10 Soulslikes Designed for Players Who Love Getting Lost

I’m a huge fan of Soulslike games, and what I love most is how tough but rewarding they are. But it’s not just about the difficulty! A lot of the best ones really let you explore and get completely lost in the world, which is amazing. Not every Soulslike does that – some are pretty straightforward – but when a game encourages you to wander and discover things on your own, it’s truly special.

When I talk about “getting lost” in a game, I don’t mean being confused or stuck. I’m talking about the joy of exploring, finding hidden secrets, and really immersing yourself in the game’s world. That’s something Soulslike games do exceptionally well.

Looking for a challenging game like Dark Souls with a focus on exploration and hidden areas? This list features 10 Soulslike games perfect for players who enjoy discovering secrets and getting lost in immersive worlds.

10. Lords of the Fallen

A Dark World to Explore

Lords of the Fallen boasts a truly impressive world, clearly influenced by the Dark Souls series. It’s not only visually stunning, with beautiful and atmospheric environments, but also designed with exploration in mind. The game features interconnected areas that overlap, forming a large, seamless map—much like the original Dark Souls. Players will often find themselves circling back to familiar locations and marveling at the intricate level design, wondering how they even managed to navigate the world.

One of the best parts of Lords of the Fallen is how cleverly designed the levels are. You’re constantly questioning how you got to where you are, which encourages you to explore every nook and cranny to discover hidden paths and areas. This sense of discovery isn’t limited to the main levels either. The game’s side quests are also designed to be challenging, with very few hints given to the player. This means you’ll often need to retrace your steps and venture off the main path to figure out how to complete them.

9. Dark Souls 3

The Best of Dark Souls

Dark Souls 3 is the thrilling conclusion to FromSoftware’s beloved Dark Souls trilogy, and many consider it their best game yet. Though it differs from the first game’s connected world, it still offers a fantastic experience for players who enjoy exploring and discovering hidden secrets. Each area is packed with winding paths, shortcuts, secret characters, and optional bosses, offering over 100 hours of gameplay for completionists who love to get lost in immersive worlds.

Dark Souls 3 demonstrated FromSoftware’s mastery of game development, solidifying their reputation as one of the industry’s best. It laid the groundwork for the success of Elden Ring, and its influence can be seen in many games, particularly those inspired by the ‘Souls’ genre. Dark Souls 3 excels in level design, creating a strong sense of exploration and wonder. Beyond the already expansive main game, two substantial expansions offer even more content for players to discover.

8. Remnant 2

Get Lost With a Friend

The first Remnant game did a good job of making players feel disoriented, but Remnant 2 really amplifies that feeling. For those unfamiliar, Remnant 2 is a challenging action game like the Souls series, but with levels that are created randomly each time you play. This means the map layout changes constantly, making every playthrough unique. Because of this random generation, you’ll always be exploring new areas, figuring out the best path, and facing different bosses, enemies, and puzzles.

Every time you start Remnant 2, you’ll have a new and unique experience. Plus, the game is fantastic for playing with friends! While many games like this offer co-op, it feels especially good in Remnant 2 because you and your friends explore and discover the world together, instead of one person leading the way. This makes Remnant 2 a perfect Soulslike for those who enjoy exploration and getting delightfully lost.

7. Nine Sols

A Detailed Metroidvania Map

Nine Sols plays a bit like Hollow Knight, but it’s strongly influenced by Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The game really shines with its challenging, timing-based combat – especially its focus on parrying – and its fantastic level design that intentionally makes you feel disoriented. It features a huge Metroidvania-style map, potentially one of the biggest in the genre, which becomes fully accessible as you unlock new abilities. You’ll also find optional areas that are surprisingly large – comparable in size to the main levels themselves.

Nine Sols offers engaging side quests that are optional but rewarding, with interesting stories and valuable items. The game encourages thorough exploration; completionists will enjoy hunting down the many well-hidden collectibles scattered across the large map. However, even players who don’t aim for 100% completion will likely find themselves wandering off the main path and discovering hidden areas as they play.

6. Code Vein 2

A Bigger Sequel

The first Code Vein game had a simple, directed structure with small areas and a clear path. Code Vein 2 changed things up by offering a large, open world to explore. While the open world isn’t groundbreaking, it gives players more freedom and a sense of adventure, especially for those who enjoy discovering hidden things. The world is filled with secret dungeons, challenging bosses, and lots of secrets to find.

