Soulslikes is a new genre compared to others like FPS or RPG. This makes it especially exciting as there is still a lot of room for it to change and innovate. And, despite the genre’s infancy, there have been several games like Souls that have brought innovation.
Some of the best games like Souls have gotten the attention they deserve, but there are many others like Souls that have introduced amazing new features that have been largely forgotten. The reasons for this range from bad news, the length of the campaign, or the wrong implementation of other instruments, but their establishment in other areas should not be ignored. Future Soulslikes should take these new things into account, and doing so will make the genre even richer and more challenging.
8
Death’s Gambit (Afterlife)
Better Fighting in Soulsvania
Sometimes games that start out bad improve a lot after some updates. The most important example of this is Cyberpunk 2077, but Death’s Gambit is another example that brought interesting ideas to the genre like Souls. Death’s Gambit’s expansion, Afterlife, brought changes to the battle, facing criticism from its initial release.
Death’s Gambit introduced a 2D platform format to the Souls-like genre, combining the Soulslike and Metroidvania genres. It also tried a iteration of the Heroic boss that reimagined the standard encounter, instead of turning enemies into damage sponges. This combination of rich history and satisfying 2D combat meant that revisiting bosses could feel fresh rather than repetitive, and I feel that Soulslikes should embrace this approach.
7
Thymesia
Combat and Lore
One of my favorite parts of game design is connecting lore to game mechanics like combat. Thymesia does this through its wound system. You play as a plague doctor, and the medieval setting allows for bloodshed, which is exactly what you do to enemies. Normal attacks cause temporary wounds, but you can switch to plague weapons, which cause permanent damage.
This does a lot to change the pace of the fight, and encourages you to be aggressive. Thymesia has some standard combat mechanics like Souls, but the redesign of the enemy health bars gives it a different feel from other Soulslikes and is a fun departure from the norm.
6
Hellpoint
Dynamic Enemy Evolution
Hellpoint is science fiction like Souls, and its innovation lies in its environment design that works closely with the gameplay. It’s set on a space station that orbits a black hole, and the position of the space station in relation to the black hole affects how enemies behave, triggers events, and even changes the encounters of certain bosses.
What this means in practice is that you get to revisit familiar places in different environments. It works well with the standard level design of Soulslikes, and is definitely something that could change the way Souls-like environments work. Adopting the same thing can go a long way in establishing a brand, especially since it’s a dynamic thing.
5
Ashen
A Soul Like Despair
Ashen includes several interesting spins on the Souls-like formula, especially in terms of its art style and atmosphere. Games like Souls tend to be dark fantasy with the same color palette and art style, but Ashen goes for a peaceful and quiet atmosphere with a minimal art style.
These elements give Ashen a sense of hope and wonder, and reflect a world that feels like it’s healing rather than in a state of collapse. This is something the Souls-like genre rarely sees, but it breathes new life into a form that can use a fresh perspective and open it up to new players who aren’t interested in the dark atmosphere that Soulslike embodies.
4
The Shell of Death
Changing the Traditional Classroom System
Small studios obviously have more limitations when making video games, especially when it comes to scale and assets. Limitations can stifle creativity, however, and Mortal Shell capitalizes on this with its Shell system, which excels instead of standard classes.
The Shell system has changed combat in significant ways while still maintaining the Souls-like identity that is key to the genre. Instead of traditional sections, you live in different Shells of which there are four to choose from. the game has established a distinct identity. Few Soulslikes have introduced a combat mechanic that feels authentic or instantly memorable.
3
Code Vein
In addition to Anime Soulslike
One of the most important parts of being successful in a game like Souls is getting your character built right. Code Vein removes a lot of the frustration that some Souls fans have when it comes to character creation, and allows you to change Blood Codes at any time. This unlimited number of changes allows you to experiment as much as you want.
It’s also suitable for players of all levels, as the poor layout can be a big obstacle for beginners, while veteran players can explore and adapt however they like. This combination of challenging and flexible gameplay is a welcome innovation in the genre.
2
The Surge
Get Sweet Loot
One of the most satisfying parts of playing games like Souls is the loot drops, and Surge has gone out of its way to innovate in this area.
Rather than relying on random drops, target specific enemy limbs to harvest the equipment you want. This makes every encounter strategic, and affects the type of loot you get.
Alongside this system, Surge is also a really smart take on a genre like Souls. It’s set in a gritty sci-fi world that offers satisfying environmental hazards to overcome, exosuit upgrades, and an engaging combat system. It went a long way in proving that games like Souls still have room for growth and innovation in the mechanical realms.
1
Salt and the Sanctuary
The First Soulsvania
Salt and Sanctuary pioneered the Souls-like genre in several notable ways. It entered the Soulsvania genre long before Death’s Gambit. It gave us all the excitement of Soulslike in a Metroidvania package, with beautiful hand-drawn art, interconnected world design, and a deliberate combat system that rivals any other Souls.
While it inspired a wave of Soulsvania games that followed, it’s the later titles that get more attention, while Salt and Sanctuary are often overlooked. It did a lot to invent indie action RPGs, and created a new genre of gaming from the ground up, proving that the Souls and side-scroller genres weren’t compatible.
