Demanding, precise and brutally fair: games where you learn from every defeat and every victory feels earned.
How to find games that really suit you: Select up to 5 games you have played and enjoyed. Playalike compares 36 traits such as combat, story and atmosphere and suggests games that hit exactly the same spot, even across genres.
A vast open world, demanding combat and countless secrets, from the creator of the Dark Souls series.
A dark action RPG with precise, unforgiving combat and intricately connected levels.
A fast, aggressive Soulslike set in a gothic nightmare city, where you win by staying on the offensive instead of hiding behind a shield, and the story slowly turns into cosmic horror. Interlocking levels, brutal bosses and cryptic lore make it a genre landmark.
Open world
A vast open world, demanding combat and countless secrets, from the creator of the Dark Souls series.
A vast open world, demanding combat and countless secrets, from the creator of the Dark Souls series.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A dark action RPG with precise, unforgiving combat and intricately connected levels.
A dark action RPG with precise, unforgiving combat and intricately connected levels.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A fast, aggressive Soulslike set in a gothic nightmare city, where you win by staying on the offensive instead of hiding behind a shield, and the story slowly turns into cosmic horror. Interlocking levels, brutal bosses and cryptic lore make it a genre landmark.
A fast, aggressive Soulslike set in a gothic nightmare city, where you win by staying on the offensive instead of hiding behind a shield, and the story slowly turns into cosmic horror. Interlocking levels, brutal bosses and cryptic lore make it a genre landmark.
Lots to discover
A merciless action RPG whose interconnected world of Lordran rewards careful exploration with clever shortcuts, deliberate combat and cryptic, melancholic lore. Every death teaches something, and every victory feels truly earned.
A merciless action RPG whose interconnected world of Lordran rewards careful exploration with clever shortcuts, deliberate combat and cryptic, melancholic lore. Every death teaches something, and every victory feels truly earned.
Melee combat with weapons or fists
Sword fighting in feudal Japan, where parrying and posture decide everything.
Sword fighting in feudal Japan, where parrying and posture decide everything.
Dark, serious atmosphere
The original Soulslike: you fight through the fog-cursed kingdom of Boletaria across brutal, interconnected stages full of traps and demons, where every death costs your souls and every victory feels earned. Asynchronous online touches like messages, bloodstains and invasions give the lonely journey a unique edge.
The original Soulslike: you fight through the fog-cursed kingdom of Boletaria across brutal, interconnected stages full of traps and demons, where every death costs your souls and every victory feels earned. Asynchronous online touches like messages, bloodstains and invasions give the lonely journey a unique edge.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A Soulslike based on Pinocchio, set in a decaying Belle Époque city with a strong focus on parrying.
A Soulslike based on Pinocchio, set in a decaying Belle Époque city with a strong focus on parrying.
Fantasy setting
A co-op roguelike spin-off of Elden Ring where a trio races across a shrinking map over three days, powering up before facing a towering Nightlord boss. Fast, intense runs with distinct hero classes replace the sprawling solo journey.
A co-op roguelike spin-off of Elden Ring where a trio races across a shrinking map over three days, powering up before facing a towering Nightlord boss. Fast, intense runs with distinct hero classes replace the sprawling solo journey.
Melee combat with weapons or fists
A punishing soulslike set in the Dungeon & Fighter universe, where the betrayed general Khazan seeks revenge through weighty, precise melee combat and brutal boss duels. Its striking cel-shaded look and aggressive parry-and-stamina system set it apart.
A punishing soulslike set in the Dungeon & Fighter universe, where the betrayed general Khazan seeks revenge through weighty, precise melee combat and brutal boss duels. Its striking cel-shaded look and aggressive parry-and-stamina system set it apart.
Strong character progression
Demanding samurai action where you switch on the fly between Samurai and Ninja fighting styles to take down yokai from Japanese myth. Deep loot and build systems meet an open world for the first time in the series.
