A merciless action RPG whose interconnected world of Lordran rewards careful exploration with clever shortcuts, deliberate combat and cryptic, melancholic lore. Every death teaches something, and every victory feels truly earned.
A merciless action RPG whose interconnected world of Lordran rewards careful exploration with clever shortcuts, deliberate combat and cryptic, melancholic lore. Every death teaches something, and every victory feels truly earned.
A co-op roguelike spin-off of Elden Ring where a trio races across a shrinking map over three days, powering up before facing a towering Nightlord boss. Fast, intense runs with distinct hero classes replace the sprawling solo journey.
2025PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck playable39.99 €83 % positive
Very positive, 130,469 reviews on Steam
Co-op or multiplayer
Runs that play out differently every time
Playing together in co-op
A co-op roguelike spin-off of Elden Ring where a trio races across a shrinking map over three days, powering up before facing a towering Nightlord boss. Fast, intense runs with distinct hero classes replace the sprawling solo journey.
A punishing soulslike set in the Dungeon & Fighter universe, where the betrayed general Khazan seeks revenge through weighty, precise melee combat and brutal boss duels. Its striking cel-shaded look and aggressive parry-and-stamina system set it apart.
2025PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck verified59.99 €85 % positive
Very positive, 21,441 reviews on Steam
Melee combat with weapons or fists
Distinctive, stylised art style
Fantasy setting
A punishing soulslike set in the Dungeon & Fighter universe, where the betrayed general Khazan seeks revenge through weighty, precise melee combat and brutal boss duels. Its striking cel-shaded look and aggressive parry-and-stamina system set it apart.
The second Souls entry sends you as a cursed undead through the decaying kingdom of Drangleic, offering punishing bosses, huge weapon and build variety, and a sprawling, branching world packed with secrets.
2014PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck verified39.99 €87 % positive
Very positive, 33,496 reviews on Steam
Build variety
Fantasy setting
Loot and gear
The second Souls entry sends you as a cursed undead through the decaying kingdom of Drangleic, offering punishing bosses, huge weapon and build variety, and a sprawling, branching world packed with secrets.
2023PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck verified−60 %69.99 € 27.99 € 3 days left49 % positive
A fast-paced Soulslike from Team Ninja set in the collapsing Han Dynasty, where deflecting and countering define the combat rhythm. Demon-corrupted warlords and mythical beasts provide tough fights that can also be tackled in co-op.
2023PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck verified−60 %69.99 € 27.99 € 3 days left49 % positive
Mixed, 20,993 reviews on Steam
Fast pace
Loot and gear
Historical setting
A fast-paced Soulslike from Team Ninja set in the collapsing Han Dynasty, where deflecting and countering define the combat rhythm. Demon-corrupted warlords and mythical beasts provide tough fights that can also be tackled in co-op.
A first-person soulslike from the Ghostrunner team that casts you as a resurrected soldier of Napoleon's army. You fight horrifying monsters with blades, firearms and supernatural powers, in tense parry-driven combat set in a grim, twisted version of the Napoleonic era.
2026PC, PlayStation, Xbox39.99 €80 % positive
Very positive, 2,932 reviews on Steam
Dread and tension
Lavish presentation
Dark, serious atmosphere
A first-person soulslike from the Ghostrunner team that casts you as a resurrected soldier of Napoleon's army. You fight horrifying monsters with blades, firearms and supernatural powers, in tense parry-driven combat set in a grim, twisted version of the Napoleonic era.
A demanding soulslike set in a grim take on the late Ming Dynasty, where a mysterious plague twists people into monsters. Flexible weapon builds, precise parrying and a madness mechanic that trades risk for power define its combat.
A demanding soulslike set in a grim take on the late Ming Dynasty, where a mysterious plague twists people into monsters. Flexible weapon builds, precise parrying and a madness mechanic that trades risk for power define its combat.
A grim soulslike where you possess the bodies of fallen warriors and use them in fast, punishing fights against false gods. The sequel offers a more open, ruined world with horror undertones.
2026PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck playable−25 %49.99 € 37.49 € 2 days left80 % positive
Very positive, 20,949 reviews on Steam
Fantasy setting
Dark, serious atmosphere
Interconnected level design
A grim soulslike where you possess the bodies of fallen warriors and use them in fast, punishing fights against false gods. The sequel offers a more open, ruined world with horror undertones.
