The Polygon report on Kadokawa’s investor fight has FromSoftware fans nervous about what the studio looks like in three years. Whether or not Miyazaki keeps creative control through the next CEO vote, the soulslike genre has grown well past FromSoftware. Lies of P proved that another studio can do it justice, Team Ninja keeps iterating on its own arc, and Black Myth: Wukong showed that the Chinese AAA market is taking the formula seriously. These are eight soulslike games for desktop that earn the comparison in 2026.
What to look for in a soulslike
The label gets stretched, so pick what matters to you:
- Methodical stamina-based combat with real consequences for over-committing
- Bonfire-style checkpoint loops with souls lost on death
- Bosses with telegraphed patterns and high punishment for missed reads
- World design that rewards exploration with shortcuts and lore
- Build variety across weapons and stats
- PC performance that holds up at 60fps without DLSS upscaling carrying the load
Quick comparison
| Game | Best for | Platforms | Price | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elden Ring | The benchmark, with DLC | Windows, macOS via Mac Studio bridge | $59.99 base | Open-world FromSoft mastery |
| Lies of P | Strongest non-FromSoftware soulslike | Windows | $59.99 | Block-and-deflect Belle Epoque combat |
| Nioh 2 | Loot-heavy yokai-fighting | Windows | $49.99 | Stance-switching combat depth |
| Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty | Faster, parry-heavy combat | Windows | $49.99 | Spirit gauge counter system |
| Remnant 2 | Soulslike with guns | Windows | $49.99 | Procedural world rerolls per run |
| The Surge 2 | Sci-fi limb-targeting | Windows | $29.99 | Cut limbs for matching gear |
| Lords of the Fallen | Dual-world traversal | Windows | $59.99 | Umbral parallel map system |
| Black Myth: Wukong | Action-RPG via the Monkey King | Windows | $59.99 | Shapeshift abilities and boss spectacle |
The games
1. Elden Ring, best for the benchmark with DLC included
Elden Ring plus Shadow of the Erdtree is still the open-world ceiling of the genre. The DLC turned criticism of the late-game balance into an entirely new region with its own bosses, build paths, and side-quests. Co-op summoning is unchanged and reliable, and the Spirit Ashes system gives every build a credible solo path through hard bosses.
Where it falls short: the open world dilutes the precision of older Souls games. PC performance still stutters at scene transitions for some configurations.
Pricing: Base game $59.99. Shadow of the Erdtree DLC $39.99.
Platforms: Windows. macOS via cloud streaming or Apple Silicon bridges only.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The benchmark. Skip only if you’ve played it twice and want something new.
2. Lies of P, best non-FromSoftware soulslike
Lies of P is the answer to “what if a studio outside Japan made a Souls game and nailed it.” The Belle Epoque setting, the block-deflect mechanic, and the weapon-handle modular system give it its own identity. The Overture DLC closed remaining gaps in the side-quest structure.
Where it falls short: only two New Game Plus cycles before the difficulty curve flattens. Some bosses lean on read-and-punish patterns rather than the open-ended combat Souls fans expect.
Pricing: $59.99. Overture DLC adds prequel content for $29.99.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: Strongest non-FromSoftware pick. The combat feel earns the comparison.
3. Nioh 2, best for loot-heavy yokai-fighting
Nioh 2 leans further into loot than FromSoftware does, with Diablo-style affix systems on weapons and armour. The stance-switching combat (low for speed, mid for balance, high for damage) adds depth that Souls games don’t reach for.
Where it falls short: the loot density crowds the menus. Nioh 2 demands more time in inventory screens than the typical Souls game.
Pricing: Complete Edition $49.99 on Steam.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: Pick Nioh 2 when stance combat depth and dense loot are what you want.
4. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, best for faster parry-heavy combat
Wo Long takes Team Ninja’s combat and accelerates it. The deflection system funnels into a Spirit gauge that charges with successful parries and depletes on misses, so the rhythm feels closer to Sekiro than to Nioh.
Where it falls short: the level design is more linear than Nioh 2’s, and the loot system is shallower.
