Despite being a relatively new sub-genre when compared to its more established counterparts, the Soulslike genre is fast becoming one of the most heavily populated sections of the video game industry. The success and popularity of the stunning Dark Souls trilogy has seen a slew of Soulslikes begin to use developer FromSoftware's formula to attempt to replicate the success for themselves. The results have been widely varied, with titles such as Nioh being met with critical acclaim, whereas plenty of others have missed the mark. 2023 is set to see some more exciting entries into the genre.
A Soulslike game is pretty easy to identify. They are usually heavily combat-focused with an emphasis on dodging and parrying enemy attacks, offer a large weapon variety that can affect play styles, feature checkpoints that respawn enemies if used, and include epic, tough-as-nails boss encounters. Several of these games, some of which have been in the pipeline for a while, are set to release in the next calendar year, and each of them will be looking to prove they can stand toe-to-toe with FromSoftware's best games.
Lies of P
Developed by Neowiz Games and Round 8 Studio, Lies of P is eerily reminiscent of Bloodborne. It caught the eye immediately when it was unveiled back in Spring 2021, thanks to a grim, Lovecraftian setting mixed with some diverse enemies and flashy combat. The game follows Pinocchio as he looks to navigate the city of Krat, while using a unique 'lie' system that affects gameplay dynamically based on his interactions. While the story of Pinocchio is an extremely well-known one, Lies of P promises to feature a retelling the likes of which hasn't been seen before. Offering visceral, challenging combat against some of the most creative enemies seen in the genre, Lies of P is an extremely exciting proposition. While the game doesn't yet have a release date, it is expected to arrive sometime in 2023.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
From Team Ninja, developer of the acclaimed Nioh games, comes Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, which looks to be a spiritual successor to Nioh. Featuring the cast of characters from China's Three Kingdoms era, who fans of the Dynasty Warriors series will know well, the game is a mixture of tough, unforgiving combat, with elements of the supernatural and otherworldly beings. A demo was released in September, and as fans would expect from a Team Ninja title, it proved to be extremely challenging even in its beta phase.
With a big emphasis placed on co-op gameplay via Elden Ring-style summoning mechanics, the game will see the player come face-to-face with the likes of the mighty general Lu Bu in a series of progressively harder encounters designed for players to master through repetition. The player will have a wide range of offensive moves available to use, as well as several special abilities, and a high degree of precision and timing will be needed to emerge victorious. Those looking for their next big challenge will likely find it in this title, which is set for release on March 3, 2023.
Black Myth: Wukong
Black Myth: Wukong was originally unveiled in 2020. A retelling of the famous Chinese 16th Century novel Journey to the West, the game is from a relatively unknown indie studio called Game Science. The early trailer footage immediately made an impression, with the protagonist, a monkey based on the legendary mythical figure Sun Wukong, shown to be engaging in a series of fast, ferocious battles against all manner of creatures and enemies.
Built using Unreal Engine 5, the game looks visually stunning, and if it plays as well as it looks, then gamers could be in for something special. Each time a subsequent trailer has been released, fan hype accelerates even further, and this title is probably the most hotly anticipated on the list. The game has a vague 2023 release window which everyone will be hoping it meets.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Considering it is the sequel to one of the best Star Wars games in recent memory, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, not much is known yet about Jedi: Survivor, with EA remaining surprisingly tight-lipped up to this point. Promising to continue the story of the Jedi Cal Kestis, it should bring with it solid improvements to the already robust mechanics. Customizable lightsabers, a plethora of force powers to wield, and an intriguing story spanning several planets are the least fans should expect, based on the first game. While many wouldn't have necessarily thought Star Wars and Dark Souls would blend together well, it turns out that they do, and all eyes will be on Star Wars Jedi: Survivor when it releases sometime in 2023.
The Lords of The Fallen
The original Lords of the Fallen is often cited as one of the first true Soulslikes. Releasing in 2014, the game didn't exactly try to hide its inspirations, with many of its mechanics directly taken from Dark Souls. Critics were divided on the game, with some feeling that the combat was too slow and labored, and the story bland and uninteresting. Eight years after a sequel was first announced, the IP re-emerged with a trailer at Gamescom 2022 that raised a few eyebrows. Dubbed as a reboot of the series, which goes some way to explaining why The Lords of the Fallen dropped the number from the title, it looks to be adopting a very different tone from the previous game.
While no gameplay footage has yet been released, based on the trailer's grim premise, it seems to be taking heavy inspiration from Dark Souls' aesthetically dark world. The game is set to release in 2023, and fans will be hoping to see some gameplay emerge soon. Of course, it's quite possible that one or more of the titles on this list will be delayed. This is becoming a regular occurrence recently, and fans have learned to somewhat temper their expectations. Should they all manage to meet the 2023 release schedule though, then it could indeed be one of the strongest ever years for Soulslike games.
