Best Soulslikes After Elden Ring Nightreign

If Elden Ring Nightreign's roguelike twist on FromSoftware's formula has you hooked, games like Lies of P, Lords of the Fallen, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice offer similarly punishing combat with their own unique mechanics. Whether you're after Victorian horror, dark fantasy worlds, or lightning-fast parry systems, the soulslike genre has exploded with brilliant alternatives that'll scratch that same challenging itch.

Lies of P — Victorian Puppet Bloodshed

Lies of P feels like Bloodborne's spiritual successor filtered through a twisted Pinocchio tale, and it's absolutely brilliant. The Belle Époque setting drips with atmosphere, from the rain-soaked streets of Krat to the grotesque puppet enemies that'll have you second-guessing every dark corner.

The combat demands precision timing similar to Nightreign's co-op encounters, but the weapon customisation system goes deeper than most souls games. You can swap blade and handle components to create hybrid movesets, giving you flexibility to adapt to different boss patterns. The perfect guard mechanic rewards aggressive play rather than passive blocking, pushing you to learn enemy tells instead of turtling behind a shield.

According to Steam Charts, Lies of P maintained over 20,000 concurrent players months after launch, proving its staying power. The game's difficulty curve mirrors Elden Ring's fairness — tough but never cheap, with clear visual cues for when to dodge or parry.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice — Master the Blade

If Nightreign's faster pace appealed to you more than base Elden Ring's methodical combat, Sekiro is essential. FromSoftware stripped away RPG levelling and stamina management to create their purest combat system yet, built entirely around the posture mechanic and sword clashes.

Every enemy encounter becomes a rhythmic dance of parries and counters. You can't over-level or summon phantoms to cheese difficult sections — Sekiro forces you to engage with its systems and genuinely improve. The prosthetic tools add tactical variety without diluting the core swordplay, letting you exploit specific enemy weaknesses whilst maintaining that central focus on deflection timing.

The Sengoku Japan setting offers a refreshing change from fantasy castles and gothic cathedrals. FromSoftware's environmental storytelling shines through crumbling temples, autumn forests, and the verticality of Ashina Castle. The grappling hook transforms exploration, making this feel closer to a stealth-action game than traditional souls fare.

Lords of the Fallen (2023) — Co-op Chaos

The 2023 Lords of the Fallen reboot nails the multiplayer chaos that makes Nightreign so compelling. Drop-in co-op lets you tackle the entire campaign with mates, and the dual-world mechanic adds a brilliant twist — you'll constantly shift between the living realm (Axiom) and the dead realm (Umbral) to solve environmental puzzles and discover shortcuts.

Combat feels weightier than Elden Ring, with slower, more deliberate strikes that demand commitment. Each weapon class has distinct movesets, and the stance system lets you toggle between aggressive and defensive styles mid-combat. It's less forgiving than FromSoftware's recent output, which some love and others find frustrating.

[INTERNAL_LINK: Lords of the Fallen performance analysis]

The Umbral realm mechanic keeps things tense — staying too long in the land of the dead spawns increasingly dangerous enemies, forcing you to manage risk versus reward when exploring. It's a clever way to maintain pressure without artificial timers.

Nioh 2 — Loot-Driven Samurai Action

Nioh 2 takes the soulslike formula and injects it with Diablo's loot obsession and a stance system that makes Sekiro look simple. If you enjoyed grinding for perfect gear in Elden Ring, Nioh 2's endgame will consume hundreds of hours as you chase god-rolled equipment with perfect stat rolls.

The ki pulse mechanic adds a skill ceiling that rewards mastery — recover stamina mid-combo by timing button presses to the rhythm of combat. Combined with three different stances per weapon type, you've got an absurd skill ceiling to chase. It's more complex than Nightreign's streamlined approach, but incredibly satisfying once it clicks.

Yokai abilities let you transform into demons temporarily, adding another layer to an already deep combat system. The mission-based structure lacks Elden Ring's open world, but tighter level design means more concentrated enemy encounters and less downtime between fights.

Remnant 2 — Guns Blazing Souls

Remnant 2 proves soulslikes don't need swords and shields to work. This third-person shooter transplants stamina management and dodge-rolling into gun combat, creating tense encounters where ammo conservation matters as much as positioning.

The procedurally generated worlds ensure each playthrough feels different, similar to Nightreign's roguelike structure. Co-op for three players makes this perfect for squads, with class-based builds encouraging specialisation rather than everyone running the same meta setup.

[INTERNAL_LINK: best co-op games 2024]

Boss design rivals FromSoftware's creativity — massive creatures with multiple phases that demand pattern recognition and teamwork. The gunplay feels punchy and satisfying, whilst melee weapons remain viable for aggressive players who want to get up close.

Mortal Shell — Compact Excellence

Mortal Shell proves you don't need 100-hour campaigns to deliver a brilliant soulslike. This compact experience takes about 15 hours to complete, making it perfect if you want something meatier than Nightreign's runs but less sprawling than base Elden Ring.

The hardening mechanic replaces traditional blocking — temporarily turn to stone mid-animation to absorb hits, then counter-attack. It's a simple twist that fundamentally changes combat flow, rewarding aggressive play rather than reactive dodging.

Only four shells (classes) exist, but each drastically alters your playstyle. The gorgeous, oppressive atmosphere rivals Bloodborne's best areas, with fog-choked marshes and decaying temples that feel genuinely unsettling. It's lean, focused, and never overstays its welcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which soulslike is easiest for beginners after Elden Ring Nightreign? A: Lies of P offers the smoothest difficulty curve for Elden Ring players, with generous parry windows and clear telegraphing. The weapon customisation lets you adapt to your playstyle more easily than Sekiro's fixed combat system, whilst maintaining fair challenge throughout.

Q: Can you play these soulslike games in co-op like Nightreign? A: Lords of the Fallen (2023) and Remnant 2 offer full campaign co-op, whilst Nioh 2 and Elden Ring support summoning for most areas. Sekiro lacks any multiplayer functionality, focusing entirely on solo mastery of its combat systems.

Q: Are any of these games available on Xbox Game Pass UK? A: As of early 2025, Lies of P remains on Game Pass, offering excellent value for UK subscribers. Lords of the Fallen occasionally appears through promotional periods, but availability changes monthly, so check the current catalogue before purchasing separately.