The Best Soul Masterpieces of All Time, Ranked

Most genres have been around since the 1980s, including RPGs, platformers, puzzle games, and more. While every genre evolves over time, including sub-genres, there is one newer one that seems to dominate the conversation since 2009: Soulslikes.

What began as a niche subgenre within the action RPG fandom has now blossomed into something so supremely dominant that it can be hard to tell what is and isn't a Soulslike game. The following games are purely Soulslike experiences with stat-boosting, loot-gathering, and facing immeasurable challenges, so no close approximations will feel like Hollow Knight. Games will be ranked by importance, mechanics, worlds, and how fun they are.

8

Salt And The Sanctuary

A 2D mystery

Salt and the shrine is a great 2D example of a Soulslike that looks hand drawn from someone's high school notebook that then became a video game. The rough-looking nature of the world and its characters is endearing and gives the game an overall homemade quality, as if it was made by a true fan who wanted to create their own experience.

Players can expect the same trappings as 3D Soulslikes, complete with traps, different weapons, leveling, and tougher-than-nails bosses. The 2D nature can make enemies easier to read and therefore dodge, but it's a double-edged sword as there's less room to move around. Even if it's not perfect Salt and the shrine it does enough to give Soulslike fans something interesting to play in 2D.

7

First Berserker: Khazan

Extremely difficult, but deeply rewarding

First Berserker: Khazan was seemingly made as a challenge to Soulslike fans, as if the genre wasn't hard enough overall. This game requires a true warrior as even the first snowy area is tougher than most end game areas. Players can grind to get the soul version of this game to increase stats or try to find new gear from kills, but at the end of the day, the player's skill is the most important thing.

If they don't learn every attack pattern or aren't skilled enough to dodge and react, then First Berserker: Khazan will be impossible. As devastating as the game can be, the brutality of the combat and the deep sense of reward can be much greater with a little patience.

6

Demon Souls (2020)

A new way to enjoy the origin

Soul of Demons is the game responsible for starting the Soulslike trend in 2009. It was rough around the edges and unlike any game that came before it, but it was deeply fascinating. Exploration was more interesting because players had to be more careful where they went because an enemy or trap might be waiting for them. Items and equipment also made a difference and overall it created a community.

There are reasons why the PS3 original is better, but the PS5 remake is the more affordable version. The game keeps all the secrets, but it's a more complete experience, with fewer bugs and a clearly better visual style. These are two great games that are still fun to play and important to the genre and FromSoftware as a company.

5

Dark souls

Improving the Formula

Dark souls he was the spiritual successor Soul of Demons which was released two years later in 2011. It was a similar experience involving the character creator and class selection, but two things set it apart. First, the level design was more Metroid-based, as players would start in one area and have multiple moves to take that would eventually all connect in some way.

Additionally, instead of finding random items, players could upgrade the Estus Flask, which refilled at bonfires. The design choice contributed to the exploration and the Estus Flask eliminated the need to grind items. All in all, Dark souls is as important to the genre as Soul of Demonsperhaps even more so because it made the formula more effective without going back against the challenging nature.

4

Lies P

The world of automation

Lies P proved that fairy tales still have a place in modern culture because the developers had an imaginative idea how Pinocchio real estate in a fun way. Set in a dystopian steampunk society where all hell breaks loose after a robot uprising, players take on the role of a mechanical puppet that is essentially Pinocchio.

Players can upgrade their character's stats and find weapons like swords, but the best feature is the detachable arms. Different weapons can give players new ways to attack, including ways to shock, burn, or slash enemies with detachable blades. The world building also fits Lies P apart because there aren't many souls with creepy puppets and giant robots.

3

Nioh 3

An open space samurai RPG

Nioh 3 is the latest Soulslike and like the previous two entries, this game is set in ancient Japan where demons are rampant and there are samurai out there trying to help the people. Here's the twist: after failing to stop a particular demon, players are sent through time and will continue to do so through the game's chapters. Each area they travel to is huge, with a semi-open world to explore.

Players can also freely switch between ninja builds for less powerful punches but be faster, or they can be stronger and slower with their samurai build. Each class has its positives and negatives, but overall the combat is polished to a T. Additionally, the co-op makes the game incredibly more accessible than most Soulslikes, while not making it too easy to break tradition.

2

Bloody

Castlevania In All But Name

Bloody is another Soulslike that is unique in its world design and in many ways feels like a gothic fantasy in the same realm as Castlevania game, but darker. Players are hunters tasked with eliminating beasts and infected citizens in a corrupt city that is going to ruin. Like Dark soulsThe game primarily takes place in a sprawling world that all connects outside of the hub world, where players can purchase items, upgrade their character, and fast travel to certain locations.

This game is all about offense as there are no shields, but the counter attack is incredibly effective. Weapons are now stand-ins for shields, from pistols to flamethrowers, but best of all are weapons that can be switched between two modes. For example, a simple staff can become a chained whip, while a sword can become a hammer. All of these mechanics and more are why fans are desperate to see it Bloody off the PS4 and into other hands.

1

Elden Ring

A new era for the genre

Elden Ringhas not yet been surpassed since its launch in 2022. Nioh 3 approached with its open spaces but true seamless nature Elden Ring the world is incredible. The horse, Torrent, is also great, surpassing any horse in any video game as he can double jump and appear on a dime. Exploration is engrossing, paths always lead to secrets, NPCs or incredible boss fights.

Best of all, the open-world design made it more accessible for FromSoftware's game, as players had the freedom to try a new area if a particular area proved too challenging. Weapons, class armor, deep lore, boss battles and much more made this game incredible. It's hard to imagine a better Soulslike or FromSoftware experience coming to fruition because Elden Ring is true perfection.