One of the most interesting things about Code Vein 2 is its dual timeline system. Players can move back and forth between these timelines, which actually alters the game world. This helps prevent players from feeling completely stuck, as some quests can only be completed in the past, and others in the present. While it doesn’t quite reach the level of exploration found in Elden Ring, Code Vein 2 still encourages players to explore and discover hidden areas, offering rewards and loot to help improve their character.

5. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Get Lost in the World of Star Wars

Gamers are constantly discussing whether Star Wars Jedi: Survivor fits the “Soulslike” genre, but it definitely shares many key features. Like those games, it has challenging boss fights that demand careful strategy, and a checkpoint system where you lose progress when you die. Beyond that, it offers a vast, open world perfect for exploration, filled with secrets, hidden bosses, puzzles, and collectibles, all set within the iconic Star Wars universe.

One of the best things about Jedi: Survivor is how immersive it is – being set in the Star Wars universe makes it easy to lose yourself in the game. Respawn Entertainment did an amazing job of creating a realistic and vibrant Star Wars world. If you’re a big Star Wars fan like me, I highly recommend playing both this game and its predecessor, Fallen Order, to experience the galaxy far, far away.

4. No Rest for the Wicked

So Much Content

Even though it’s still being developed, No Rest for the Wicked has quickly become a favorite among fans of challenging action games. The game offers a huge world packed with things to do, and a deep progression system that lets you cook, upgrade gear, build structures, and much more. Each location is beautifully designed and encourages you to explore, potentially losing yourself in the game’s immersive world. If you’re looking for a game to enjoy at your own pace, without a strict storyline to follow, No Rest for the Wicked is a great choice.

The latest update to No Rest for the Wicked, called Together Coop, lets you play with friends! Now, you can share your game world with them, so they can continue building and progressing even when you’re not online. This makes the game feel more collaborative, as you and your friends can work together to improve your base, prepare food, and complete quests.

3. Hollow Knight: Silksong

The Ultimate Soulsvania

Hollow Knight: Silksong is fundamentally a Metroidvania, but it also incorporates challenging elements similar to Souls-like games. What makes it special is how well it caters to players who enjoy exploration. The game boasts a massive map—one of the biggest in the Metroidvania style—and a surprising amount of it is entirely optional. Discovering hidden areas, side quests, and the game’s rich backstory is a core part of the experience.

I’ve spent over 80 hours playing Hollow Knight: Silksong in a single playthrough, which is remarkable considering the main story takes around 25-30 hours to finish. The game is packed with so much content that it’s easy to lose yourself in it – but in a good way! Getting lost and exploring is a core part of the experience, just like in the first Hollow Knight. And the best thing is, it only costs $20.

2. Nioh 3

Team Ninja’s Best Game

Team Ninja has consistently delivered excellent games, and Nioh 3 is arguably their masterpiece. The decision to move to an open world was a risk, but it really worked – the game is packed with interesting things to do and feels great to explore. For anyone who enjoys immersive exploration, Nioh 3 is a top pick in the Soulslike category.

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Nioh 3 offers a ton of optional content, from challenging side activities that help you grow your character to captivating side quests. Beyond the main story, there’s always something to do. The game’s world is also stunningly beautiful, and it’s easy to lose yourself simply exploring the scenery. It’s a game that truly shines the more you play, making it a must-try for fans of Soulslike games.

1. Elden Ring

Discover The Lands Between

No list of amazing games would be complete without Elden Ring, seriously. It’s FromSoftware’s open-world masterpiece, and it’s all about exploring and just getting wonderfully lost. The map is absolutely massive – way bigger than anything else I’ve played!

Elden Ring is packed with optional things to discover, including secret caves and an entire underground city that’s easy to overlook. As you journey through the game, you’ll constantly find new content that will captivate you for hours.

Although the core story of Elden Ring can be completed in about 40 hours, truly experiencing everything the game has to offer will take over 100. It’s packed with so much content that it’s easy to lose track of time and get completely immersed – you might find yourself playing for five hours without even noticing! Elden Ring is a truly special game, one that sets a high bar for others, and is ideal for players who enjoy exploring vast worlds and getting lost in the adventure.

2026-02-24 19:42