To say thatFromSoftware is the king of souls gamesis to state the obvious. The famous and prolific developer single-handedly created the harsh but fair genre, and ever since their opening gambit of Demon’s Souls all the way back in 2009, they haven’t looked back.
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They have never put out a single stinker, and I include the much-bemoaned Dark Souls 2 in that statement. But that doesn’t mean they have a monopoly on the genre.
Since they blazed a trail, other developers have tried their hand at creating Souls titles that could stand up to the FromSoft standard.
I would argue that pretty much none have, but as they say, to shoot for the moon and end up among the stars is a pretty decent result. So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at the best mid-tier AA offerings within the Souls genre.
10SteelRising
Vive La Revolution
Steelrising
If you’re a fan of Spiders as a developer, then you’ll probably know them as developers who really go out of their way to tell incredible stories with a heavy focus on RPG systems.
Well, I can report that the incredible setting and story are present here, but in SteelRising, the focus is very much on punishing action that demands mechanical mastery.
Set in a re-imagined Parisian setting, you’ll play as Aegis, an automatron that must pound the streets, and turn all the other rogue automatron forces into scrap metal. The combat is slick, the platforming is solid, and the visuals are a good bit better thanother games in the developer’s catalog, like Greedfall.
The bosses are a bunch of pushovers, but the enemies in the open world make up for it. So, all in all, it’s a brilliant title that rewrites history and serves up Souls-Like action worth checking out.
A Pleasant Plague
I’ll be upfront immediately; I still, to this day, have no idea what large portions of Thymesia’s story were about. But, as someone who doesn’t overly engagein Souls' lore and narrative, I can recommend this one on the merit of its gameplay alone.
As Thymesia not only offers a bleak and chilling setting, and a slew of memorable, challenging bosses. But also a unique battle system that feels wholly unique.
The plague system is a blast to master. As players will not only need to monitor the enemy’s HP, but also their poison meter, which needs to be depleted in tandem if you don’t want their HP to regenerate.
This, along with the lack of a stamina bar, allows the player to play aggressively and take more risks, and as a result, Thymesia is a wonderfully cathartic experience.
8Code Vein
Souls By Way Of Anime
If you’re willing to take a brief stop on your way to Souls Town in Anime-ville, then Code Vein just might be something you get a kick out of.
Code Vein is a vampire-fuelled romp with wild writing, dynamic hack-and-slash combat, and a formatthat practically demands a co-op partner. Sure, you can play alongside the AI, but you would really be doing yourself a disservice not partnering up for this one.
The game facilitates varied and dynamic playstyles via the Blood Code system, there’s potential to land crazy combos if you have the skills to pay the bills, and the game features some of the finest, toughest bosses on record.
The enemy variety as you explore is a bit lacking, and it’s very linear, but if you’re cool with that, then Code Vein is a great AA option for Souls fans looking for something fresh.
7Mortal Shell
A Rock Solid Soulslike
Mortal Shell
It may be one of the shortest games on this list, but the good news is that Mortal Shell is thrilling from start to finish.
This is partly due to the solid souls systems and the deep, atmospheric world you inhabit, and the wealth of solid bosses. However, the biggest draw by far is the way that the shells that players can acquire as they conquer this tough title.
Your shell acts as your shield, allowing you to harden to block attacks, and then burst from your shell of stone to launch a devastating counter. This starts simple, but as the game progresses and you get more shells, this becomes much more than just a fun gimmick.
There’s no real story to speak of, but let’s face it, story is a bonus, as we all really just want tight combat and bosses that can knock us on our butts. Both of which Mortal Shell has.
6Wo Long Fallen Dynasty
A Divine Soulslike Beast
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Despite being a truly solid title, it’s staggering just how few people stopped to take notice of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty on launch.
It’s a perfect midground between the hack-and-slash action of Nioh and the parry-focused combat of Sekiro, asking players to balance offense and defense on a knife’s edge to succeed, which is made all the more difficult by the aggressive and wonderfully designed bosses.
