Key things
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Elden Ring
offers the largest variety of enemies in open world souls and offers plenty of challenging enemies. -
Black Myth: Wukong
features a wide variety of unique enemies, all deeply rooted in Chinese mythology. -
Nioh 2
stands out for its variety of enemies, featuring a mixture of new monsters and many familiar enemies returning from the original.
Soulslike games have become some of the most popular action titles of today, known for their intense combat, engaging exploration, diverse weapon selection, and challenging bosses. However, one aspect that is often overlooked is the variety of common enemies, which can greatly improve the experience during extended play.
Introducing new types of enemies throughout the game is crucial to keeping players interested, as it forces them to learn new ways to attack and adapt to new challenges. Conversely, using the same enemies repeatedly in different locations can quickly dampen the excitement and even make the game repetitive or trivial. Let's explore some of the best soul-like games that excel in enemy variety and offer a wide variety of enemies that require unique tactics to overcome.
1 Elden Ring
The largest and most diverse
Elden Ringalong with its massive expansion Shadow of Erdtreestands as one of the best open world games available today. The game engages in countless levels, and its unrivaled variety of enemies is a key highlight. Over hundreds of hours, players will continue to encounter new challenges and unique enemies scattered across the vast expanse of the Earth between.
From dangerous wildlife to battle-hardened warriors wielding a wide range of moves and special attacks, Elden Ring offers merciless surprises. Devious mages cast devastating spells from afar, while dark, menacing shadows lurk in the deepest recesses of dungeons and catacombs, waiting to pounce with deadly attacks. With so many enemy types to discover, some players may not even encounter all of the unique enemies on their first playthrough, showcasing the sheer depth and variety the game has to offer.
2 Black Myth: Wukong
A surprisingly large field of enemies in each new chapter
Black Myth: Wukong may be difficult to strictly classify as a soul-like game, as it balances traditional action RPG elements with some soul-like mechanics. However, the exact classification is not the most important thing here. What really stands out is that Game Science's debut title boasts an incredible array of unique and engaging enemies across its six chapters, keeping players constantly immersed.
The game's responsive combat system allows for a variety of approaches, making each new encounter a joy to crack. deeply rooted in Chinese mythology, Black Myth: Wukong offers a constant stream of new challenges with enemy patterns that are not only unique but also rarely seen in other games, further elevating the experience and keeping it captivating for hours.
3 Dark Souls 3
Packed With Lots Of Different Creatures To Fight
Dark Souls 3along with its extensions Ashes of Ariandel and Ring cityis often underrated for its variety of regular enemies. Despite being a more compact and almost linear adventure compared to Elden Ringit still offers a comparable range of unique enemies to fight. Staying true to FromSoftware's traditions, players constantly face new and challenging enemies, each with their own dangerous habits and a wide range of combat abilities.
Adapting to these threats and learning their tricks is a key part of being satisfied in Dark Souls 3. In addition, the campaign cleverly places difficult late-game enemies early in the game and guards secrets to be revealed later, adding reward for players willing to take on the challenge.
4 Nioh 2
Almost all of the enemies from the first entry return
Nioh 2 it stands out for its impressive variety of enemies, especially for players who haven't experienced the original. Almost all of the enemies from the first game return in the sequel, along with a host of new demons, humans, and yokai. Even later Team Ninja titles like Wo Long: Fallen Dynastytrying to balance the diverse range of creatures found within it Nioh 2.
The design of these monsters is a major highlight of the experience, with colorful, memorable and intricately detailed beasts and demons of all shapes and sizes waiting for players to slip out. In conjunction with the game Diablo– such as the loot system and enemy drops – a feature rarely seen in the genre – the rich variety of enemies greatly increases the value of the game.
5 Lies P
Many different enemies with minimal reuse
Lies P it may not reach the level of enemy variety seen in FromSoftware's titles, but for its almost linear structure and unique robopocalypse setting, the game does admirably. Players mainly encounter three types of enemies – humans (alchemists), puppets, and corpses (monsters) – but each category offers impressive variety. Combined with the game's item system, players are encouraged to change speed frequently to maximize effectiveness against different enemies.
From a design perspective, Lies P is a visual treat. Particularly striking are the intricate puppet models with detailed animations that allow Pinocchio to take them apart piece by piece as he fights. Few non-FromSoftware soul-like games manage to feel as distinctive and rewarding as Lies P as to enemy design and procedure.
6 Bloody
Unique environments and secret locations allow for great enemy variety
Bloody it rightfully earns its place among the best games for enemy variety, even ten years after its release. The game's unique, mystery-filled environments – featuring secret areas and vastly different locations such as catacombs, villages, city streets, castles and swamps – create an immersive backdrop for an impressive array of monsters. Some of the creatures players encounter could easily be classified as nightmare fuel.
In keeping with FromSoftware tradition, each enemy has a distinct set of moves and combat patterns, so encounters feel fresh even if you're fighting variants of the same enemy later in the game. From aggressive villagers with packs of dogs and rock-throwing giants to terrifying space creatures and unexplained horrors, Bloody it constantly brings new challenges and keeps the experience engaging until the very end.
