The Dark Souls series is often the benchmark for comparison in challenging games. For a game to be considered hard to beat, it must pass the Dark Souls test. Instead of adding multiple difficulty levels, the developers purposely went out of their way to make the game next to impossible to beat. The Dark Souls legacy continues to live on through the Soulslike subgenre it has spawned.
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Soulslikes are booming nowadays thanks to developers like FromSoftware and Team Ninja. With the Demon's Souls remake and Elden Ring at the top of the heap, the Soulslike subgenre is not going anywhere. With new IPs and challengers in the genre, players have a solid choice, but they must be prepared for the nightmarish boss fights that are included with them.
Updated February 18, 2025, by Michael Llewellyn: The Soulslike genre is for players who love to endure battles of attrition, learn attack patterns, and more. In games where even low-level enemies can kill a player's character alarmingly fast, defeating a boss can be an incredibly satisfying experience. This list has been updated to include another game with a challenging boss fight to challenge fans. Additionally, tags have been updated to include cover art and specifications.
22 Scorpionlord (Black Myth: Wukong)
Challenging Optional Boss With Long Range And Speed
Black Myth: Wukong
- Released
- August 20, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Game Science
- Publisher(s)
- Game Science
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Black Myth: Wukong is a challenging action RPG with a Soulslike difficulty that fans of the genre will love. However, even the most battle-hardened fans will find Black Myth's optional boss, the Scorpionlord, one of its most difficult. The Scorpionlord will dodge the player's offense and reply with long-range lunges and spin attacks using his tail.
To beat him, players must use fast dodges and jumping attacks to avoid his spins. Furthermore, the Scorpionlord will burrow underground and grab the protagonist from underneath for massive damage. Wukong players must be fast and good with counterattacks to avoid getting killed in just a few hits.
21 Tarsus (Mortal Shell)
A Fast, Two-Phase Boss With AOE Ice Attacks
Mortal Shell
- Released
- August 18, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Cold Symmetry
- Publisher(s)
- Playstack
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS4, PS5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Tarsus The First Martyr is one of the most dangerous enemies in the atmospheric Mortal Shell. The armored knight attacks with a large broadsword, using speed and ferocity with damaging ice-based attacks. Tarsus vanishes and reappears, so his attack patterns are tricky to parry, and mistiming defense can cost the player dearly.
This fight is made more frustrating by the lack of space the player has to move, making it easy for them to get caught in the icy mist. The best way to fight him is to time a dodge and use Mortal Shell's unique hardening mechanic. Jumping in with the attack before Tarsus casts his mist spell is the safest way to chip away at his HP. Still, it's a lengthy trial-and-error pattern that is challenging to learn.
20 The Drunk Samurai (Rise of The Ronin)
A Challenging, Unpredictable Swordsman Who Is Hard To Parry
Rise of the Ronin
- Released
- March 22, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Team Ninja
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Adventure, Open-World
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
The Drunken Samurai is one of the most serious boss fights in Rise of the Ronin. He uses a unique style and, as his name suggests, he fights while intoxicated. This makes his movements and attacks hard to predict because there's a slight delay behind some of them. Players focusing on defense and counterattacks can misjudge and mistime the Drunken Samurai's attacks.
The Drunken Samurai has slashing combos, a charged grab attack, a charged slash, and a charged rush slash, meaning he can hit the protagonist from multiple angles. He’s the boss equivalent of throwing the player in the deep end. Through this battle, Rise of the Ronin teaches its players everything they need to know about timing, parrying, and distance in a challenging early boss fight.
19 The Black Rabbit Brotherhood (Lies Of P)
A Lengthy Battle Against Multiple Enemies
Lies of P
- Released
- September 19, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Round8 Studio, Neowiz
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One
- Genre(s)
- Soulslike
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Lies of P is a dark take on the Pinnochio story. It shares many similarities with Bloodborne regarding its Gothic atmosphere and challenge. It is already regarded as one of the best in its genre, and fans shouldn't miss it. One of the most challenging boss fights in the game is against the Black Rabbit Brotherhood. They are known as stalkers in the Lies of P universe and comprise four members.
Players will encounter and fight the Brotherhood twice, but the second fight against all four members will cause problems for even the most skilled Souls fan. Players will take on the Eldest, the Youngest, the Eccentric, and the Battle Maniac in a lengthy and challenging fight.
