What makes a Soulslike game memorable are its challenges and the satisfaction of overcoming them. But what makes FromSoftware’s Soulslikes special is that they deliver above and beyond in everything. Since FromSoftware pioneered the genre, their games are the benchmark for what makes a good Soulslike. However, if you were to fizzle the magic formula down to a few principles, challenge and satisfaction would be at the core of it all. And while that sounds simple on paper, it’s not easy to deliver.
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In fact, unlike FromSoftware, not many studios have managed to hit the nail on the head. But for those who have, they have created games that are impossible to put down. So, with that being said, let’s look at the best Soulslike games that come from developers other than FromSoftware.
Nioh 2
Nioh 2 is a difficult game with a steep learning curve. It requires you to strategize before picking a fight because if you’re just a tiny bit careless, even simple mobs can one-shot you. You’re constantly facing new enemy types in each mission and the boss fights are in a league of their own. In fact, most players will find it tougher than FromSoftware’s Dark Souls games.
Having said that, Nioh 2 is not just anyone’s cup of tea. It has its faults. For starters, the world design is neither a semi-open world like the Dark Souls games, nor an open world like in Elden Ring. Instead, you select missions from a menu screen and are dropped into areas. That’s a massive blow to the immersion. Additionally, Nioh 2 can get complicated at times because of its many combat mechanics. While this can be frustrating at first, if you’re willing to be patient and put in the hours, it’ll be a journey worth looking back on.
Mortal Shell
Made by a team of just 15 people, Mortal Shell is a love letter to the fans of Soulslikes. You select different “Shells”, or characters, each having their unique abilities. The main objective is to roam uncharted lands and slay monsters. Now, what separates Mortal Shell from the rest of its kind is that it puts a new spin on several conventional Soulslike mechanics.
For instance, parrying and blocking are replaced by a hardening mechanic. While hardening does technically function in the same way, you can harden your Shell even during a strike. This gives you more avenues to attack enemies. Given the development team’s size, Mortal Shell is nowhere near as big as FromSoftware’s games. However, its art design and combat are eerily similar to them and will make you feel right at home.
Lies of P
Lies of P puts a dark twist on an iconic children’s fairytale. Unlike the kind puppet from the stories, Lies of P’s Pinocchio is a machine-slaying menace. Set in the steampunk city of Krat, Pinocchio must travel to various districts in search of answers to the petrification disease.
Krat is a massive semi-open world with many secrets and challenging boss fights. As you upgrade Pinocchio’s body, you unlock Legion Arms, a mechanical implant that gives you abilities like generating lightning from your fingertips. Parrying, deflecting, blocking, and attacking are all the basic mechanics that perfectly complement the combat. Lies of P is simply so good that you’d think it was made by FromSoftware. And that’s the highest honor you could give a Soulslike in this day and age.
Code Vein
Code Vein features an anime art style with a combination of several themes. The characters give off a Legend of Zelda look, while the environment tries for a more realistic feel, mixing post-apocalyptic and gothic worlds. A plethora of character customization options are available and dozens of unique anime-like NPCs appear throughout the story.
While the environment of Code Vein is unmatched, the combat isn’t as polished as the likes of Bloodborne or Dark Souls. The strikes don’t have weight behind them, which makes the combat less satisfying. However, weapon abilities are there to spice things up. Additionally, what’s fresh is the inclusion of companion NPCs that help you during battle. If you’re willing to look past flaws like repetitiveness and lack of enemy variety, Code Vein will grow on you.
Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight is a platformer where everything is trying to kill you. From environment traps to the 164 unique creepy crawlies, you’re constantly surrounded by threats. Some bosses are so hard that you’ll think Hollow Knight is a survival game. And it doesn’t get any more Soulslike than that.
As you dash and slash your way across a humongous interconnected map, Hollow Knight throws a variety of puzzles, enemy encounters, and branching pathways at you. The bleak charm of the hand-drawn art gives you a reason to explore every nook and cranny. And while Hollow Knight can’t bewilder you like Elden Ring because of its 2D nature, the fast-paced combat and the environmental storytelling will prove too euphoric to put the controller down.
