I’m not sure if Hidetaka Miyazaki and the developers at FromSoftware knew they were creating an entirely new genre way back when with Demon’s Souls, but here we are with ‘soulslike’ as large of a gaming genre as ‘metroidvania’ or ‘roguelite.’ With Elden Ring, FromSoft’s best game yet, receiving the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion last month, soulslikes are more popular than ever, meaning now’s the best time to take a peek at what soulslikes are on the horizon.
Black Myth: Wukong
After four long years of waiting, Black Myth: Wukong is just about here. Based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, you’ll play as destined one Sun Wukong as he explores a wondrous realm full of elements from Chinese Mythology. Wukong is fast and fluid, and he’ll have plenty of spells at his disposal to use in combat against various monsters, like a dragon or wolf. You’ll also be able to transform Wukong into monsters himself, such as a large beast or a flying insect. You won’t have to wait long to knock some skulls around with The Monkey King’s staff as Black Myth: Wukong releases in August for PC and PS5, though the Xbox version is getting the Baldur’s Gate 3 treatment as the Xbox Series X/S version still needs further optimization.
Enotria: The Last Song
Enotria: The Last Song breaks away from many aesthetic conventions of the soulslike genre. Gone are dark and drab worlds; in comes some light to enliven a typically bleak genre. Enotria takes inspiration from Italian folklore and vistas, meaning the world is filled with bright hues and golden sunlight. Masks are aplenty, and each one alters how you play. You can swap through three custom loadouts during gameplay, allowing you to experiment and find your preferred playstyle. Enotria is shooting for the fences when it launches September 19 as it boasts 120+ weapons, 45 spells, 100+ enemies, and over 40 hours of gameplay.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn
Opting instead for ‘souls-lite’ as a descriptor, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn looks to blend the timing-focused gameplay of the soulslike genre with the cinematic storytelling of a God of War. Magic and technology – mainly gunpowder – collide in the world of Flintlock as player character Nor will use spells and her trusty firearms to fend off the old Gods’ undead army and slaughter the Gods once and for all. She’ll be joined by her magical fox-like companion Enki, who aids in both combat and traversal. Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is thankfully just around the corner as it releases July 18.
Lies of P DLC and Sequel
A sequel and DLC for Lies of P – a Bloodborne– and Sekiro-inspired soulslike telling the tale of Pinocchio – were confirmed shortly after the game released. We don’t currently have a firm release date for either, though it’s likely the DLC will drop during the latter half of the year. I hope that’s true and not a wooden-nosed lie as Lies of P is one of the best souslikes around, and might be my favorite non-FromSoftware-developed entry in the genre. Its fast-paced and aggressive combat, worldbuilding, aesthetic, and plot (you can actually understand what’s going on in this one!) all make it a unique and excellent action RPG. We’re not sure where the series will go next, with a possible destination of Neverland being hinted at by the teased DLC artwork. Lies of P’s post-credits scene indicates a journey through Oz and meeting with Dorothy may be next, but I’d expect that to be covered in the full sequel.
Lords of the Fallen II
Developer Hexworks has not been shy about wanting to create “Dark Souls 4.5” and playing second fiddle to FromSoftware in the soulslike space. They did just that with last year’s Lords of the Fallen, a moderately well-received soulslike that felt like an off-brand Dark Souls, even down to the janky camera (so I suppose they achieved their goal?). Arguably its most interesting idea was the ability to traverse between the lands of the living and the dead, and hopefully that idea will be explored more in the recently announced sequel. The next installment is in active development with a 2026 release window, meaning you’ll have plenty of time to explore the Umbral in anticipation for the next Lords of the Fallen.
Where Winds Meet
The soulslike genre goes Wuxia with Where Winds Meet. It was announced two years ago and recently made an appearance during Sony’s May State of Play, so keep your fingers crossed a release window is revealed soon. It’ll feature an open world, which is something soulslike typically shy away from (making Elden Ring stand out all the more). You’ll play as a swordsman caught in a battle between rival dynasties, and you’ll be able to exert your influence over the outcome of the war. Gameplay sounds fun as well, with the PlayStation Blog listing abilities such as “breath[ing] fire like a dragon, leap[ing] like a giant toad or roar[ing] like a lion” available for the player.
The Relic: The First Guardian
The Relic: The FIrst Guardian takes you to an apocalyptic fantasy world and places the fate of it in your hands. You’ll have to join together the broken pieces of a powerful relic to save the land from being swallowed by a void of death and destruction. Interestingly, you won’t level up in The Relic; instead, runes, items, and crafting will be utilized to make your character stronger and better equipped to face the dangers of its ruined world. While The Relic was only just announced at the very end of last year, it’s targeting an early 2025 launch window.
Whatever FromSoftware has cooking next
The king of soulslikes FromSoftware is a great studio, and a busy one, releasing game of the year contenders like Armored Core VI, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and, of course, Elden Ring over the past few years. And with Shadow of the Erdtree now out in the world, we don’t know what FromSoft is cooking next. A Sekiro sequel? Dark Souls IV? The only IP FromSoft consistently returns to are Dark Souls and Armored Core, so I wonder if something entirely new is on the way – perhaps Miyazaki’s ideal fantasy RPG.
If only they would made a sequel to what might be FromSoft’s best game ever made…that’s right, I’m talking about:
Bloodborne II
Just kidding. At this point, I know it’s unlikely we ever see From revisit Bloodborne again. Oh well – at least it’s finally on PC.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login