Ever since FromSoftware’s genre-defining action RPGs gave birth to the soulslike genre, it has evolved and matured a lot with each passing year.
With titles and franchises like Lies of P, Wuchang Fallen Feathers, Nioh, Lords of the Fallen, Code Vein, Remnant: From the Ashes and many others, leading the charge.
Of course, not including FromSoftware’s own soulslike games.
The soulslike genre is now flooded with a plethora of games with many more in works, most offering a subpar experience, with some, great enough, to stand side by side with FromSoftware’s titles.
That said, in 2026, too, we have many soulslike game releases, and thus, I decided to prepare a list of the best soulslike games coming out this year that I am excited about.
Code Vein 2
The Code Vein franchise is Bandai Namco’s take on the souls genre, and with each new iteration, they have been improving their games.
I won’t bore you with the story, time travel, and such things, but based on the previews so far, Code Vein 2 is shaping up to be a great Souls-like game, with improved gameplay, visuals, a revamped Partner system and such other things.
The game still has some level of clunkiness when it comes to level design. The flashback memory sequences are also something that not many players will enjoy, along with a few other minor issues.
But overall, Code Vein 2 is a soulslike that I am excited to play.
Nioh 3
The third instalment in the Nioh franchise, Nioh 3, is now an open-world game with two combat archetypes: Ninja and Samurai.
You can seamlessly switch between the two styles, chain attacks, use material arts and such things, to make the combat more engaging.
The loot system has always been the most overwhelming part of the Nioh games. With Nioh 3, it has been revamped and made more user-friendly.
The open field nature now allows players to tackle any challenge using different approaches as per their playstyle. Moreover, offering a brand new story and character allows new players to hop into the franchise without worrying about the previous games.
There are many pros about Nioh 3 that I can keep talking about. But that will just drag on the article. So. No thanks.
Nioh 3 is yet another soulslike that I am waiting to play.
Valor Mortis
Valor Mortis is by far one of the most unique takes on the soulslike genre. A first-person action soulslike from the creators of Ghostrunner, set in Napoleonic France.
You play as William, a former soldier from Napoleon’s army, risen from death, wielding unique abilities along with the traditional weapons, battling monsters while investigating a mysterious plague that now sweeps the European continent.
While the game is set for a 2026 release, we still don’t have an exact release date. At the time of writing, the last developer’s note we got was on Dec 11, last year.
In the note, the devs highlighted the three key issues, which are Combat Readability, Controls and Key Bindings and Target Lock and Camera Behaviour, that players highlighted during the recent playtest, which are being worked on.
That said, so far, the game is still set for a 2026 release, and it is one of the soulslikes that I am hyped to play.
Mortal Shell 2
Mortal Shell 2 is a standalone sequel to Cold Symmetry’s debut soulslike title, Mortal Shell, that released back in 2020.
I will be honest here. I played the first game for a few hours only to drop it later as the world design, the setting in general and the overall feel of the game didn’t click with me.
However, when Mortal Shell 2 was revealed last year, during the Summer Game Fest, it gave me the vibes of Remnant + Lords of the Fallen.
Moreover, the gameplay and world design felt a lot better than the first game. The game’s beta test via Steam will take place soon, and I will be trying my best to get my hands on it.
That said, Mortal Shell 2 is yet another soulslike that I am hyped to play this year.
Lords of the Fallen 2
Lords of the Fallen 2 is a direct sequel to 2023’s Lords of the Fallen reboot and is set 1000 years after the events of the first game.
I played the PS5 version of the first game ahead of its official launch as I was working on its Walkthrough and Wiki Pages for a publication, and while the performance was awful, I really enjoyed the two-world system, the fast-paced, intense combat system, the equipment and weapon variety, the build-crafting and such things felt really great.
The world design, dark fantasy setting and the visuals were all near perfect. The only thing that I really hated about the game was the underwhelming ending boss fight. Even the alternate ending was not that satisfying. Of course, the lorehunters might find them still worthy, but as a regular player, I didn’t.
Lords of the Fallen 2 expands on everything the first game had to offer. While we still don’t have an in-depth look at the game, it is still one of the top soulslike games that I am eager to try later this year. Granted, it is not delayed.
The Duskbloods
The Duskbloods is the closest thing to Bloodborne 2 that we are getting from FromSoftware. A dark fantasy PvPvE game with a gothic Victorian aesthetic where you drop with up to eight players, complete objectives which come in the form of missions and such things that you do to earn points, fight other players to survive, and to win.
The Nintendo Switch 2 exclusivity is not something that I really like. But, still, I am hyped to try the game once it comes out.
That sums up my list of best soulslike games coming out in 2026. Which of these games are you excited to play?
