Best Soulslike Games For Kids

The Soulslike genre of video games is generally noted as having a high difficulty level and dark themes and designs. Therefore, most of the genre is not typically seen as, “child friendly”. As these two elements are also hallmarks of the genre it would be quite the feat to create a game that retained both difficulty and maturity yet also accessible to a much younger audience.

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By  Peter Morics

Yet some developers took it upon themselves to do just that and by doing so have created a doorway for younger generations to walk through and experience that first foray into the soulslike genre. The difficulty and darkness of the genre will always bar entry for many potential fans. Hence, it is fantastic that other options, while still fulfilling the genre criteria, are available to explore.

5 Star Wars: Jedi Survivor - Special Mention

Sci-Fi Fantasy Soulslike

The sequel to the, for some reason teen-rated, Star Wars: Fallen Order, Jedi Survivor is a solid follow-up that, thanks to an age rating drop, at least by PEGI, allows kids to get in on the action. Jedi Survivor embodies the Star Wars universe excellently, delivering on expectations whilst putting some twists in the mix, the story in particular carrying a few unexpected and enjoyable beats.

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By  Mac Wheeler

While the adventures of Cal Kestis definitely have mature themes and violence present it is nothing out of the realms of the films. There is also a welcome difficulty option in terms of the combat which makes it more accessible to all variants of gaming ability.

4 Tunic

Soulslike For The Sweethearted

• Released: March 16, 2022
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
• Developer: Isometricorp Games

Charming is an often overused word when it comes to describing games of a certain aesthetic yet for Tunic charmimg might just be the optimum descriptor. The little fox, charming. The enemies, charming. The world, charming. The menu, overwhelmingly charming. Despite being an overall light affair there is darkness in the world of Tunic too, for example, the shop is manned by a massive skeletal fox. He’s probably a charming conversationalist though.

The actual gameplay, however, is challenging. The actual combat is a simple affair but with all the parry, dodging and stamina management stress that goes hand in hand with the soulslike games and the foes and bosses the player must overcome are no joke either.

3 Another Crabs Treasure - Special Mention

Soulslike Of The Sea

A sweet and well-told story about a misanthropic hermit crab stripped of his shell and forced out into the world, a world revealed to be suffering greatly from humans' mistreatment of the oceans. Another Crabs Treasure manages to get its messages across without overwhelming the player with guilt and sorrow, whilst also achieving the atmosphere of a souls game using real-world context.

The system of swapping one shell out for another is also a unique little twist on the genre which helps to differentiate it from other soulslikes from a gameplay perspective. With the teen rating coming mainly from the surprisingly foul-mouthed protagonist and a couple of smoking references it may be one for a slightly older audience but is nonetheless another great starting point for the Soulslike genre.

2 Shovel Knight

Shovel Wielding Soulslike

A small indie game that grew into a huge success, spawning a franchise of its own and receiving much-deserved acclaim. In Shovel Knight the player takes control of the titular shovel-wielding knight in search of his partner, the Shield Knight, to rescue her from the evil Enchantress.

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By  Maddie Fisher

By no means an easy game but, much like the Dark Souls series, it is incredibly moreish. Failure often inspires the urge to give it "one more go", just to see what lay beyond that past death. Combined with its colorful world and lovable cast of characters and villains, Shovel Knight is a perfect soulslike for children to get stuck into and a veritable classic of the modern gaming era.

1 Hollow Knight

Soulslike For The Brave

A clever and unique aesthetic is just one of the many selling points that also open Hollow Knight up to a great variety of players. Taking place in a fallen kingdom of insectoid creatures there is a haunting atmosphere that prevails throughout the adventure and a mature and solemn story to unfold.

While it dips into horror at times with certain enemies and scary imagery there is nothing really disturbing or gory that a younger audience couldn’t handle.