden abilities to absorb damage and make their own attacks, and the class system is replaced with a variety of shells, each with their own unique attributes and playstyle.
The combat is heavy and very satisfying. Feel true power every time you swing your sword. Enemies are very standard and never feel overwhelming in attack or number, allowing players to progress through the story without being too much of a challenge, taking every encounter at their own pace.
3
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Force powers combined with satisfying melee combat
that jedi The game has always taken a slightly different path than other games in the genre, but it still retains much of the gameplay feel that makes Soulslikes enjoyable. With swordplay that rewards precision and timing, difficulty settings that provide meaningful differences, and combat that evokes the fantasy of Force users, survivor It's the perfect way for players to get into the genre without feeling out of their depth.
The 6 Best Soullike Games for People Who Don't Like Soullike Games
The more accessible Soullike doesn't punish players as harshly as some of its peers, but it still provides a challenge.
All upgrades change the way players interact with enemies. There are so many options in terms of customization and combat, giving the player all the power without compromising in any way. Puzzles are also a big part of the world. Each region presents its own unique set of challenges, both in the enemies found there and the environmental threats they face.
2
Blasphemous 2 drops you into a nightmare world with no Nightmare difficulty.
There is more emphasis on a gorgeous world rather than an unfair difficulty level.
Metroidvanias have always shared some elements with Soulslike games, Blasphemy 2 Both are among the best. The setting is beautiful and takes inspiration from Renaissance Italian architecture and religious imagery, creating a universe that is both brutal and surprising.
The cruelty extends to combat. Players begin charging and slashing across the screen, each choosing a weapon with their own style to mix up the gameplay throughout the play. This game is by no means easy, but the difficulty level has a nice, steady curve. Even experienced players can manage it, even at their peak.
1
Another crab treasure that's harder than it looks, but still one of the easiest
An undersea journey like no other.
Another crab treasure It was an amazing addition to the genre that brought so much charm and humor that wasn't found anywhere else. Playing as the adorable crab Krill, players will float across the ocean floor in search of stolen shells, encountering plenty of other crustaceans and ocean dwellers trying to catch them.
Combat mixes parry-based with more forgiving attack windows. This means players can get all the satisfaction that comes from more difficult titles without having to pull their hair out to get through it. With all the side content available, it's very easy to become borderline overwhelmed, turning even the more difficult fights into easy fights where you die in seconds.
Soullike games with steepest learning curves, ranked
Souls-type games are known for their high difficulty, but this title pushes that difficulty to the limit.
