Top 10 Greatest Souls-like Video Games for 2023 (2023)

Contents

  • 1/ Dark Raider
  • 2/ Dead Cells
  • 3/ Animus: Revenant
  • 4/ Revenant Knight
  • 5/ Ronin: the last Samurai
  • 6/ Pascal’s Wager
  • 7/ Shadow of Death: Offline Games
  • 8/ Way of Retribution
  • 9/ Watcher Chronicles
  • 10/ Grimvalor

If you are bored and searching for an interesting Souls-like video game, let’s scroll down in the article below to explore more.

From Demon’s Souls in 2009 to Elden Ring in 2022, the Souls series has come a long way. Within the span of just thirteen years, From Software released seven distinct role-playing games, launching the Japanese developer into a well-deserved mainstream spotlight.

Bide your time, learn your opponents’ attack patterns, and Dark Souls will reward you with one of the most satisfying victories in gaming. A true Souls game is yet to make its way to your Android smartphone. But this doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of competent clones, which is precisely why we’ve built this roundup of the best Souls-like games for your mobile device, games that perfectly capture the risk and reward of Dark Souls.

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1/ Dark Raider

Clearly boasting an inspiration or two from the Souls series, Dark Raider is an isometric role-playing game. Dark Raider presents you with a choice of several heroes, and each offers a different playstyle. Are you a warrior, capable of dishing out large amounts of damage, or a mage who prefers to stay at a distance while casting powerful spells?

Regardless of who you play as, you’ll come up against uneven odds, such as a total of 23 bosses that tower well above you. The game adds an additional layer of challenge with its randomly generated levels. Every time you die in battle, the level and enemy placement are generated anew.

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2/ Dead Cells

Presenting an influential model for Souls-likes on the Play Store, Dead Cells is a 2D, procedurally generated action platformer in which you play as a warrior exploring a dungeon.

Well, technically, you’re a corpse reanimated by a failed science experiment, but that’s neither here nor there. Gameplay-wise, you get 2D platforming interspersed with fluid hack-and-slash combat. Exploration is rewarded with money and new weapons for fending off fearsome enemies.

The game styles itself as “roguevania,” with the exploration of a map being integral but occurring within a procedurally generated layout that changes upon death. If you’re a sucker for procedurally generated runs and punishing difficulty, Dead Cells is highly recommended.

3/ Animus: Revenant

Certainly an ambitious title, Animus: Revenant places you in an isometric 3D world on a linear adventure to save the world. The Dark Souls influence is felt almost immediately with the introduction of the combat, which serves its purpose well, encouraging a multitude of battle approaches such as parrying, backstabs, blocking, and attacking with different weapons.

The game is not a hack-and-slash, and that is made very clear by the slow movement and disarming camera angle. The combat is centered around slow and methodical attacks, no running straight through this one.

Graphically, the game isn’t stunning, but lower resolution can result in a superior frame rate. This is something that the original Dark Souls actually did. Just make sure you bring a beefy device; this is a demanding game.

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4/ Revenant Knight

Just one look at the screenshots and Revenant Knight’s inspirations become apparent. From the protagonist donning a full suit of silver armor to undead enemies and towering bosses. The only thing that separates you from imminent death is a menacing greatsword.

Other than that, Revenant Knight features little to improve your odds. Any hope of victory depends on your abilities. No leveling up here. If you can defeat the dozens of enemies that the game throws at you, along with 14 humongous bosses, you’ve probably mastered the souls-like genre.

5/ Ronin: the last Samurai

Our first Samurai-themed entry, Ronin: the last Samurai places you in control of a katana-wielding warrior facing down multiple foes in level-based waves. The combat feels very Sekiro-inspired, with much emphasis placed on the aggressive yet cautious approach to fighting.

Said combat uses touch controls to strike, block, parry, and activate special attacks, all of which respond very well and look gorgeous alongside the game’s art style. The movement mechanics aren’t great; your character moves extremely slowly around the arena, giving archers plenty of time for target practice. A simple game, but still a great time for fans of Nioh and Sekiro.

6/ Pascal’s Wager

A standout game on the Play Store, Pascal’s Wager is a bonafide Soul’s like on the Android platform, with everything you would expect from such a product. Taking place in a dark western fantasy setting, the adorably named “Terrance” embarks on a quest through the hostile environment, acquiring items, talking to NPC, and killing everything that tries to kill you.

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The interface is well-designed, with a smattering of action-dedicated buttons and a control stick for movement. Give it a shot; this one offers something special.

