Summary
The dark fantasy genre and Soulslikes go hand in hand. The brutal and unforgiving combat Soulslikes tend to present is a perfect pairing for the dark and disturbing worlds of dark fantasy fiction. As a result, many soulslikes present a grim and unforgiving world, where grand kingdoms and castles are decaying and collapsing under the weight of their leaders' sins.
As uninviting as these worlds might be, it can be thrilling to fight one’s way through them. Fading dragons and decaying giants litter the ruins and scorched battlefields of these dark fantasy Soulslikes, making for sometruly cinematic and, at times, downright tragic battles. Here are ten of the best dark fantasy Soulslikes on offer.
Mortal Shelllets players embody the themes of dark fantasy in a very literal way. Like in many soulslikes, the world ofMortal Shellis decaying and dying, to the point that humanity itself is withering. to succeed in combat,players must discover the remains of dead warriorsand inhabit them. These empty shells each possess different strengths and weaknesses in combat.
As players shuffle from corpse to corpse, they will explore a ruined world full of horrible monsters and the fanatical dregs of humanity’s former glory. This tragic fallen kingdom is a quintessential dark fantasy setting, and well worth exploring.
Lords of the Fallenmakes no secret of itsDark Soulsinspiration, and that can be seen very clearly in the game’s setting. Players control a Dark Crusader on a quest to halt the resurrection of Adyr, the Demon God. Their adventure takes them through both the world of the living and the world of the dead, in an interconnected journey that shows offthe worst this dark fantasy realmhas to offer.
The world ofLords of the Fallenconstantly reinforces its dark fantasy theme. Even when players aren’t venturing through the world of the dead, reminders of death and decay are scattered everywhere, as a constant omen of what awaits the world if the Demon God returns.
Nioh 2eschews the more traditional European-inspired fantasy setting of games likeDark Souls, opting instead for a fantastical version of Sengoku-era Japan. But this change in mythological inspirations does not make the game any less of a dark fantasy title.
The world ofNioh 2is rife with deadly yokai spirits, spreading turmoil and strife throughout the human realm. Some of these creatures can even manifest their powers in the form of a Dark Realm, a pocket of dark magic and evil spiritual energy where fighting these sinister spirits is significantly more difficult.
The grandfather of all Soulslikes set the standard for the tone and atmosphere of the genre, and now the 2020 remake makes this grimdark realm more accessible than ever.Demon’s Soulstakes place in the fallen kingdom of Boletaria, which is slowly being consumed by demonic creatures.
Demon’s Soulseven has a system for making the state of the world even darker. Depending on the player’s actions,certain areas in the gamecan become darker as the region sinks further into demonic corruption. Conversely, players can work to make a region brighter, redeeming it from its tragic fate.
The infamousDark Souls 2might not be the best gamein the trilogy by gameplay standards, but the world it presents is rich with tragedy and darkness. The kingdom of Drangleic has fallen to ruin as the ever-present Hollowing curse has claimed its citizens and turned the populace into undead.
As players explore this twisted, fallen realm, the extent of its downfall becomes ever more apparent. King Vendrick’s ill-fated war with the giants has brought ruin and despair to both sides, and all that’s left is for the chosen undead to try to pick up the pieces in a quest to reignite the Age of Fire once more.
Hollow Knighttakes a very distinct approach to dark fantasy. This game is set in a world of bugs, with a ruined and buried kingdom whose ancient history is more than enough to make up for the tininess of its characters.
The game’s beautiful art style brings this fallen world to life.Hollow Knightblends thegrand ruins and crumbling architectureplayers know with a more organic visual design befitting the world’s insectoid origins. The result is a truly unique and thoroughly unforgettable dark fantasy adventure.
The world ofBlasphemous 2is a horrifying world of twisted blessings and debilitating curses. A hideous eldritch force known as the Miracle governs the world, dishing out twisted punishments for even the mildest of sins. Its citizens toil on in fervent, desperate worship of the Miracle, even as horrifying monsters spring into existence all around them.
Blasphemous 2is full of towering cathedrals and grand palaces, evidence of the populace’s zealous belief in their fell god, but most of the NPCs the Penitent One meets are twisted, deformed, and suffering in a myriad of disturbing and horrible ways. The game’s beautiful and evocative pixel art style brings this truly shocking dark fantasy world to life.
The originalDark Soulsgame established many of the most significant factors of the trilogy’s grim lore. Chief amongst these is the curse of Hollowing, an inexorable condition that slowly erodes the mind until all that’s left is an undead shell. The player, an undead claimed by the curse, must journey to the fabled realm of Lordran, the kingdom of Gwyn, only to discover that it has already succumbed to the curse.
Darkness is inescapable in the world ofDark Souls, as the name itself suggests. The golden gleam of Anor Londo is an illusion covering shadows and emptiness, Blighttown is full of poison and malice, and even the city streets are infested with feral undead and hungry demons. This dying world is the setting for one of the most iconic dark fantasy adventures of all time.
Elden Ring’s iconic open world presents a very grim fantasy setting. The land has fallen to ruin and conflict, as petty demigods fight over the scraps of an all-consuming war in order to claim dominion over what’s left. The player’s quest to become Elden Lord is effectively a quest to rebuild this lost and fallen kingdom.
The darkness is all the more palpable in the game’sShadow of the ErdtreeDLC. The Land of Shadowconceals some of the darkest secretsof the Golden Order. It’s eternally caught in an endless, genocidal war, and while the empyrean Miquella is attempting to set things right, the price might prove too high for everyone.
Dark Souls 3portrays the inevitable conclusion of the endless bitter cycle that began in the first game. Even by the standards of theDark Soulstrilogy, the world ofDark Souls 3is dying. The title features locations and factions from the first two games but in an advanced state of decay. Anor Londo, for instance, is now home to a grotesque monster who puppeteers the flayed corpse ofDark Souls 1’s Gwyndolin.
Throughout the trilogy, players have been able to earn the title of Lord, rekindle the First Flame, and restart the Age of Fire, andDark Souls 3presents a world forced to lurch on much longer than it ever should have been allowed to. Gravestones pile atop each other, castles sink into bogs of pus, and lords like Prince Lothric abandon their duty in order to save themselves. The world ofDark Souls 3is a truly broken place.
