If you are searching for what are souls-like games, you want a clear answer, not hype. What souls-like games are basically a type of action RPG built around tough, readable combat and a punishment loop that teaches you. But the phrase gets misused a lot, so this guide breaks down what souls-like games are into required traits, optional traits, and quick tests.
People call any hard action RPG a souls-like, but what souls-like games are is more specific than “hard.” Some open-world action RPG titles feel close, but still miss key systems. We’ll also connect what are souls-like games with soulsborne games, so the labels don’t confuse you. Part 1 explains the definition and the core criteria. Part 2 clarifies genre boundaries, design philosophy, and evolution, and provides examples.
Part 1
Part 1 gives you the definition and the exact checklist. It keeps things practical so you can judge games fast without long debates. We focus on the systems that create the “souls-like feel,” not the art style.
Definition of Souls-Like Games
This section gives you a working definition you can use anytime. It also splits the genre into required traits and optional traits so you don’t get trapped by “vibes.” If you want the simplest answer to what souls-like games are, this is it.
A practical definition: what are souls-like games comes down to a learning loop where you lose something on death, you can usually recover it by reaching the death spot, and you improve mainly through skill and knowledge, not just raw stats. The game is built to make you pay attention to spacing, timing, stamina, or another resource, and enemy patterns.
Also important: souls-like games do not mean “hard for no reason.” It means the rules are consistent, and the game expects you to learn those rules. That’s why many players call it “hard but fair,” even when a boss is annoying.
Short definition (1–2 lines)
What are souls-like games: a game that uses committed combat, plus checkpoint strategy, plus a death-and-recovery punishment loop to push mastery.
Required traits vs optional traits
Here’s the clean split. If the game misses too many required parts, it usually isn’t what souls-like games are. Optional parts can change a lot, so don’t use them as your only proof.
Required (if these are missing, it’s probably not what souls-like games are):
- Combat commitment (you can’t cancel everything)
- Clear checkpoint loop (bonfire-style or a close cousin)
- Death has a cost (drop currency/XP, lose progress, or similar)
- Recovery chance (runback, reclaim mechanic, or “get it back if you reach it”)
Optional (common, but not mandatory for what are souls-like games):
- Stamina bar
- Fog gates and boss arenas
- Cryptic lore delivery
- One currency used for leveling plus shopping
- Multiplayer invasions/co-op
- Dark fantasy vibe (not required)
Examples:
- Sekiro doesn’t use the classic stamina bar, but it still feels close because it keeps combat commitment, checkpoints, and a real death penalty.
- Jedi: Fallen Order has meditation points and respawns, but the punishment loop is softer, so many call it souls-lite.
- Elden Ring is a giant open-world action RPG, yet the core loop is still there (Sites of Grace, rune drops, reclaim tension), so it fits what souls-like games are.
The “Souls-Like” Criteria
This section turns the definition into a simple checklist. If a game hits these areas strongly, it usually fits what souls-like games are. If it hits only one or two, it may be “souls-inspired,” but not fully souls-like.
Combat loop (commitment, i-frames, stamina/resource)
In many action RPG games, you can mash, cancel into dodge, and still survive. In souls-likes, the game asks you to commit.
What commitment looks like:
- Attack commitment: when you swing, you are locked for a moment.
- Healing commitment: healing is slow and punishable (Estus-style).
- Defense with timing: dodges often have I-frames, parries have tight windows, and blocks have costs.
- Resource pressure: often stamina, but sometimes posture (Sekiro) or another limit.
Examples:
- Dark Souls teaches stamina discipline. One extra hit can get you killed.
- Nioh is faster but still punishes greed. It gives more tools, not free safety.
- Lies of P pushes guard and parry timing. Blocking works, but sloppy blocking still hurts.
Quick test:
If button-mashing works most of the time, it’s probably not what souls-like games are.
Death & recovery mechanic (runback/reclaim system)
This is the emotional engine of what are soul-like games. It creates tension in normal areas, not only with bosses. If death doesn’t matter much, the game may still be a great action RPG, but it usually won’t feel Souls-like.
Typical pattern:
- You die.
- You drop your main currency/XP at the death spot.
- You respawn at the last checkpoint.
- You usually get one main chance to reclaim it.
Examples:
- Dark Souls / Elden Ring: drop souls/runes; reclaim by touching them.
- The Surge: drop scrap; reclaim becomes a tense mini-mission.
- Salt and Sanctuary: drops salt; reclaim loop feels familiar.
- Hollow Knight: drops Geo, and you fight your Shade to reclaim (hybrid case).
