The Soulslike genre is one of those controversial ones for me, because, on the one hand, it offers a lot of excitement and challenge, but, on the other hand, it can be frustrating because of tough fights and the fact that one mistake can be severely punished. I was always careful when choosing these games, as I don’t find it fun to die 50 times to one opponent.
However, the decades behind us have produced a decent number of Soulslike games, so today we can be picky and find both those requiring exceptional skill and those that are a bit more forgiving for new and casual players.
10
Bloodborne
Gothic Horror at Its Absolute Peak
Set in Yharnam, a decaying, fictional Victorian city, Bloodborne is probably one of the most atmospheric games in the genre. What’s even better is that it is short enough to be completed over the summer without you having to grind every day.
Every street is dangerous, filled with unexpected enemies, whispers, and secrets that make the game pull you in more and more. The enemies in the game are fast and aggressive, so you need to be too. The main thing keeping you alive is the Regain mechanic, which lets you lifesteal lost HP by successfully hitting an enemy right after you were damaged. If you miss it, you can quickly die, so no wonder the game is one of the hardest horror games to platinum.
What is especially unique is that you’ll wield trick weapons that have two sets of attacks that you need to switch between when fighting. One usually offers swift, punishing attacks, while the other has slower and more devastating pummels.
9
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Parry-Based Perfection
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice removes plenty of variables that you could expect from the Soulslike, as there are no classes, no stat builds, and no different weapons to be swapped out. You have your main katana, a prosthetic arm with swappable tools, and your skill. The game’s tight deflection window will keep you on high alert because if you miss it, you can die in seconds. That’s why this summer can be the perfect time to start, as you will have enough time to master the game’s demanding combat system.
As you can already see, the game focuses heavily on the skill of fighting and learning the ins and outs of it. It seems to me that the biggest fun factor in the game is in learning itself, as you will often need to fail time and time again before you discover a new way of approaching enemies. Some of the mini-bosses will be teaching you new mechanics, while the main bosses will serve as checkups on your use of those mechanics and skills.
8
Lies of P
Pinocchio Never Looked So Dangerous
If you ever wanted to see a horror retelling of a classic Pinocchio story, look no more. Lies of P puts you into a dark city overtaken by Geppetto’s mechanical puppets as a one-of-a-kind puppet different than others. The current summer might be the best time to tackle this title, as the developers at Round 8 Studio are already working on a sequel, and some in the industry believe it could drop as early as this year.
While you are on your way to find Gepetto and understand what the hell is going on in the city, you’ll carry a unique, customizable two-part weapon where blades and handles from different weapons can be mixed to create new, deadly combos. In short, handles determine the stats of the weapon while blades determine damage type and output. On the other hand (pun intended), your off-hand Legion Arm will offer utility options such as a flamethrower, a shield, or a grapple, to name a few.
In general, I didn’t say the game has horror elements without reason. More often than you would expect, enemies will jump out of nowhere and start running at you, or you’ll simply walk into a trap that makes you fall through the floor, amping up your heart rate.
7
Code Vein
Anime Aesthetics, Ruthless Depths
A Soulslike anime game like Code Vein can appeal to everyone, not just anime fans. And there are a few reasons for that. You are in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by monsters, whom you fight as a vampire warrior trying to uncover the truth behind the apocalypse. As you would expect, the game has strong anime aesthetics, with interesting companion dialogue and cutscenes, without the dark tone found in other Soulslike games.
What sets the game apart is its Blood Code system, which lets you switch class builds at any time. This means the game is very approachable and lets you constantly experiment with new weapons and abilities, which is ideal for a long summer gaming marathon when you want to focus on one game.
6
Elden Ring
Genre’s Defining Masterpiece
I would say that Elden Ring is still among the best Soulslike games out there, and that’s why it absolutely must be on the list. The developers took everything that made Dark Souls great and put it in an amazing open world with distinct regions that reward curiosity at every turn because the game won’t give you traditional quest markers or a quest log. That experience of approaching challenges in the order you choose makes the game extra personal, because no two players are going to have the same experience.