The story is a rich text, focused on Chinese mythology. The weapon variety is great, as there’s something to suit everyone, and you also have a unique morale system that encourages you to be as aggressive as the enemies you’ll face.
The difficulty spikes are notoriously agitating, so that is a bug to bear, but if you can navigate those, you’ll enjoy a terrific AA souls title that deserves more love than it gets.
5Lords of the Fallen (2023)
A Dual-World Experience
Lords of the Fallen
While I don’t have particularly nice things to say about the 2014 outing, it has to be said that Lords of the Fallen’s reboot was a real step up in terms of quality.
Granted, anything would have been, but Lords of the Fallen really sets itself apart from the crowd with the dual world approach, allowing you to occupy the real world and the Umbral world, with the option to switch on the fly to open up new possibilities hiding in plain sight.
Plus, the game looks stunning, has a wealth of items that accommodate various playstyles, and the bosses are challenging while still being accessible.
The high density of mob enemies and the punishing checkpoint may irk some players,but if you can sidestep the gank, you will be treated to an AA souls showcase like no other.
4Enotria: The Last Song
Sun-Kissed Souls
Enotria: The Last Song
The world is but a stage, and we are merely players. Players holding controllers with sweaty palms, trying desperately not to die.
That’s how it feels to play the theatrical epic, Enotria. A game steeped in Italian folklore, and bursting at the seams with charm, and interesting souls mechanics.
With the ability to manipulate the world to forge new paths, the ability to gather and use masks to develop and change your role on the fly, and a combat system where parrying with precise timing is near-essential to succeed, there’s a lot to love about this title.
Then you have the cherry atop the cake. The sun-kissed and awe-inspiring backdrops you’re able to drink in as you slay your foes. Sure, it’s a little buggy in spots, but nothing that ever deters from the excellence of this plucky AA offering.
3Remnant 2
Push Back The Root
While many would suggest that Remnant 2 is a little far removed from the traditional Souls formula on account of having guns instead of swords.
But even if it’s pistols instead of polearms, it still has a lot of Souls DNA. However, where Remnant 2 stands out is through its world design, as this title uses procedural generation to make each time you leave The Ward to push back The Root.
This ensures the game is deeply replayable, but beyond that, the gunplay is sublime, the co-op functionality is probably the best you’ll find in any souls game out there, and it’s one of the more accessible Souls games with manageable bosses, and varied playstyles to suit everyone.
In short, if you like the all-out action of a shooter but want to see what all the fuss is about in the brutal world of Souls-Likes. This is the game for you.
Team Ninja At Their Best
There are few games that are brave enough to take the Souls formula and rip the script up to offer something else entirely. Yet, despite keeping a few pages of this script intact, Nioh is a series that boldly shakes things up for the better.
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All the difficulty, less of the time commitment
With more of a fast-paced hack-and-slash combat focus, a level-based progression system, and a rewarding loot system make this title feel a lot like a classic ARPG in a lot of ways.
It’s effectively a much more accessible alternative to Sekiro, but with a more zany story to tell, infinitely more build variety for multiple playthroughs, and a brilliant NG+ mode to make replaying a joy.
It’s a series that is criminally overlooked in the souls community, but one that we aren’t afraid to say is one of the finest non-FromSoft titles on the market.
1Lies Of P
I’m A Real Boy
Without a doubt, the most refined, interesting, and punishing game that stays true to the FromSoft formula is Lies of P, and it’s not even close.
This title makes the most of the character Pinocchio becoming a public domain character, stripping him of his child-friendly Disney setting and planting them in Krat, a city full of deranged puppets hellbent on tangling your strings and grinding your gears.
It’s an atmospheric world worth exploring, the combat systems are unique enough to stand out but familiar enough that traditional Souls fans won’t miss a beat.
Plus, Lies of P has some of the toughest bosses within the genre, including its FromSoft brethren. With a new DLC announced, there’s no time like the present to jump into the action.
You could lie and say you’re not interested, but much like when Pinocchio fibs, we can tell from a mile off.
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Discover the best Souls-like games with co-op, from brutal combat to deep RPG mechanics. Team up with friends and take on challenging enemies together
