Soulslike games are usually used to classify difficult yet fairly balanced games. The series has seen a massive surge in popularity after the release of Demon Souls from FromSoftware.
With so many options to pick from, it might be hard for players to dive in headfirst. We’ll be listing a few games that you’d want to play in 2026, especially from an action RPG standpoint.
Key Takeaways
- The Soulslike genre has always consisted of brutal and punishing difficulty, paired with creative boss fights.
- The best Soulslike games for newcomers are Black Myth Wukong and Star Wars: Jedi Survivor.
- For veterans, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Bloodborne are fantastic picks.
- There are a bunch of games to try out in 2026, released and unreleased alike.
Best Soulslike Games in 2026 (Top Picks List)
The term Soulslike games has often been used loosely, but it usually refers to a series of video games that share three common characteristics. The first being a staggering, unchangeable difficulty that punishes you for every slip up.
The second and more direct point of interest would be in the movement system, which has a deliberate amount of weight to it, along with a kind of stiffness that makes it all the more challenging.
The third and more nuanced pattern would be in its varied monsters, semi open world design, and a general preference for dark fantasy. There’s also the presence of ‘spawn points’ and a penalty system for each death you incur.
Then again, the Soulslike term has been thrown around for difficult games in general (in more recent years), and so definitions may differ.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
The sequel to the rather excellent Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is an improvement in almost every way possible, introducing a grander scale, tighter risks, and much improved combat, fused with Respawn Entertainment’s excellent traversal.
Unlike most Soulslikes though, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor features difficulty options that make it a far more accessible entry, and for Star Wars fans, it’s pretty much a no brainer.
While it might not appear as Soulslike at first glance, it is one through and through. The game can be as difficult as you want it to be. Cal Kestis’ journey is also well-detailed and surprisingly enjoyable, making for a stellar campaign.
Lords of the Fallen 2
Lords of the Fallen 2 is technically both a sequel to the 2023 game (without the 2 moniker), as well as a soft reset of the series. The game adapts the strengths and corrects the mistakes of the 2023 release, and features a dual world exploration mechanic, which calls for some creative gameplay.
It’s still a fantastic Soulslike game and is pretty well worth it. The sequel aims to improve upon the 2023 release, which was itself based on a 2014 release of the same name.
This is a pretty heavily inspired Soulslike, and adapts elements from the Dark Souls series to a T, often doubling down on it. Lords of the Fallen has always been a hardcore experience, and one that should satisfy most veterans looking for a challenge.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is an action RPG game that leans heavily into Soulslike territory, and can often be described as a Chinese Soulslike. It has a heavy emphasis on ancient Chinese folklore and mythology, and has a mostly closed, looping game world.
The game is yet another solid recommendation for hardcore Soulslike fans, and those who are looking for something akin to the vanilla experience set by FromSoftware. Wuchang also has a few ‘gimmicks’ of its own to set it apart a little, including the Feathering, a disease that grants the protagonist awesome powers, but with a deadly curse to go along with it.
For a first attempt at a proper Soulslike, its pretty great and Lenzee’s efforts should be commended here. The game was released to mixed reviews initially, owing to optimization issues. Now that it’s been fixed, Wuchang is an easy recommendation.
Mortal Shell 2
Mortal Shell 2 is the ambitious sequel to 2020’s Mortal Shell, which was essentially a proof of concept Soulslike replayable demo. The first game was promising, but it had its fair share of issues, which landed it with a mixed reception.
The first Mortal Shell took far too many cues from FromSoftware’s work and was painfully short. Regardless, it was still a fun ‘demo’ that managed to sell half a million units and thereby greenlight a sequel.Â
Mortal Shell 2 aims to address all that, and is a full game this time around, although it doesn’t have a release date just yet. It’s expected to launch sometime in 2026 though, and might be one game to keep an eye out for.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Team Ninja’s answer to the Soulslike genre and more specifically, FromSoftware’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a fun, addictive, if not often janky entry into Team Ninja’s take.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is often rightfully considered to be one of the more accessible entries in the genre, largely thanks to its speedier combat that goes well with its faster pace and lowered difficulty.
Wo Long is also a very different kind of Soulslike, and Team Ninja should be commended here. They have managed to take the vanilla Soulsborne experience and make their own version of it, which carves out its own niche that feels familiar but plays out differently enough.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is often described as the epitome of FromSoftware’s combat system, and much of that is true. The game features a heavy emphasis on dodges and parries, and has the brutal yet just difficulty that makes every victory feel hard earned.
It’s also one of the more visually striking Soulslikes out there, being set in a fictionalized version of the Sengoku era, and deeply intertwines with ancient Japanese folklore, Shintoism, and Buddhism.
Sekiro is also one of the hardest Soulslikes out there, thanks to its tight parry windows and punishing level caps. If you’re a Souls veteran and haven’t tried this one out yet, now would be a good time to check it out.
Interestingly enough, Sekiro features a non-customizable player character (simply known as the Wolf). Many have tried to be the next Sekiro and failed, which should tell you that this is a FromSoftware timeless classic.
Black Myth Wukong
Game Science’s Black Myth Wukong looked too good to be true, and it was a pleasant surprise to be not disappointed in that regard. 2025’s action adventure Soulslike is a fantastic journey from start to finish. While it does have its fair share of issues, it leaves behind a foundation for Game Science to build upon.
Wukong adapts the classical novel, ‘Journey to the West’ and has a whopping 107 bosses (optional encounters included) to face off against which all offer unique encounters and movesets.
