Everybody knows Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Elden Ring, Hollow Knight, Lies of P, and Nioh, and anybody remotely into Soulslike RPGs has played each one of these games to completion (along with their expansions and sequels). Despite still being fairly young, the genre exploded so much and so quickly that an avalanche of smaller games flooded the market a bit too quickly, ensuring most of them went unnoticed by all but a select few.
Not every RPG needs to have Soulslike combat, but I still get excited whenever one comes around. What can I say? I love the punishment. While FromSoftware and Team Ninja have set an impossibly high bar, plenty of lesser-known Soulslike RPGs exist that excel in one area or another, and they deserve to exist in a brighter spotlight.
The title is hyperbolic, as these games are well known to die-hard Soulslike fans. However, they are far from mainstream.
Severance: Blade of Darkness Is The First True Soulslike Game
A Forward-Thinking 2001 Action RPG
Let’s kick things off with a special case: the first true Soulslike game. Launching in 2001, Severance: Blade of Darkness is the ultimate proto-Soulslike, even more so than FromSoftware’s King’s Field. In fact, “proto” is totally unnecessary, as this Spanish action-RPG pretty much wrote the blueprint that would eventually lead to the genre.
Seriously, Blade of Darkness shows so much of the Soulslike DNA that it seems unreal. The punishing-as-heck dark fantasy RPG features a stamina bar that drains whenever you act, meaning that mashing attacks will only leave you vulnerable to an onslaught. With a useful lock-on and precise hitboxes, combat forces you to read enemy patterns and attack during their recovery frames, and you can even target specific body parts.
The interconnected level design is also pure Souls, and areas like the Fortress of Tell Halaf wouldn’t look out of place in a FromSoftware game. The progression system is closer to old-school dungeon crawlers, but the game also features weapons with unique arts.
Severance: Blade of Darkness plays like a 3D action RPG from the early 2000s, but the current-gen version has been updated to make it more accessible. However, you need to go in with realistic expectations for this one.
AI Limit Understands That Level Design Matters In A Soulslike
The Best Anime Soulslike Game
- Overshadowed by Khazan
- Developed by Sense Games
- Available on PS5 and PC
On March 27, The First Berserker Khazan hit stores, garnering widespread acclaim for its intense combat and boss fights. On the very same day, AI Limit released to far less fanfare and notoriety, dooming itself to a lifetime of appearances in “is it worth playing?” threads on the Soulslike Reddit page.
The answer is yes, by the way. While Khazan shines in its combat, AI Limit‘s brilliance lies in its level design, which shows clear Dark Souls influence. A massive megastructure in deep decay, Havenswell mostly resists the urge to rely on combat arenas, instead focusing on verticality and shortcuts. Exploration is just as important as combat for a Soulslike, and AI Limit constantly rewards you for being extra thorough.
Oh, I should also mention that AI Limit‘s combat is pretty good and even innovative, although some mechanics are divisive. The game foregoes a traditional stamina bar, instead incorporating a Sync Rate that swings back and forth depending on your performance. At 100%, you will feel like an absolute monster; at 0%, you will feel extremely vulnerable. The game also has a robust progression system and plenty of weapons and spells.
Asterigos: Curse of the Stars Is A Soulslite Done Right
Also, A Soulslike With Vibrant Colors
- Not an obvious Soulslike
- Developed by Acme Gamestudio
- Available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC
OK, “near-perfect” might be a stretch for Asterigos: Curse of the Stars, but it might be the most slept-on RPG in this article. With a Greco-Roman world that doesn’t really scream “Soulslike,” Acme’s game will not instantly attract those craving something to play in the genre, and the lack of unlockable weapons might also put off some people. However, Asterigos succeeds at being a Soulslite that balances fun combat, solid level design, and more direct storytelling than is typical for these types of games.
Set in the sprawling city of Aphes, Asterigos features a gorgeous setting that incorporates recognizable landmarks, distinct areas, and plenty of shortcuts. While the main story follows a linear path that doesn’t provide too much room to shake things up, the game has its fair share of optional quests and bosses that take a more hands-off approach. The campaign’s pacing could be a bit better since you are likely to become overpowered well before the end, but it is fun for the most part.
Asterigos utilizes a 6-weapon combat system that lets you equip two types at the same time, and they all come with skill trees. It’s kind of similar to Nioh 3‘s system, but you don’t loot any new weapons.
Asterigos has a few issues, but the game regularly goes on sale for about $10. I would recommend it at that price.
The Surge 2 Proves We Need More Sci-Fi Soulslikes
Deck13’s Best Game
- Much better than its predecessor
- Developed by Deck13
- Available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One
OK, The Surge 2 is considerably more well-known than any other game in this article, but it still doesn’t get anywhere near enough love or sessions. Part of that might have to do with its mediocre predecessor hurting the franchise’s reputation, but the sequel takes all the first game’s good mechanical ideas and drops them into a world that is actually interesting to explore.
The Surge series’ main selling point is its dismemberment system, which ties into both combat and progression. Most enemies have armor that needs to be destroyed to reveal flesh that takes way more damage; crucially, destroying an armored limb guarantees that you get its schematics and crafting materials, completely removing the RNG element found in most Soulslikes. Combat-wise, The Surge 2 mostly plays like a traditional Soulslike, albeit with directional parrying that feels more in-line with something like Sekiro than Dark Souls.
Just speaking personally, I really didn’t enjoy the original The Surge game, so I put off playing the sequel for years. Eventually, I picked it up when it was on sale for $2.99, and I was surprised by how much I loved it.
