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Easing Into the Abyss: Top Soulslikes Gentler Than Dark Souls

ByDesmond Harris

While Dark Souls and its ilk are revered for their brutal difficulty, many soulslike games offer a smoother difficulty curve that makes the genre more approachable. Here are the cream of the crop for beginners:

1. Elden Ring

elden ring, patch notes
Screenshot courtesy of Total Apex Gaming

FromSoftware’s own masterpiece, Elden Ring, is arguably the easiest entry point into Soulsborne—paradoxically. Its vast open world enables exploration paths and overleveled farming, Raid summons, and diverse build options that dramatically ease progress.
Why it’s smoother:

  • Open-world freedom lets you avoid tough bosses and return later

  • Spirit summons and a ton of gear variety

  • No rigid progression—customize to your style

2. Remnant: From the Ashes

A third-person, co-op shooter with Soulslike DNA, Remnant clearly targets newcomers. The game’s use of firearms, ranged gameplay, and automatic scaling in solo mode make it more forgiving.
Standout features:

  • Normal difficulty and solo scaling ensure manageable boss fights

  • Procedurally generated worlds and checkpoint proximity

  • Even in failure, you earn XP—so every attempt contributes

3. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

A narrative-driven action-adventure inspired by Dark Souls combat. Fallen Order lets you choose “Story” difficulty and includes lightsaber parries and timed dodges for challenge, but never feels punishing.
Perks for Souls newcomers:

  • Realistic difficulty labels like “Story” and “Jedi Knight”

  • Plenty of platforming, story, and exploration to break up combat

4. The Surge 2

The Surge 2
Image of The Surge 2 courtesy of Deck13 and Focus Entertainment

This sci-fi, limb-targeting soulslike has faster pacing and a clearer gear path. Health and build choices simplify its complexity compared to DS.
What’s different:

  • No early “rage quit” bosses

  • Loot and customization help you stay ahead of difficulty

  • Combat assists risk–reward rather than stamina depletion

5. Ashen

With cel‑shaded art and subtle Souls inspiration, Ashen balances block/dodge/attack gameplay with a companion NPC that smoothes out harder sections.
Why it appeals:

  • Calm, low-pressure tone

  • A supportive partner eases difficult fights

  • Simple combat doesn’t skimp on challenge

6. Hollow Knight

A refined 2D Metroidvania with Soulslike mechanics. It’s tough but forgiving, featuring numerous checkpoints, charm-based builds, and environmental storytelling.
Key advantages:

  • Frequent benches (save points) reduce frustration

  • Build variety lets you adjust difficulty organically

7. Salt and Sanctuary

Salt and Sanctuary
Image of Salt and Sanctuary courtesy of Ska Studios

Dubbed the “2D Dark Souls,” this soulslike Metroidvania faithfully adapts Souls formulas without overwhelming you.
Easier aspects include:

  • Clear progression paths

  • Manageable bosses with decent spacing

  • Local co-op adds comfort and backup

8. Lords of the Fallen (2023)

Despite Lords of the Fallen’s rocky launch, a post-launch 2.0 update added shared progression co‑op, movement improvements, UI enhancements, and cross‑play support.
Evolving appeal:

  • Co-op now means real shared advancement—not just tagging along

  • Quality‑of‑life updates smooth rough edges

9. FlyKnight

A niche but polished indie soulslike where you control a bug with sword and spells. At just $5 and available for co-op, its combat pacing feels deliberate and less punishing.
Highlights:

  • Budget-friendly and low-stakes

  • Co-op and mystery hybrid make gameplay less tense

10. Pascal’s Wager

Pascal's Wager definitive edition
Image of Pascal’s Wager Definitive Edition courtesy of TipWorks and Giant Global

Originally a mobile title, this is now a console-grade souls‑like with classic dodge/block gameplay. Focused more on story, it’s generally friendlier and less punishing.
Perks:

  • Accessible platform adaptation

  • Straightforward combat without stamina overload

Final Thoughts

If you’re gaming-shy of Dark Souls difficulty but love the idea of strategic combat, meaningful progression, and rich worlds, this curated list offers a fantastic entry into the genre. Each game brings its own twist—whether it’s sci-fi garb, story-driven pacing, co-op solidified after patch, or console-friendly controls. Start with what excites you most, and you’ll find yourself eased into a rewarding and immersive experience. When you’re ready for your next challenge, I’ll be here with more recs.

Happy (easier) hunting in the souls‑like realm!

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