The search for the best Soulslikes often leads us down the same well-trodden paths, as the genre’s standout titles tend to dominate the conversation.
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It’s difficult to discuss the topic without constantly circling back to the same acclaimed adventures we have all enjoyed, consequently leading to many high-caliber experiences being unfairly relegated to the background.
Especially due to the genre’s rapid expansion, with more and more projects drawing inspiration from FromSoftware’s formula, finding the needles in the haystack is a challenge, though the effort is always worth it.
Nevertheless, if you’re feeling weary and have no desire to wander the dark corners of digital storefronts in order to find them, let me save you the trouble with this list of ten Soulslikes that most people haven’t played, but definitely should.
10
Onimusha: Warlords
An Unnoticed Pioneer
Including a title that predates Demon’s Souls by eight years on a list of Soulslikes might seem insulting, but there’s never a bad time to find an excuse to recommend Onimusha: Warlords.
Especially following the superb release of Way of the Sword, it’s an undeniably valid recommendation because the game captures the subgenre’s essence even before it truly existed, featuring deliberate combat and spectacular bosses that demand careful thought and patience.
Its interconnected level design, featuring doors locked from the other side and means of progression through farming, bears a striking resemblance to games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne, even though Resident Evil was its primary inspiration.
Onimusha: Warlords is an essential classic everyone should play at least once, but if you are a fan of Soulsborne games, you will find Samanosuke’s adventure to be an absolutely amazing experience.
9
Kristala
The Gift of Agility
Release Date
April 23, 2026
Developer(s)
Astral Clocktower Studios
Publisher(s)
Astral Clocktower Studios
Platform(s)
PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One
How Long To Beat
20½ Hours
OpenCritic Rating
n/a
Games featuring feline protagonists often center their gameplay on agility, and Kristala is no exception, as it embraces this premise to infuse the genre with a level of verticality it rarely possesses.
Although it feels partially clunky and suffers from more technical issues than it should, its versatile movement mechanics, functional stealth, and combat that relies on parries and spectacular abilities create a truly engaging campaign.
Fights are slow and punishing, with impact frames that give weight to every encounter, while the level design allows for a depth akin to a 3D platformer, which is a worthy variation on the traditional formula.
That being said, you need some patience, given the bugs can be annoying—you’ll encounter hitbox and collision errors constantly—but if you pick it up at a discount, Kristala might just be a Soulslike that pleasantly surprises you.
8
Vindilis
Release Date
November 24, 2025
Developer(s)
François Mauxion
Publisher(s)
François Mauxion
Platform(s)
PC
How Long To Beat
1 Hour
OpenCritic Rating
n/a
Vindilis is one of the shortest games I have ever played, yet it also ranks among those that have managed to impress me the most with the least, as it truly makes the absolute best use of its one-hour runtime.
Its stunning hand-drawn art style, featuring combat sequences that look more like animation than a standard video game, supports a premise where fighting and platforming feel precise and satisfying, all with a level of detail one wouldn’t expect from such a brief adventure.
Every boss, enemy, and environment showcases immense artistic talent, often causing you to die in every new room simply because you were too busy admiring the sense of movement and vitality conveyed by every power and particle effect.
Given its price point, the short duration isn’t an issue; if anything, it makes me even more eager to recommend Vindilis. If you enjoy 2D games, I believe this title belongs firmly in the must-play category.
7
Tombwater
Bloodborne Meets Red Dead Redemption
Anything even remotely reminiscent of Bloodborne grabs my attention, but what Tombwater achieves by blending that style with Red Dead Redemption is truly worthy of applause.
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These Soulslikes are difficult, brief, and just as capable of breaking your will as any other title in the genre.
Its fusion of cosmic horror with Western aesthetics and folklore is phenomenal, resulting in combat and exploration mechanics that are not only superbly executed but also consistently aligned with the game’s underlying themes.
Furthermore, as the touch of Metroidvania-style progression works wonders and the combat itself is addictive, finding reasons to backtrack in search of secrets and slay more monsters is an easy sell.
As far as 2D Soulslikes go, Tombwater is among the finest models on the market. It may not be the most daring title, but sacrificing novelty for quality is a trade-off I’m willing to accept in this instance.
6
Crimson Capes
Beautifully Violent
Release Date
February 12, 2026
Developer(s)
Poor Locke
Publisher(s)
Poor Locke
Platform(s)
PC
How Long To Beat
15 Hours
OpenCritic Rating
n/a
Since relatively few video games use rotoscoping as their primary animation method, any title featuring this technology catches my eye, which inevitably leads me to include Crimson Capes.
However, while I was initially intrigued by the fluidity of its combat and movement, I stayed for the punishing nature of its encounters and the beauty of its levels, because it’s a game that truly excels at conveying its atmosphere.
It’s slow and weighty, demanding careful deliberation with every sword stroke, which turns every action sequence into a series of choices and commitments reminiscent of the experience offered by the early Soulsborne titles.
