The Soulslike genre has exploded in popularity in recent years, thanks in large to the critical and commercial success ofElden Ringand other great games like it. Even before that though, there was a fairly sizeable demand for difficult yet rewarding games and plenty of developers battling it out to meet that demand in some way.
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As a result, there have been plenty ofgreat Soulslike gamesreleased over the past decade or so, many of which have found their way onto modern consoles. The best Soulslike games on the PlayStation 5 typically provide players with challenging boss fights, precise combat, and an unforgiving experience that can at times demand nothing short of perfection from players.
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Most of the best Soulslike games tend to come from Japanese developers, so some may be a little surprised to learn that the team behindMortal Shellwas based out of the United States. What’s more surprising, perhaps, is that Cold Symmetry is but a humble indie studio, which makes both the original game and its enhanced edition all the more impressive.
Mortal Shellis a great Soulslike game for those who are new to the genre or anybody who usually struggles with the unforgiving difficulty spikes for which the genre is renowned. It still draws a lot of its inspiration from the Soulsborne games though, both when it comes to its combat and some of its enemy designs. It’s not the best PS5 Soulslike out there, but it might just bethe best Soulslike game for beginners.
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Watching the reveal trailer forStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, one might be forgiven for thinking that the people behind the game really wanted it to fail. Once one has gotten past the endless stream of Chaos memes though, the final game is actually a lot better than anybody could have ever hoped for, bringing with it quite a few interesting ideas and a more than competent combat system.
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Granted, there weren’t really too many people crying out for a SoulslikeFinal Fantasygame, but the world is a better place for having one nonetheless. Fans of the long-running JRPG franchise who are looking fora unique way to re-experience the story of the first gamewhile also amping up the difficulty can definitely find that here, though only if they go into the game with their expectations in check.
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It may lack the cutting-edge visuals of most of its modern-day peers, butEldest Soulsis still a pretty good-looking game. Itssimple yet stylish art styleis incredibly effective, helping to bring both the enemies and the combat to life in a uniquely satisfying way. In that respect, it’s a Soulslike like no other, and one which fans of the genre really do owe it to themselves to check out given its modest price tag.
Likethe many great series which inspired it,Eldest Soulsseems to take great pleasure in pitting players against uber-hard bosses, forcing them to master the game’s combat system and memorize the bosses' attack patterns in order to succeed. To some players that may sound incredibly frustrating, but to fans of the Soulslike genre, it will probably sound like music to their ears.
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Team Ninja’s track record has been a little spotty since the departure of Tomonobu Itagaki, but the twoNiohgames are definitely some of the studio’s brighter moments since the maestro departed. Both titles are incredibly impressive, providing an authentic Soulslike experience that some people actually prefer to the ones offered up by the actual Soulsborne series.
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A lot of studios have tried to copythe FromSoftware formula, but Team Ninja is the only one that has been able to consistently come close to matching it. This is because rather than simply trying to emulate, the Japanese studio does its best to innovate where possible, and while this doesn’t always lead to improvements to the Soulslike recipe, it does provide players with a few interesting new flavors here and there.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty’s reinforcements system is a great example of this, as too is the approach that the game takes to loot. One thing that hasn’t been changed though are the immense difficulty spikes that pop up from time to time, although players can use their AI allies to cheese some of the more difficult boss fights if they’re really having trouble. It’s far from the best Soulslike game on the PS5, but it is a pretty interesting one.
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When FromSoftware released the original version ofDemon’s Soulsback in 2009, few could have predicted the monumental impact that it would go on to have on the gaming industry. More than a decade later, a remake of the game that helped to kickstart an entire genre was chosen to usher in a brand new console generation, withDemon’s Soulsserving as one of the many launch titles for the PlayStation 5.
Most seem to be in agreement thatDemon’s Soulswas the pick of the bunch, serving as one of the console’s main system sellers during those early days. It’s easy to see why too, as although certain elements of the game are a little bit dated by today’s standards, the core mechanics still hold up incredibly well and the shiny new coat of paint applied by Bluepoint Games does an excellent job of covering over some of those aforementioned cracks.
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Those searching for the best Soulslike game on the PlayStation 5 need look no further thanElden Ring. Whether or not the game is better than the likes ofBloodborneandDark Souls 3is perhaps a matter for debate, but there can be no disputing the title’s immense quality, which extends all the way to the darkest and furthest corners of the incredible Lands Between.
In many ways,Elden Ringis the ultimate Soulslike, refining just about every concept and core mechanic that help to make the genre so beloved. Of course, this should have perhaps come as no surprise given the quality and experience of the team over at FromSoftware, yet few could have predicted just how goodElden Ringwould turn out to be. It really is a must-play game, especially for fans of Soulslike games.
