Best PS Plus Souls-Like Games

Hollow Knight Voidheart Edition

Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight was one of the most popular indie games of the 2010s, and time has not dulled any of the project’s shine. This 2D Metroidvania is set in Hallownest, a deceptively massive underground kingdom that is filled with beauty and nightmares. Cast as the Knight, players must traverse this strange world, battling enemies and defeating bosses along the way.

Similar to Dark Souls, Hollow Knight does not hold the player’s hand in any significant way. Encouraging exploration and backtracking, the game fills its world with lore drops and NPCs that deliver side quests. Hollow Knight is not only one of the best PS Plus Souls-like games but also one of the greatest titles on the service.

Demon’s Souls (2009)

PS Plus Premium and Extra subscribers with a PS5 can jump into 2020’s Demon’s Souls remake, but PS4 owners are not ignored either. Part of PS Plus’s Classic catalog, FromSoftware’s Demon’s Souls set the groundwork for Dark Souls, and some might even argue that the 2009 game is better than its spiritual successor.

Although some aspects are antiquated, Demon’s Souls‘ fantastic level design, incredible boss fights, and limited but still rewarding combat pick up the slack for some of the game’s obtuse mechanics or rough edges. The fact PS Plus Premium only allows subscribers to stream FromSoftware’s Demon’s Souls puts it firmly behind the remake, but it is still a landmark release.

Other Games On PS Plus Dark Souls Fans Might Love

Ultimately, there is only a limited number of games that fit the Souls-like descriptor. However, that does not mean PS Plus Premium and Extra subscribers who are fans of FromSoftware’s franchise have nothing to play once they have exhausted the above titles – they just have to expand their criteria. While the following PS Plus games are not cut from the same cloth as Dark Souls, they scratch a similar itch through their combat, lore delivery, or level design.

For Honor

Pitting iconic warrior archetypes from history, For Honor seeks to answer whether a samurai or a Viking would win in a duel. While packaged with a single-player campaign, For Honor is predominantly designed around its multiplayer scene. Players align themselves to a faction and then compete in exhilarating battles that focus on melee combat.

For Honor‘s combat is not that similar to Dark Souls, but they both are skill-based and weighty. Duels are tactical in nature since fighters will need to carefully monitor their opponent’s subtle actions in order to counter their attacks. It takes a while to get used to, but this system is pretty great.

Toukiden 2

Both PS4 Toukiden games are available on PS Plus Premium, but there is not that much reason to play the original when the sequel is just a click away. Sharing similarities with Monster Hunter, Toukiden 2 is all about slaying massive demons. Like Capcom’s license and, to an extent, Dark Souls, Toukiden 2‘s combat changes considerably depending on the player’s chosen weapon. With 11 types available, the gameplay comes with a considerable amount of depth courtesy of its diverse options of playstyles.

Toukiden 2 gives players access to a large open-world consisting of seven areas, and a big part of the experience involves exploring these unique zones in search of demons. The game offers a sense of discovery that is not far removed from the Souls franchise.

Scarlet Nexus

Bandai Namco has tried its hands at a few new IPs in recent years, and Scarlet Nexus might be the company’s crown jewel. The action JRPG throws a lot at the player: two protagonists with connected but still unique storylines, deep lore, a somewhat convoluted plot, and a fairly complex combat system. While not everything hits the mark, the overall package is ambitious and impressive, especially since a full playthrough should require roughly 50 hours. That is a lot of content, and most of it is of high quality.

Scarlet Nexus opts for a fast-paced battle system reminiscent of something like the Tales franchise, albeit with only one playable character per playthrough. The game does a good job of rolling out new mechanics and supporting party members at a steady pace to avoid overwhelming players, particularly since they also have to manage an expansive skill tree.

Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow

Except for Castlevania: Harmony of Despair, the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow games are the only representatives of Konami’s franchise on PS Plus Premium. The latter titles are rather polarizing among long-time fans since they largely push exploration to the side in favor of combat similar to God of War and, to a lesser extent, Devil May Cry. All three titles have their positives and negatives, but the original Lords of Shadow is overall the most satisfying experience.