7/ Shadow of Death: Offline Games

One of the better examples of a 2D hack-and-slash, Shadow of Death puts you in control of one of four warriors in a silhouetted world full of hostile creatures hellbent on killing you. Each avatar offers different abilities and playstyles, reminiscent of the build concept from the Souls series.

Combat against creatively designed enemies comes in wave-based levels, predictably fast-paced and stylish, with new abilities and usable items being unlocked as you play. There is a noticeable lack of exploration, but this is likely a limitation of the art style.

Any exploration of the silhouette environments would be visually confusing, after all. While it’s not going to win any awards for art design, the combat in Shadow of Death is stylish to behold and satisfying to control, scratching that Devil May Cry itch as well as a Souls-like.

8/ Way of Retribution

This is an interesting one, Way of Retribution takes the format of a 3D Souls-like, placing you into areas full of enemies with a boss to kill, but translates that to an MMORPG-style game, aesthetically evoking Neverwinter. Multiple starting classes can be selected at the beginning, all of which have different specializations for combat.

Said combat works as expected, you lock onto enemies and tap the icons for certain attacks. The big difference with this game is you can’t just face the boss whenever you want; you must first complete several objectives within the level, imitating the quest linearity seen in the best MMORPG’s. A strange kind of Souls-like, but certainly a unique blending of ideas that makes for an interesting experience. It’s a quick download, so take a look.

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9/ Watcher Chronicles

Watcher Chronicles wastes no time establishing itself as a 2D Souls-like, spawning you in a dungeon with a sword and the armor on your back. The gameplay is similar to Blasphemous, only with a cleaner art style and less harrowing visual design. The combat is smooth, allowing for dodge rolling, blocking, and ranged combat to help you out in a jam.

While the cartoony art style can be a little unflattering here and there, it very quickly ramps up and reveals some truly exceptional enemy design, so Watcher Chronicles nails the fundamentals. The difficulty is well-balanced, the weapons feel satisfying, the bosses are cool, and the game actively encourages you to experiment with different play styles, as the best RPGs do.

10/ Grimvalor

Oddly similar to the previous entry, Grimvalor is a 2D Souls-like hack-and-slash with a focus on platforming and evasive combat. One big difference is Grimvalor pulls the camera way back, providing increased visibility of your surroundings, which is good news given the focus on precision platforming. You are given a double jump and a weirdly powerful dash for level traversal, which flows nicely with the combat.

Enemies telegraph their attacks fairly obviously, but not so much as to make things easy. The difficulty has a reasonable curve, with the basics being thoroughly tutorialized and hammered in before any kind of real challenge reveals itself. While aggressively linear and visually drab at times, Grimvalor plays nicely and makes you feel appropriately badass.

Find your gaming worth in the best Souls-like titles on Android

Spearheaded by Pascal’s Wager and Revenant Knight, the Play Store is becoming an excellent source for Souls-like games. These games capture the tone, gameplay mechanics, and challenges typically associated with Dark Souls-inspired games on consoles and PC.

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What are your thoughts about the list of the top 10 Greatest Soul-like Video Games for 2023? Is there an Android game that resembles Souls that we missed? Please share it in the comments section.

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FAQs

Are there any good Soulslike games? ›

Nioh / Nioh 2

Nioh is truly the king of all Soulslike games and the ultimate love letter to FromSoftware's design.

Will there be another Soulslike game? ›

Today, there are plenty of Souls-like games you could play. 2023 is no different, with many more developers poised to further expand the sub-genre with new Soulslike entries to devour.

What is the best Souls game to start with? ›

Best Order To Play All The Soulsborne Games
  1. 1 Sekiro.
  2. 2 Bloodborne. ...
  3. 3 Dark Souls 2. ...
  4. 4 Dark Souls. ...
  5. 5 Demons Souls. ...
  6. 6 Dark Souls 3. The third Dark Souls game is a refined culmination of its predecessors. ...
  7. 7 Elden Ring. Elden Ring is a great way to jump into the genre, because it is the most newcomer friendly among its siblings. ...
Jan 12, 2023

What is the game of the year 2023? ›

Elden Ring, the acclaimed action role-playing game from renowned game director Hidetaka Miyazaki and fantasy writer George R. R. Martin, was awarded Game of the Year at the Game Developers Choice Awards on Wednesday—taking home three awards over the course of the night.

What is the oldest Soulslike? ›

History. The Soulslike genre had its genesis in Demon's Souls (2009), developed by FromSoftware and directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki. It introduced the core tenets that would be followed by the Dark Souls series, such as the combat, death mechanics, multiplayer, storytelling, and dark fantasy setting.