It’s often rightfully described as God of War meets Dark Souls. Wukong does feature tighter, faster combat though, along with an RPG like progression system.
Regardless, it is a fantastic game and perhaps one of the best titles to come out of 2025, which was already a very strong year for gaming. Even more so when you consider the fact that this is Game Science’s first ‘proper’ AAA project.
Remnant 2
Remnant 2 is a rather curious kind of Soulslike. Unlike the melee focused nature of the genre, Remnant 2 has a heavy emphasis on the usage of guns, making it a Soulslike shooter.
This goes very well with its overall gameplay loop, and Remnant 2 is a Soulslike first and third person shooter second. You’ll want to execute tight parries, quick dodges and then unleash a barrage of attacks while the enemy’s down.
It has a rather good balance where each boss feels punishingly difficult, but dying does not penalize your currency. This makes it surprisingly more approachable in this regard
Nioh 3
Nioh 3 is a relatively new release, having launched on February 6, 2026 (which would be today) for the PC and as a PlayStation 5 exclusive. It’s the biggest evolution in the series yet, and promises to be even more ambitious than the sequel.
Nioh 3 is a proper action RPG, and is a lot faster and brutal. Your build dictates your success in most scenarios (along with your combat prowess). It’s also one of the more derivative Soulslikes out there, managing to carve out its own niche and further refining on the FromSoftware formula, to great effect.
If you haven’t tried them yet, now might be a good time to grab and play through the first two Nioh games, which are still excellent.
Lies of P
Lies of P remains as one of the more popular Soulslikes picks out there, and for good reason. It is a well polished Soulslike, and even manages to outpace the source material at times.
The game also adapts the dark fantasy elements of a Soulslike, being set in a fictional, post apocalyptic world with the titular P as Pinocchio. You battle deadly automations and have access to an upgrade system.Â
The game is available on a variety of platforms, (even macOS!) and is widely accessible. With its Overture DLC, Lies of P remains a solid pick that every Soulslike fan should try out once.
It’s also a more vanilla experience compared to most other Soulslikes, but its unique setting and enemy design is what set it so apart. That, and the fact that it is one of the best Souls-clones out there.
Dark Souls 3
Often considered as the epitome of FromSoftware’s Dark Souls series, the third entry is a wonderful goodbye to the series and proof that FromSoftware still hasn’t lost their touch. It keeps the fundamentals of the first game, and removes certain elements from Dark Souls 2 that weren’t so well received by fans.
Dark Souls 3 feels like the final, refined version of the franchise, and is a blast to play through, having just the right amount of difficulty in its battles to keep you trying for more, as each victory feels well earned.
All in all, Dark Souls 3 is a fantastic true Soulslike game that is very much worth playing. It might be worth playing at least the first of the trilogy to get a feel of the controls and gameplay first, however.
Elden Ring : Best Open-World Soulslike Game
Elden Ring needs no introduction, and is FromSoftware’s take at an open world Soulslike. The title has often been compared to the recent Breath of The Wild game from the Legend of Zelda series, and it is true, to an extent.
Both games feature inviting open worlds with plenty to explore, and the pace at which you progress through the game is up to you. This makes it easily one of the more accessible Soulslikes out there.
The key focus here is player freedom of choice, and you can approach a boss by either facing it underleveled and head on, or choose to grind out better stats and equipment and take the safer route.
Even without all that, Elden Ring is a fantastic Soulslike that managed to break into the mainstream, something which Souls games have usually been rather shy of doing.
Bloodborne
Bloodborne is a Lovecraftian take on the Soulslike genre, and features haunting vistas and horrifying monstrosities along with a gentle sprinkle of cosmic horror thrown in for good measure.
It’s easily one of the most unique entries in FromSoftware’s lineup of games, and one that every gamer must experience once. It’s also a brutal game, so don’t come into this unprepared.
It is an experience like no other, although it is unfortunately locked down to the PS4 system, although you can play it via backwards compatibility mode on the PS5, albeit with a 30 FPS lock. Thankfully, emulation is a thing and you can now play Bloodborne on PCs.
Hollow Knight
While Hollow Knight is technically a 2D Metroidvania, it deserves an entry in this list. It’s a perfectly well crafted game with brutal encounters that reward you for your perseverance, on top of being a fantastic game in general.
Like most Metroidvanias, Hollow Knight has fast paced movement, brutal challenging difficulties, and the ability to try and fail until you win against a particular boss. It is an excellent platformer as well.
For those looking for a bit of a deviation, Hollow Knight is a really good game that should get you hooked onto its sequel, Silksong (which is already available for PCs and consoles).
If you’re looking to start your Soulslike journey, then start off with Black Myth Wukong and Jedi Fallen Survivor. These titles are far more newcomer friendly and offer a greater emphasis on things outside of combat.
For existing Souls veterans, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Dark Souls 3 and Elden Ring are solid picks. For those craving a distraction, Hollow Knight is a great pick.
FAQs
What is the most liked Souls game?
This has to be Elden Ring, which was both a critical and commercial success, going on to win Game of the Year.
Which Soulslike game has the best combat system?
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has the most difficult and varied combat system out there, requiring a high level of mastery.
What makes Soulslike games addictive and challenging?
The combination of brutal difficulty and freedom of movement makes a Soulslike game.
Which Soulslike game should I play first?
Black Myth Wukong is a solid starting choice, since it is also technically an action adventure RPG.
Can you play Soulslike games in co-op mode?
Most games do not offer co-op modes, but a few, such as Nioh 3 and Remnant 2, offer the feature.