10 Nioh 3
Demanding samurai action where you switch on the fly between Samurai and Ninja fighting styles to take down yokai from Japanese myth. Deep loot and build systems meet an open world for the first time in the series.
Dark, serious atmosphere
This remake of the genre-founding classic sends you through fog-shrouded, bleak fantasy realms full of merciless enemies and punishing bosses. Modern visuals and fluid combat make the birth of the Soulslike feel fresh again.
Fantasy setting
The second Souls entry sends you as a cursed undead through the decaying kingdom of Drangleic, offering punishing bosses, huge weapon and build variety, and a sprawling, branching world packed with secrets.
The second Souls entry sends you as a cursed undead through the decaying kingdom of Drangleic, offering punishing bosses, huge weapon and build variety, and a sprawling, branching world packed with secrets.
Melee combat with weapons or fists
A punishing samurai action RPG set in Sengoku-era Japan, where you play William and fight Yokai using multiple stances and Ki management. Deep loot and build systems meet demanding, precise duels.
13 Nioh
A punishing samurai action RPG set in Sengoku-era Japan, where you play William and fight Yokai using multiple stances and Ki management. Deep loot and build systems meet demanding, precise duels.
Melee combat with weapons or fists
A fast-paced Soulslike from Team Ninja set in the collapsing Han Dynasty, where deflecting and countering define the combat rhythm. Demon-corrupted warlords and mythical beasts provide tough fights that can also be tackled in co-op.
A fast-paced Soulslike from Team Ninja set in the collapsing Han Dynasty, where deflecting and countering define the combat rhythm. Demon-corrupted warlords and mythical beasts provide tough fights that can also be tackled in co-op.
Strong character progression
Nioh 2 is a punishing samurai action RPG set in Sengoku-era Japan, where you play a half-Yokai and master stances, timing and supernatural powers. Its deep loot and build variety and fast, demanding combat make it a standout for Soulslike fans.
15 Nioh 2
Nioh 2 is a punishing samurai action RPG set in Sengoku-era Japan, where you play a half-Yokai and master stances, timing and supernatural powers. Its deep loot and build variety and fast, demanding combat make it a standout for Soulslike fans.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A first-person soulslike from the Ghostrunner team that casts you as a resurrected soldier of Napoleon's army. You fight horrifying monsters with blades, firearms and supernatural powers, in tense parry-driven combat set in a grim, twisted version of the Napoleonic era.
16 Valor Mortis
A first-person soulslike from the Ghostrunner team that casts you as a resurrected soldier of Napoleon's army. You fight horrifying monsters with blades, firearms and supernatural powers, in tense parry-driven combat set in a grim, twisted version of the Napoleonic era.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A demanding soulslike set in a grim take on the late Ming Dynasty, where a mysterious plague twists people into monsters. Flexible weapon builds, precise parrying and a madness mechanic that trades risk for power define its combat.
A demanding soulslike set in a grim take on the late Ming Dynasty, where a mysterious plague twists people into monsters. Flexible weapon builds, precise parrying and a madness mechanic that trades risk for power define its combat.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A grim soulslike where you possess the bodies of fallen warriors and use them in fast, punishing fights against false gods. The sequel offers a more open, ruined world with horror undertones.
A grim soulslike where you possess the bodies of fallen warriors and use them in fast, punishing fights against false gods. The sequel offers a more open, ruined world with horror undertones.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A fast, punishing soulslike where you play plague doctor Corvus, relying on precise parries and dodges and on the disease powers of plundered weapons. Combat rewards aggression over turtling, set in a grim, decaying kingdom.
19 Thymesia
A fast, punishing soulslike where you play plague doctor Corvus, relying on precise parries and dodges and on the disease powers of plundered weapons. Combat rewards aggression over turtling, set in a grim, decaying kingdom.
Fantasy setting
A grim Soulslike where a magic lantern lets you shift between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead. Weighty combat, interconnected level design and the Umbral mechanic make exploration tense and demanding.
A grim Soulslike where a magic lantern lets you shift between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead. Weighty combat, interconnected level design and the Umbral mechanic make exploration tense and demanding.
