There aren’t many games that require a nigh infinite amount of patience from their players, their stories quite obscure and open to interpretation, while the combat is as unforgiving as harsh weather. The Soulslike genre has been steadily cementing itself as a niche in modern gaming that scratches a very particular itch.
While 2025 did give us the much-awaited DLC for Lies of P, a mechanically solid offering in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, and a true test of perseverance and skill with Clair Obscur’s Thank You update, the genre spent a relatively quiet year for the most part. However, that’s about the change with a bunch of new titles designed to invoke a lot of clenched jaws and aching fingers on the way.
Join us as we take a look at some of the brand-new Soulslikes coming your way in 2026 and beyond!
1. Code Vein 2
The sequel to 2019’s Code Vein is all set to build on what made its predecessor a title worthy of the genre, expanding on its size, scope, and ambition to present an experience that’s sure to have you glued to your screens.
With a new story and a new set of party members to engage with, along with a world that’s going to be significantly larger for you to explore, this one is shaping up to be quite the sequel. We’re expecting it to be among the more approachable ones on this list if you’re thinking about dipping your toes into the deep waters that come with the Soulslike genre.
2. Lords of the Fallen 2
We’re quite eager to step into this dark world again, and with good reason. Its trailers are looking really good, and showcase a gameplay loop that’s every bit as immersive and punishing as its predecessor. The new boss designs are a highlight, as are the new levels, with the Axial and Umbral worlds presenting us with stunning vistas to behold.
If the sequel is anything like the previous game, this one is going to be a love letter to those of you who like to learn from their mistakes and come back stronger after every defeat.
3. Nioh 3
A true sequel in the popular franchise is only days away at the time of writing this list, and it’s bringing a whole lot of new additions to the table. There’s a new protagonist who’s poised to travel across time to influence the fate of Japan in the wake of their brother’s betrayal. The mechanics that you know and love are also coming back to the new game, albeit with a twist.
They are now part of the Samurai playstyle, which is to be joined by the Ninja playstyle that forgoes the Ki Pulse mechanic that’s been a staple of the franchise so far in favor of some cool weapons and moves. It’s a great balance between the old and new for a franchise that’s known to push its players past their limits and send them right back to the last save point quite often.
4. Mistfall Hunter
This PvPvE extraction RPG has everything you’d expect from a Soulslike, along with the added allure of bringing a new gameplay loop into the mix. There are fantasy-inspired levels, enemies, and bosses, along with a variety of weapons and spells for your character, the Gyldhunter, to use against their foes.
With smooth animations, tight windows for your parries and dodges, and your success purely reliant on your skills in the field, this one is sure to have you playing on the edge of your seat when it releases later this year.
5. Phantom Blade Zero
While the game’s director has insisted that it isn’t a Souls-like title, there are enough similarities to the genre for it to earn a spot on this list. Its slick, wuxia-based combat and traversal mechanics are a sight to behold, while its enemies pack quite a punch in a story that gives you 66 days to uncover a conspiracy surrounding your character.
While it’s probably going to be approachable on lower difficulties, everything we’ve seen about this one is evidence that putting it on the hardest possible level of challenge is going to have you in desperate battles for survival, thanks to combat mechanics and enemy designs that are geared to dish out as much punishment as they receive.
6. Valor Mortis
This is an interesting one. Set in an alternate version of 19th-century Europe where Napoleon’s military ambitions have resulted in a world gone horribly wrong, you step into the shoes of William, an English soldier who’s been resurrected and forced to fend off undead hordes with his own comrades among their ranks.
That sets the stage for an excellent first-person Soulslike where you use your cutlass, flintlock pistol, and a host of magical spells to strike, slash, dodge, and parry your way through an adventure full of mystery and conspiracy. We’ve definitely got our eyes on this one and will be diving in when it releases later this year.
7. The Relic: First Guardian
This dark action-RPG has a lot of interesting twists to the traditional Soulslike formula. For starters, your attacks don’t consume stamina, and all your skills work off of cooldowns as opposed to mana or other resources. Second, every weapon or piece of gear you find is unique, which is another feather in its cap.
