Games Like Dark Souls That Will Make You Suffer Productively
The best games like Dark Souls, from FromSoftware's classics through modern soulslikes that honor the genre while finding their own identity.
Dark Souls created a genre almost by accident. FromSoftware built a game about a dying world, painful combat, and interconnected exploration, and players responded so strongly that "souls-like" became an entire category of games. The formula, deliberate combat requiring careful reads, deliberate pace, interconnected worlds, punishing death mechanics that teach through failure, cryptic storytelling, now describes a library of dozens of games from studios worldwide.
If you've beaten Dark Souls, its sequels, and Elden Ring, and need more of that specific suffering, here's what delivers.
What are all the FromSoftware soulslike games?
FromSoftware's own catalog includes Dark Souls II, Dark Souls III, Bloodborne, Sekiro, Elden Ring, the Demon's Souls Remake, and Armored Core VI. Each iterates on the soulslike formula with different combat systems, settings, and pacing, ranging from deflection-focused swordplay to open-world exploration to mecha action.
Dark Souls II (Scholar of the First Sin) is the middle child of the trilogy and the most divisive among fans. Hidetaka Miyazaki didn't direct it, which shows in design decisions, but it's still excellent and has the most build variety of any Souls game.
Dark Souls III is the most polished traditional Souls game. The combat is faster than DS1 while maintaining deliberate weight, the bosses are series highlights (Gael, Friede, Midir), and the world connectivity echoes the original while offering its own identity.
Bloodborne took the souls formula to Lovecraftian gothic horror. The faster combat with rally mechanics rewarding aggression, the Victorian horror aesthetic, and the cosmic horror revelations make it many fans' favorite FromSoftware game. PS4/PS5 exclusive.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice shifted FromSoftware's formula to deflection-focused combat. The Sengoku-era Japanese setting and more focused narrative make it distinct.
Elden Ring applied the souls formula to an open world and created one of the most acclaimed games ever. The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is essentially a full sequel.
Demon's Souls Remake brought the genre's ancestor to PS5 with stunning presentation. The original prototype that would become Dark Souls.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon took FromSoftware's design philosophy into mecha action. Not traditionally a soulslike but shares DNA.
What are the best AAA games like Dark Souls?
The best AAA soulslikes outside FromSoftware include Lies of P, Nioh 2, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Lords of the Fallen (2023), and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. These games deliver punishing combat, interconnected level design, and rewarding mastery loops with high production values rivaling FromSoftware's own output.
Lies of P from Round8 Studio is the Pinocchio-themed soulslike that proved non-FromSoftware studios could deliver genre-quality experiences. Belle Époque setting, weapon combination system, Bloodborne-inspired combat.
Nioh and Nioh 2 from Team Ninja blend souls combat with hack-and-slash. The stance system and Sengoku-era Japan setting give them distinct identities.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty from Team Ninja uses parry-focused combat in a Three Kingdoms China setting. Faster than Nioh, more aggressive.
Stellar Blade is action-RPG with souls-influenced combat. More linear than true soulslikes but the combat rewards careful read-and-react play.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor bring soulslike combat to the Star Wars universe.
Code Vein is an anime soulslike with vampires in post-apocalyptic settings.
The Surge and The Surge 2 are sci-fi soulslikes with limb-targeting combat.
Lords of the Fallen (2023) is a parallel-dimension soulslike with a realm-shifting mechanic that adds a spatial puzzle layer to traditional exploration.
Thymesia is a focused smaller-scale soulslike centered on disease-themed combat.
Mortal Shell is a soulslike where you possess different "shells" with distinct playstyles. Shorter but dense.
Another Crab's Treasure is a whimsical soulslike where you play as a hermit crab using trash as shells and weapons. Genuinely challenging underneath the charming exterior.
What are the best indie games like Dark Souls?
The top indie soulslikes are Hollow Knight, Blasphemous 2, Nine Sols, Salt and Sanctuary, and Ender Lilies. These games translate FromSoftware's design philosophy (interconnected worlds, punishing combat, cryptic lore) into 2D formats with smaller budgets but equal depth and challenge.
Our full best soulslike games guide covers the broader landscape, but indie highlights include:
Hollow Knight is the soulslike metroidvania that proved indie developers could match FromSoftware's depth. Team Cherry built a world with genuine interconnected design.
Blasphemous and Blasphemous 2 apply soulslike design to Spanish Catholic religious horror.
Nine Sols combines metroidvania exploration with Sekiro-style deflection combat.
Salt and Sacrifice and Salt and Sanctuary bring soulslike combat to 2D side-scrolling.
