If you’re tracking new souls like games, 2025 has been one of the busiest years the genre has seen. New studios and known publishers both pushed out new souls like games that feel familiar but not copied. Some of these new souls like games are closer to traditional Souls pacing, while others feel like games like Sekiro, where timing and aggression matter more than slow defense. Either way, fans looking for new souls like games have had a lot to play, and players waiting for new souls like games in the next cycle already have plenty of upcoming games to watch.
This matters because the genre is changing. The best new souls like games now focus on clean combat feedback, readable enemy moves, and better pacing. At the same time, the genre still keeps the core identity: risky healing windows, tough bosses, and the pressure of losing resources on death. If you like sekiro like games, you’ll notice more parry-heavy combat in newer releases. If you prefer classic Souls structure, you’ll still find slow, heavy stamina-based fights and careful exploration.
In this guide, you’ll get a news-style overview of new souls like games released in 2025, plus release dates and expectations for early and late 2026. The goal is simple: help you understand what launched, what’s coming, and how the genre is moving.
The Evolution of Soulslike Design in 2025
2025 showed a clear shift in how developers build Soulslike games. The genre is no longer just “a hard action RPG.” Many new releases tried to be more precise and less punishing in unfair ways. This does not mean the games got easy. It means the difficulty is more focused on skill, not frustration.
A major design change is how games handle pacing. Several 2025 titles improved checkpoint placement and reduced long runbacks. This keeps the challenge in boss fights instead of wasting time between attempts. Another shift is movement. Many new souls like games now feel quicker and smoother, even when they still use stamina systems. This makes fights more reactive and less stiff.
Combat style also widened. Some titles are clearly inspired by games like Sekiro, where parry timing and pressure are central. Others kept classic dodge-and-punish gameplay. What’s new is that more games offer mixed options, letting players build for defense, speed, or raw damage.
Finally, storytelling became more direct in many cases. The “cryptic lore only” approach still exists, but a lot of games now give clearer character goals and world context. That helps new players stay engaged without changing the darker tone.
Understanding which titles dominate player activity helps you see real trends — here’s our top souls like games in 2025 with stats.
Soulslike Games That Defined 2025
These are the major new souls like games released in 2025 that shaped the year.
- The First Berserker: Khazan — Mar 27, 2025
A combat-forward action RPG with aggressive melee focus and big boss encounters. - Stone 4 Souls — May 16, 2025
A more classic Souls-style experience with stamina management and steady exploration. - Trench Tales — May 6, 2025
Leans into a grim setting with slower fights and a heavier atmosphere. - Netherworld Covenant — Jun 18, 2025 (Early Access) / Dec 9, 2025 (Full Release)
A 2025 title that evolved, building out content across the year. - WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers — Jul 23, 2025
Focused on weapon mastery, smooth combat flow, and myth-inspired enemies. - Lighthouse Of The Souls (LOTS) — Sep 19, 2025 (Early Access)
Compact levels, tough spikes, and a survival-like pressure in some areas. - MycoRelic — Sep 24, 2025 (Early Access)
A more experimental entry with unusual progression ideas and organic world design. - Mythrealm — Oct 27, 2025 (Early Access)
A Soulslike structure with wider exploration zones and early-access expansion potential. - Tankiro — Nov 7, 2025
More action-heavy pacing with straightforward progression and intense encounters. - Where Winds Meet — Nov 14, 2025
A large-scale experience with cinematic presentation and wide environments.
The main takeaway from this lineup is variety. In older years, a lot of Soulslikes felt like the same template. In 2025, these new souls like games differed in pacing, structure, and combat identity.
Key Trends Emerging From 2025 Releases
2025 releases made a few trends hard to ignore. One of the biggest is the rise of faster combat. More developers are building systems that reward aggression. This is why players searching for sekiro like games are finding more options than before.
Faster combat and parry influence
A noticeable portion of 2025 releases pushes players forward instead of letting them turtle. This includes tighter parry windows, better stagger systems, and enemies that punish passive play. Even when games don’t fully copy Sekiro, the influence is obvious. That’s good news for anyone who wants games like Sekiro but still enjoys RPG builds.
Cleaner difficulty
Many 2025 titles feel more “fair” because they improved readability. Boss moves are clearer. Attacks have better tells. Stamina costs feel more consistent. Death still happens, but it feels earned more often than random.
More respectful pacing
More games are trimming down time-wasting loops. That means fewer long runbacks and better checkpoint logic. This makes repeat attempts feel less annoying, and players focus more on learning the fight.
The genre is still anchored by classic benchmarks.
Even as the genre evolves, many designers still reference older standards. For timeline context, the Dark Souls 3 initial release date was March 24, 2016, and that game’s pacing and boss design still get compared against modern releases. If you want a clean official reference for that era and how the franchise is presented today, you can use the publisher’s official page.