But the story is probably going to be a highlight of the experience with your character, the Keeper, exploring the remnants of a past civilization that has faded out of existence. Memories of lives long past are going to be a key focus of your experience, and it’s quite a poignant narrative from what we’ve seen so far. This one drops in May this year, and we’re expecting it to be a title that haunts us long after we complete it.
8. Fatekeeper
A protagonist with a talking rat stowed away in his backpack, exploring a fantasy world that’s designed to catch your attention, is something that’s sure to appeal to any Soulslike fan. That’s exactly what Fatekeeper is bringing to the table, with visuals and a gameplay loop that could have you losing track of the many hours you’re going to spend exploring its world.
The game’s demo showcases many familiar mechanics and a combat system that’s seemingly easy to learn but is probably significantly harder to master. It’s entering Early Access on Steam later this year, with a console version confirmed to come along sometime after that.
9. Beast of Reincarnation
Game Freak’s attempt to break away from Pokémon looks like a solid effort to bring a dystopian Japan to life. From horrifying mutants to gigantic robots, your character and her pet dog are going to have their work cut out for them as they set out to heal the land from the effects of a mysterious blight and take down the creature that has caused it.
The visuals are definitely impressive, while the combat has been compared to Sekiro, which is always good news for a game that aims this high. It’s coming out later this year and is certainly looking like it could be worth your time and money.
10. The Duskbloods
Hidetaka Miyazaki is back again with a new project, although this one’s a Switch 2 exclusive. You get to pick from a lineup of Duskbloods, characters with vampiric abilities, and you will be thrust into a dark fantasy world with both PvP and PvE elements.
While the director has been typically cagey about the details, we know that each Bloodsworn comes with unique weapons, gear, and abilities, and must fight against beings that have left their humanity behind in the pursuit of a mysterious power across time and space. That’s more than enough to pique our curiosity, and our Switch 2 is probably going to be quite busy when this one releases sometime this year.
11. Lies of P 2
Neowiz is hard at work on a sequel to its runaway hit, but details are scarce about when it’s going to release. However, the studio has been quite open about how it has been enjoying the process of creating a sequel, and there have been hints at a more expansive, less linear world for P (or Carlos, if you will) to explore.
Of course, the cliffhanger at the end of the first game has us expecting characters from another popular childhood story to make an appearance, and curious to know more about how they could fit into Krat’s grim world in the process. We could hear more about this one over the course of the year, and maybe even play it this year or in 2027.
12. Knights Path
Set in the Roman Empire and placing you in the shoes of Alryk, a disgraced noble out to restore his name, this one is sure to delight those among you who prefer a more methodical approach to combat. You’re going to want to take your time mastering its mechanics, as it’s designed around each move you make being intentional, which is always a good thing in a Soulslike.
Your character arc is going to be woven into how well you manage to take down your enemies, and with a story that lets you choose a path between honor and acting in your own self-interest, this is a game to watch out for, although there’s no release date yet.
13. Shadows of The Lost
Lies of P has demonstrated that it’s always nice to have a Soulslike with a story, and this dark fantasy title with mythological elements woven into its world is a great showcase of that. Or it’s going to be when it eventually releases, either in 2026 or 2027.
Aside from the story, its focus on momentum-based combat, where the game rewards you for skillful play, is definitely something we’re eager to check out. We think that this one could be a Soulslike game for the ages, just as it seemingly aims to be.
14. LUOYANG
This single-player action-RPG might be a long time away from its final release, but with the success of other Chinese Soulslikes and action-RPGs with settings in Chinese history, LUOYANG is looking like a sublime blend of everything good about the titles that inspired it.
Its combat is definitely up there with the genre’s best, while its worldbuilding and enemy designs have us quite enthusiastic to see more of the game in action. Sadly, there’s no release date as of now, and we might have a long wait ahead of us before this one is available to play.
15. Spark in the Dark
This dungeon crawler brings a lot of reasons to be curious about it. For starters, you have five hero classes, each bringing unique value propositions to its combat loop. You have a ton of enemies to try them out on, with an Abyss that’s seemingly endless and just waiting to be explored. What could go wrong?
Throw in procedurally generated gear and the fact that you’re going to have to take care of your equipment once you’re done with your fights, and you have the recipe for a game that could translate to many hours of intense entertainment. What’s more, it comes out this March, which means we don’t have to wait too long before we’re exploring the dark, endless dungeon alongside you.