This system forces decisions: push deeper or cash out? That’s a major part of what soul-like games are.
Checkpoint structure and progression gating
This is where souls-likes feel different from standard checkpoints. Bonfire-style systems control pacing and learning. Resting is a choice, not just a save.
Common checkpoint features:
- Resting refills healing/resources
- Resting often respawns enemies
- Resting is a choice: safety vs progress
- Checkpoints act as a base for the next push.
Progression gating:
- Some areas are too punishing early unless you’re skilled
- Keys, bosses, shortcuts, or items open paths
- The game nudges a route but lets you explore
Examples:
- Demon’s Souls is level-based, but the runback and checkpoint loop is central.
- Elden Ring is more generous with checkpoints, but rune drop/reclaim keeps pressure alive.
World structure (shortcuts, interconnectivity)
This part explains why souls-like reward exploration. Shortcuts reduce the time tax of learning and make progress feel earned. Not every game needs Dark Souls 1 interconnectivity, but good souls-likes still support the loop through level layout.
Typical signs:
- You unlock a door that loops back to a checkpoint
- You open an elevator that saves minutes of running back.
- Levels are layered with side routes and hidden connections.
Examples:
- Dark Souls 1 is the classic interconnectivity model.
- Lies of P is more linear, but shortcuts still matter.
- Nioh is mission-based and less interconnected, which is why people debate if a souls-like world design or just souls-like combat.
Part 2
Part 2 clears the confusion. We separate souls-like from soulsborne games, general action RPG, metroidvania, and roguelike. This helps you stop relying on labels and start using mechanics.
Genre Boundaries and Confusions
This section is here because people argue about the genre nonstop. Most arguments happen because they mix labels and vibes. Here, we focus on clean separators.
Souls-like vs Soulsborne (label vs origin)
Soulsborne games are a fan label, usually for FromSoftware’s core family:
- Demon’s Souls
- Dark Souls 1–3
- Bloodborne
- Elden Ring
(Some include Sekiro too.)
Souls-like is broader and includes inspired games:
- Lies of P
- The Surge
- Lords of the Fallen
- Mortal Shell
- Salt and Sanctuary
- Remnant: From the Ashes (shooting souls-like)
Simple rule:
- Soulsborne games = the source family
- souls-like = the genre inspired by that family
Souls-like vs Action RPG (key differences)
Action RPG is a huge umbrella. Many open-world action RPG games are Action RPG: The Witcher 3, Skyrim, Dragon’s Dogma, newer Assassin’s Creed titles, and more. Souls-like often are Action RPGs too, but they add a specific engine.
What separates what are souls-like games from a standard action RPG:
- Death drops value, and you can lose it permanently
- Bonfire-style checkpoints that respawn enemies on rest
- Enemy placement is designed like a lesson.
- Combat commitment that punishes sloppy inputs
Examples:
- Dragon’s Dogma can be hard, but it lacks the reclaim engine.
- Monster Hunter is pattern-based and punishing, but the loop is hunts, not checkpoint pushes.
- The Witcher 3 is a strong open-world action RPG, but reclaim tension and bonfire pushes are not the core.
So yes, souls-like can be an action RPG, but not every action RPG becomes what souls-like games are.
Souls-like vs Metroidvania / Roguelike
This part helps you sort “hybrids” quickly. A game can borrow one Souls-like feature and still be a different genre.
Metroidvania:
- Progress locked by movement abilities (dash, double jump, wall climb)
- Usually, one connected map
Example: Hollow Knight is mainly a metroidvania, but it borrows the reclaim idea, so it becomes a hybrid and gets debated.
Roguelike/roguelite:
- Death resets a run
- Procedural levels are common.
Example: Hades is hard and skill-based, but the core loop runs, not bonfire pushes with reclaim tension.
Souls-like:
- Persistent world (even if mission-based)
- Bonfire-style checkpoint pushes
- Death cost plus reclaim opportunity
- Learning through repetition, not random runs
Souls-Like Game Design Philosophy
This section is about the “promise” the game makes to the player. It’s not about dark fantasy or a gloomy soundtrack. These ideas matter because they shape the systems.
“Hard but fair” and readable learning
Fair does not mean easy. It means you can learn the rules and improve.
Signs of readable learning:
- Enemies telegraph attacks
- Hitboxes are mostly consistent.
- The game rewards calm decision-making
- You can usually explain why you died.
Even in the best souls-likes, you’ll still see camera problems or surprise traps sometimes. But the genre identity is consistent over time.
Risk-reward is the core promise.
