Since the launch of Dark Souls, gamers have developed a taste for challenging gameplay. They crave formidable bosses, stamina-dependent combat systems, and minimal guidance. Intriguingly, these same characteristics also lend themselves well to the survival game genre.
As an avid player of survival games, I often gravitate towards those that offer a cozy experience, but I also appreciate a healthy dose of realism. Key elements like harsh environments, lethal wildlife, and stamina-centered mechanics always catch my interest. Pair that with a compelling narrative, and I’m sold.
However, survival games can become repetitive. This is why many of the most captivating and successful titles provide a robust challenge right from the beginning. The top survival games infused with Soulslike elements demand quick adaptation or face dire consequences.
We evaluated several Soulslike attributes to identify which survival games integrate them seamlessly:
- Intimidating bosses
- Stamina-based gameplay
- Environmental storytelling
- Minimal guidance
- Steep learning curve
10. Bellwright
Say Goodbye To Your Village
Bellwright often leaves players questioning their decision to build a village. The objective revolves around establishing a settlement to create an army capable of toppling a baron who exploits his citizens.
From the outset, the game’s challenge becomes apparent, as Bellwright’s punishing difficulty is reminiscent of Soulslike mechanics. Start with virtually nothing, and confronting bandits too early can lead to a swift demise. They deal considerable damage while you, armed with mere scraps, feel utterly exposed.
The combat system draws inspiration from Kingdom Come: Deliverance, emphasizing directional mechanics over simple button mashing. Each action drains your stamina, providing a layer of tactical depth that will satisfy even the most seasoned Soulslike enthusiasts.
Beyond engaging with bandits, safeguarding your village becomes paramount. As your power grows, so do the bandit raids on your settlement. I often find myself frantically running around, only to realize too late that raiders have decimated my villagers and plundered resources.
Patience is essential when tackling Bellwright.
9. Smalland: Survive The Wilds
The Bugs Fight Back
Upon diving into Smalland: Survive the Wilds, I initially expected a whimsical adventure as a sprite. Instead, I discovered a perilous backyard teeming with predatory insects eager for a bite-sized snack.
Don’t be deceived by its charming aesthetic; this game is quite demanding. As a Vanguard, you assist local fairies and set up camps amid treacherous environments. Larger insects place you squarely at the bottom of the food chain, a fact the game reinforces regularly.
From menacing bees to monstrous rhinoceros beetles, adversities abound. While options to tame creatures or enlist friends exist to ease the journey, each additional player prompts a spike in world difficulty, ensuring challenges remain high.
Throughout the game, various bosses await defeat to unlock new crafting recipes, providing even tougher trials than the rampant critters. Expect to perish frequently while developing strategies to overcome these formidable foes.
8. Soulmask
Build Your Tribe
Many Soulslike games grant players the freedom to explore without guidance, expecting them to deduce their path. Soulmask embodies this philosophy, challenging you from the moment you awaken from a ritual and pick a fight with a nearby bandit camp.
A swift death led me to reconsider my approach, directing my focus towards building a tribe. While you can venture alone, teaming up is vital to confront the array of bandits and menacing beasts. Your tribe members also contribute to productivity within your base.
Combat, albeit challenging, exudes a certain satisfaction. With a diverse assortment of weaponry and a comprehensive skill tree, players can tailor their fighter. Unique to Soulmask, the powerful mask allows for the possession of defeated foes, adopting their skills and abilities for future encounters.
7. Grounded
It Packs A Punch
At first glance, Grounded may seem overly lighthearted; however, after your initial encounter with a wolf spider, your perception will likely change. Boss encounters present challenging arenas, pushing players through intricate puzzles and formidable adversaries.
The boss battles are no cakewalk. While crafting weapons and armor from defeated foes is possible, conquering many bosses demands strategic planning. Encounters with creatures like the Infected Broodmother can be so arduous that they might compel you to quit in frustration.
The unique premise positions players as children shrunk to miniature sizes in their backyard, transforming the environment into a treacherous wild with familiar but challenging elements. Everything is massive, creating a sense of vulnerability akin to that experienced in Dark Souls.
6. RuneScape: Dragonwilds
Dragons Are The Least Of It
Traditional Soulslike games generally involve combating lesser enemies before facing formidable bosses. RuneScape: Dragonwilds flips the script, presenting battles even mundane foes pose significant threats. Upon starting the game, you might consider the dragons as the primary danger, but the reality is the myriad foes you encounter beforehand can be just as perilous.
Dragon fights are undeniably challenging, necessitating multiple attempts to develop successful strategies. The game’s difficulty scales based on the player count, meaning that adding friends to your session increases the challenges you’ll face.
