Summary
A grim and unforgiving interconnected world, an arsenal of weird and wonderful weapons to experiment with, challenging bosses that demand your full attention — a lot goes intomaking a successful soulslike. However, one thing that is crucial to the genre is a compelling and often fragmented narrative that uses environmental storytelling and item descriptions to give players clues on how to figure it out for themselves.
It’s not always the easiest thing to get right, partly because FromSoftware’s unique take comes from president Hidetaka Miyazaki’s experience with trying to read English language fantasy novels as a child — not something that’s simple to replicate. And while FromSoftware continues to do what it does best, there’s no shortage of aspiring titles from triple-A and indie developers alike that manage topull it off effectivelytoo.
Updated Jun 01, 2025 by Vlad Mazanko:There’s no shortage of soulslike games for fans of the genre, with exciting new titles releasing every few months. Two of the most popular soulslikes of 2024, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and Black Myth: Wukong,stand out for their exceptional combatbut feature narratives that some players may find fragmented or difficult to follow.
As such, the list has been updated to include more soulslike games known for their accessible and engaging stories, offering a refreshing contrast to the cryptic storytelling typical of the genre’s most iconic titles.
On the surface,Wo Long: Fallen Dynastypresents a seemingly straightforward narrative, tasking players with halting the spread of the demonic qi and uncovering the source of this dark and corrupting magic. However, the game’s true strength lies in its rich characters and immersive setting. Exploring ancient China proves consistently engaging, with many factions and events inspired by real historical happenings, lending the world a unique blend of authenticity and myth.
Throughout their journey,players form bonds with a host of compelling heroeslike Hong Jing, Liu Bei, Zhao Yun, and Cao Cao, each with distinct personalities, personal struggles, and combat abilities. These supporting characters are intricately woven into the story’s fabric, with surprising twists like the loss of a trusted ally or shocking betrayals. Strengthening bonds with these characters isn’t just about storytelling; it offers tangible rewards as players receive powerful weapons and armor sets as tokens of their gratitude.
TheDarksidersseries began as a classic action-adventure but has evolved with each installment, integrating RPG and soulslike elements to keep the experience fresh. By the timeDarksiders 3arrived — technically a prequel to the first game — the seriesembraced its soulslike inspirations, offering fast-paced combat that hinges on strategy and mastery, particularly in the intense battles against a roster of challenging bosses, each demanding a unique approach to defeat.
Players take on the role of Fury, a fiery, red-haired Nephilim and one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, tasked with hunting down and defeating the Seven Deadly Sins, who have orchestrated humanity’s collapse. The narrative is both straightforward and compelling, punctuated by vivid portrayals of each sin-boss and enriched with intriguing side characters like the demon merchant Vulgrim. The game’s post-apocalyptic Earth setting adds to its charm, blending decayed environments with fantastical elements. Long-time fans will also appreciate appearances by Fury’s fellow Horsemen — Strife, Death, and War — leading to a powerful reunion that many had eagerly awaited.
With a literal galaxy’s worth of writing to pull from, the Star Wars universe is a wealth of story potential ripe for exploration. And what better way to combine that with the Souls experience than in thegrim aftermath of Order 66?Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderfollows Cal Kestis as he attempts to keep a low profile in the wake of the Empire’s takeover.
But the call of the Light Side is too strong, and he soon finds himself thrust into a personal quest for justice and survival in equal measure. The young Padawan must quickly master his skills without any training or guidance — not doing so will mean finding himself on the wrong end of a blaster very quickly.
Swapping the traditional Medieval setting fora futuristic nightmare,The Surge 2melds man and machine in a desperate struggle to survive an environmental collapse that has all but wiped out humanity. Luckily, a totally benevolent and not-at-all nefarious tech conglomerate, CREO, has a solution to the crisis — release a horde of tiny robots to help replenish natural resources (at the cost of 95% of the remaining population).
Of course, it all goes wrong and the nanites gain sentience, becoming the Rogue Process and corrupting or killing everything that gets in their way. It’s up to the player character to explore and outlast the mechanical devastation in Jericho City by any means necessary. Which usually includes grafting machinery onto their body and inadvertently fulfilling a fanatical cult’s prophecy.