Pricing: $49.99 on Steam, Complete Edition $79.99.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: Pick Wo Long if Sekiro’s pace appealed and Nioh’s stances felt too dense.
5. Remnant 2, best soulslike with guns
Remnant 2 is the gun-first take on the genre. Bonfires are crystals, the souls loop maps onto Scrap, and bosses follow stamina-respecting patterns even though the player is firing a shotgun. The procedural world generation reshuffles dungeons between runs.
Where it falls short: the co-op netcode has had a rough patch history. Single-player works, but the multiplayer-first design is felt.
Pricing: Base $49.99, plus three DLC priced $9.99-$14.99 each, or $66.99 with the Awakened Edition bundle.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: Use Remnant 2 if Souls combat with guns sounds right and you have a co-op partner.
6. The Surge 2, best for sci-fi limb-targeting
The Surge 2 is older than the rest of the list (2019), but the limb-targeting hook is still unique. Cut off the boss’s right arm to get the right arm armour. The Jericho City setting trades castles for a collapsing future, and the combat rewards aggressive offence.
Where it falls short: the visuals and animation aren’t on the level of newer entries in the genre. The world feels smaller than Souls fans expect.
Pricing: $29.99 on Steam, frequently discounted.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: Pick The Surge 2 for a sci-fi twist on the formula at a budget price.
7. Lords of the Fallen, best for dual-world traversal
Lords of the Fallen (2023) layered the Umbral realm over the main map: the dead version of every area exists in parallel, and a lantern lets you peek into it without committing. The traversal mechanic gives the level design a verticality that few soulslikes match.
Where it falls short: launch performance was rough on PC. Patches have improved it, but a few enemy density spikes still tax mid-range GPUs.
Pricing: $59.99 on Steam. Deluxe Edition $79.99.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: Pick Lords of the Fallen when the level design and traversal hook matter more than tight combat balance.
8. Black Myth: Wukong, best for action-RPG via the Monkey King
Black Myth: Wukong is the Chinese AAA soulslike that grew past the indie-darling reputation. The shapeshift abilities, the Stance switching mid-combo, and the boss spectacle put it closer to Bayonetta than to Dark Souls in places, but the stamina-based punishment loop is recognisable.
Where it falls short: the level design is more corridor than open world. Some bosses lean on cinematic moments at the expense of moment-to-moment combat clarity.
Pricing: $59.99 on Steam.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: Pick Black Myth: Wukong for the boss-spectacle take on the formula and the Journey to the West mythology.
How to pick the right one
Pick Elden Ring if you haven’t yet, with the DLC included.
Pick Lies of P for the closest non-FromSoftware experience.
Pick Nioh 2 when stance depth and loot density matter.
Pick Wo Long if Sekiro’s pace was what you loved.
Pick Remnant 2 for guns and co-op.
Pick Black Myth: Wukong when the boss spectacle is the draw.
Skip the genre entirely if you’ve never enjoyed the punishment loop. None of these games soften it.
FAQ
Is Lies of P really as good as Elden Ring?
For combat feel and atmospheric design, it earns the comparison. For world scale, it doesn’t reach Elden Ring. Most genre fans recommend it as the strongest non-FromSoftware soulslike of the past several years.
What is the easiest soulslike to start with?
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty has a faster pace and a deflection mechanic that rewards offence rather than waiting. Remnant 2 is easier if you prefer guns to melee.
Do these games run on macOS?
Native macOS support is rare. Elden Ring runs through Apple Silicon translation layers like CrossOver. Most users on Mac stream from a Windows PC or use cloud gaming.
What is the cheapest soulslike on this list?
The Surge 2 at $29.99 is the budget pick. Both Nioh 2 and Wo Long sit around $49.99 with regular discounts.
Will FromSoftware keep making soulslikes after the Kadokawa investor fight?
Miyazaki has publicly confirmed the next project. The investor situation affects ownership, not the active development pipeline at the studio.
Is Black Myth: Wukong a soulslike?
The combat carries stamina-based punishment and bonfire-style checkpoints, but the linear level design and boss-spectacle pacing pull it closer to a character action game. Most lists include it in the soulslike-adjacent bucket.