Dark Devotion is a 2D soulslike with religious horror themes and harsh permadeath.
Ashen combines soulslike combat with dynamic co-op and painterly visuals.
Ender Lilies captures Hollow Knight's melancholy through a child priestess protagonist.
What games are similar to Dark Souls but not traditional soulslikes?
Games like Remnant II, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, and The Thaumaturge borrow soulslike DNA (weighty combat, tough bosses, deliberate pacing) but mix it with other genres like third-person shooters, detective RPGs, and isometric action. They scratch the same itch without following the formula exactly.
Remnant: From the Ashes and Remnant II are soulslike third-person shooters with procedurally generated levels.
The Thaumaturge combines soulslike combat with detective mechanics in 1905 Warsaw.
Morbid: The Seven Acolytes is isometric pixel art soulslike with Lovecraftian horror.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is Team Ninja's Final Fantasy-themed soulslike.
How has Dark Souls influenced other game genres?
Soulslike design has influenced games that aren't strictly in the genre. Roguelites like Hades borrow soulslike combat weight. Metroidvanias increasingly blend the genres. Even action roguelites like Dead Cells have boss designs that echo FromSoftware's approach.
The shared DNA across these genres is the willingness to challenge players without apology, respect for mastery, and the belief that difficulty creates meaning.
What are the different types of difficulty in soulslike games?
Soulslike games use four main types of difficulty: execution (precise inputs), build optimization (stat and gear planning), puzzle-solving (learning boss patterns), and endurance (resource management over long stretches). Different games lean into different types, so knowing which frustrates you helps pick the right soulslike.
Not all souls-adjacent games use difficulty the same way:
| Difficulty Type | What It Tests | Example Games |
|---|---|---|
| Execution-focused | Perfect parry timing and precise button inputs | Sekiro |
| Build-focused | Solving encounters through stat and gear optimization | Dark Souls III, Elden Ring |
| Puzzle-focused | Reading and memorizing boss attack patterns | Most FromSoftware bosses |
| Endurance-focused | Long boss runs, resource scarcity, mental pressure of not losing progress | Demon's Souls, Dark Souls |
Different games emphasize different types. Understand which type frustrates you and avoid games that emphasize it.
Why are soulslike games so popular?
Soulslikes endure because FromSoftware figured out how to make difficulty feel meaningful rather than just punishing. Every death teaches something, every boss is solvable with attention, and the world rewards curiosity. That loop creates genuine personal investment and achievement that few other genres match.
FromSoftware's innovation wasn't making hard games, plenty of games are hard. What FromSoftware figured out was how to make difficulty feel meaningful. Every death teaches something. Every boss is solvable with enough attention. The world rewards curiosity and patience.
That design philosophy produced games people feel genuine ownership over. Beating Malenia in Elden Ring or Ludwig in Bloodborne isn't a checkbox, it's a personal achievement that people remember for years. Few other genres produce that investment.
The soulslike genre will keep growing because the formula scales across settings, art styles, and development budgets. The best indie games of 2026 will almost certainly include new soulslikes. And FromSoftware continues iterating.
Start with Dark Souls Remastered or Elden Ring for FromSoftware. Lies of P or Nioh 2 for modern AAA soulslikes. Hollow Knight or Nine Sols for indie excellence. All of them ask patience and attention and reward it in full.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best games like Dark Souls?
The best games like Dark Souls include FromSoftware's own Elden Ring, Bloodborne, and Sekiro, plus AAA soulslikes like Lies of P, Nioh 2, and Lords of the Fallen (2023). For indie alternatives, Hollow Knight, Nine Sols, and Blasphemous 2 deliver soulslike depth in 2D formats.
What is the best soulslike game that isn't made by FromSoftware?
Lies of P from Round8 Studio is widely considered the best non-FromSoftware soulslike. It features Bloodborne-inspired combat, a Belle Époque setting, and a weapon combination system that proved other studios can match FromSoftware's quality. Nioh 2 is another top pick for its stance-based combat depth.
What are the best 2D soulslike games?
The best 2D soulslikes are Hollow Knight, Blasphemous 2, Nine Sols, Salt and Sanctuary, and Ender Lilies. Hollow Knight delivers interconnected world design matching FromSoftware's standards, while Nine Sols offers Sekiro-style deflection combat in a metroidvania format.
Should I play Dark Souls or Elden Ring first?
Both work as starting points. Dark Souls Remastered teaches soulslike fundamentals through tight, interconnected level design. Elden Ring offers more freedom with its open world, letting you leave tough bosses and return later. Elden Ring is more forgiving for newcomers thanks to build variety and exploration options.
