Soulslike games have become very popular with players who prefer a more challenging combat model. And when it comes to adventure games that incorporate soulslike battles, these games generally revolve around exploring immersive game worlds, often in an open world format.

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Soulslike combat has been incorporated into many adventure games, many of which incorporate elements from the role-playing game genre as well. Combat can be punishing and often requires precise timing, with the ever-present need to keep an eye on stamina. The resulting fusion is a game that combines atmospheric journeys with challenging battles, which equals a whole lot of fun.

8

Black Myth: Wukong

A Journey To The West

Systems

Released

August 20, 2024

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

This adventure game features tough soulslike combat that will require the player to time attacks, dodges, and parries during every encounter. Black Myth: Wukong adds some spice in the combat department in the form of the shapeshifting abilities of Sun Wukong.

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Black Myth: Wukong follows the adventures of the Destined One, with the player taking on the role of this monkey warrior. The game world and storyline are very heavily influenced by the story of Journey to the West and the pilgrimage that Sun Wukong made. The player will need to reclaim six relics, which are located throughout the game world, and on that journey, they will encounter all sorts of colorful characters, varied creatures, and challenging boss fights.

7

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Continuing The Story Of Cal Kestis

Action-Adventure

Soulslike

Sci-Fi

Released

April 28, 2023

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

The soulslike combat system works very well in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. The player has to time attacks and defenses, while they make sure not to run out of stamina. Force abilities can also be used during combat, and the player can also switch between up to five lightsaber stances as well, with any two equipped at a time, allowing for smooth transitions between stances.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor delivers a classic Star Wars adventure, with the player taking on the role of Cal Kestis, continuing the story and characters established in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. After a mission gone wrong in his fight against the empire, Cal decides to lie low for a while, though that only leads him directly into an intense new adventure, delivering larger areas to explore, harder challenges to overcome, and more varied force abilities to master.

6

Ashen

Open World Action RPG

Released

December 7, 2018

Developer(s)

A44 Games

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

The player has to manage their stamina use very closely during the soulslike combat in Ashen, as each move or attack depletes it. Tactics in combat are crucial when fighting some of the harder bosses, and good timing is everything in these fights. Ashen is a combination of role-playing game and adventure game, set within an open world that is fixed in eternal twilight.

The game takes a minimalist approach to the graphics, yet despite this, the ambiance is deep and foreboding at times. The adventure revolves around the player taking on the role of a wanderer, and they must explore the land, looking for a home. As the story unfolds, the player is tasked with protecting the recently reborn Ashen and restoring civilization. During their adventures, the player will meet various NPC characters that can help them in their quest.

5

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

A Different Take On Soulslike Combat

Released

March 22, 2019

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

When it comes to soulslike combat, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice does things a little differently. Timing is key in this game, and learning to parry effectively makes the difference between success and failure. However, having the ability to revive during a battle helps to flatten the learning curve a little.

Set in a beautifully crafted game world based on mythical Japan, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a visually stunning game at times. Taking on the role of Sekiro, the player heads off on an adventure that will see them exploring and grappling with the Dragon’s Heritage bloodline of their master, Kuro. He will face many rivals wishing to control the Dragon’s Heritage for their own goals, putting him in conflict with armies, generals, assassins, monstrous beasts, and supernatural foes on his adventure.

4

Elden Ring

Hard Combat With Open World Exploration

Released

February 25, 2022

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Elden Ring is famed for its punishing combat system, which can be no less than grueling at times. This combat system allows for the use of weapons or spells and is very flexible. However, timing is key in Elden Ring, and a single mistake can result in death during the most difficult battles. Put simply, the soulslike combat is tough to master, but incredibly rewarding once the player learns how to pull it off.

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The adventure in Elden Ring takes place in the Lands Between. In the Lands Between, the divine Elden Ring was shattered, plunging the realm into chaos. Queen Marika the Eternal, the godlike ruler, vanished, and her demigod offspring waged the Shattering, a brutal war over the Great Runes. Playing as a Tarnished, an exile called back to restore the Elden Ring and become the new Elden Lord, the player must battle powerful demigods, uncover lost history, and face the cosmic forces controlling their fate. The adventure of Elden Ring is deeply player-driven; aside from the main deep lore and main narrative, the player’s story is crafted through exploration, with countless discoveries and secrets hidden throughout its complex and layered world.

3

Another Crab’s Treasure

Undersea Fun And Adventure

Released

April 25, 2024

Developer(s)

Aggro Crab

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Publisher(s)

Aggro Crab

Precision is the name of the day when fighting in Another Crab’s Treasure, with the timing of dodges and parries being crucial. Timing is also vital to get good hits in while an enemy is vulnerable, as the game makes enemies invulnerable during dodges. As far as difficulty is concerned, Another Crab’s Treasure isn’t as nail-bitingly hard as other entries on this list, delivering a more welcoming challenge to players new to soulslike sensibilities, and this welcoming nature is shown off in its more cartoonish art style and presentation.

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Filling the role of the character Kril, a hermit crab, the player embarks on an adventure to reclaim his shell, which Kril had to hand over in lieu of unpaid taxes. Without a shell to protect him, Krill has to use items as a kind of stopgap armor. During his quest, Krill needs to find a way to avoid the Gunk, a species of aquatic life that pollutes the oceans. He’ll meet a number of friendly characters — and plenty of hostile wildlife corrupted by the Gunk — on his colorful quest.

2

Tunic

Fun As A Fox

Released

March 16, 2022

Developer(s)

Andrew Shouldice

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Publisher(s)

Finji

The soulslike combat in Tunic requires the player to juggle precise timing with stamina management. Limited healing is available in the form of potions, although they are not very powerful. Boss fights are fun and frantic, with each boss having their own attack patterns, though the game’s combat is decidely on the simpler side compared to many of the above entries.

Where Tunic truly shines is in its exploration, adventure, and discovery. The plot follows the journey of a small fox, who doesn’t fully understand the world he finds himself in. After waking up on the shoreline of a strange world, the player needs to explore the world, tackle dungeons, and uncover the secrets of a lost civilization. Tasked with defeating a powerful enemy, the Heir, the player faces many challenges in their adventures. A key element to Tunic is its charming and revealing ‘strategy guide’ pages that are found throughout the world. Through these, players can start to uncover secrets and discover powers and abilities they’d had access to all along. These micro ‘ah-ha’ discoveries create countless moments of wonder throughout the game’s ~15 hours.

1

Death’s Door

Explore The Theme Of Immortality

Released

July 20, 2021

Developer(s)

Acid Nerve

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Combat in Death’s Door can be a challenge, as it is in most games that feature soulslike combat. However, Death’s Door adds a spell-casting aspect as well, in the form of ranged magic attacks, which freshens up the flow of combat, with the player benefiting greatly from switching between melee and ranged attacks to keep enemies at bay.

The player controls a crow who works for the Reaping Commission Headquarters. This crow has the rather sinister job of collecting souls, though there’s a lighthearted and monotonous edge to the bureaucratic organization. The adventure begins when a soul is stolen by another, much older crow, and the player heads off to reclaim it. During their adventures, the player will need to harvest souls long overdue for reaping, as they are protecting the secrets of longevity. As the plot unfolds, the player will learn about the secrets of death and immortality, and the underpinings of the entire soul-reaping system.

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