Playing a Soulslike in autumn might seem counterintuitive, but just as some people enjoy getting Dark Souls 3‘s platinum trophy, others, myself included, delight in exploring the genre’s possibilities during this season.
Instead of seeking out the most prominent or critically acclaimed titles, I try to focus my efforts on discovering adventures that best suit the seasonal circumstances, and this has led me to uncover some truly captivating titles.
Whether they happen to be the best of their kind is more debatable, but there comes a point in a player’s life when, more than just “better” experiences, it’s also essential to enjoy distinctive ones.
Therefore, if you’re like me (as masochistic as curious), you’ve come to the right place, because in this list I’ll recommend the ten best Soulslikes you need to play in fall 2026.
10
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn
Destiny is Uncertain
While I fully understand why Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn didn’t achieve mainstream success within the genre, I also believe its unique approach has been undervalued.
Double jumping through the air and leaping onto enemies’ backs to shoot them from above aren’t actions we’re used to, but it’s precisely the spectacular nature of these displays that quickly enchants.
It occasionally suffers from clunkiness, though this is a concession more easily made thanks to the balance it strikes between being a Soulslike and a more traditional action-adventure title. It reduces the difficulty while increasing the visual appeal of its levels, attacks, and enemies.
Considering its low price, interesting world, and welcoming level of challenge, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is a lighter take on the genre that stands as a perfect warm-up for what’s to come.
9
Enotria: The Last Song
Bathed in the Sun
Following on from the previous entry, Enotria: The Last Song finds itself in a fascinating limbo where half of the players love it and the other half can’t even finish it. Naturally, this is a delight to see if you’re a die-hard Soulslike fan.
Rather than a title that appeals to everyone, Jyamma Games’ product is aimed squarely at a niche demographic, captivating you with its beautiful Italian folklore and compelling you to stay not for its gameplay but for its universe and creativity.
Between the music and the art direction, bathed in perpetual sunshine that makes the lighting a magnificent protagonist, nothing says “fall” more than such a Mediterranean environment. Precisely because it’s the perfect season to visit, since tourism is slow.
Nevertheless, Enotria: The Last Song is tremendous for players inventive enough to create diverse builds and those who value atmosphere above all else, as these are the aspects where this work truly shines.
8
Bleak Faith: Forsaken
A Particle of Dust
The transition that fall brings often leaves me feeling small, because of how awe-inspiring nature is. This is a feeling I experienced, word for word, during my journey with Bleak Faith: Forsaken.
From the levels to the foes, everything in this unforgiving universe surpasses you in size and power by a considerable margin. The game embraces a megastructure-like atmosphere that makes you feel like a speck of dust battling vast clouds of concrete and metal.
The game evokes this feeling not only visually, but also through its forgivably limited gameplay, which highlights your inferiority and creates an inexplicable tension in every encounter. Especially due to the impressive and terrifying enemy designs.
That said, it’s among the most janky games you’ll find in the entire genre, so if you can forgo the comfort of a design with good quality-of-life features and embrace an uphill struggle, Bleak Faith: Forsaken is for you.
7
Ashen
A Comprehensive Minimalism
Ashen‘s impressions were never unanimously positive, and while I also have mixed feelings about its quality, I simultaneously acknowledge that its fantasy is among the most immersive in the genre.
By opting for a minimalism more suited to an adventure game without combat than a Soulslike, it inevitably generates contradictions in its assessment, overshadowing what actually excels.
Its action is more about rhythm and distance, toning down the epic scale to increase its encounters’ brutal nature. Their somewhat clumsy essence instills a demand for patience that perfectly complements what its story and setting seem to convey.
It’s not fun in the traditional sense of the word, as Ashen is instead atmospheric, with shortcomings particularly skippable if you manage to enjoy its naturally cooperative gameplay.
6
Tails of Iron
A Divided Kingdom
Not everything you can play in autumn has to be about vibes and sensory experiences. You can also turn to titles like Tails of Iron, a demonstrably satisfying ARPG that works both visually and mechanically.
In this case, you don’t have to compromise on artistic merit, because Odd Bug Studio’s work is consistently excellent. It boasts rewarding combat, enjoyable and focused exploration, and a universe that captivates with its art direction and design.
Watching rats and amphibians clash in this side-scroller is genuinely engrossing, and although it does approach monotony towards the end, it’s brief enough that this isn’t a major issue.