Nine Sols
If you’re a big Hollow Knight fan or one of those suffering through the excruciating wait for Silksong, Nine Sols is the perfect remedy. Nine Sols is a platformer leaning heavily on a deflection-style gameplay loop like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. While melee and ranged attacks are present, deflection is a mechanic you’ll need to get good at.
The world features mythological and cyberpunk textures that feel like a breath of fresh air. While most Soulslikes are set in a grim environment, Nine Sols is lively. That said, the main selling point of this game is the boss fights. They are unique, tough, and beating them feels insanely fulfilling. Aside from the linearity of progression, there aren’t many flaws with Nine Sols. It’s a game you can confidently look back on as one of the best non-FromSoftware Soulslikes.
Lords of the Fallen (2023)
Lords of the Fallen adds another layer of complexity to the Souls formula. It does this by introducing two realms that players can shift between at will, the Umbral and Axiom, with each having its unique enemies and dangers. To progress through these worlds, you need to have good puzzle-solving skills in addition to the “git gud” part.
Another thing that makes Lords of the Fallen a great Soulslike is that multiplayer isn’t just limited to PvP, like in Elden Ring. There’s also a co-op mode, so you’re able to play the entire game with a friend. Having said that, while there’s variety in the combat, it is less exciting, and some segments overuse the dual-world mechanic. leading to burnout. That said, while Lords of the Fallen might not stand out in all aspects, it has enough sauce to become one of your favorites.
Demon’s Souls Remake
FromSoftware made the original Demon’s Souls, so there’s not much to prove here. The 2020 remake by Bluepoint is a masterful recreation. It checks all the boxes: better atmosphere, a greater sense of exploration, and tougher readjustments to the boss fights.
Not only does the remake capture what made the original special, but it also adds more to it. Whether that’s in the form of more weapons, armor, or quality of life changes. Bluepoint’s remake breathes new life into the first-ever Souls game. If you played the 2009 version, the remake will wow you with its offerings, making you fall in love with Demon’s Souls all over again.
Rise of the Ronin
Including Rise of the Ronin in a list of the best Soulslike games might look like a hot take, but it isn’t. Rise of the Ronin is brutal. Its fast-paced sword-gun combat might fool you into thinking it’s an adventure game at first glance, but the truth couldn’t be further from it. The bosses in this game have minimal windows of attack, and at the highest difficulty setting, they give Sekiro’s rogues’ gallery a run for its money.
Several unique weapons, including paired swords, greatswords, rifles, and katanas are available. For those players who do not want to go in headfirst all the time, stealth is available for the majority of the game. Difficulty aside, Rise of the Ronin features an open world. While it is a little generic, the backdrop of 1853 feudal Japan provides a great setting. Its story also revolves around a rogue assassin who’s searching for their partner. It doesn’t have the most bewildering of stories, but overall, Rise of the Ronin is a must-try.
The First Berserker: Khazan
What Neople has accomplished with The First Berserker: Khazan is truly astounding. It has created the closest thing we have to the perfect anime-style Dark Souls game. The visuals are absolute eye candy. No game comes close to nailing the dark metal anime aesthetic in the way Khazan has.
The aesthetic is enough to lure you in. However, once you spend a few hours playing, you’ll realize that the combat is the reason to stay. The First Berserker: Khazan has the most well-put-together combat system out of any game mentioned in this list. It revolves around three unique weapons: a spear, a greatsword, and dual-wield armaments. Each of them possesses a separate skill tree and deals damage to enemies differently.
Khazan’s combat is heavily reliant on chaining attacks and being quick to block/parry enemies. There are hundreds of skills to unlock, and every sword swing feels snappy. Anime games usually have two big problems: they either have a cheesy story or weak combat. That said, The First Berserker: Khazan is the exact opposite, and stands out as a top-tier soulslike.
