Quick Links
Demon’s SoulsandDark Soulsushered in a new subgenre of RPG/action-adventure gaming in the form ofSoulslikes. While still in its infancy, the concept has produced quite a few projects over the last decade, and many tend to be ambitious projects. Since then,Soulslike gameshave become pretty common, with most months seemingly producing a new entry.
Xbox Game Pass' value comes from its variety. The subscription service tries to cover as wide a spectrum as possible, offering something to interest most tastes. Soulslikes are no exception, even if none of FromSoftware’s genre-creating releases are part of the service. Still, some of thebest Soulslike games on Xbox Game Passserve as great alternatives toDark SoulsandBloodborne.
Updated July 09, 2025 by Mark Sammut:A newSoulslike Game Pass gamehas just landed, and it is a pretty big deal.
While still too early to definitively say whether this is a great or merely decent Soulslike,Wuchang: Fallen Feathersis nevertheless an exciting addition to the genre. A Day OneSoulslike Game Pass gamefrom a new developer,Wuchangtakes place during the Ming Dynasty, a refreshing setting for this type of project. That said, the story seems to be fairly conventional, which is not a bad thing as, ultimately, you and I play Soulslikes for their combat, level design, and atmosphere.Wuchangexcels in most of these areas, even if it might not be the best in class in any of them.
The core gameplay loop is relatively traditional, but it is enhanced by a few interesting mechanics, like aMadness meterand a more expansive skill tree system than typical for a Soulslike. The Unreal Engine 5 visuals are generally quite nice, but they can impact performance depending on what system somebody is using.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate hasStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderand its sequel,Jedi: Survivor. Developed by Respawn, the games tell an original story in theStar Warsuniverse, with an in-hiding Jedi Knight named Cal Kestis taking center stage. Regardless of quality, newcomers should try to start withFallen Orderas its story leads directly intoSurvivor. More importantly, the 2019 release is not only great but also one of thebest Soulslike games on Game Passin its own right.
Still,Jedi: Survivoris (generally) bigger and better in most areasthan its predecessor. Cal Kestis' character is more fleshed out, the featured planets are more visually striking and fun to explore, and the battle system has a few more tricks up its sleeve. Just to be clear, the sequel mostly sticks to the same blueprint asFallen Order, particularly the enjoyable but floaty combat. Still,Jedi: Survivoradded depth via a stance system, which is like a mix ofNioh’s mechanic andDevil May Cry 5’s Dante moveset. Essentially, players can decide Cal’s preferred fighting style by equipping two stances simultaneously.
Lies of Pis a fantastic action RPG that takes obvious inspiration from arguably FromSoftware’s best game:Bloodborne. Creatively inspired byPinocchio, the game follows the iconic puppet as he makes his way through Krat, a city overrun with horrendous monstrosities that range from humanoid guards to massive entities. Offering morefast-paced action than the traditional Soulslike,Lies of Pincorporates most of the genre’s basic ingredients, but they are combined in a way that allows the game to stand out positively.
While dodging is an option, the combat prioritizes guarding and deflections, the latter of which must be mastered to make the many challenging bosses more manageable. Even though it was not created by a well-known developer,Lies of Pis polished, ambitious, and impressive, and it will likely go down as one of thebest Soulslike gamesof all time.
Can there be too much of a good thing? With every month seemingly producing a project that somewhat fits the descriptor, Soulslike games have become ordinary. Be it 3D or 2D variants, there are just so many options out there that new releases rarely feel that special anymore, at least if they are not handled by FromSoftware. Soulslike combat is starting to seem like the default mode for action RPGs, which is both a blessing and a curse. Consequently, a new game has to try extra hard to stand out from the crowd.
Well, regardless of quality,Another Crab’s Treasurecertainly stands out. Despite plenty of familiar pieces, Aggro Crab combines everything to create an experience that has no real parallels in the Soulslike genre. An underwater adventure, the game brings to life a visually vibrant and colorful world filled with cute architecture stemming from natural phenomena and literal trash. The story follows a naive crab, Kril, who is fleeced of their shell, forcing them to go on a dangerous journey to reclaim what is theirs. Rather than a blank slate, Kril overflows with personality and changes quite a bit throughout the story.
Another Crab’s Treasureis a platformer and a pretty good one at that. When players are not fighting off all sorts of crustaceans, they will be pulling off impressive jumps, most of which are tight but not extremely challenging. The core combat is pretty simple, with Kril having a main weapon, a dodge, a block, and an unlockable parry. Players also unlock different skills depending on the shell they wear, which makes trying new ones worthwhile (and they break pretty quickly).
