The incredibly popularDark Soulsseries has spawned its own sub-genre in the gaming space. Asoulslikedescribes a game that shares features with FromSoftware’s Soulsborne games. These titles have punishing difficulty, deep storytelling (usually through world items), few checkpoints, and an emphasis on parrying ordodging mechanics.
In recent times, with the further improvement of mobile gaming, more and more complex titles are appearing on Android and iOS. Some are Soulslike games, offering a challenge for fans of the genre on the go. While there aren’t a plethora, there are some major standouts.
8Ire: Blood Memory
Optimized For Battle
Ire: Blood Memoryis an actionRPG mobile gameinspired by theDark Soulsseries. It is free to play and challenging, with an intricate combat system that requires a bit of tinkering and a lot of dying.
The game is imperfect and can get a bit repetitive while playing, but it makes up for it with engaging battles and clean visuals. This is particularly impressive as the developers did not have a lot of funds to work with when creating the game.
7Blade Of God
A Hack And Slash Adventure For The Ages
Blade Of Godmelds the tonal elements ofDark Souls,the style ofDevil May Cry,and the presentation and story themes ofGod Of Warinto a perfect brew. The game follows Chaos as he slays his way around after his rebirth.
The game starts out free, but requires players to pay to keep going. This can be a little annoying for a fan, but with such fun combat and a pretty decent story,Blade Of Godis afun option for the Souls fanlooking for a more fast-paced experience.
6Animus: Harbinger
A Brooding Soulslike Game For Hardcore Fans
TheAnimusseries has a couple of titles that share many of the same aesthetics and gameplay elements.Harbingerdoesn’t do much differently, but it does lean into theDark Soulsformula quite a bit. The world is dreary, the enemies difficult, and the battles frustrating.
Harbinger,unfortunately, does not feature a world to explore. The combat can be maddening, and not in a cute, charming way. But, for the player who lives for the thrill of the fight and thrives in the chaos of difficulty,Animus: Harbingerwill certainly scratch that itch.
5Infinity Blade 2
Bigger, Harder, And Better
ThefirstInfinity Bladegamewas an incredible feat of technology by Chair Entertainment back in 2010. A year later, in 2011, they returned withInfinity Blade 2,which fixed a lot of the issues with the first game. This game is even more of a soulslike than the first one, as it has an exploration element that is missing from both the first and third games.
The combat ofInfinity Blade 2also got some polish. The game features more unpredictable enemies, and more weapon variety to diversify the player’s entertainment. The story is also more intriguing, as the player takes control of a person seeking the maker of the titular Infinity Blade.
Bleak Sword DX
WHERE TO PLAY
Pure, thrilling, and wonderfully cruel, Bleak Sword DX is a dark fantasy action game challenging warriors to fight their way through compact, cursed diorama battlefields.Newly updated for PC, Bleak Sword DX expands on the critically acclaimed Apple Arcade version with elegant controls, three new game modes, and multiple gameplay and graphical improvements.Through twelve tense and deeply atmospheric chapters, you must lift the curse of the legendary Bleak Sword by striking down all manner of horrifying creatures across an oppressive world wielding fierce weaponry and powerful magic.This striking experience is scored by award-winning composer Jim Guthrie, with sound provided by famed designer Joonas Turner.BRUTAL NEW CHAPTERS: DX includes all original Bleak Sword chapters plus the three DLC chapters complete with new level and enemy layouts.UNPREDICTABLE ADVENTURE: A brand new Randomizer campaign modifier throws you into a remixed version of the original game where leveling up or facing bosses in order is not guaranteed.UNTOUCHABLE: Jump into the brand new Boss Run gauntlet and face all 12 in-game bosses back to back with only one health bar. Make one wrong step and prepare to pay dearly!ENDLESS BATTLES: The soul-crushing Arena mode throws you into a gladiator-style fight for survival. Fight increasingly difficult enemies and become a Bleak Sword legend.DYNAMIC GAMEPLAY IMPROVEMENTS: New attacks, parries, and counters complement a streamlined control system designed specifically for PC & console, while enhanced enemy AI makes them more unpredictable.STUNNING GRAPHICAL ENHANCEMENTS: New post-processing effects, adaptive depth of field, and a series of filters give Bleak Sword DX a fresh lick of paint, while particle effects, foliage, and weather enhancements bring a new level of atmosphere and immersion to the world.
Bleak Swordfeatures an interesting design reminiscent ofUndertale. While the graphics are not the most refined, its tough combat system keeps players engaged.
Players are tasked with lifting the curse of the bleak sword while fighting through ahellish landscapewith various enemies. Players will die quite a bit, and will have to take on the challenge again without their experience points and so on. The game presents itself as a charming descent into a dark world with little to be cheery about, and it will appeal to fans of the morose climate of theDark Soulsseries.
3Grimvalor
Fast-Paced Action That Gets Better As Players Progress
GrimValorhas a pretty simple premise: a bunch of monsters are somewhere they shouldn’t be, and it’s the player’s job to vanquish them and send them back to where they came from. The only problem with this is that it’s a hard thing to do.
GrimValormight have a lot ofDark Soulsfeatures, but it also borrows from other games likeCastlevaniaandMetroid. It is a difficult game, but it does feel rewarding when the player defeats opponents and gets that coveted ‘Victory’ screen.
Dead Cellsis a 2018 game made by Motion Twin and Evil Empire. The game feels more like a Metroidvania game with the side-scrolling, speed, and hack-and-slash elements present in the game.
However, it also has some soulslike elements like high difficulty,permadeath, and a soulslike currency. The player takes control of ‘The Prisoner,’ who is looking to escape a diseased island and kill the king. WithDead Cells' speedy and fun gameplay, it will keep players hooked for hours on end. The transition to mobile is also seamless, and it is great on any platform it is played on.
1Pascal’s Wager
A Soulslike Game Through And Through
Pascal’s Wageris the most soulslike mobile game on the market. The game was developed by TipWorks, and the developers have freely admitted that they were inspired by theDark Soulsfranchise.
Pascal’s Wagertells the story of Terrence, who is looking for his wife in a world enveloped by darkness thanks to the Sun falling towards the sea. The game is difficult, has a focus on boss battles, and requires the player to pay attention to the precise timing of attacks. The game has a Windows port, and is alsoavailable on the Nintendo Switchas of 2022.