A fast, punishing soulslike where you play plague doctor Corvus, relying on precise parries and dodges and on the disease powers of plundered weapons. Combat rewards aggression over turtling, set in a grim, decaying kingdom.
2022PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck playable−75 %24.99 € 6.24 € until tomorrow82 % positive
Very positive, 8,402 reviews on Steam
Fast pace
Dark, serious atmosphere
Melee combat with weapons or fists
A fast, punishing soulslike where you play plague doctor Corvus, relying on precise parries and dodges and on the disease powers of plundered weapons. Combat rewards aggression over turtling, set in a grim, decaying kingdom.
A grim Soulslike where a magic lantern lets you shift between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead. Weighty combat, interconnected level design and the Umbral mechanic make exploration tense and demanding.
A grim Soulslike where a magic lantern lets you shift between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead. Weighty combat, interconnected level design and the Umbral mechanic make exploration tense and demanding.
An isometric soulslike action RPG with weighty, deliberate melee combat, stamina management and loot-driven builds, wrapped in a gorgeous painterly dark fantasy style. Town building and co-op round out the grim adventure on the Isle of Sacra.
2024PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck verified39.99 €80 % positive
Very positive, 67,217 reviews on Steam
Loot and gear
Distinctive, stylised art style
Build variety
An isometric soulslike action RPG with weighty, deliberate melee combat, stamina management and loot-driven builds, wrapped in a gorgeous painterly dark fantasy style. Town building and co-op round out the grim adventure on the Isle of Sacra.
A compact soulslike where you possess fallen warriors as "shells", each with its own abilities. The Harden mechanic lets you briefly turn to stone to absorb hits, making combat tense and tactical in a bleak, decaying world.
A compact soulslike where you possess fallen warriors as "shells", each with its own abilities. The Harden mechanic lets you briefly turn to stone to absorb hits, making combat tense and tactical in a bleak, decaying world.
A hand-drawn 2D Metroidvania set in a Taoist-flavored sci-fi world, with combat built almost entirely around precise deflecting and counterattacks. Revenge, mythology and stylish boss fights drive the journey.
2024PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck verified28.99 €94 % positive
Very positive, 41,210 reviews on Steam
Distinctive, stylised art style
Dense, handcrafted world
Boss fights as highlights
A hand-drawn 2D Metroidvania set in a Taoist-flavored sci-fi world, with combat built almost entirely around precise deflecting and counterattacks. Revenge, mythology and stylish boss fights drive the journey.
A soulslike set in a vivid land inspired by Italian folklore and commedia dell'arte. Swappable masks reshape your playstyle and abilities as you fight through demanding duels and bosses.
2024PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam Deck playable−60 %34.99 € 13.99 € 4 days left69 % positive
Mixed, 2,223 reviews on Steam
Distinctive, stylised art style
Fantasy setting
Lavish presentation
A soulslike set in a vivid land inspired by Italian folklore and commedia dell'arte. Swappable masks reshape your playstyle and abilities as you fight through demanding duels and bosses.
A 2D Soulslike wrapped in Metroidvania design: stamina-driven combat, punishing bosses and a huge skill tree in a grim, interconnected world. Its hand-drawn look and rewarding exploration set it apart.
2016PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck verified17.99 €89 % positive
Very positive, 20,179 reviews on Steam
Build variety
Interconnected level design
Strong character progression
A 2D Soulslike wrapped in Metroidvania design: stamina-driven combat, punishing bosses and a huge skill tree in a grim, interconnected world. Its hand-drawn look and rewarding exploration set it apart.
A sci-fi Soulslike where you fight through a decaying industrial complex in an exoskeleton. Its hook is targeting and severing specific limbs to loot the exact gear and upgrades you want.
A sci-fi Soulslike where you fight through a decaying industrial complex in an exoskeleton. Its hook is targeting and severing specific limbs to loot the exact gear and upgrades you want.
A punishing 2D Soulslike action RPG in Metroidvania clothing: you serve Death, battle towering bosses in a grim world, and build your character through classes and abilities.