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Set during the 11th century, Lords of Shadow brings to life an exceptional Gothic-esque Medieval world that feels massive despite the linear level design. The combat system is flashy and fairly deep, especially once Gabriel unlocks most of his combos.

Assassin’s Creed Origins

Assassin’s Creed Origins marked a turning point in Ubisoft’s franchise that has gradually seen the license incorporate more and more RPG elements. Origins also introduces a more action-oriented combat system reminiscent of Souls-likes, albeit not as weighty or challenging.

Set in Ancient Egypt, the game drops players into a massive and gorgeous open-world filled to the brim with content. That said, the main story can be completed in a reasonable time frame, so it is up to the player to decide whether they want to pursue all the secondary content.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake

For the remake of Final Fantasy 7, Square Enix opted to go in an entirely new direction. Besides the obvious visual upgrade, the remake’s biggest modification is its battle system. Rather than turn-based, FF7R utilizes real-time combat with the option to pause encounters to execute special moves or use items. The base game has four playable characters – Cloud, Barret, Aerith, and Tifa – all of whom are unique entities. The PS5’s Intergrade also has Yuffie’s DLC chapter, adding another fighter into the mix.

Although faster than most Souls-likes, FF7R‘s combat should strike a chord with fans of those games. Narratively, the JRPG does a great job of establishing its universe and characters, setting things up for the upcoming sequel.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma

In terms of level design, gameplay, or story presentation, Ninja Gaiden Sigma and Dark Souls have practically nothing in common. Ninja Gaiden Sigma‘s combat is fast, explosive, and predominantly melee-based. Ryu has access to an array of weapons, including some ranged options, but character customization doesn’t play much of a role. The shinobi also has a few magic abilities.

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Despite these differences, Souls fans are likely to love Ninja Gaiden Sigma due to its punishing but fair difficulty and epic boss fights. No enemy in the game is a pushover, and Ryu has to carefully monitor and react to his opponent’s movements to avoid a quick end. Ninja Gaiden is all about efficiently and swiftly eradicating enemies.

Kingdom Hearts Final Mix

On November 15, 2022, Kingdom Hearts made its PS Plus Extra debut, bringing with it seven full games, a prologue, and a couple of compilation movies. Anyone looking to jump into Square Enix’s franchise can look forward to well over 150 hours of gameplay, and that number is on the conservative side. All the main games are, at the bare minimum, decent, and many long-time fans would argue that Kingdom Hearts 2 and Birth by Sleep represent the franchise at its best. However, newcomers should undoubtedly start with the first game, and it is also the best pick for Souls-like fans.

Compared to its sequels, the original Kingdom Hearts is considerably more difficult since Sora is far less overpowered. Slower-paced and more punishing, the combat system focuses on reading and reacting to the enemy’s movements rather than overwhelming them through sheer force. The boss battles are also epic and challenging, and that goes triple for the secret bosses.

Narratively, Kingdom Hearts is a complete departure from something like Dark Souls. Although convoluted in places, Square Enix’s franchise is rather blunt with its themes, which are repeatedly reinforced during lengthy cutscenes. That’s not to say Kingdom Hearts‘ storytelling approach is bad, just different.

Ghost Of Tsushima

Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima acted as something of a swan song for the PS4 era, and it allowed Sony’s last-gen console to conclude its main run on a high. Set during the Mongol raid on Japan, the story follows a samurai who goes on a quest to protect Tsushima Island after it has been overrun by the invading force. Boasting a large and visually stunning world, Ghost of Tsushima immerses players in a bygone era that has rarely been adopted as a setting by games.

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While not quite as difficult as the standard Souls-like, Ghost of Tsushima‘s combat is still fantastic and addictive. The game presents players with quite a few options on how they would like to approach scenarios, and they can even decide to challenge enemies to duels. Along with the PS4 version, PS Plus Extra also has Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut, which incorporates the Iki Island expansion. This section adds roughly 5-10 hours of content.