Distinctive, stylised art style
An isometric soulslike action RPG with weighty, deliberate melee combat, stamina management and loot-driven builds, wrapped in a gorgeous painterly dark fantasy style. Town building and co-op round out the grim adventure on the Isle of Sacra.
An isometric soulslike action RPG with weighty, deliberate melee combat, stamina management and loot-driven builds, wrapped in a gorgeous painterly dark fantasy style. Town building and co-op round out the grim adventure on the Isle of Sacra.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A compact soulslike where you possess fallen warriors as "shells", each with its own abilities. The Harden mechanic lets you briefly turn to stone to absorb hits, making combat tense and tactical in a bleak, decaying world.
22 Mortal Shell
A compact soulslike where you possess fallen warriors as "shells", each with its own abilities. The Harden mechanic lets you briefly turn to stone to absorb hits, making combat tense and tactical in a bleak, decaying world.
Distinctive, stylised art style
A hand-drawn 2D Metroidvania set in a Taoist-flavored sci-fi world, with combat built almost entirely around precise deflecting and counterattacks. Revenge, mythology and stylish boss fights drive the journey.
23 Nine Sols
A hand-drawn 2D Metroidvania set in a Taoist-flavored sci-fi world, with combat built almost entirely around precise deflecting and counterattacks. Revenge, mythology and stylish boss fights drive the journey.
Sci-fi setting
A challenging sci-fi action RPG in the Soulslike mold, where you play the immortal blade-wielder Arrisa exploring the ruins of a post-apocalyptic city. Combat emphasizes precise parrying and dodging.
24 AI Limit
A challenging sci-fi action RPG in the Soulslike mold, where you play the immortal blade-wielder Arrisa exploring the ruins of a post-apocalyptic city. Combat emphasizes precise parrying and dodging.
Distinctive, stylised art style
A soulslike set in a vivid land inspired by Italian folklore and commedia dell'arte. Swappable masks reshape your playstyle and abilities as you fight through demanding duels and bosses.
A soulslike set in a vivid land inspired by Italian folklore and commedia dell'arte. Swappable masks reshape your playstyle and abilities as you fight through demanding duels and bosses.
Strong character progression
A 2D Soulslike wrapped in Metroidvania design: stamina-driven combat, punishing bosses and a huge skill tree in a grim, interconnected world. Its hand-drawn look and rewarding exploration set it apart.
A 2D Soulslike wrapped in Metroidvania design: stamina-driven combat, punishing bosses and a huge skill tree in a grim, interconnected world. Its hand-drawn look and rewarding exploration set it apart.
Sci-fi setting
A sci-fi Soulslike where you fight through a decaying industrial complex in an exoskeleton. Its hook is targeting and severing specific limbs to loot the exact gear and upgrades you want.
27 The Surge
A sci-fi Soulslike where you fight through a decaying industrial complex in an exoskeleton. Its hook is targeting and severing specific limbs to loot the exact gear and upgrades you want.
Strong character progression
A 2D soulslike where you play an Inquisitor hunting powerful mages across several regions and claiming their gear and abilities. Combat is demanding, builds are varied, and you can also play it cooperatively.
A 2D soulslike where you play an Inquisitor hunting powerful mages across several regions and claiming their gear and abilities. Combat is demanding, builds are varied, and you can also play it cooperatively.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A punishing 2D Soulslike action RPG in Metroidvania clothing: you serve Death, battle towering bosses in a grim world, and build your character through classes and abilities.
A punishing 2D Soulslike action RPG in Metroidvania clothing: you serve Death, battle towering bosses in a grim world, and build your character through classes and abilities.
Sci-fi setting
A dark sci-fi soulslike set in a ruined city where you target and sever specific enemy limbs to loot armor and parts for your exosuit. Brutal, demanding combat and interconnected level design drive the loop.
