Best Soulslikes That Make You Think

by

Summary

  • Soulslikes typically pair punishing combat with cryptic worldbuilding, rewarding patient secret-hunters.
  • Remnant 2 fuses co-op, procedural generation, and intricate puzzles for a unique soulslike experience, while Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Darksiders 3 incorporate robust platforming.
  • Games like Elden Ring and Bloodborne make exploration a puzzle, with minimal handholding and hidden rewards.

Souls-like games are popular because they offer tough but rewarding combat and detailed worlds to explore. Most fans enjoy piecing together the story themselves, as these games usually provide only subtle clues and encourage players to figure out what’s happening and uncover the world’s secrets through exploration and deduction.

While many games in the ‘soulslike’ genre focus on challenging combat and detailed worlds, some also incorporate puzzles, hidden secrets, and platforming – elements traditionally found in action-adventure games. When executed well, these additions can make soulslikes even more engaging, testing players’ skills in both quick reflexes and creative problem-solving. Let’s explore some standout soulslike titles that successfully combine intense battles with these other stimulating activities.

Remnant 2

Procedural Generation Techniques And An Emphasis On Puzzle-Solving

When people talk about games like *Dark Souls*, the *Remnant* series often comes up. Both *Remnant: From the Ashes* and *Remnant 2* skillfully combine challenging combat, interesting exploration, and clever puzzles. What really sets these games apart is their fantastic co-op play – working together isn’t just fun, it’s sometimes necessary to progress. Plus, the levels are randomly generated, meaning you can play through the game multiple times and still discover new areas and rewards.

Beyond challenging combat, most boss fights in *Remnant 2* feel like puzzles. Success isn’t about simply overpowering enemies, but about carefully watching their patterns, hitting specific weak spots (similar to *Resident Evil*), and stopping their most dangerous attacks – like those that buff them or call in reinforcements. Overall, *Remnant 2* is a standout soulslike with rewarding combat, exploration, and secrets, making it a great choice for players looking for something different.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Fueled by Metroidvania Progression And An Abundance Of Puzzles And Platforming

Similar to the first game, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor blends challenging combat inspired by soulslike games with the storytelling and exploration of classic action-adventure titles. It features a compelling story, impressive cutscenes, and extra gameplay elements like puzzles and platforming, which aren’t often found in soulslike games.

As a huge fan of *Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order*, I was so excited to play the sequel! What really blew me away was how much bigger the worlds are – especially Koboh and Jedha. It’s not quite fully open-world, but it feels that way as you explore and revisit planets with new abilities. Plus, they really leaned into the puzzles and platforming, and your Force powers are key to getting around – it’s awesome!

In *Jedi: Survivor*, players will find lots of challenging puzzles throughout the game’s various worlds, including difficult Jedi Chamber trials that test your skills and offer great rewards. The game also features much more challenging platforming sections, some requiring players to perfectly execute all of Cal Kestis’s moves.

Elden Ring

The Lands Between And Its Lore Is A Puzzle On Its Own

Elden Ring is a monumental accomplishment by FromSoftware and is widely considered the best in the soulslike genre. It’s hard to imagine another game topping it anytime soon. The game boasts a massive world with incredible freedom – players can explore almost anywhere, though discovering everything requires effort and sometimes guidance. Elden Ring is filled with rich lore, secret paths, unique communication methods, and puzzling quests. It doesn’t hold your hand, instead encouraging players to uncover its many secrets at their own pace.

Although some players might prefer more detailed stories, background information, and quest guidance, Elden Ring’s difficulty isn’t arbitrary. Whether you’re fighting enemies or exploring the world, the game isn’t trying to be unfairly hard. Players who take their time and truly explore will find helpful items and clues everywhere, giving them an edge in almost any situation.

Lords of the Fallen

Unique Dual-World Mechanics Provide Food For Thought

As a fan, I’m really excited about how Lords of the Fallen is doing things differently. It’s got this awesome dual-world system – you’ve seen stuff like this in other adventure games, but it’s super rare in the Soulslike genre. You can switch between the vibrant world of Axion and this dark, ghostly realm called Umbral. As a player, you can use this to explore, solve puzzles, and find hidden treasures. What’s really cool is you don’t even need to fully jump into Umbral – you can peek in, which means you’re always thinking about both worlds at once, and it adds a whole new level of strategy to the game.

I really loved exploring in *Lords of the Fallen*. Even without one particular cool thing they added, the world itself was amazing. It reminded me a lot of *Dark Souls* with how interconnected everything was – you’re constantly finding new paths, shortcuts, and hidden treasure. There are puzzles everywhere too, and you have to figure them out without a map, which is a fun challenge! What’s really impressed me is how much the developers cared. They kept updating the game for two whole years after it came out, fixing almost all the problems based on what fans were saying. I’m really excited for *Lords of the Fallen 2* and hoping they build on everything that was already good, and maybe avoid the rocky start the first game had.

Bloodborne

Easily Among The Genre’s Most Mysterious Settings

Unlike many games, Bloodborne doesn’t rely on traditional puzzles. Instead, it delivers a classic FromSoftware experience with a sprawling, interconnected world that you explore without a map. This encourages players to bravely venture into the unknown, always questioning where each path will lead.

Beyond its challenging gameplay, where players build and connect the world around them, *Bloodborne* boasts a remarkably detailed setting. Its story is filled with deep and intriguing lore, and fans are still debating the meaning of certain parts of the game even today.

The original *Dark Souls* and *Dark Souls: Remastered* also stand out for their excellent world design and exploration, cleverly linking areas and keeping players unsure of where they’ll go next. Even now, years later, few games in the soulslike genre have managed to recreate that same sense of discovery and wonder, particularly for new players.

Darksiders 3

True To The Series’ Roots With Environmental Puzzles And Platforming

Gunfire Games took a similar approach with *Darksiders 3* as they later did with the *Remnant* series. *Darksiders 3* blended elements of soulslike games with traditional action gameplay, retaining familiar features like puzzles and platforming while adding more challenging combat, boss fights, and exploration inspired by the soulslike genre.

Although *Darksiders 3* isn’t a top-tier game in its genre – it doesn’t quite reach the level of puzzle-solving and intrigue found in the *Remnant* series – it’s still a fun game to play between more challenging soulslike titles. It offers a good mix of exploration across connected levels, hidden items, abilities that let you access new areas (like in a Metroidvania game), and platforming. This variety keeps you engaged and makes you think while you play. Now, the future of the series rests on *Darksiders 4*, which should build on what’s been done and learn from Gunfire Games’ success with *Remnant 2*.

Read More

2025-09-28 08:35