The summer is the perfect time to dive into a large game like this one, and if you get hooked and complete it, you can get its DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, to prolong the fun with more exploration and tougher bosses. Overall, the game offers incredibly deep combat and limitless character customization. You can easily craft unique playstyles that completely change how you approach the game.
5
The First Berserker: Khazan
Don’t Forget to Level Up Your Weapons
The First Berserker: Khazan lets you play a legendary general who was betrayed and is on a path of revenge against those who betrayed him. A pretty satisfying storyline, if you ask me. However, the combat is not as fun as it will most likely punish you many times over before you get the hang of the game. The core of the game revolves around a three-weapon system and a rewarding perfect block mechanic that you need to understand before you really start wreaking havoc on your enemies.
The three different weapons you are offered are: Dual Blades, Spear, and Greatsword. Each has its own skill tree and combat rhythm, meaning that there’s something for both people who like faster attacks with lower damage output and for those who like slower and more devastating attacks. Picking up the game this summer would be perfect if you want to catch up on a standout 2025 release that many Soulslike fans still haven’t had a chance to try out.
4
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers
China’s Soulslike Breakthrough
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers gives you a great sense of exploration, as its story is set in the late Ming Dynasty, with many distinct areas such as crumbling temples, foggy mountain passes, and lush woods. The game is interconnected in a Dark Souls fashion, with many shortcuts and looping paths that reward you for learning its layout. The game was released in July 2025, and the community is still discovering new secrets and strategies, which is why it’s an ideal choice for this summer.
The game’s combat system is centered on the Skyborn Might system, which rewards clean play. What I mean by this is that a special resource is charged for perfect dodges (avoiding damage in the last second) and some specific combo chains. You use this resource to cast spells, empower your weapons, and boost skills. However, be careful. The game is quite challenging, and it even has one of the most iconic bosses that will really put your skills to the test.
3
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Soulslike in a Galaxy Far, Far Away
I would say long summer days with heatwaves preventing you from going outside are an ideal time to try out that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. It’s a Soulslike game that isn’t painfully difficult, so it can suit you perfectly if you are looking for a more casual experience for long summer sessions that aren’t repetitive.
One of the game’s distinctive features is the five lightsaber stances it offers: single-bladed, double-bladed staff, dual-bladed, blaster, and crossguard. Each of these stances suits a different playstyle: for example, wielding dual blades is best if you like fast strikes, while the double-bladed stance is best if you like great AOE damage paired with crowd control.
Overall, the game keeps the core Soulslike elements like punishing bosses, respawning enemies, and checkpoint management, so you wouldn’t relax too much. However, it is also very rich with puzzles and exploration, giving you a break from all that fighting.
2
Remnant II
Bring a Shotgun to The Boss Fight
Remnant II is a Soulslike built around guns. Yeah, I’m also surprised that they made this work, but somehow it runs pretty well, and with summer vacations freeing up your friends, it makes for an excellent co-op adventure.
The game revolves around Archetypes, a class system for your character that you choose and optimize to suit your playstyle. What I find especially fun about this is that you keep unlocking new ones as you play. Also, experimenting with combining two Archetypes at the same time can yield really exciting combos that will keep you glued to the screen.
The dungeons, events, and some mini-bosses in Remnant II are procedurally generated, meaning that you can have a lot of fun going back to the areas where you were and discovering where they will take you now. These features combined show me that the developer’s idea here really comes as a breath of fresh air to the genre.
1
Thymesia
Enemies With Two Health Bars?
Set in a kingdom destroyed by alchemical experiments, Thymesia puts you in the shoes of Corvus, a plague doctor trying to piece together the story of what happened from fragmented memories. The story is told through environmental details and notes, and memories instead of traditional long cut scenes.
I would call Thymesia an underrated gem that slips past many Soulslike fans with a story that can be completed over a few days, making it a great play for a short summer holiday.
Combat is pretty fast in this game and is built around two interlocking systems, requiring you to use both your standard saber and claws to kill enemies. In short, the saber is there to create wounds or to remove the first (white) layer of the health bar. After that, you need to hit the enemy with claws to confirm that damage, and now remove the second (green) layer of the health bar as well. Also, the game doesn’t have big smashing or weapons, so quick, fast-paced attacks are the only way to go throughout the whole story.
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