30 The Surge 2
A dark sci-fi soulslike set in a ruined city where you target and sever specific enemy limbs to loot armor and parts for your exosuit. Brutal, demanding combat and interconnected level design drive the loop.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A dark, gothic pixel-art Metroidvania that blends Soulslike combat with sprawling interconnected exploration and plenty of weapon and build options. You fight through a decaying world ravaged by plague and a corrupt religion as Eric.
A dark, gothic pixel-art Metroidvania that blends Soulslike combat with sprawling interconnected exploration and plenty of weapon and build options. You fight through a decaying world ravaged by plague and a corrupt religion as Eric.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A punishing sci-fi soulslike with an isometric view where patience, dodging and precise timing decide every fight. You explore a decaying world of immortals and uncover the mystery behind its curse.
A punishing sci-fi soulslike with an isometric view where patience, dodging and precise timing decide every fight. You explore a decaying world of immortals and uncover the mystery behind its curse.
Fantasy setting
A dark pixel-art boss-rush soulslike where a lone knight takes on fallen gods one after another. It's all about precise dodging, learning attack patterns and experimenting with abilities.
33 Eldest Souls
A dark pixel-art boss-rush soulslike where a lone knight takes on fallen gods one after another. It's all about precise dodging, learning attack patterns and experimenting with abilities.
Distinctive, stylised art style
A minimalist boss-rush adventure where you have a single arrow and one hit point. Each titan is a puzzle of timing, positioning and trial and error, set in a quiet pixel-art world.
34 Titan Souls
A minimalist boss-rush adventure where you have a single arrow and one hit point. Each titan is a puzzle of timing, positioning and trial and error, set in a quiet pixel-art world.
Lots to discover
A tiny fox explores a mysterious Zelda-like world with demanding, Souls-inspired combat. Its true heart is a scattered in-game manual written in an unknown script, whose pages gradually reveal layered secrets and brain-bending puzzles.
35 Tunic
A tiny fox explores a mysterious Zelda-like world with demanding, Souls-inspired combat. Its true heart is a scattered in-game manual written in an unknown script, whose pages gradually reveal layered secrets and brain-bending puzzles.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A bleak open-world soulslike action RPG blending sci-fi and dark fantasy. You play one of the Forsaken, fighting through oppressive, eerie ruins against the horrors of the Omnistructure.
A bleak open-world soulslike action RPG blending sci-fi and dark fantasy. You play one of the Forsaken, fighting through oppressive, eerie ruins against the horrors of the Omnistructure.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A grim 2D Metroidvania with soulslike combat in which you play a warrior shaped from ash exploring a decaying, macabre world. Punishing boss fights and oppressive pixel-art atmosphere define the experience.
37 Moonscars
A grim 2D Metroidvania with soulslike combat in which you play a warrior shaped from ash exploring a decaying, macabre world. Punishing boss fights and oppressive pixel-art atmosphere define the experience.
Fantasy setting
A dark fantasy action RPG built around extraction gameplay: you fight monsters and rival players solo or with a team, and only a successful escape lets you keep your loot. Classes, combos and skills add variety.
A dark fantasy action RPG built around extraction gameplay: you fight monsters and rival players solo or with a team, and only a successful escape lets you keep your loot. Classes, combos and skills add variety.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A punishing third-person action RPG that blends Soulslike combat with firearms. Its grim world mixes Norse mythology with science fiction and demands precise dodging and aiming.
A punishing third-person action RPG that blends Soulslike combat with firearms. Its grim world mixes Norse mythology with science fiction and demands precise dodging and aiming.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A pure boss-rush action RPG where you face bosses themed on the deadly sins. Before each duel you sacrifice a stat and drop a level, so every fight gets harder and your choice of what to give up shapes your build.
40 Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption
A pure boss-rush action RPG where you face bosses themed on the deadly sins. Before each duel you sacrifice a stat and drop a level, so every fight gets harder and your choice of what to give up shapes your build.
Fantasy setting
You fight through procedurally generated labyrinths where you shift floating blocks across a river, shoving enemies into the abyss. Tough, Souls-inspired combat with dodging and parrying meets a dark roguelike loop.