Crimson Capes has become one of the Soulslikes I’ve spent the most time discussing over the past year, and I think that speaks volumes about the value it adds to a subgenre so crowded with titles that the conversation usually just moves on to the next one.
5
Dark Sword: The Light of Ainn
An Untamed Boss Rush
Release Date
February 22, 2025
Developer(s)
MrDoth
Publisher(s)
MrDoth
Platform(s)
PC
How Long To Beat
n/a
OpenCritic Rating
n/a
Boss rush games are a fascinating phenomenon because they maximize the very element that serves as the main draw of Soulslikes, giving us underrated gems like the excellent Dark Sword: The Light of Ainn.
With a monochromatic color palette set in a world devoid of explanations or guides, the game signals from the very start that a brutal journey into the unknown awaits, a promise quickly confirmed by its gameplay.
Its blend of melee combat and bullet hell elements results in adrenaline-fueled encounters where one mistake leads to another, driving you to strive for near perfection in order to triumph and truly do justice to the glorious soundtrack playing in the background.
You will get lost, feel frustrated, and even lose hope, yet this is all part of the Dark Sword: The Light of Ainn experience, which often kicks you while you’re down, making the act of getting back up feel all the more rewarding.
4
Stonemachia
Chess Can Be Very Aggressive
Release Date
May 26, 2026
Developer(s)
Crossfall Games
Publisher(s)
Crossfall Games
Platform(s)
PC
How Long To Beat
15½ Hours
OpenCritic Rating
77
The reasoning behind creating a chess-based Soulslike is entirely beyond my imagination and comprehension, yet not so much so that I couldn’t enjoy Stonemachia.
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Variety is apparently not the spice of life here.
Wielding a sword as a pawn while battling canonically accurate stone angels atop a stage that’s as illogical as it is beautiful ranks among the strangest and most fascinating experiences I’ve had this decade.
The way Stonemachia adapts the rules of each chess piece into a third-person combat game is both creative and satisfying, while it avoids getting bogged down in RPG mechanics to prioritize direct combat and exploration instead.
The project’s quirky premise might fool you at first, but it’s important for you to know this isn’t just a game with a funny gimmick: it’s a highly competent action title boasting excellent visual and musical style.
3
The Last Faith
Towards Salvation
Bloodborne once again serves as the primary inspiration for a 2D indie title, this time blended with Blasphemous to create the magnificent The Last Faith.
Thanks to its stunning pixel art, remarkable soundtrack, and a rich gothic atmosphere, the game delights you with its powerful audiovisual presentation, ultimately winning you over completely with its gameplay.
While it doesn’t attempt anything revolutionary, it offers enough depth in terms of weapons, enemies, bosses, and levels to make you overlook its modest concept, as you’ll be too engrossed in the impressive designs and rewarding exploration to notice.
With a wealth of custom executions, superb biomes, and diverse equipment options, The Last Faith stands as both an excellent Soulslike and an excellent Metroidvania, strong enough, perhaps, to rank among the best in both genres this decade.
2
Blade: The Edge of Darkness
Returning to the Origins
I’m taking the liberty (again) of including one of the games that directly inspired the birth of the Soulsborne genre on this list, as I feel Blade: The Edge of Darkness doesn’t get enough recognition.
Many recognize it as a key influence on FromSoftware’s flagship titles, though few have actually played it, meaning they’re missing out on a truly timeless cult classic.
The technical and design limitations of the era are palpable, yet the title remains fascinating thanks to its mythology, atmospheric level design, and hardcore combat—the very style of action that explains why even a lowly undead in Dark Souls can kill you if you let your guard down.
Fortunately, the game has been revived as Blade of Darkness and is available on modern systems, so there’s no excuse not to experience the adventure that helped pave the way for one of today’s greatest developers to earn that reputation.
1
Clash: Artifacts of Chaos
Punching Souls Out
Soulslikes tend to lean either toward the most traditional dark fantasy or the most bizarre surrealism, and the magnificent Clash: Artifacts of Chaos sits at the pinnacle of the latter.
The team behind the indescribable Zeno Clash returned with a prequel that swaps the first-person perspective for the third-person, shifting the combat focus from a brawler to a punch-centric Soulslike that works wonderfully.
Given the developers, it comes as no surprise that the aesthetic, along with the mythology, designs, and level layouts, is absolutely stunning, though the way martial arts blend so seamlessly with the combat and exploration typical of the Soulslike genre is somewhat unexpected, and the result is divine.
There’s no other Soulslike quite like Clash: Artifacts of Chaos, and that fact alone should be enough to grab the attention of the genre’s fans, considering it’s a space teeming with excellent clones but lacking in daring outliers.
It can get a bit repetitive, but you’ll be so captivated by the spectacular moves, world, characters, and art that you won’t even notice, especially since your fingers will be too busy punching everything that crosses your path.
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