Devil May Cry 5

Added to PS Plus Extra in January 2023, Devil May Cry 5 is stylish, over-the-top, deep, difficult, and the definition of fun. After barely touching the franchise for roughly a decade, Capcom finally revived the mainline DMC series, and the fifth entry was a massive return to form that also took plenty of risks in its gameplay and presentation. Over the course of 10+ hours, the campaign introduces three playable characters, all of whom use completely different combat systems.

While Dante’s sections are not far removed from the character’s previous incarnations, Nero’s mechanics have been overhauled, and the changes are for the better. V is more of a polarizing figure, but his gameplay offers a nice change of pace. Compared to Souls-likes, DMC5 is generally more fast-paced and combo-driven. While presented as a continuous adventure, the campaign is split into linear stages that provide very little room for exploration. This game is 100% about combat, with everything else taking a backseat. Thankfully, DMC5 nails its gameplay.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Star Wars has produced its share of great games, and the Jedi: Fallen Order subseries is a must-play for Soulslike fans. Except for Knights of the Old Republic and the old Battlefront entries, Respawn’s 2019 release is arguably the best Star Wars game on the market, especially if someone is specifically searching for action above everything else. However, once upon a time, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed seemed set to take that crown, only for a rushed sequel to derail the series’ momentum.

Flawed as both of these games are, The Force Unleashed and its sequel are still decent recommendations for anyone searching for some lightsaber-driven hack-and-slash action. Gameplay-wise, they are closer to the classic God of War games than Dark Souls, but the games do have fun and empowering combat systems. The first entry also tells an engaging story revolving around Starkiller, a Sith who trained directly under Darth Vader.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim – Special Edition

Released in the same year as Dark Souls, Skyrim‘s longevity even manages to eclipse FromSoftware’s title. Available on three console generations, the Western RPG was a massive critical and commercial success right out of the gate. Bethesda’s game went on to produce three expansions, which are included in the Special Edition available on PS Plus Extra. Offering detailed customization options and plenty of loot to discover, Skyrim gives players freedom in how they want to interact with its world.

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Like Dark Souls, Skyrim takes place in a dark fantasy universe, albeit one that is not quite as apocalyptic as FromSoftware’s projects. Although Bethesda’s masterpiece is far more story-driven than a traditional Souls-like, the RPG arguably shines the brightest when exploration is pushed to the forefront. Simply existing within Skyrim can be more exciting than fulfilling the role of the Dragonborn; that said, the latter produces some excellent moments as well.

Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition & Horizon Forbidden West

In February 2023, Sony added Horizon Forbidden West to PS Plus Extra, permitting subscribers to experience (most) of Aloy’s story so far. Combined, these two open-world games can readily keep someone engaged for close to a hundred hours if they take their time with side quests and exploration. Although Horizon‘s gameplay is relatively different from Soulslikes since there is a heavier focus on ranged attacks, Guerrilla’s games can match many titles in terms of spectacle and scale.

As Aloy, players explore a post-apocalyptic version of Earth that has reverted to a tribal structure while also allowing for the existence of mechanical monstrosities in the form of machine dinosaurs. Like Dark Souls, Horizon has extensive lore that is reinforced through environmental storytelling; that said, the franchise is quite plot-driven.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a hard-as-nails RPG set during the Middle Ages, and the game values realism. After witnessing the massacre of his village at the behest of an invading army, Henry sets out on a path of revenge and sacrifice, one that sees him travel across the vast kingdom of Bohemia.

Featuring first-person melee combat and a character-building system revolving around skill acquisition rather than class selection, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is its own beast in the RPG sphere. While sharing very little in common with Souls-likes, the game’s unforgiving gameplay could strike a chord with fans of the genre.

Shadow Of The Colossus (2018)

Bluepoint should just handle all the remakes. 2018’s Shadow of the Colossus wisely changes very little about Team Ico’s 2005 masterpiece since it is a tall order to improve upon near perfection. While preserving the original’s story, characters, tone, and structure, the remake provides a graphical upgrade along with improved controls.

Shadow of the Colossus‘ greatest flaw was that the PS2 struggled to run it properly, a criticism that cannot be made of the remake. That said, for those who prefer to stick to the original version, the PS3’s Ico Collection is part of PS Plus Premium’s Classic library.

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