Moreover, random raids on your base keep players perpetually on edge. After battling through a tough dungeon, a sudden raid can set you back considerably, as you must recover from the loss inflicted by enemies.
Ultimately, RuneScape: Dragonwilds proves to be far more challenging than its beautiful world may suggest.
5. V Rising
Fight Bosses To Fight Bosses
In Soulslike games, encountering bosses serves a purpose, often acting as gatekeepers. V Rising echoes this sentiment, integrating mini-boss encounters as a pivotal part of gameplay progress – not solely as obstacles to advancement.
Each boss in V Rising unlocks vital skills, items, or crafting recipes upon defeat. For example, the Alpha Wolf grants the ability to assume wolf form, enhancing movement speed—a crucial asset when evading powerful enemies or the blazing sun.
The bosses pose a genuine challenge, often requiring specific gear or weapons for a better chance at success, typically derived from earlier bosses. Though you’re free to tackle bosses in any sequence, following a structured order can make the journey smoother.
Dying frequently is par for the course in V Rising, emblematic of its Soulslike nature. Experimenting with a boss to gauge their abilities (and any surprises) and subsequently dying provides a learning curve that enhances player skill for the inevitable rematch.
4. Valheim
Stamina Is Everything
Upon its release, Valheim revolutionized survival gaming. It diverged from traditional gameplay mechanics by placing a significant emphasis on stamina management.
Stamina-based mechanics resonate strongly with Soulslike fans, requiring players to track stamina usage to ensure they have enough energy for attacks and evasions. Mismanaging stamina can often lead to catastrophic results.
Players in Valheim can increase their stamina through food, emphasizing the importance of culinary preparation before facing bosses. Adversaries in different biomes, such as trolls in the Black Forest, demand strategic combat and resourcefulness.
Defeating bosses is a central part of Valheim’s narrative progression. Upon arrival on the island, you’ll discover various bosses that must be overcome to prove yourself—each promising a fight that will test your skills.
With an unwavering focus on stamina and strategic combat, Valheim provides an immersive survival experience devoid of familiar tropes.
3. Outward
No Heroic Adventurers Here
Unlike most Soulslike titles where players embody heroic figures, in Outward, you start as an ordinary lighthouse keeper burdened by a family debt. This situation thrusts you into a world filled with uncertainty and peril.
Your journey invites frequent confrontations with devastating odds. Without prior training, every foray beyond your safe zone feels like an invitation to disaster—a rather realistic twist on the survival genre.
The game’s stamina-based combat system significantly influences encounters, compelling you to manage energy levels judiciously. Exhaustion depletes combat effectiveness, making survival more arduous.
If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to be a low-level adventurer venturing into the unknown, Outward offers a brutally realistic experience that demands resilience and strategic foresight.
2. Conan Exiles
Grim And God-Tier Boss Fights
My experience with Conan Exiles dates back to its early days, having traversed its brutal landscapes before the developers refined its crafting and quality systems. One consistent theme throughout the game is its unyielding difficulty — even right from the start, it demands persistence.
In Conan Exiles, survival is a constant battle against hostile foes, wildlife, and even other players. However, what truly resonates with the Soulslike essence are its epic boss encounters.
Players can summon Avatars—deific entities that, upon completion of challenging tasks, bring relentless destruction upon enemies. Typically, only formidable tribes possess the strength to harness these powers, and they often resort to them for total domination of rival clans.
Facing an Avatar is bound to be one of the toughest encounters in the game. Defeating one is achievable but not without significant effort and strategy. The reward of victory, however, is exceedingly gratifying.
1. Enshrouded
Perfect Blend Of Survival And Soulslike
Enshrouded perfectly marries survival with Soulslike elements, immersing players in a bleak world where survival is a constant challenge. The game features challenging dungeons packed with enemies that test even the most well-prepared players and daunting bosses that punish the unready.
For those seeking an exceptional multiplayer survival experience, Enshrouded stands out as one of the best. The base-building mechanics rival those of the finest games, encouraging players to create nutritious food to gain stamina before venturing into combat.
In terms of its Soulslike characteristics, expect a plethora of formidable bosses that necessitate overcoming challenges. The resources gained from these bosses are crucial for upgrading your base and crafting superior gear, whilst the combat requires substantial effort, particularly for melee-focused players.
Character progression is intentionally gradual, compelling players to engage in grinding through battles with weaker foes, crafting, and gathering resources to earn experience points. With extensive content available for both survival and action game enthusiasts, Enshrouded is easy to lose yourself in for hours on end.
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