What is the longest Souls game? ›

1 Elden Ring (56 Hours)

Most of the Soulslike games are pretty linear in structure, which is why Elden Ring had so many fans intrigued going into its launch as it was a FromSoftware Soulslike that was a massive open world. Understandably so, it turned out to be the longest FromSoftware game by a decent amount.

Which Souls game is longer? ›

Dark Souls
Game/DLCMain StoryCompletionist
Dark Souls42 Hours105 Hours
Artorias of the Abyss (DLC)6 Hours8 Hours
Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition46 Hours104 Hours
Dark Souls: Remastered29.5 Hours68 Hours
Mar 14, 2022

Is there a game harder than Dark Souls? ›

1 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice will only be harder than Dark Souls for those who do not particularly enjoy deflecting attacks, as that mechanic is crucial to achieving victory. While the Souls games provide players with access to multiple play styles, Sekiro expects people to fight a certain way.

What is the next Souls game 2023? ›

Mortal Rite is set to be released in June 2023. The game is a third-person action RPG that mimics the gameplay of souls-like games, but it also mixes in dungeon crawler and rogue-like gameplay. Characters have their own unique abilities, allowing for replayability and the option to experience the game in new ways.

Will there be a Souls 4? ›

Dark Souls 4 news

We will not beat around the bush here: there is no official news about the development of Dark Souls 4. Although fans hoped that FromSoftware had been developing this particular game since the release of Elden Ring, at The Game Awards 2022 it presented Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon.

When was the last Souls game? ›

Dark Souls III (2016)

Released on March 24th, 2016 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, Dark Souls III is the last entry of the titular Dark Souls trilogy, barring an eventual remaster of the original.

Which is the easiest game of Souls franchise? ›

Ranking Every FromSoftware Soulslike From Easiest To Hardest
  • 14 Dark Souls II.
  • 13 Bloodborne.
  • 12 Dark Souls III.
  • 11 Demon's Souls.
  • 10 Elden Ring.
  • 9 Dark Souls.
  • 8 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
  • 7 Dark Souls: Artorias Of The Abyss.
Mar 8, 2023

What big game is on 2 12 2023? ›

The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Kansas City Chiefs defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles, 38–35. The game was played on February 12, 2023, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
...
Super Bowl LVII.
Ceremonies
NetworkWestwood One
22 more rows

What is the most popular game in 2023? ›

Top 10 Selling Video Games (Retail and Digital), Year-to-Date 2023
RankRank Last MonthTitle
11Hogwarts Legacy
22Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022)
33Resident Evil 4 (2023)
4NEWStar Wars: Jedi: Survivor
6 more rows

What is the hardest boss in Soulslike? ›

Depending on which boss is slain first, the survivor will absorb his partner, giving him more damage with lightning or increased range. Dragon Slayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough are arguably the most challenging bosses in Souls-likes history.

What was the worst Dark Souls? ›

Dark Souls 2

The original game before the release of Scholar had many glaring issues between enemies, enemy placement, summoning friends, and more. It is by far the worst game to release in the franchise. One of the biggest issues that players suffered through was the original summoning system.

What is the longest lasting game ever? ›

What's the Overall Longest Game? According to HLTB, the crown for longest overall video game belongs to Melvor Idle, a Runescape-inspired idle/incremental game with an estimated playtime of 3,126 hours.

Which Souls game has the most content? ›

Longest: Dark Souls 2 SOTFS. With the amount of bosses, plus the maps you traverse through the game almost feels longer due to those reasons alone. Plus the 3 DLC areas had a hefty amount of good content. I remember Crown of the Sunken King being very long my first 2 playthroughs.

How many people finish souls games? ›

Apparently the completion rate is 36%.

What is FromSoftware next Souls game? ›

FromSoftware is set to release a new Armored Core installment at some point in 2023 while fans still hope for Elden Ring DLC and a Bloodborne port.

What is the highest Dark Souls new game? ›

You can play through the game a total of eight times, including the first play through. This means you can eventually go to NG + 7, Or NG+++++++. After this, the game stops scaling, though you can keep beating it infinitely.

Is Dark Souls 10 years old? ›

Today, September 22nd 2021, marks the ten-year anniversary of the original release of Dark Souls in Japan. So not only is September 22nd the birthday of both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, but I guess you could call it Dark Souls Day as well.