Tails of Iron is a safe bet and, consequently, easy to recommend for lighthearted and fluid fun. Even more so when you consider Geralt of Rivia’s voice actor, Doug Cockle, narrates the tale.
5
Absolver
Martial Vestiges
The warmth of staying home brings with it a contemplative solitude that often clashes with the genre’s aggressive tendencies, though Absolver is an exception to the rule.
Although combat is the game’s predominant component, it’s an isolated adventure where you wander through the remnants of a beautiful but decayed kingdom. Only the shells of fighters remain here, engaging you out of sheer inertia.
Above all, it’s a remarkable creation thanks to its stance-based martial arts system, where you can modify a set of over 200 moves to find your unique fighting style. Still, it’s best suited to this season for its contemplative nature.
Between each fight, you walk along the edges of a world that seems on the verge of disappearing, and this combination of the thrill of combat with the tranquility of exploration is what makes Absolver such a tremendous experience.
4
Mortal Shell
Desolate and Isolated
Given the sequel’s success, enjoying Mortal Shell becomes even more timely if you’ve never experienced the series, as it will help you appreciate its successor even more.
It’s not that I only like to recommend titles that stand out more for their aesthetics than their gameplay, but when they achieve such vivid atmospheres and sensations as this one, it’s difficult not to be captivated.
The combat is limited and could be improved, yet the Shells system is imaginative enough to sustain it, allowing you to focus more on the encounters’ brutality than on their clunky disposition compared to the genre’s best.
Thanks to its dark setting, terrifying fantasy, and relentless challenges, Mortal Shell is ideal for staying home and getting lost in the whirlwind of weapons, enjoying a dynamism even Soulslike titans can struggle to achieve.
3
Death’s Door
Passing Through Life’s Gate
Speaking of advancing from one stage to the next, Death’s Door is a commendable adventure, where we embody a crow reaper working as a soul collector within a diverse and vibrant world of anthropomorphic beings.
The premise is good enough, but its structure, which combines Dark Souls-style combat with exploration and puzzles reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda, truly brings the campaign together. It makes it enjoyable both in terms of action and progression.
The environments are gorgeous, with varied and vertical biomes that unfold under fairytale-like descriptions, including truly sensational enemies and bosses that are challenging yet extremely satisfying.
Furthermore, the story is interesting and humorous, the characters are engaging, and even the cinematics are impressive, making Death’s Door a sure bet for this article even before the idea for it arose.
2
Lies of P
An Atmosphere of Change
Finding a point of connection between a unique atmosphere and a magnificent combat system, Lies of P embodies the main characteristics I used as a reference for choosing the titles to include in this list.
It’s an excellent Soulslike that delivers in every respect, encompassing the levels, transitions, and their interconnectivity, as well as the bosses, weapons, and the evolution they undergo as the story unfolds.
The cohesion that exists in Lies of P across all its parts is enviable, as it grows like a crescendoing symphony that leaves no instrument behind. It explores what it means to be human, as our puppet and his allies try to piece together the mystery of the puppet frenzy.
With some of the most satisfying combat in the entire genre, Lies of P presents an adaptation of the Pinocchio fable that makes you feel like you’re back at a familiar, beloved location after years of not visiting it: It’s not the same, but it gives you a feeling of comfort you can’t define.
1
Salt and Sanctuary
The Oppression of Calm
As the most outstanding 2D Soulslike of them all, I felt it fitting to close the list with Salt and Sanctuary for one particular reason: No other video game makes you feel the weight of its walls quite like this one.
The Nameless Island is the perfect backdrop for a muted expedition through oppressive imagery that dictates from your very first encounter that there’s nothing beautiful, memorable, or heroic about what is about to happen.
The enemies are miserable and mindless, all the biomes are remnants of relentless aging, and each boss is more grotesque than the last. You are the only thing separating these salty shores from being a completely inert place.
The player becomes the embodiment of fall on the island, tasked with ushering in a new era through their actions. They face thematically bleak but flawlessly playable, varied, and challenging obstacles that are as entertaining as they are coherent.
There may be no sun to illuminate Salt and Sanctuary‘s territory, but the nostalgia and melancholy of arriving late to its salvation take care of replacing its warmth, which also feels perfect for the season.
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