Summary
Depending on who is asked, 2019 was either a lackluster year for games or a downright terrible one. However, there is unanimity in the fact that there was one gem from the selections for 2019 in the form ofSekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
The game,developed by the legendary FromSoftware, was a beauty to behold, and even years later, players are still replaying the game and consider it one of the best FromSoftware offerings. Among other things,Sekiromade a name for itself with its punishingly difficult swordplay and parry system, along with its emphasis on stealth. Thankfully, many other Soulslike titles can scratch theSekiroitch if players want to take a break from theDark Soulsgames.
Updated May 22, 2025, by Famutimi Oluwafemi:The term ‘soulslike’ has become a staple in the gaming industry, and there are always new titles and even old that fall into this category. That said, with how revolutionary Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice was, there is a growing demand for games that are closer to the Japanese action adventure than to the more brooding Lovecraftian surroundings of Dark Souls. Here are some of the best of such games.
Team Ninja’sNIOHis an action rollercoaster that features real historical references, which might be fascinating for anyone with a passing interest in history. The player controls William, a character based on William Adams, an Englishman who is considered one of the only Western samurai.
NIOHmight not be as hard asDark SoulsorSekiro, but it is certainly challenging. It also makes use of a parry system, and the player can choose between stances, which makes combat more innovative and engaging.
Microsoft Windows, Playstation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S
Action game, Indie game
Released
June 2024
Kristalais a game from developers Astral Clocktower Studios, where the player takes control oftheir own anthropomorphic character (in this case, cats)and sets off on an epic adventure. It was released in 2024 and is a mix between a soulslike andSekiro. The oppressive surroundings are certainly more akin to the Souls games.
But the combat is where it takes more inspiration fromSekiro, as players have to parry when fighting enemies. Not only that, but there is a lot of rolling and dodging involved, too. Furthermore, the traversal skills are also more akin toSekiro, as the player moves like a cat, jumping from building to building with great agility, and the absence of fall damage (the player is a cat afterall) just adds to the realism.
Hollow Knightis the indie version of aDark Soulsgame. It features a deep and interesting story, gloomy backgrounds and areas, and satisfying boss battles.Hollow Knightincorporates beautiful animation and very innovative gameplay, which means that each victory feels earned, something that should feel familiar to fans of Soulslikes.
It has a lot in common with a game likeSekiro, but it also differs, with players having to think of the platforming aspect of the game, which can also be difficult to grasp. A lot ofHollow Knight’sdifficulty is found in the DLC content, whereboss rush battles can be maddeningly challenging. So, anyone looking to pick this game up should be ready for a tough time.
Released in 2023,Wo Long: Fallen Dynastyis sometimes called the ChineseSekiro, mostly because ofits feudal Chinese setting. WhereWo Longmisses in terms of an engaging story, it more than makes up for with its combat system.
InWo Long, the player has access to a bevy of weapons, which makes combat varied. The parry mechanic is also reminiscent ofSekiro, but unlike the latter, where fans can’t parry and counter certain enemies,Wo Longintegrates the parry system in every encounter. It has good replay value and is certainly a great “Sekiro-like” for those looking for something similar.
Set in a plague-ridden world,Thymesiarequires the player to figure out what is causing the plague and bring an end to it. The story itself is vague and not the most compelling, but the bright spot is the very fun combat system.
While the atmosphere, story beats, and characters make this feel more like a soulsborne game, the combat leans more towardsSekiroin the fighting style, which allows the player to dodge attacks or deflect them, and enemies need to have both their white life bar and green “wounds” bar depleted to die. While not the most challenging game, it still offers a good time.
Steelrisingwas developed bySpiders, a France-based outfit, and fittingly, the game is set during the French Revolution. The story is a lot more straightforward than a lot of these kinds of games, and while the atmosphere and gameplay feature a lot of soulslike elements, it does differentiate itself in a number of ways.
For one, the protagonist, Aegis, is wonderfully designed and is definitive, which isn’t always the case with other souls-like games that feature indecipherable protagonists. Also, traversal borrows some things fromSekiro, as the character has something of a grappling hook and is also equipped with an air dash. The bosses are fun to fight, the weapon variety is impressive, and the world is likely to delight history fans.
Code Veinwas developed by Bandai Namco, who is also the publisher ofElden Ring, one of FromSoftware’s more recent games.Code Veinis unabashedly a soulslike, boasting a lot of the mechanics linking it to the classic FromSoftware title.
Its similarity toSekirolies largely in its deliberate combat system, which revolves a lot around recognizing enemy patterns and responding appropriately, whether it’s to dodge, block, or attack. The game isn’t too challenging, and while the enemy variety is lacking, it does feature some awesome boss battles and enables the player tocustomize their character to their heart’s content.
Nine Solsis an underrated gem from 2024 from RedCandleGames, where players take control of the vengeful Yi who is after the Nine Sols of the Tiandao Council. The game immediately stands out with stunning 2D visuals that are similar toHollow Knight- just with a lot more color.
Nine Solshas surprisingly deep lorethat the player can learn all about as they progress in the story. There is a fair bit of platforming, and the combat is incredible, featuring smooth animations and a parry mechanic that can make taking down enemies feel extremely satisfying. Enemy variety is top-notch, too, and taking control of a badass like Yi is just great.
The Lords Of The Fallenis the reboot of an earlier game simply calledLords of The Fallen, which was released in 2014.The Lords Of The Fallenis a different kettle of fish in that it gets the soulslike trope really well with a few innovations.
It compares toSekiroin how it utilizes the world of the dead, which is an alternate realm that the player can access by way of a lantern. If the character dies, he can be revived, similar to how Sekiro can be revived by Kuro’s Dragon Heritage.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivoris the sequel tothe highly successfulStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. The game takes place quite a while after the first game, and though it would be a good idea to check out the first game before playing this one, doing so is not mandatory.
Survivorhas the player hop planets while fighting different enemie. While some might bristle at its comparison toDark Souls, it is totally a soulslike. The difficulty is right up there, especially when playing on the Grandmaster difficulty, and it leans into the style ofSekirowith some of the parry mechanics and the intricate fighting style. The game also includes stances that help to vary the fighting style quite a bit and keep things interesting for the player.Survivoris an amazing sequel to a game that took many by surprise, and it’s a great game to try out for fans ofSekiro.