What is the hardest game to beat? ›

Top 10 hardest video games & franchises in history: Where does Elden Ring rank?
  1. Contra. Konami Be prepared to die, die, and die again.
  2. Sekiro. ...
  3. Elden Ring, Dark Souls (1-3), Demon's Souls, Bloodborne. ...
  4. Super Meat Boy. ...
  5. Ghosts 'n Goblins. ...
  6. Cuphead. ...
  7. Sifu. ...
  8. Ninja Gaiden (Series) ...
Mar 22, 2023

Who is the hardest boss in DS3? ›

The Nameless King is considered by most to be the hardest Dark Souls 3 boss. Located at the Archdragon Peak, this boss appears after you ring the bell by the Great Belfry. This boss is fought in two phases, with one being while he rides a wyvern.

Which is better Nioh or Sekiro? ›

The loot system of Nioh 2 is vastly superior to that of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. For starters, you can't change your weapon or armor in Sekiro. Nioh 2 offers an abundance of options for gear customization. Finding items like Souls Cores enhances the experience and improves the player's character.

What are the top games on polygon 2023? ›

  • Resident Evil 4 Remake. Image: Capcom. ...
  • Tchia. Image: Awaceb/Kepler Interactive. ...
  • Patch Quest. Image: Lychee Game Labs/Curve Games via Polygon. ...
  • Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo. Image: Square Enix. ...
  • Phantom Brigade. Image: Brace Yourself Games. ...
  • Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. ...
  • Company of Heroes 3. ...
  • Octopath Traveler 2.
Mar 23, 2023

Is Elden Ring going to be a Souls game? ›

From Software have said that Elden Ring is a spiritual successor to Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne. This means it fits the classification of a 'SoulsBorne' game, but Elden Ring is a new IP within the subgenre.

Is Elden Ring The Last Souls? ›

Elden Ring may not be the final end of the Souls series, but it feels like a game worthy to hold the title, and would make a fitting end to the games that players love to rage at.

Is Elden Ring Dark Souls 4? ›

Although Elden Ring does take inspiration from the infamously difficult Dark Souls series, it takes place in a completely different universe and features a plethora of features foreign to FromSoftware's classic franchise. That's not to say the games are more different than similar, though.

Will Bloodborne 2 ever happen? ›

To date, FromSoftware has given no word on a Bloodborne sequel, and judging by the studio's presentation at The Game Awards 2022, developers are currently focused on the next Armored Core game.

Which is better Elden Ring or Dark Souls? ›

Elden Ring will nab the point for better visuals as it has a wide array of locations, each depicting a different look and feel. It captures the spirit of Dark Souls in certain areas, as well as a few other Soulsborne titles like Bloodborne and Sekiro, with its visual imagery.

Which Souls game is most like Elden Ring? ›

The Dark Souls Series

This is perhaps the closest experience to Elden Ring in terms of gameplay and combat, though it's not nearly as open-world as FromSoftware's latest offering. That said, the worlds offered in the Dark Souls saga are just as dark, foreboding, and vastly imaginative as some of The Lands Between.

Is Dark Souls harder than Elden Ring? ›

The game becomes a lot easier for the player if they make good use of Spirits, but that doesn't quite drop it beneath DS2's difficulty. Dark Souls 2's overall difficulty is still lower than Elden Ring's thanks to its simple, slow enemies, and Elden Ring's toughest fights take cues from the Fume Knight.

What are all the Souls games? ›

Who is the strongest in the Souls universe? ›

  • Gael/Ashen One.
  • Ashen One/Gael.
  • Gwyn, Lord of Sunlight.
  • Chosen Undead.
  • Soul of Cinder/Aldritch/some other special mention.
Sep 20, 2017

Who is the best Souls boss? ›

The best 'Souls' game bosses, ranked
  • The Old Monk – Demon's Souls. Old Monk | Demon's Souls. ...
  • Great Grey Wolf Sif – Dark Souls. ...
  • Fume Knight – Dark Souls II. ...
  • Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower – Bloodborne. ...
  • Dancer of the Boreal Valley – Dark Souls III. ...
  • Isshin, The Sword Saint – Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
Mar 10, 2022

Who is the most evil Dark Souls boss? ›

Pontiff Sulyvahn is by far the most wicked out of all the Dark Souls series tyrants as his actions alone have turned Irithyll of the Boreal Valley into a frigid wasteland of mutants, slaves, and victims. He forced his knights to become monsters and enslaved too many innocents.

