Soulslike games
A demanding action RPG tradition with slow, punishing combat that asks for careful progress.
What is the soulslike genre?
Soulslike is used for games that follow the design language set by FromSoftware's Dark Souls series. The shared rules are clear: Combat is slow and weighty, every attack has a cost, a stamina meter limits how often you can dodge and even the most ordinary enemy is dangerous enough to kill you. When you die you leave your collected resources where you fell, and going back for them is a risk of its own.
The genre is famous for its difficulty, but the real point is fairness: Almost every death comes from a mistake you could have seen coming. Trying the same enemy again and again, you learn its attack patterns until you finally get through without taking a hit. That moment is the genre's real reward.
What defines it?
Attacks cannot be canceled; every move is a commitment.
Dodging and blocking also use up resources, so there is no endless defense.
When you die, your collected resources stay on the ground, and getting them back is a second risk.
The story is not told directly; it is tucked into item descriptions and the world itself.
Landmark games
Well-known examples often used to explain the genre. For the list on our site, see the games section below.
At a glance
Soulslike games (6)
Frequently asked questions
Do soulslike games have an easy mode?
The classic examples have no difficulty setting, because the design is built around a single difficulty. Some newer games add accessibility options, and in most of them summonable helpers effectively lower the difficulty.
What does soulsborne mean?
Soulsborne usually refers specifically to FromSoftware's own Souls games and Bloodborne. Soulslike is the wider term for any game that follows that tradition.