After being in development for almost 9 years now, Team Ninja’s latest outing, Rise of the Ronin, is out there and critics have some really good things to say. However, the fact that the game is a PlayStation 5 exclusive is a total bummer for all the Xbox users who were looking at getting their hands on this latest action role-playing title.
Nonetheless, it is not surprising to see the game being exclusively released on PS5 given Sony Interactive has published the game. However, Xbox players have been expressing the feeling of missing out on Rise of the Ronin.
That being said, Xbox players can try other games of the same Souls-like genre on their Microsoft consoles. And when we say Souls-like, we mean games from other developers apart from the dominant FromSoftware as well. Save the #FOMO for later and try these five Non-FromSoftware Soulslike games on Xbox.
5. Code Vein
Code Vein may not be the most unique Soulslike game but what sets it apart is its interesting anime style. Bandai Namco, who published Dark Souls, made Code Vein in-house, and the results are amazing.
It features a striking anime art style blended with hyper-edgy aesthetics. This makes it visually a treat, and has an intriguing narrative throughout. The players use their blood as magic and take on the end of the world. They must go up against increasingly difficult and unexpected boss fights, all this in anime style.
Although it can get insane at times, Code Vein is best known for its various combat systems. Players find themselves using their blood powers as well as various weapons to defeat their enemies. The game is fast-paced thus leaving little space to skip out on any of the edges. There is a lot happening in Code Vein, but if you are a fan of Souls-like, you are up for a treat given its design choices.
4. Nioh 2
The Nioh franchise as a whole takes elements from Dark Souls gameplay and those from other franchises to blend a unique yet familiar mix. It features melee combat, which draws heavy inspiration from the typical Soulslike formula. On the other hand, its loot system reminds one of Diablo or Destiny. Here, players keep getting slightly better equipment to alter their playstyle.
When it comes to Nioh 2, it has been critically acclaimed largely since it evolved from the Dark Souls franchise. It brings in new combat mechanics with an improved emphasis on multiplayer gameplay. This results in producing some of the slickest gameplay of any recent action RPG.
Besides, it also features many more accessible elements than FromSoftware games. This Team Ninja title enables players to create their own playable character, who happens to be a yōkai spirit. The players also get a variety of weapons at their disposal such as Odachi and Kusarigama, while embracing new skills and special abilities with the progress.
3. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Star Wars universe and Soulslike games are a crossover no one would have expected. But voila, Star Wars Jedi manages to do the unexpected, and how?! Although an unusual choice, when the Star Wars universe meets a Soulslike game, their stories bear a more optimistic and futuristic approach as against the usual grim fantasy aesthetic.
2019’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is regarded as one of the most celebrated Star Wars video games, and a major credit goes to its Soulslike gameplay. On the other hand, Souls-like fans found Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order‘s fluid melee combat and checkpoint system drawing inspiration from FromSoftware games.
Besides the game adopts the Metroidvania style when it comes to exploration and progression. It includes five major explorable planets that the players can return to regularly, namely Bogano, Zeffo, Kashyyyk, Dathomir, and Ilum.
2. Remnant 2
The Remnant game series spins the traditional Soulslike conventions in an interesting way. Although the base combat and gameplay loop are similar to Dark Souls it has one major differentiation. The second installment of the series, Remnant 2, is a third-person shooter, unlike the traditional action RPG.
The 2023 game allows players to fight challenging foes, dodge their attacks, and steal away at boss health between rolls. Another difference is that Remnant 2 allows players to do so with firearms rather than melee weapons.
Remnant 2 primarily builds on its predecessor Remnant: From the Ashes. It takes the first game’s procedural generation and makes it a much bigger part of the game. Going against most Soulslike games, Remnant 2 features most of its content created randomly, including its boss fights as well as story content.
1. Lies of P
Often regarded as the true spiritual successor to Bloodborne, Lies of P strikes just the right Soulslike chords. Lies of P is that Soulslike game from another developer that can give the genre-dominant FromSoftware a real run for their money.
It features the same aggressive combat and iconic gothic setting as FromSoftware’s Bloodborne. Several players have spotted significant similarities between Lies of P and Bloodborne.
Set in a ruined Victorian world, the game highlights P’s struggle between being a human and not. The game retells the protagonist’s story in an entirely new setting thus marking a whole ground for the genre. When it comes to the mechanics, it takes inspiration from Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice while adding an upfront plot influenced by the player’s choices.