2018PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck verified19.99 €81 % positive
Very positive, 4,280 reviews on Steam
Pixel art
Boss fights as highlights
Dark, serious atmosphere
A punishing 2D Soulslike action RPG in Metroidvania clothing: you serve Death, battle towering bosses in a grim world, and build your character through classes and abilities.
A dark sci-fi soulslike set in a ruined city where you target and sever specific enemy limbs to loot armor and parts for your exosuit. Brutal, demanding combat and interconnected level design drive the loop.
A dark sci-fi soulslike set in a ruined city where you target and sever specific enemy limbs to loot armor and parts for your exosuit. Brutal, demanding combat and interconnected level design drive the loop.
A dark, gothic pixel-art Metroidvania that blends Soulslike combat with sprawling interconnected exploration and plenty of weapon and build options. You fight through a decaying world ravaged by plague and a corrupt religion as Eric.
2023PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck playable26.99 €83 % positive
Very positive, 4,755 reviews on Steam
Pixel art
Lots to discover
Dark, serious atmosphere
A dark, gothic pixel-art Metroidvania that blends Soulslike combat with sprawling interconnected exploration and plenty of weapon and build options. You fight through a decaying world ravaged by plague and a corrupt religion as Eric.
A punishing sci-fi soulslike with an isometric view where patience, dodging and precise timing decide every fight. You explore a decaying world of immortals and uncover the mystery behind its curse.
2017PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck verified14.99 €80 % positive
Very positive, 181 reviews on Steam
Sci-fi setting
Dark, serious atmosphere
Melee combat with weapons or fists
A punishing sci-fi soulslike with an isometric view where patience, dodging and precise timing decide every fight. You explore a decaying world of immortals and uncover the mystery behind its curse.
A dark pixel-art boss-rush soulslike where a lone knight takes on fallen gods one after another. It's all about precise dodging, learning attack patterns and experimenting with abilities.
2021PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck verified19.99 €76 % positive
Mostly positive, 3,159 reviews on Steam
Pixel art
Fantasy setting
Fast pace
A dark pixel-art boss-rush soulslike where a lone knight takes on fallen gods one after another. It's all about precise dodging, learning attack patterns and experimenting with abilities.
A tiny fox explores a mysterious Zelda-like world with demanding, Souls-inspired combat. Its true heart is a scattered in-game manual written in an unknown script, whose pages gradually reveal layered secrets and brain-bending puzzles.
2022PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck verified28.99 €91 % positive
Very positive, 16,964 reviews on Steam
Puzzles and brain teasers
Lots to discover
Distinctive, stylised art style
A tiny fox explores a mysterious Zelda-like world with demanding, Souls-inspired combat. Its true heart is a scattered in-game manual written in an unknown script, whose pages gradually reveal layered secrets and brain-bending puzzles.
A bleak open-world soulslike action RPG blending sci-fi and dark fantasy. You play one of the Forsaken, fighting through oppressive, eerie ruins against the horrors of the Omnistructure.
A bleak open-world soulslike action RPG blending sci-fi and dark fantasy. You play one of the Forsaken, fighting through oppressive, eerie ruins against the horrors of the Omnistructure.
A grim 2D Metroidvania with soulslike combat in which you play a warrior shaped from ash exploring a decaying, macabre world. Punishing boss fights and oppressive pixel-art atmosphere define the experience.
2022PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck playable19.99 €82 % positive
Very positive, 1,248 reviews on Steam
Pixel art
Dark, serious atmosphere
Distinctive, stylised art style
A grim 2D Metroidvania with soulslike combat in which you play a warrior shaped from ash exploring a decaying, macabre world. Punishing boss fights and oppressive pixel-art atmosphere define the experience.
A dark fantasy action RPG built around extraction gameplay: you fight monsters and rival players solo or with a team, and only a successful escape lets you keep your loot. Classes, combos and skills add variety.
2026PC, PlayStation, Xbox−20 %24.99 € 19.99 € 9 days left52 % positive
Mixed, 16,638 reviews on Steam
Co-op or multiplayer
Loot and gear
Competing against other players
A dark fantasy action RPG built around extraction gameplay: you fight monsters and rival players solo or with a team, and only a successful escape lets you keep your loot. Classes, combos and skills add variety.
