Despite being released fairly early into 2022, there’s a good chance that Elden Ring will still come to be known as the best game of the year, and that’s despite the brutal difficulty that renders it inaccessible to some players. For those players, the entire Soulslike genre itself may seem intimidating.
Luckily, for players curious what all the fuss is about but wanting a less serious challenge, there are plenty of games that provide just that. From Mortal Shell to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, these are the best of the easier Soulslike titles.
Mortal Shell (2020)
Though Mortal Shell wears its Dark Souls inspirations proudly, being a melee combat-focused action RPG in a rich and dark fantasy world, it seems directly aimed at players who struggled with the difficulty of the Souls games. The first few hours are no less brutal but the Shell and weapon upgrade systems allow the player to quickly become strong enough to match it.
Whereas the Souls games mostly require the player to improve, there is a real power progression for the player as they continue the game that is just as satisfying without any of the frustration. Mortal Shell is an indie game, so it doesn’t have quite the level of customization options as a Souls game, but it’s a surprisingly comprehensive alternative.
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen (2013)
An action RPG that inspired a Netflix animated adaptation in 2020 and has fans excited for the sequel, Dragon’s Dogma is certainly a match for the Souls games in terms of story and worldbuilding. Though some consider it more similar to an Elder Scrolls game than Dark Souls, the intense hack-and-slash combat is very reminiscent of the FromSoft series.
It’s important to note that the game employs a traditional leveling system and failing to be wary of that can lead to massive wipeouts if the player tries to fight a boss before they’re ready for it. Nevertheless, with different difficulty settings and AI allies to help out in fights, it’s a much more accessible experience overall.
Darksiders III (2018)
Putting the player in control of Fury, one of the horsemen of the apocalypse, on a quest to capture the escaped Seven Deadly Sins, Darksiders III takes advantage of the fascinating lore of the series to craft a worthy Metroidvania-style game. Not everyone loved this significant departure for the series, but with combat simpler and more repetitive than previous entries, it works as an easier Soulslike.
What makes the game accessible is the five different difficulty options it gives the player, which includes a “Story” difficulty intended for players who are more interested in seeing the game play out than completing a challenge. Though it’s still not quite an auto-win, it’s forgiving enough that most players won’t have any complaints.
Salt And Sanctuary (2016)
A hand-drawn 2D indie Soulslike, Salt And Sanctuary impressed critics with its tight gameplay and the depth that went into its art design, gameplay customization options, and even its story. The game loyally translates Dark Souls into a 2D style and many even compared it favorably with the series that inspired it.
Of course, that also means it isn’t exactly easy and there are no difficulty options to help with that, but it offers builds that make the game far easier. Fans generally agree that while it can be a challenging game, Salt and Sanctuary is rarely unfair in the way the Souls games can be at times.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen order (2019)
Many fans have noted that Jedi: Fallen Order is the closest thing that the Star Wars universe has gotten to a Dark Souls experience, with the combat system and world design both taking their cues from the FromSoft series. Luckily, Star Wars games tend to be made with a more general audience in mind and that means Fallen Order is thoroughly accessible.
Not only do the difficulty options include a “Story” mode but the labels for the difficulties are actually accurate to the gameplay, with even the normal “Jedi Knight” difficulty presenting a completely reasonable challenge that most players won’t have much trouble with. On top of being a highly-rated Soulslike game, its story of a young Jedi trying to evade imperial capture will win over any Star Wars fan.
Remnant: From The Ashes (2019)
Remant: From the Ashes distinguishes itself from most other Soulslike games due to its third-person shooter gameplay, with less emphasis on melee combat, and its futuristic post-apocalypse setting. In the game, the player is an isolated survivor who’s faced with difficult enemies and bosses that appear in the procedurally generated world.
Fans of the game often talk specifically about its balance as one of its strong points. There are no difficulty options, but the game doesn’t punish the player for dying, and they still gain experience even for failing a boss fight. That means the player gets steadily more powerful even when stuck on a hard part, making it a lot more forgiving.
Lords Of The Fallen (2014)
Lord of the Fallen received mixed reviews from critics when it was released, many of whom compared its ARPG melee combat in a large interconnected world unfavorably with the gameplay of the Dark Souls series. However, the game has come to be considered an incredibly solid entry into the Soulslike genre in hindsight.
Not only does its rough, heavy-hitting atmosphere and main character give it its own distinctive charm, but it’s considered quite a bit easier than the Souls series. Though the game has a significant learning curve for players unfamiliar with the genre, equippable armor and relatively easy-to-learn bosses mean it’s not an insurmountable challenge.
Hollow Knight (2017)
Tough platforming and difficult bosses have given Hollow Knight a deserved reputation as a challenging game, but it still belongs among the easier Soulslike games for a couple of reasons. For one thing, its beautifully dark hand-drawn artwork and atmosphere mean that, though dying a lot may be inevitable, it doesn’t feel as frustrating as other games.
The game doesn’t have difficulty settings but choosing the right Charms and sticking to the main quest go a long way to making things easier. Just as importantly, the game is full of rest stops where the player can heal up and will respawn if they die, meaning dying is never usually that catastrophic.
Blasphemous (2019)
For players who love the Metroidvania genre as well as Soulslike games, Blasphemous is one of the best blends of the two genres around. Its dark world, sparse story-telling, and brutal melee combat all give it Soulslike credentials, but the difficulty is more comparable to the Castlevania series.
The game is presented as a 2D sidescroller and platforming in the game is relatively straightforward. Timing dodges and parries against bosses can bring some challenges, but there are tons of ways for the player to upgrade their character that make each fight far more doable.
Code Vein (2019)
A dystopian, post-apocalyptic world makes for the perfect setting for this open-world action RPG from Bandai Namco and, while it’s full of deadly monsters, the game does a lot to help the player out in the fight against them. The biggest selling point of Code Vein is that the player always has an AI partner or a friend to help out in fights.
As a vampire-like Revenant, the player gets to feel powerful throughout the game, but it’s the co-op system that makes it that much easier. Compared to other Soulslike games, the ability to change builds while on the move without any consequences is a massive boon for less expert players as well.