Similar to its 2014 spiritual predecessor,Lords of the Fallenis arguably among the most polarizing Soulslike games, even though it has more than a few positives. By using Unreal Engine 5, Hexworks created one of the genre’s most visually striking projects that 100% looks like an AAA release, even if it was not published by a particularly major company. If nothing else, the game’s production value is impressive.
The core combat is fairly typical for a Soulslike, butLords of the Fallenhas a couple of fresh ideas, including the existence of two realms that players are encouraged to swap between frequently. This concept also plays into the game’s take on death, offering a bit of a twist on the standard formula. For the most part, the level design is quite good and ambitious, and it is designed in a way that belies a sense of scale while sticking to a fairly linear structure.LOTF’s boss fightsare epic in scale but somewhat of a mixed bag in practice, with most being relatively simplistic.
Lords of the Fallenis one of those games that seems to have no middle ground; players either love or hate it. Thanks to its Game Pass arrival, people on the fence can try it without any risk.
Dead Cellsis Roguevania in design but its steep difficulty at times and its punishing bosses are enough to have Souls fans coming back for more. Players will take control of a mysterious being that’s seemingly immortal, reappearing from a slush of who-knows-what each time it’s slain in battle.
The 2D sidescrolling adventure features beautiful visuals, visceral yet challenging combat, and a massive “blueprint system” in which players can unlock weapons, outfits, and accessories to infuse into future runs. With multiple branching paths and a deep playstyle customization system, Dead Cells is a must-play Indie hit.
Though appearances may not indicate it at first blush,Hollow Knightfeatures a whole host of Soulslike elements that are sure to please fans of the niche. This 2DMetroidvania rompticks most of the essential boxes — punishing death mechanics that put progression at risk, the signature checkpoint system, and exhilarating challenging boss encounters are all sure to delight.
That said,Hollow Knightcertainly carved out its own identity. The insectoid character designs and the setting are as compelling as they are charming, and it’s difficult not to fall in love with the surprising depth of the lore as players guide the Knight through the ruins of Hallownest.
Tunicis a lot of things, and describing it solely as Soulslike would be a disservice to the game’s creativity and ambition. Along with taking obvious inspiration fromZelda, particularly with its puzzles, this indie darling’s combat system undeniably favors games likeDark Souls. The game contains most of the core fundamentals that are synonymous with these types of releases: dodge roll, shield guarding, and telegraphed enemy moves. There are even items that work to replenish health similar to Estus Flasks.
However,Tunicis more than just a top-down take on theSoulsformula. It is a charming puzzle-platformer that would have not looked out of place on Nintendo’s resume. It offers a challenging adventure with complex bosses that often require more than just quick reflexes. It manages to be accessible and mainstream while hiding depth that will surprise even the most veteran of players.Tunicis not just one of thebest Soulslike on Xbox Game Pass, but it is simply one of the best games on the subscription service.
Ashenwas very impressive in 2018. While it holds up relatively well, Soulslikes have become so common that a smaller-scale attempt to replicate FromSoftware’s formula is no longer that incredible in isolation.
A44’s project has a few things that set it apart from the crowd, even after all these years. As previously mentioned,Ashenis set in an open-world, granting players relative freedom to go where they want almost immediately. There are skill walls and areas that cannot be immediately explored, but the map is quite accessible. That might not sound that exciting in a post-Elden Ringworld, butAshenwas among the first Soulslikes to go down this route and, more importantly, do it well.
The novel ideas do not end there either.Ashenmoves away from traditional leveling, instead tying things like HP and Stamina to quests and collectibles. This means that players will grow stronger consistently and in a way that ensures they are powerful enough to take on the late-game content. Beyond that, AI companions are a big part ofAshen, making it one of the easier Soulslikes. Weapons are also tied to progression, and they can also be upgraded. The game even has players building a hub area as they attract new NPCs.
After spending a few months as a PC exclusive,Nine Solsfinally debuted on consoles in November 2024, garnering widespread acclaim in the process. Nowadays, 2D Metroidvanias with Soulslike combat are so common that the concept has begun to tire; however, individually, most of these releases are fantastic.
Nine Solscompares favorably to nearly any of its contemporaries, and Red Candle’s game stands out from the crowd by emphasizing fast-paced parries akin toSekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Honestly, out of all of FromSoftware’s masterpieces,Sekiroshould be used as a learning tool a lot more, especially since it arguably has the developer’s best combat.
A sci-fi epic drenched in Asian mythology,Nine Solsis a feast for the eyes that tells a respectable story set in the fascinating New Kunlun. As Yi, players go on a quest to eradicate the nine Sols, all of which not only pack a punch but are also unique. Opting to fine-tune a handful of mechanics, the intense combat is straightforward but demanding, requiring mastery as the campaign’s difficulty spikes during its second half. While not as challenging asSekiroor something likeHollow Knight,Nine Solsshould still test most genre veterans.
