17 Souls-Likes That Are Easier Than Dark Souls - The first knowledge sharing application in Vietnam

Even a Souls-like video game can be beaten. There is a pathway to conquering games like Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition. By playing easier Souls-likes, players can overcome the claustrophobia associated with battling bosses in tight spaces.

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Souls-like games are part of a subgenre that has become a prominent part of the gaming industry. Developers like FromSoftware and Team Ninja have made their mark on the subgenre with new meanings for rage-quitting. Yes, a Souls-like game can be easy. Gamers shouldn’t let the “Souls-like” label deter them from playing these games.

Updated on July 7th, 2022 by Russ Boswell: Dark Souls fans finally got their hands on Elden Ring, continuing the difficult-yet-rewarding genre that FromSoftware has become synonymous with. Although it’s difficult to say that Elden Ring was as hard as other Dark Souls releases, it definitely had its moments of pure rage-inducing difficulty for some. To better celebrate the difficulty of Dark Souls and the slew of souls-like games that hit store shelves as a product, the following list has been updated. It now includes more entries, both from AAA studios and some Indie Smash hits. It seems that the world of Souls-like shows no signs of slowing down, for fans of the genre. Here are some great games like Dark Souls that aren’t necessarily as difficult.

Elden Ring

Although Elden Ring definitely has its tough moments, it’s hard to classify it as more taxing than the series that came before it. There are definitely some things that players can do in Elden Ring to make their open-world Dark Souls-esque experience a bit less difficult, and bringing a friend along for some of the more challenging bosses will greatly deplete the challenge overall. Elden Ring also suffers a bit from certain spells and mechanics that make it easy to “cheese” certain bosses.

Players that struggle a bit to deal with Elden Ring’s no-hands-held massive open-world approach will definitely find themselves a bit overwhelmed, but it’s an experience that gets a bit easier for many players as they make it through the opening hours and start to build their character up, unlocking new skills and weapons that are capable of dishing out serious damage.

Blasphemous

The Dark Souls series inspired a lot of knock-offs and hard-as-nails copycats that attempted to cash in on the success of the “souls-like” moniker. Unfortunately, there were a lot of titles produced that seemed more like a cash grab for the genre than anything else. Thankfully, there were also some gems that took the “concept” of an overly-difficult players-against-the-world mentality and crafted their own unique adventures from it. Blasphemous is one of the best examples of a souls-like done right..

It’s a beautifully-crafted, visually-stunning title that has a beautifully poignant storyline, incredible bosses, and some seriously challenging gameplay. That said, it doesn’t feel as difficult as the original Souls releases at times, making it more accessible to players of all backgrounds. Blasphemous is a must-play for fans of the genre.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Although the Witcher 3 wasn’t necessarily meant to mimic Dark Souls in its difficulty, there were many players that found the game pretty overwhelming and difficult, especially when it came to combat. The early hours of The Witcher 3 can be especially punishing, as players attempt to learn the ropes and understand the combat mechanics at their core. Players need to switch between different sword types, and master an array of signs, if they want to be successful in culling the monsters that roam the lands while simultaneously dealing with some pretty dastardly human enemies. Toss all of this together with The Witcher 3’s downright imposing open-world map and its easy to see why some players found it difficult.

That said, the experience definitely isn’t as difficult as the Dark Souls series, especially when players get a firm grasp of combat and begin to upgrade their armor and weapons.

Death’s Door

Death’s Door was developed by Acid Nerve and was first released in July 2021. Reviews of the game soon grabbed people’s attention, with comparisons being made to both The Legend of Zelda and Dark Souls and a series of excellent scores that landed the game an 89 score on Metacritic.

Death’s Door doesn’t disappoint, with gorgeous visuals that vastly change from area to area, making each location stand out, a fantastic soundtrack, and, like any game that wants to be compared to Dark Souls, memorable boss fights.

Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight is one of the first games that people will recommend to fans of Dark Souls, which speaks volumes to the game’s quality, especially considering its inherent differences as a 2D Metroidvania.

Despite the drastic shift in genre, Hollow Knight’s similarities to the first Dark Souls game come from its atmosphere, lore-centric storytelling told predominantly through NPC’s, and for having some of its decade’s most engrossing boss battles. A sequel, titled Hollow Knight: Silksong, is expected to be released in 2022.

Ghost Of Tsushima

ghost of tsushima director’s cut update 2.08

Ghost of Tsushima was first released in July 2020 exclusively on PlayStation 4, just over a year before August 2021’s PlayStation 5 upgrade. Along with similarities to Dark Souls, the game’s combat and stealth are reminiscent of From Software’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, while the open world and horseback riding draw comparisons to the upcoming Elden Ring.

Ghost of Tsushima was a hit with fans and critics, best exemplified by its 9.1 user score on Metacritic and Game of the Year nomination from The Game Awards.

