When Dark Souls first came out, few could have predicted the massive impact this FromSoftware title would have on the gaming industry in the years since its release. Fast-forward to 2023, and "Soulslike" is a separate genre in and of itself, with countless AAA and indie games taking inspiration from the extremely challenging yet incredibly rewarding franchise.
Games with the Soulslike sticker come in all shapes and forms. There are Soulslike shooters, open-world games, and linear, narrative-driven Souslikes. 2019's Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is one of the most notable titles inspired by a film franchise that builds on FromSoftware's winning formula. Are there any other film settings that would lend themselves well to the Dark Souls treatment?
8 The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
This is an obvious one. The high fantasy world conceived by J.R.R. Tolkien is the perfect setting for a challenging Soulslike title. Lord of the Rings has it all: a wide variety of creature races to serve as mobs, a wealth of lore to draw from, and, most importantly, Middle Earth: a vast fantasy world full of secrets, harsh and unforgiving lands, but also magnificent sights to behold.
With so many third-person action games that have come out under The Lord of the Rings license, it's actually a bit surprising that no studio has come up with the idea for a LOTR Soulslike experience yet.
7 Edge Of Tomorrow
The futuristic sci-fi setting of Tom Cruise-led Edge of Tomorrow doesn't exactly scream Dark Souls. However, fans of these games' formula know very well that it's not as much about the setting as it is about the gameplay loop of intricate real-time combat, dying, and doing it all over again.
The main premise of Edge of Tomorrow is as close to a movie version of the Souls loop as it can get. In the movie, the main character is stuck in a time loop, where he dies during battle and is immediately reawakened, only to take on the alien invaders once again in hopes of finding a way to stave off the invasion. It's the perfect Soulslike premise for a game where defeating a boss breaks the time loop, only for players to get thrown into a new, even more difficult one.
6 Gladiator
The 2000 epic Gladiator, starring Russell Crowe as Maximus, was an ancient history epic that left a lasting impact on pop culture. A Soulslike game inspired by the movie wouldn't necessarily have to follow its story to a tee; the concept of fighting in gladiator battles to restore one's honor and status is enough to make for a great Souls-inspired game.
FromSoftware's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice was set in the Japanese Sengoku period, proving that historical settings work just as well for these kinds of games as fantasy ones. On top of that, fights in the Roman arenas could be truly spectacular experiences that leave little for boss cheesing opportunities, forcing players to rely solely on their skills.
5 Blade Runner
Just like Gladiator set the standards for any history epics that came after it, Ridley Scott's Blade Runner established an aesthetic that would be relentlessly copied by countless science fiction films for decades. The neo-noir, neon-heavy cult classic even got a well-received sequel 35 years after the release of the first movie, which doesn't happen all too often.
The strength of the license itself would be enough for hordes of players to buy a game inspired by these films, but it's not the only reason why Blade Runner could be a great Soulslike setting. Ranged combat focused on using iconic blasters would have the potential to re-imagine gunplay to fit in with FromSoft's formula. Futuristic Los Angeles as a setting provides plenty of opportunities to add verticality into the mix and plenty of Blighttown-inspired sequences where players dodge gunshots and navigate tight LA rooftops.
4 The Great Wall
This action-adventure film starring Matt Damon and Pedro Pascal was based on a quite ridiculous premise of a Western mercenary joining forces with the Chinese army to fight off aliens atop the Great Wall of China. Historically, the Great Wall was built to protect China against invasions from northern nomadic tribes. In the movie, its purpose is revealed to actually be a defense against intimidating aliens.
All these things that made The Great Wall a rather bad movie could serve as a foundation for a really fun Soulslike game. Traversing across the entire length of the Great Wall of China, fighting off mysterious monsters, and exploring the areas that surround this world wonder would be a great recipe for a linear action RPG with unforgiving combat.
3 Eragon
Although it wasn't really the best book adaptation out there, Eragon has everything that a good Soulslike game really needs: a medieval setting, magic, and, most importantly, dragons. The continent of Alagaësia, with its deserts, forests, and mountainous regions, is, much like Middle Earth, a solid base for an open-world Soulslike title.
Furthermore, The Inheritance Series has one thing that could be a true game-changer for the Soulslike genre. Dragon riding and communication. Having a dragon companion instead of the typical horse is the perfect traversal mechanic, and using dragon powers to aid players in combat would add a whole of depth to the gameplay.
2 The Mummy
Rick O'Connell's adventures from The Mummy trilogy could be a great blueprint for a unique Soulslike game that blends the modern and ancient worlds. Heading into the pyramids and tombs of ancient kings and emperors would undoubtedly evoke the dark atmosphere of Dark Souls, not to mention the potential for flashy boss fights against zombielike historical figures.
Indeed, pyramid interiors and even the terracotta army tomb from the third movie can easily be translated into interconnected dungeons that Dark Souls fans know and love. With plenty of historical facts and myths to build the game's lore, a Mummy Soulslike is not as ridiculous of an idea as it may seem.
1 Constantine
Keanu Reeves' filmography is full of action-packed, immersive movies. The Matrix aside, Constantine might just be the most mind-boggling one out of all of them. Drawing upon the Bible and Christian symbolism, the movie follows the titular John Constantine, an exorcist capable of communicating with angels and demons, as well as traveling to Hell and back.
Christian demonology is one of the richest, most detailed interpretations of evil and countless demons that developers could draw from to design bosses and mobs. Furthermore, Constantine's unique profession and abilities make it really easy to design a short Soulslike game independent of the movie in a game that blends together melee combat and gunplay.