41 Loot River
You fight through procedurally generated labyrinths where you shift floating blocks across a river, shoving enemies into the abyss. Tough, Souls-inspired combat with dodging and parrying meets a dark roguelike loop.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A grim sci-fi soulslike set on a decaying space station where dimensions bleed into each other. Interconnected areas, punishing combat and co-op play define the experience.
42 Hellpoint
A grim sci-fi soulslike set on a decaying space station where dimensions bleed into each other. Interconnected areas, punishing combat and co-op play define the experience.
Dark, serious atmosphere
A grim 2D soulslike with metroidvania touches, set in a cursed temple full of merciless enemies and tough bosses. Precise dodging and timing decide whether you survive.
A grim 2D soulslike with metroidvania touches, set in a cursed temple full of merciless enemies and tough bosses. Precise dodging and timing decide whether you survive.
Fantasy setting
A tough soulslike-flavoured action roguelike set in a grim fantasy world. Weapons and armor each bring their own mechanics, keeping every run varied and dangerous.
A tough soulslike-flavoured action roguelike set in a grim fantasy world. Weapons and armor each bring their own mechanics, keeping every run varied and dangerous.
Fantasy setting
A punishing action RPG dungeon crawler mixing souls-like combat with roguelike elements. Enemies coordinate with each other, forcing you to fight carefully and smartly.
45 Mana Spark
A punishing action RPG dungeon crawler mixing souls-like combat with roguelike elements. Enemies coordinate with each other, forcing you to fight carefully and smartly.
Melee combat with weapons or fists
A punishing side-scrolling action RPG set in ancient Egypt, where dodging, blocking and the choice between light and heavy gear decide fights against brutal enemies while you uncover the truth about the Red Pharaoh.
46 Pharaonic
A punishing side-scrolling action RPG set in ancient Egypt, where dodging, blocking and the choice between light and heavy gear decide fights against brutal enemies while you uncover the truth about the Red Pharaoh.
Lots to discover
In Unworthy you fight through a grim metroidvania world where you have no jump at all, so combat has to be precise. Death is frequent and part of the design, and each attempt takes you a bit further.
47 Unworthy
In Unworthy you fight through a grim metroidvania world where you have no jump at all, so combat has to be precise. Death is frequent and part of the design, and each attempt takes you a bit further.
Nothing matches this selection.
Soulslikes hook players with a simple loop: you die, you learn the enemy's patterns, and eventually you win through skill rather than luck. Checkpoints are sparse, mistakes are punished, and progress feels earned. Most also hide their story in item descriptions and environmental details, so exploration and lore-hunting become part of the reward.
When choosing, think about pace and combat style. Elden Ring is the most flexible starting point, because its open world lets you leave a tough boss and come back stronger later. Dark Souls: Remastered offers the original interconnected world of Lordran with its clever shortcuts, plus the Artorias DLC. Bloodborne, available on PlayStation, pushes you to stay aggressive instead of hiding behind a shield and leans into gothic and cosmic horror. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice drops most RPG systems in favor of parrying and posture, which makes it feel more like a pure sword-fighting test. Lies of P is a strong pick if you want a newer, story-rich take with a parry focus and a Belle Époque setting.
The list also includes difficult games that are not soulslikes, such as Cuphead, a hand-drawn boss rush with local co-op, and Hotline Miami, built on instant restarts. They scratch a similar itch of trial and error mastery, but in very different genres. Counter-Strike and Devil Daggers are demanding too, though they are competitive or score-chasing shooters rather than soulslikes.
Elden Ring is often recommended because its open world lets you explore elsewhere and level up when a boss feels too hard. Dark Souls III is another good entry point with a more linear structure.
Dark Souls: Remastered is the easier recommendation, since it keeps the original world of Lordran while adding sharper visuals, smoother framerates and the Artorias DLC.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice builds its combat around parrying and breaking enemy posture. Lies of P also puts a strong focus on parrying within a more traditional soulslike structure.
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