Early 2026 Soulslike Games to Watch
Early 2026 looks stacked, and it’s not just indie titles. This part of the schedule includes big-name follow-ups and new projects that could pull the genre in new directions. If 2025 was about variety, early 2026 might be about polish and scale.
Here are the confirmed early 2026 release dates and windows:
- CODE VEIN II — Jan 29, 2026
Expected to expand build variety and improve the pace and feel of combat. - Nioh 3 — Feb 6, 2026
Likely to deliver high-speed combat and deep mechanics for players who love technical systems. - Blood Radiant — March 2026
A new project that appears to be built around aggressive play and strong risk-reward mechanics. - Untouchable Ground — Mar 6, 2026
A smaller-scale entry that looks focused on precision, timing, and tight encounters.
Early 2026 is where players searching for Sekiro-like games may get the most value. These titles are expected to lean into speed, timing, and offensive pressure. At the same time, they should still hold onto Souls’ fundamentals like stamina tension, dangerous healing windows, and punishing bosses.
Late 2026 Soulslike Releases and Long-Term Expectations
Late 2026 is where the biggest swings usually happen. These are often the projects that take longer to build because they aim for bigger worlds, higher production, or deeper systems. These upcoming games are also the ones most likely to shape genre expectations going forward.
Here’s the late-2026 and TBA group with known windows:
- Phantom Blade Zero — Sep 9, 2026
Fast action with a strong martial-arts vibe and a combat pace that many people compare to games like Sekiro. - Absym — Q4 2026
Dark fantasy tone with slower, deliberate combat pacing. - Mortal Shell II — 2026 (TBA)
A sequel expected to expand core mechanics and world depth. - Lords of the Fallen II — 2026 (TBA)
A large-scale follow-up that could push visuals and set-piece bosses. - Valor Mortis — 2026 (TBA)
A more traditional Soulslike approach with modern combat polish. - Soul Chained — 2026 (TBA)
An indie-scale project that looks focused on experimentation.
Late 2026 is also where “player expectations” can shift. If a big title lands well, others copy the ideas. If it lands poorly, studios pull back. That’s why these late-window releases matter more than just hype.
How Upcoming Soulslike Games Are Changing Player Expectations
Player expectations have changed. It used to be enough for a game to be hard. Now, players want hard games that feel consistent and readable. This is especially true as more people come to the genre through streamers, speedruns, and challenge runs.
One major expectation is combat clarity. Players want clean hitboxes and consistent stamina rules. Another expectation is to build freedom. People want to experiment with weapons, stats, and playstyles without feeling locked into one correct choice.
There’s also a split in what people want from combat:
- Players who love Sekiro-like games often want tighter parry systems, faster movement, and bosses that reward pressure.
- Players who prefer classic Souls pacing often want stamina control, spacing, and slower but heavier hits.
Many new souls like games now try to serve both groups, which is hard. But the best titles do it by offering multiple defensive options (dodge, block, parry) while keeping bosses challenging no matter what.
The Future of Soulslike Games Beyond 2026
Beyond 2026, the direction seems clear: more variety, more hybrid systems, and better pacing. The genre is no longer locked into “medieval dark fantasy.” We are already seeing more unusual settings and different tone choices, and that trend will likely grow.
Combat will also keep evolving. The influence of games like Sekiro isn’t fading. Instead, it’s becoming one of the main pillars of modern action design. That influence doesn’t mean every game becomes Sekiro. It means developers are learning that precise timing systems can be as satisfying as stamina-based spacing. The strongest future new souls like games will probably blend these ideas while keeping strong exploration and boss design.
Conclusion: The Next Era of Soulslike Games
2025 proved that new souls like games are not slowing down. The year delivered a wide set of releases, from traditional stamina-focused RPGs to faster, timing-driven combat experiences that appeal to fans of sekiro like games. And with early and late 2026 packed with upcoming games and clear release dates, the genre is set up for another major wave.
If you are building a sub-hub page, this lineup is strong because it lets you branch into individual guides, boss tips, build pages, and “best games like Sekiro” comparisons. The genre is bigger now, and players want clear, updated info. That’s why this period is worth covering in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best new Soulslike games right now?
The 2025 lineup includes several strong options depending on whether you want classic pacing or faster Sekiro-like combat.
Which Soulslike games are coming in 2026?
Early 2026 includes major launches, and late 2026 has multiple big projects plus several TBA titles.
Are Soulslike games becoming more accessible?
Yes, many new releases teach mechanics better while keeping difficulty and skill requirements high.
What defines a Soulslike game in 2025 and beyond?
High-stakes combat, tough bosses, and progression systems, with growing influence from games like Sekiro.