A punishing third-person action RPG that blends Soulslike combat with firearms. Its grim world mixes Norse mythology with science fiction and demands precise dodging and aiming.
A punishing third-person action RPG that blends Soulslike combat with firearms. Its grim world mixes Norse mythology with science fiction and demands precise dodging and aiming.
A pure boss-rush action RPG where you face bosses themed on the deadly sins. Before each duel you sacrifice a stat and drop a level, so every fight gets harder and your choice of what to give up shapes your build.
2018PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck verified17.99 €65 % positive
Mixed, 842 reviews on Steam
Boss fights as highlights
Fantasy setting
Dark, serious atmosphere
A pure boss-rush action RPG where you face bosses themed on the deadly sins. Before each duel you sacrifice a stat and drop a level, so every fight gets harder and your choice of what to give up shapes your build.
You fight through procedurally generated labyrinths where you shift floating blocks across a river, shoving enemies into the abyss. Tough, Souls-inspired combat with dodging and parrying meets a dark roguelike loop.
You fight through procedurally generated labyrinths where you shift floating blocks across a river, shoving enemies into the abyss. Tough, Souls-inspired combat with dodging and parrying meets a dark roguelike loop.
2020PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck playable−80 %33.99 € 6.79 € 2 days left76 % positive
A grim sci-fi soulslike set on a decaying space station where dimensions bleed into each other. Interconnected areas, punishing combat and co-op play define the experience.
2020PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck playable−80 %33.99 € 6.79 € 2 days left76 % positive
Mostly positive, 2,597 reviews on Steam
Sci-fi setting
Dark, serious atmosphere
Interconnected level design
A grim sci-fi soulslike set on a decaying space station where dimensions bleed into each other. Interconnected areas, punishing combat and co-op play define the experience.
Lords of the Fallen pits you against brutal melee combat in a grim fantasy world split between the living and the dead. A lantern that moves you between both realms gives exploration and the consequences of your choices a distinctive twist.
Lords of the Fallen pits you against brutal melee combat in a grim fantasy world split between the living and the dead. A lantern that moves you between both realms gives exploration and the consequences of your choices a distinctive twist.
A punishing side-scrolling action RPG set in ancient Egypt, where dodging, blocking and the choice between light and heavy gear decide fights against brutal enemies while you uncover the truth about the Red Pharaoh.
A punishing side-scrolling action RPG set in ancient Egypt, where dodging, blocking and the choice between light and heavy gear decide fights against brutal enemies while you uncover the truth about the Red Pharaoh.
Soulslikes hook you with a simple loop: you die, you learn a boss's patterns or a level's traps, and you come back a little better. Progress comes from your own skill rather than from grinding numbers, which is why a hard-won victory feels so satisfying. All the core picks on this page are available on Xbox, so you can follow the genre from its roots to its newer offshoots on one console.
When choosing, think about how much freedom you want and what kind of combat suits you. Open structures let you leave a tough boss and come back later, while tighter, linear designs push you to master each obstacle in order. Combat styles differ too: some games reward patient dodging and build variety, others are built almost entirely around parrying. The dark fantasy tone is common across the genre, but settings vary more than you might expect.
Elden Ring is the most forgiving entry point because its vast open world lets you explore elsewhere when you're stuck. Dark Souls: Remastered is the best way to play the genre-defining original, with sharper visuals, smoother framerates and the Artorias DLC included. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice drops character builds in favor of sword duels where parrying and posture decide everything. Lies of P offers a fresh setting in a decaying Belle Époque city inspired by Pinocchio, with a strong focus on parrying, and Dark Souls III is the pick if you want precise combat and intricately connected levels.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best soulslike for beginners on Xbox?
Elden Ring is usually the easiest starting point because its open world lets you explore, level up and return to difficult bosses later. Dark Souls III is a good second step, with a more linear structure and precise combat.
Should I play Dark Souls or Dark Souls: Remastered?
Dark Souls: Remastered is the better choice for most players, since it adds sharper visuals, smoother framerates and the Artorias DLC to the original game. The world of Lordran and its deliberate combat are the same in both.
Which soulslikes focus most on parrying?
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is built around parrying and breaking enemy posture in sword fights. Lies of P also puts a strong emphasis on parrying, and Cuphead, while not a soulslike, rewards precise parries in its tough boss fights.
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