“The Relic: First Guardian is the first game made by the talented Project Cloud Games studio,” Edwards said in a press release. “It’s a highly ambitious title that has seen years of hard work poured into it. Given this, the team wants to take just a little more time to polish their world and hence announce that we are pushing back the release date from May 26th to the summer of 2026.”

“Perp Games and Project Cloud appreciate your patience as we use this extra time to get every detail right and deliver an experience that meets the high standards of the community. We are excited to show you The Relic: First Guardian when it’s ready, which won’t be long now.”

This delay comes just a month after Perp Games VP Mickey Torode announced that, along with coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, The Relic: First Guardian will also be making its way to the Nintendo Switch 2. However, the port, which Torode called “an ambitious, technical milestone,” will be coming out later in the year.

“Receiving the green light from Project Cloud Games to launch The Relic on Nintendo Switch 2 is an ambitious, technical milestone for the title, and we’re excited to be able to finally share the news…We wanted to get the game into the hands of Switch 2 players, as we know the Nintendo Switch 2 community has a deep passion for challenging RPGs. We’re looking forward to revealing more in the future,” he said.

The Relic: First Guardian was announced all the way back in 2021, and Project Cloud Games has continued its slow trickle of reveals leading up to the Soulslike’s release this year. The game takes place in the world of Arsiltus, and its story is inspired by Korean folktales, all wrapped around a central narrative that revolves around saving Arsiltus after it gets fractured by the void.

In February, Project Cloud Games released a trailer for The Relic: First Guardian, giving us a look at one of the many Korean folktales it will showcase: The Heavenly Maiden and the Woodcutter. The trailer gave us a glimpse at some of the dark themes that will make up many of the game’s stories, and provides some background on the folktale before showing off what seems to be a boss fight against a twisted version of the eponymous maiden.

As you wait for the new release date for The Relic: First Guardian, take a look at the combat gameplay trailer, which was released all the way back in September. Also, take a look at our thoughts on how was shaping up a couple of years ago.

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.

The folktale is “a tale of a woman who could never forget the sky”. Traces of her life can still be found in the home of the woodcutter, found deep in the forest. Among these are bloody shackles and a cage, among other things. “The day she could no longer look to the sky, she lost herself,” explains the narrator, before the trailer shows off a seeming boss fight against a twisted version of the woman. “It was neither a curse nor a punishment,” the narrator continues. “It was the story of someone who lost the sky.”

The spectre of this woman that players will get to fight in The Relic: First Guardian is quite twisted, complete with unnatural speed and stilted attack animations that indicate that she is some kind of undead enemy. Her visual design also indicates that she was tortured at some point by the woodcutter.

Project Cloud Games had showcased quite a bit of gameplay through a pair of trailers released in September 2025. While the first of these trailers offered a quick look at combat, the second dives deeper into one of the earlier environments from the game.

Going by the longer showcase, The Relic: First Guardian will seemingly take a few cues from the Soulslike genre, with an emphasis on long attack animations that will need players to commit to them, punishing mistimed moves. We also get a look at a faster moveset thanks to a pair of short blades capable of quick combos.

While the video starts in a burning village, things start escalating thanks to a boss fight: Branko, the Bloodstained Shield. Continuing further, the level also seems to offer a fair bit of variety, with the protagonist needing to head underground to rescue survivors from leftover invaders.

The Relic: First Guardian was announced back in 2021, and since then, Project Cloud Games has been maintaining a slow trickle of reveals leading up to its upcoming launch. It will take place in the land of Arsiltus, and much of the story is inspired by Korean folktales. The main aim is to save Arsiltus after the void fractures it, which requires assembling the eponymous great relic, shattered under mysterious circumstances.

The action RPG will feature 70 different bosses, known in-game as Brutals. To take them on, players will have access to a variety of weapons, along with a posture and parry system inspired by titles like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

The Relic: First Guardian is being developed for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and is slated for launch on May 26. The release date was announced in December with a trailer.

Arknights: Endfield

Arknights: Endfield represents a major shift for the franchise, expanding its tower-defense roots into a full-fledged action RPG. Real-time combat, squad-based mechanics, and large-scale environments are just a few highlights of the experience, but there’s a lot more to get excited about as well. Despite the stark change, the game retains its distinctive art style and emphasis on world-building. Arknights: Endfield already received great critical and commercial reception on PC, and it is definitely worth checking out.

First announced in July 2021, the action RPG takes inspiration from Korean folktales and legends. Set in the land of Arsiltus, you’re essentially the last hope for the continent after the void fractures it. Doing this requires assembling pieces of the great relic, which was mysteriously shattered.