18 The Hushed Saint (Lords Of The Fallen 2023)
A Powerful Foe On Horseback Attacks With Long and Short-Range
Lords of the Fallen
- Released
- October 28, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
Lords of the Fallen is the successor to the 2014 original and a reboot, carrying its name into the new generation under the leadership of a new studio. The 2023 Lords of the Fallen is another flawed Dark Souls clone, but it is more enjoyable than its predecessor, and the visuals and art design are fantastic.
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It has no shortage of formidable boss battles, but one that will test the patience of the most hardened Dark Souls fan, The Hushed Saint. The boss rides a horse, which charges and tramples the player. He can throw long-range spears on foot, and it causes a devastating amount of damage. The Hushed Saint has an area of attack that casts wither on the defending player when trying to block it.
17 Zhang Liang The General Of Man (Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty)
A Powerful Enemy With Size And Speed
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
- Released
- March 3, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Team Ninja
- Publisher(s)
- Koei Tecmo
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Launched in early 2023, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a challenging Soulslike from the developers of the Nioh series. The game is set in a fantasy version of the Han Dynasty, with Chinese Mythology at the forefront of its narrative. The combat is closer to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, where counters and deflections are the player's main line of defense.
The first boss that the protagonist encounters is General Zhiang. He is far from the most challenging boss in the game, but he's also why many players threw in the towel at Wo Long's launch. The developers released a patch to make the fight more manageable, but newcomers would be remiss if they underestimated the General. He acts as a gatekeeper for the remainder of the game and is a harsh lesson in how the mechanics of deflections and timing work in Wo Long.
16 Second Sister Trilla (Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order)
A Fast, Powerful Force User With Unblockable Attacks
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- Released
- November 15, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Respawn Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Franchise
- Star Wars
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, Stadia
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and its sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, are considered Soulslike in their execution. What separates the Star Wars Jedi series from typical Souls games is that players can adjust the difficulty and enjoy the storyline. So, in that sense, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order can be viewed as a Soulslight.
Players should not sleep on Fallen Order in the more challenging difficulties because fighting The Inquisitors is entertaining and challenging. The final battle against the Second Sister is a nightmare to defeat. She has different phases with unblockable attacks. The best way to defeat Trilla is to be relentless and interrupt her attacks with force attacks, dodge her unlockables, and deflect when needed.
15 The Delver (Surge 2)
A Dangerous Foe Who's Hard to Defend Against
The Surge 2
- Released
- September 24, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Deck13 Interactive
- Publisher(s)
- Focus Home Interactive
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 4
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
The Surge series is a science fiction series set in a post-apocalyptic future. As the Warrior, players fight against robotic enemies and cybernetically enhanced humans instead of demons and monsters. The games have a robust limb targeting system and satisfying parrying mechanics.
Unfortunately, The Delver boss in Surge 2 is fast and makes parrying a challenge unless players have created a complete parrying build because of the unblockable attacks. To defeat it, the Warrior must use a Bloodborne-style approach of attacking and moving as quickly as possible. The Delver has three phases, all of which can wipe players out in two hits.
14 The Blindfolded Boy (Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty)
A Lethally Fast Enemy With Multiple Phases
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
- Released
- March 3, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Team Ninja
- Publisher(s)
- Koei Tecmo
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Where Zhiang Liang, General of Man, is the gatekeeper boss for Wo Long, the Blindfolded Boy is the ultimate final boss. Considering the Blindfolded Boy was a useless companion in the fight against the General, it appears he was holding back.
The protagonist must deflect a circle of spectral swords fired as a projectile and avoid his ice attacks. He has extra phases where the Blindfolded boy transforms, throws fireballs, and creates clones of himself to make the player's life even more miserable. Players must utilize every skill in their arsenal to beat him and his clones.
13 Valiant Gargoyle (Elden Ring)
Two Gargoyles Attack At Once
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment, From Software
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The regular giant Gargoyles in Elden Ring can be problematic and challenging to defeat. However, the Valiant Gargoyle is a nightmare because a second Gargoyle will appear in the second phase, meaning the player will have two giant monsters to deal with.
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The Gargoyles are fast and powerful and will give chase when trying to create some distance. To make matters worse, when focusing on one Gargoyle at a time, the second will attack with a poisonous gas with a large area of attack. The bosses can be found in the Siofra Aqueduct. Thankfully, the fight can be made easier if one has completed the D questline in Elden Ring so they can use his brother as a summon in combat.