What is the rarest enemy Dark Souls? ›

The 10 Rarest Enemies in Dark Souls
  • 1 Vagrant. The Vagrant is easily the rarest enemy in Dark Souls by a country mile.
  • 2 Channeler. The Channeler is easily one of the more irritating yet amusing enemies in the game. ...
  • 3 Butcher. ...
  • 4 Basilisk. ...
  • 5 Phalanx. ...
  • 6 Banshee. ...
  • 7 Hydra. ...
  • 8 Havel The Rock. ...

Which Souls game is easiest to plat? ›

I think these are the easiest to get and between them for it was (from easiest to hardest) :
  • elden ring.
  • demon's souls.
  • sekiro.
May 31, 2022

Who is the best player to start demon Souls with? ›

So, which class should you pick in Demon's Souls? Well, all of the options are viable, depending on how you want to play. If you're a beginner and looking for the easiest introduction to Demon's Souls, then we'd recommend you choose either Royalty or Temple Knight.

What is the best class to start off Dark Souls as? ›

There shouldn't be any doubt that Pyromancer is the best class to start with. It comes with a hand axe, round shield, and pyromancy flame that is very helpful. This is the class for people who want to play Dark Souls for the first time or want to experience a hybrid of strength and deadly pyromancy.

Are the other souls games as good as Elden Ring? ›

Elden Ring is a More Advanced Form of Soulslike

The two titles are about as obtuse as any other FromSoftware title, and while their level design can be just as treacherous, they just don't have the same sting that they once did. With that said, neither does Elden Ring.

Is Elden Ring Soulslike? ›

Elden Ring is arguably the biggest development the Soulslike genre has seen thus far. It's startlingly large, filled to the brim with content, and it includes a plethora of features that make it a much more approachable title than Dark Souls ever was.

Is Elden Ring a Soulslike game? ›

What is the best Souls game other than Elden Ring? ›

The Dark Souls Series

This is perhaps the closest experience to Elden Ring in terms of gameplay and combat, though it's not nearly as open-world as FromSoftware's latest offering. That said, the worlds offered in the Dark Souls saga are just as dark, foreboding, and vastly imaginative as some of The Lands Between.

Will I like Elden Ring if I hated Dark Souls? ›

The Dark Souls games are understandably unapproachable for some, but Elden Ring appears much more welcoming, and is universally recommended. FromSoftware's Elden Ring is shaping up to be a monumental release, and even those who didn't like Dark Souls should give it a shot.

What is the hardest boss in Elden Ring? ›

The list is unsurprisingly topped by the infamously difficult Elden Ring boss Malenia, whose encounter was attempted some 329 million times, thus accounting for 5.5% of all in-game boss fights the players initiated to date.

Which is harder Dark Souls or Elden Ring? ›

Are you wondering whether Elden Ring is harder or easier than Dark Souls, Demon's Souls, Bloodborne and Sekiro? The answer: It's the hardest FromSoftware game so far, harder than Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Sekiro – if you play it legit without abusing exploits/cheese methods.

Is Elden Ring the hardest game? ›

Elden Ring is one of the most popular games in recent years, and also one of the hardest games of all time.

What religion is in Elden Ring? ›

The Golden Order is the largest set of beliefs on the Lands Between. The largest symbols of this faith are the Elden Ring, the Erdtree, and Queen Marika the Eternal. The Golden Order was initially created when Queen Marika the Eternal confined the Rune of Death, making herself and her demigod offspring immortal.

Which Dark Souls is the easiest? ›

In that light, “Elden Ring,” the latest title by From Software, may be the easiest entry point for beginners looking to try a Souls game. It probably has the most on-ramps to continuous, rewarding play of any From Software game since 2009′s “Demon's Souls.”

Is Bloodborne better than Elden Ring? ›

Magic is notable mention when it comes to the graphics, as each spell looks eye-catching when cast. Bloodborne is by no means an unattractive game, and the look of its dark victorian streets has stood the test of time. But in a head-to-head comparison, Elden Ring clearly comes out ahead.

What is the difficulty level in Elden Ring? ›

While Elden Ring does not feature an actual difficulty setting, there are nonetheless many choices the player can opt for to make the game harder. Players can either choose one limitation for themselves or mix and match, while the most hardcore players will limit themselves in every way possible.

Which Dark Souls is closest to Elden Ring? ›

Basically, Demon's Souls begat Dark Souls which begat Elden Ring. The Dark Souls series made FromSoftware a legitimate contender with 27 million unit sales across three games as of 2020.

Which Soulsborne is the best? ›

In a not-so-surprising result, Elden Ring takes the top spot on our list at number one. This game expertly takes elements of open-world design and Soulsborne gameplay and combines them into one beautiful package.

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