12 Games Like Dark Souls That Will Test Your Limits
The best games like Dark Souls in 2026. Handpicked soulslikes and action RPGs for fans who love punishing combat, interconnected worlds, and the satisfaction of finally beating that boss.
Dark Souls changed what players expect from difficulty. It proved that hard games sell, that cryptic storytelling works, and that dying over and over can actually be fun if the combat is fair. The interconnected world design, the stamina-based combat, the tension of carrying souls through hostile territory, all of it became a template that dozens of games have built on since.
If you have finished every Souls game and want more of that feeling, here are 12 games worth your time.
Elden Ring
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
FromSoftware took the Souls formula and dropped it into a massive open world, and it works. When a boss walls you, you ride off and explore somewhere else, then come back stronger. The build variety is the deepest in any Souls game. Spirit ashes give you breathing room if you want it, or you can ignore them entirely. The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is some of the hardest content FromSoftware has ever made.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Sekiro strips out the RPG layer almost entirely. No builds, no summons, no leveling past bosses. Instead, you get a posture-based deflection system that turns every fight into a rhythmic duel. When it clicks, Sekiro's combat is the most satisfying FromSoftware has ever designed. The catch is that there is no way to grind past a wall. You either learn the boss or you don't.
Lies of P
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
A soulslike set in a Belle Epoque city overrun by killer puppets, loosely based on Pinocchio. Sounds absurd, plays beautifully. The weapon assembly system lets you mix and match blades and handles from different weapons, creating combinations that change your moveset entirely. Blocking is very strong here, closer to Sekiro's deflection than Dark Souls' shield tanking. One of the best non-FromSoftware soulslikes made so far.
Nioh 2
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5
Nioh 2 is what happens when Team Ninja applies their character action pedigree to the Souls formula. The stance system (high, mid, low) gives every weapon three full movesets, and the ki pulse mechanic rewards aggressive play with stamina recovery. Build depth is absurd. You can spend hundreds of hours in the endgame just farming gear and optimizing sets. If Dark Souls felt too slow for you, Nioh 2 runs at a completely different speed.
Hollow Knight
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Mac, Linux
Hollow Knight translates the Souls philosophy into 2D better than almost anything else. You explore a vast underground kingdom with no map until you find the cartographer, lose your currency on death and have to retrieve it, and fight bosses that will kill you dozens of times before you learn their patterns. The Pantheon of Hallownest endgame content is among the hardest challenges in any game, period.
Salt and Sanctuary
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS Vita, Switch, Xbox One
The game that proved Souls-like combat works in 2D. It has a full class system, equipment load, dodge rolling, and a massive interconnected world that loops back on itself the way Lordran does. The art style is hand-drawn and intentionally rough, which is divisive. But the level design and build variety are genuinely excellent. Local co-op makes it even better.
Blasphemous
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
Dark Souls meets Spanish Catholic horror in pixel art form. Combat is slower and more deliberate than most 2D action games, built around parries and brutal executions. The world is cryptic and interconnected, full of hidden paths and lore that only clicks on a second playthrough. The sequel improves on it in almost every way, but the original has an atmosphere that is hard to match.
Lords of the Fallen (2023)
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
The 2023 reboot nails one idea: you can shift between the living world and a dark parallel dimension called the Umbral realm at any time. This dual-world mechanic affects exploration, combat, and puzzle solving. The longer you stay in Umbral, the harder enemies hit. It launched rough but has been patched significantly. The world design is closer to Dark Souls 1's interconnected approach than most modern soulslikes attempt.
Mortal Shell
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
A short, focused soulslike with one standout mechanic: hardening. You can freeze your character into stone mid-animation, absorbing a hit, then continuing your attack. It completely changes how you approach fights. The shell system lets you inhabit different bodies with different stats and abilities, which replaces traditional leveling. It is only about 15 hours long, but that restraint works in its favor.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Jedi Survivor takes the Sekiro-style parry combat from Fallen Order and expands it with five lightsaber stances, each with distinct movesets and strengths. The crossguard stance in particular feels like wielding an ultra greatsword from Dark Souls. Exploration is more open this time, with a hub world and metroidvania-style gating. Grandmaster difficulty is genuinely punishing. It plays like a Souls game wearing a Star Wars costume, and that is a compliment.
Dead Cells
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, iOS, Android
Dead Cells is a roguelite, not a soulslike, but the combat DNA is there. Attacks are committal, dodge timing matters, and bosses will punish button mashing. The difference is that death resets your run entirely. What carries over is knowledge and unlocked weapons. Each run takes 30-60 minutes, making it perfect when you want that Souls tension in smaller doses. The weapon variety is staggering after a few hours of unlocks.
Remnant 2
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Dark Souls with guns, and it actually works. Remnant 2 is a third-person co-op shooter with soulslike structure: bonfires (crystals), boss fog walls, punishing enemies, and build-focused progression. The procedural generation means every player's world is different, which keeps co-op interesting. The archetype system gives each class a distinct playstyle, and dual-classing opens up serious build theorycrafting. Best played with friends.
Want to Make Your Own Soulslike?
If these games make you want to build one, we have a soulslike template that gives you a working foundation: stamina-based combat, lock-on targeting, bonfire checkpoints, and souls-style currency. You describe what you want in plain language and the engine builds it. It is the fastest way to go from an idea to a playable soulslike prototype.