Salt And Sanctuary

Salt and Sanctuary is a 2D action RPG that was developed by Ska Studios and immediately turned heads upon release with its stunning hand-drawn visuals. Despite its 2D gameplay, Salt and Sanctuary is one of the closest games on this list to the original Dark Souls, excluding that games developed by From Software themselves.

Salt and Sanctuary’s similarities to Dark Souls include its leveling system, bonfire-like checkpoints, online messages that can be left for other players, and area designs that often feel like literal 2D remakes of From Software’s smash hit.

Remnant: From The Ashes

Remnant: From the Ashes was first released in August 2019 on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 and soon became known as “Dark Souls with guns.” The aptly-named development team, Gunfire Games, gives players a wide range of weaponry to choose from, offering plenty of variety to combat and giving players the chance to adjust their playstyle depending on the enemies and bosses that they’re fighting.

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Along with the thrid-person shooter gameplay, one of Remnant: From the Ashes’ key differences to the Souls series is that it features randomly generated worlds, making each playthrough of the game unpredictable.

Dark Souls 2

There are areas of Dark Souls 2 that caused trouble for players, such as the Fume Knight, Ancient Dragon, and the Smelter Demon. However, the difficulty of Dark Souls 2 is easy in comparison to other Souls-like games.

The most frustrating part of Dark Souls 2 is not the enemy and boss difficulty but instead the game’s backtracking and confusing map. It’s difficult in all the wrong places, and oddly easier than the first game.

Lords Of The Fallen

Lords of the Fallen was released on 28 October 2014. It didn’t hide its influences from the first two Dark Souls games, with its interconnected areas and emphasis on intense boss fights.

Another similarity to Dark Souls is the game’s combat. Getting impatient or trying to rush fights in Lord of the Fallen is a fatal error. Enemies will punish players who don’t adopt a tactical, methodical approach to combat. Lord of the Fallen struggled to reach the quality of the Soulsborne series, exemplified by its Xbox One Metascore of 71. However, it still provides an enjoyable experience for fans of the souls-like formula.

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen

Dragon’s Dogma was originally released by Capcom in 2012 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, before an enhanced edition titled Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen hit stores the following year. The game differentiates itself from the Dark Souls series with its hack and slash combat and open world. Its party system is reminiscent of another Capcom series, Monster Hunter.

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Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen performed better with critics than Lord of the Fallen. It scored between 78 and 81 on Metacritic across its numerous releases.

Dark Souls 3

The final game in the Dark Souls trilogy had tremendous potential, but it ultimately fell short of expectations because of its easy difficulty, among other reasons. The game kicks off with an epic clash against Iudex Gundyr, a boss with silver cast-iron armor, in the Cemetery of Ash. From there, things ease up as the game gets too relaxed.

There are outliers like the Nameless King and Pontiff Sulyvahn, but it’s hard to deny the disparity in difficulty between Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition and Dark Souls 3.

Ashen

Unlike the Dark Souls franchise, Ashen offers less of a challenge to players. Completing quests, which are called “Journeys,” are the form of progression in this title.

One downside to the Journeys is that they are far too linear. Dark Souls’ overarching goals are far less linear, adding to the game’s difficulty. In Ashen, bosses are easy to manipulate, and enemies can be passed with ease. The game doesn’t do a good job of offering a challenge, but it’s a good introduction to the genre.

Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning was the one and only game that 38 Studios released before the company declared bankruptcy in 2012. Interestingly, 38 Studios was founded by Curt Schilling, a former MLB Pitcher.

Like Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning differentiates itself from Dark Souls with its hack-and-slash combat. The game was remastered in 2020 under the name Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning, on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, before coming to Nintendo Switch in 2021.

Code Vein

Code Vein is an action RPG from Bandai Namco, the same company that published the Dark Souls trilogy. This 2019 title puts players in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic setting that players are free to explore thanks to the offering of an impressively designed open-world.

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The game struggled to impress critics, exemplified by its Metascores between 70 and 75. However, its Souls-like mechanics, well-crafted open world, and interesting story make it worth considering.

Nioh 2

The sequel to Nioh answered back with three-player cooperative play and a host of new features that enhance gameplay. Nioh 2 will go down as one of the great Souls-likes, despite being undeniably easier than its predecessor.

The game lets players summon blue graves and co-op partners with ease. Moreover, Nioh 2’s bosses have Ki (stamina) that drains easier. Leveling is straightforward, making this an easy Souls-like—maybe even too easy.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

In many ways, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’s implementation of Souls-like mechanics was a testament to how far the genre had come. One of gaming’s biggest publishers, Electronic Arts, entrusted the gameplay style to one of their major Star Wars releases.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order finally gave fans a modern single-player Star Wars game that let them play as a Jedi. Along with the Souls-like mechanics, the game also implemented aspects of 3D Metroidvania. The Metroidvania themes were well implemented, but they disappointed some players who would have rather explored more planets than backtrack previous areas.

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