Soulslikes With Better Combat Than Sekiro

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Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is widely considered to have the best combat in the soulslike genre. It’s simple to learn, but incredibly tense, constantly keeping you on the edge of your seat. Unlike many similar games, Sekiro doesn’t offer easy ways to become overpowered – it focuses on demanding skillful play. Its combat relies entirely on precise timing and patience, making it a unique experience that feels distinct from other soulslike games, and it remains unmatched even today.

Okay, so Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has seriously amazing combat – it’s honestly tough to find another game that feels quite as good when you’re really in the flow, perfectly timing those sword fights. It’s super rewarding to get good at! But I wanted to look at other soulslike games that actually might be better in certain ways. They bring something different to the table, and honestly, what’s ‘better’ is totally up to each player – it just depends on what you like!

The First Berserker: Khazan

Keep the Pressure Up

The First Berserker: Khazan is winning over fans of challenging action games with its incredibly fast and relentless combat, which is deeply rewarding. However, the game is almost entirely focused on fighting; its levels are simple, the story isn’t very memorable, and there’s not much to discover beyond the battles. In fact, players may not even want more – a constant stream of challenging boss fights is really all that’s needed, and Khazan excels at providing them.

The bosses in The First Berserker: Khazan are diverse and consistently challenging, creating fast-paced, intense battles where you can’t let up. Like Sekiro, precise timing and blocking are key, but this game demands you meet aggression with aggression. Instead of waiting for opportunities, you must constantly attack while defending. The game focuses on mastering fundamental skills – like blocking, reflecting attacks, and countering – as there aren’t many different weapons or special abilities. This results in a combat system that feels like a pure action game, full of split-second decisions and constant movement. The later boss fights are particularly impressive, offering a level of spectacle and excitement that rivals even Sekiro.

Nioh 2

Days to Learn, Weeks to Master

Team Ninja has become a major player in the soulslike genre with fantastic action games like Nioh, Nioh 2, and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. Each game builds on similar ideas and combat, but feels unique thanks to clever combinations of elements from other action titles. With Nioh 3 expected to be a major release in early 2026, Nioh 2 still stands out as one of the best soulslikes outside of the FromSoftware series. It features a combat system that’s incredibly deep and allows players to develop a style that works for them.

While it might look and feel similar to Sekiro, Nioh 2‘s combat is actually much more complex. Instead of being simple, it gives players a huge number of options and systems to learn. Even those familiar with the first Nioh game will find plenty of new things to master. Nioh 2 features different combat stances, multiple resources to manage, tons of loot and stats, various attack types, and special abilities. It’s a challenging game that takes time and effort to fully grasp. However, once you understand its intricacies, you can perform incredibly powerful combos and defeat even the toughest enemies.

Lies of P

What a Talented Student

Almost no one predicted how good Lies of P would be. The game brilliantly reinterprets the story of Pinocchio with a unique and unforgettable world, and delivers soulslike combat that feels fresh and well-executed – instantly making it a must-play for fans of the genre. While it doesn’t quite reach the polish or intensity of Sekiro, Lies of P offers combat that’s both easy to pick up and surprisingly deep, creating a tense and satisfying experience. It strikes a great balance, letting players experiment with different strategies or stick to the fundamentals and still succeed.

Unlike many similar games, Lies of P doesn’t have a huge number of weapons or spells. Instead, you can break down and rebuild weapons using different parts, and find and upgrade robotic arms with special abilities – similar to Sekiro. You can also learn powerful weapon techniques called Fable Arts. The game strongly encourages precise parrying, making it feel a lot like Sekiro with a rewarding system for mastering deflections and landing devastating finishing moves.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

Unfolding Patiently and Beautifully

For fans of challenging action games, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a standout title this year. It expertly combines the intricate, connected world design of Dark Souls with exciting, quick combat that surpasses many other games in the genre. While it doesn’t radically change the formula, Wuchang executes its strengths flawlessly, and gradually reveals its depth. The game truly comes into its own after the challenging Commander Honglan boss fight—a significant difficulty jump that forces players to learn precise timing and blocking. Everything before that feels like an extended introduction, preparing you for the real challenge.

While challenging, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers differs from games like Sekiro because you don’t always need to defeat tough bosses through direct combat. The game encourages experimentation, offering a lot of flexibility in how you build your character. You can change your stats, skills, weapons, and abilities whenever you’re struggling. With its diverse tactics, impressive weapon choices, and demanding bosses, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a standout new soulslike title that consistently delivers engaging and excellent combat throughout the entire experience.

Black Myth: Wukong

Makes the Players Feel Truly All-Powerful

The Chinese action RPG Black Myth: Wukong has impressed players with its incredible combat, even those initially doubtful. While it initially appears limited – focusing on a single staff weapon and fast-paced movement, and being less strict than other challenging “soulslike” games (like allowing attacks even when out of stamina) – it quickly becomes clear that the game’s real strength is how it lets you grow and evolve. Players are constantly unlocking new abilities, transformations, spells, and special attacks. This means that each major accomplishment in the game unlocks fresh and exciting ways to fight, keeping combat fun and diverse.

In Wukong, new abilities and moves blend effortlessly with how you already like to fight, enhancing any style or combination of attacks. Master players can become incredibly quick and powerful, feeling almost invincible as they dodge, counter, and unleash devastating moves at unexpected moments. You can also choose to focus on the core combat if you prefer – and the game’s toughest bosses will gladly test your skills and reflexes. This leads to some truly exceptional boss battles in Black Myth: Wukong, making it an impressive debut title for the genre.

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2025-12-17 06:08