However, as always, it’s easier said than done as players confront 70 different bosses known as Brutals. The usual Souls-like combat loop follows with dodging and stamina management, though the latest gameplay also showcases Sekiro-like deflection. Each Brutal slain adds to your power and arsenal as the story progresses.

Of course, there are plenty of other weapons and armor to discover by roaming the land, provided you’re brave enough. Check out some more gameplay for The Relic: First Guardian here, and stay tuned for more details ahead of release.

Black Myth: Zhong Kui 

Black Myth: Wukong was one of the biggest surprise hits of recent memory, but developer Game Science has ensured that it has more games in the pipeline. Much like how Wukong took players to amazing worlds and made them face against awesome bosses, Zhong Kui is all set to take things up a notch above its predecessor. We don’t really know much about the game at this point in time, but it’s going to be a fast-paced adventure with plenty of boss fights and picturesque vistas. There is no release period announced yet.

The combat gameplay trailer gives us a look at some of the epic fights that players will get to experience in The Relic: First Guardian, while also showcasing how the action RPG will focus on heavy attacks with long animations that players and enemies alike will have to commit to. It features the protagonist using different kinds of weapons, shows us how these attacks can be anticipated and how their damage can be avoided with various defensive options, like blocking, parrying, and even dodging.

The newest gameplay showcase video gives us a much more in-depth look at the overall gameplay. The protagonist makes use of a pair of short blades capable of quick combos with multiple hits, and the combat showcases this moveset to its full extent against slower enemies. Things are kicked off with the protagonist fighting off enemy forces in a burning village before eventually coming face-to-face with a boss fight – Branko, the Bloodstained Shield. The gameplay showcase caps things off by having the protagonist go underground in order to find some survivors and rescue them from leftover invaders.

Development on The Relic: First Guardian has been going slow but steady, with the title having first been announced all the way back in 2021. Earlier this year, it got another trailer that gave us a look at some of the different weapon types, as well as a general idea of how its level-less progression system will work, which places a greater emphasis on crafting and gear.

The story of The Relic: First Guardian revolves around a realm of Arsiltus having been ravaged by a massive catastrophe in the form of a void emerging out of nowhere and warping the world around it. The player takes on the role of the eponymous First Guardian as they travel the lands to find pieces of the great relic in order to undo the devastation and chaos brought about by the encroachment of the void.

The title has seen a number of gameplay trailers having been released since its announcements, with one having come out during 2024’s Future Games Show Summer Showcase. The trailer released at the time introduced some of the enemy types from The Relic: First Guardian, including a few that could even be considered mini-bosses. The weapon types showcased in the trailer ranged from the simple sword and shield, to slower-but-heavier 2-handed weapons.

The Relic: First Guardian is slated for release in early 2026, and is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Developed by Project Cloud Games and published by Perp Games, The Relic: First Guardian involves the realm of Arsiltus, or rather, what’s left of it. Thanks to the emergence of a void, it’s been warped horribly. Your job is to find the pieces of the great relic whose shattering caused this calamity and set things right, traversing a semi-open world.

There are five weapon types, each possessing different skills. While the combat resembles other 3D Souls-likes, there is no leveling, with the player relying on crafting, items, and runes to become stronger. Dungeons and bosses also await, and while they can help “grow your character to the greatest potential,” the exact details are fuzzy.

Announced in 2021, The Relic: First Guardian launches in 2025 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Stay tuned for a release date in the coming months.

Elden Ring: Nightreign

“New” might sound like a misnomer for Nightreign, a spin-off of FromSoftware’s massive open-world action RPG into a co-op experience. Nevertheless, it’s something truly unprecedented from the studio – one or three players survive through multiple days, nights and bosses (including some from Dark Souls) to take on the Night Lord. Select a class, scope out areas with valuable loot, face the night, and try to survive. It’s out later this year for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC, and we’re intrigued to see how it fares.

The trailer, clocking in at a minute, gives us a look at some of the different types of enemies that players will face off against, including a few enemies that could seemingly be mini-bosses. The trailer also showcases a host of different weapon types, ranging from the simple sword and shield, to the slower but heavier two-handed weapons, and even the use of punches and kicks for a flurry of fast attacks.

The trailer for The Relic: First Guardian also gives us a look at some of the different biomes that players will be able to explore and fight across, from gloomy forests, to ruins of villages, and even what looks to be a dungeon deep within a castle.

The Relic: First Guardian doesn’t have a solid release date yet, but it will be coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S at some point in 2025.