Souls-likes constantly push small gambles:
- Explore a side path for loot, or play safe?
- Push to the next checkpoint with low healing, or turn back?
- Fight a tough enemy while carrying a lot of currency, or bank it first?
This risk-reward loop is why what are souls-like games feels tense even in regular areas.
History & Evolution
This section gives you enough history to understand the label. It is not a long timeline. The goal is to show how the formula spread and why modern games vary.
Where the term came from
The modern pattern became famous with Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls. Players saw the formula and started calling inspired games “souls-like.”
Then the source games evolved:
- Bloodborne pushed speed and aggression.
- Sekiro focused on parry/posture and reduced classic RPG builds.
- Elden Ring proved the loop works inside a giant open-world action RPG.
That’s why people mix what are souls-like games with “FromSoftware style,” even though the genre is now bigger than one studio.
How modern souls-likes changed the formula
Modern souls-likes often adjust pieces:
- Faster dodges and mobility
- More checkpoints and softer punishment (more “souls-lite”)
- Hybrids with 2D metroidvania, shooters, or co-op
This doesn’t automatically break what souls-like games are. The question is: did they keep the core engine (commitment, checkpoint pushes, death cost, reclaim tension)?
Examples and Non-Examples
This section makes the rules real with known games. It also shows why “hard” alone doesn’t make something soul-like. Use this section when you want quick proof.
Clear examples (why they qualify)
Dark Souls / Elden Ring (soulsborne games family):
- Committed combat
- Bonfire-style checkpoints
- Currency drop and reclaim
- Boss learning loop
Lies of P:
- Very close to classic Souls structure
- Strong guard/parry style
- Clear checkpoint pushes and reclaim tension.
The Surge:
- Same death/reclaim core loop in a sci-fi skin
- Checkpoints control the push-forward loop.
Lords of the Fallen:
- Uses the core loop even if the quality differs by version
- Still built around checkpoint pushes and punishment.
Salt and Sanctuary:
- 2D translation of the loop
- Death cost and reclaim pressure still exist.t
Borderline cases (what they lack)
Hollow Knight:
- Has reclaim and checkpoints
- But mainly a metroidvania (movement gating and exploration style)
Jedi: Fallen Order / Survivor:
- Meditation points feel like bonfires
- Enemies respawn
- Combat has timing and commitment.t
But punishment is softer and structure is cinematic, so many call it souls-lite.
Monster Hunter:
- Hard fights and commitment
- But the core loop is hunts, not checkpoint pushes with reclaim tension.
The Witcher 3 (open world action RPG):
- Action RPG builds and combat
- But the death/checkpoint/reclaim engine is not the center.
Quick final test:
If “I need to reclaim what I dropped” is not a main emotion, it usually isn’t what souls-like games are.
Conclusion
This wraps everything into one simple model. If you’re unsure about a game, return to the checklist from Part 1. That checklist usually settles it fast.
What souls-like games are not “any hard Action RPG”? It’s a specific engine: committed combat, plus bonfire-style checkpoint pushes, plus death cos, plus a reclaim chance that creates tension. Soulsborne games are the main reference set (the original family), while souls-like is the wider genre inspired by that loop. Once you look for combat commitment, death-and-recovery, checkpoint structure, and level design that supports the loop, you can classify games quickly, even in hybrids like 2D souls-likes and open-world action RPG souls-likes.
FAQ
This FAQ clears small doubts people have after reading the definition. It also answers common mislabels quickly.
If you want short answers without extra talk, this is your section.
Are what are souls-like games always open world?
No. Many are linear or mission-based. Elden Ring is a big open-world action RPG example, but Dark Souls 3 and Lies of P are more linear.
Are all Soulsborne games what are Souls-like games?
Yes, basically. Soulsborne games are the “source” set. People argue about Sekiro because it shifts RPG elements, but it still shares major pillars of the loop.
What do souls-like games have to use stamina for?
Not strictly. Stamina is common, but some games replace it with posture, cooldowns, or other limits. The key is commitment and resource pressure.
Is difficulty the main thing?
Difficulty is a result, not the definition. What souls-like games are about is the learning loop and the death/checkpoint system. Some souls-likes are easier than others.
Can an action RPG be what souls-like games are?
Yes. Many souls-likes are action RPG games. The difference is the punishment/reclaim loop and checkpoint design. Many action RPG titles don’t use those systems.
What’s the fastest way to tell if a game is souls-like?
Check for:
- bonfire-style checkpoints,
- currency drop on death,
- reclaim run,
- Committed combat.
If it has all four strongly, it probably fits what souls-like games are.