Arising as a Revenant in the ruins of civilization,Code Veinsees the player thrust into a nightmare fueled by death. Sounds familiar. To survive in this unforgiving world, the hero must consume human blood to power their supernatural abilities and stave off the inevitable frenzy that comes from going thirsty for too long.
Players must navigate a twisting, turning interconnected world brimming with tough bosses to tackle to uncover the truth behind the Queen of the Lost, and the reason for Bloodsprings drying up. It’s very akin to the idea of losing one’s purpose andgoing hollow inDark Souls, especially with its themes of humanity’s descent into mindless killing and the general collapse of the world.
What if the French Revolution was quashed by an army of clockwork robots that King Louis XVI used to rule with an iron fist? If you’ve ever asked that very specific question, thenSteelrisingis a must-play, especially if you’re a fan of soulslikes.Familiar combat mechanicsin a setting very reminiscent ofBloodborneset the tone perfectly, while an alternate history where the player controls Marie Antoinette’s personal android is a unique take on humanity and self-determination.
But some things never change, and nowhere is that more so than in history. King Louis continues to fall further into the depths of despotic depravity, marking many of his officials and generals for death. It’s up to the player to find out what has driven the French monarch to madness, all the while aided by real-life historical figures including Robespierre, Necker, and Cagliostro.
Building on the foundation laid byFallen Order,Star Wars Jedi: Survivorcontinues the journey of Cal Kestis, who has alreadybecome one of the most iconic newStar Warscharactersin gaming over the past decade. The sequel significantly broadens the game’s scale, introducing expansive open areas for players to explore while maintaining the tightly woven narrative of the original. The story is rich with new and familiar faces, unexpected twists, and moments that deepen the lore surrounding Cal’s path as a Jedi in hiding.
Jedi: Survivortakes its time to develop meaningful relationships. Players witness the romance blossoming between Cal and Merrin, delve into the camaraderie and trust between Cal and Bode Akuna, and uncover the inner turmoil of Dagan Gera, whose struggles with his past creates compelling conflicts. The game also delivers thrilling cameos, such as a gripping face-off with Darth Vader and an encounter with the legendary Boba Fett himself.
Plenty of classic tales have been retold in new ways across the ages, includingPinocchio. And in this rather on-the-nosehomage toBloodborne, players control the titular puppet himself albeit this time as a highly advanced automaton. Dripping with atmosphere and set against the uniquely lavish backdrop of the Belle Époque era,Lies of Pis a story of loss, betrayal, and one man’s misguided mission to make amends.
The aftermath of all that prowls the streets of Krat as mechanical monstrosities tear the city apart. It’s up to the player to survive the mechanical nightmare, defeat a horde of shambling metal monstrosities, and find Gepetto to uncover the truth.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twicestands out in FromSoftware’s portfolio as a rare soulslike that embraces a direct and accessible narrative. Unlike the studio’s other titles, which often rely heavily on cryptic lore and subtle environmental storytelling,Sekirofeatures a central story with key characters, cutscenes, and dialogues that are easy to grasp, making the plotlines more engaging and easy to follow. While there are still hidden layers and non-obvious details for those who wish to dig deeper into character motivations, the game ensures that players who complete it have a clear understanding of the events — arefreshing departure from the studio’s typical ambiguity.
The game also offers players meaningful choices, leading to one of several distinct endings. These endings revolve around protagonist Wolf’s quest to protect Lord Kuro and assist him in severing the ties of immortality to break the ancient curse plaguing all life. Furthermore,Sekiroseamlessly integrates its mechanics into the story, uniquely grounding its constant rebirth system within the narrative, a rare and welcome touch for the genre.
It’s incredibly hard to beat the masters at their own game, and FromSoftware proves time and time again that they have perfected the formula down to the finest detail. Nowhere is this more true than in the dingy, twisting streets of Yharnam, the Victorian Gothic-inspired setting forBloodborne. What starts as a fairly straightforward quest to hunt down some werewolves soon spirals into a cosmic nightmare of Lovecraftian proportions, complete with innumerable tentacles and unfathomable deep-sea horrors.
It’ll most likely take players multiple playthroughs toget the full pictureand require finding every possible item as well as all three endings. But the fast-paced, satisfying gameplay and challenging bosses make this a natural part of the experience for soulslike veterans. There’s plenty for players to sink their fangs into.
