Summary

• Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is an action RPG with challenging combat and unique abilities, set in an open world.
• Another Crab's Treasure is a strange soulslike game set underwater, featuring the adventures of a hermit crab named Kril.
• Enotria: The Last Song is an soulslike game inspired by Italian folklore, with stunning visuals and a unique mask system for gameplay customization.

Though the soulslike genre of games has been around for over a decade with the release of Demon's Souls in 2009, widely popular titles like Bloodborne have helped thrust the genre onto the main stage. With a growing audience of people who relish the punishing, seemingly impossible difficulty and non-linear style of the action RPG genre, it's natural to wonder what's on the horizon regarding new content.

Though requirements for the genre are sometimes debated, soulslike games are a subgenre of third-person action RPGs and typically feature difficult combat that relies on specific timing, with most possessing non-linear progression. Many of these games have a "souls" system used to enhance character abilities and stats, though there are a few action games that teeter on the edge. While a few amazing-looking titles are being developed overseas, like Daba: Land Of Water Scar and Project V, outside of announcement trailers, not much is known about the release window for those titles.

10 Flintlock: The Siege Of Dawn (Q3 2024)

Platforms: PC, PS4/5, Xbox One & X/S

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is an action RPG that pits people against ravenous beasts, vengeful gods, and monstrous boss fights. The game possesses the same action-RPG combat that relies on parrying and dodging attacks but also looks to incorporate mobility abilities people can use to traverse Flintlock's open world. Along with great visuals, the early gameplay showcases snappy combat and unique abilities people can use outside of the typical melee weapons. In Flintlock, people will play Nor Vanek as she aims to reclaim the lands of Kian from the Gods.

9 Another Crab's Treasure (2024)

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One, Xbox X/S

Perhaps the strangest soulslike game to release soon, Another Crab's Treasure takes tried and true soulslike gameplay mechanics but sets them in an unlikely location — deep under the sea. As the name would imply, the game features the protagonist, a hermit crab named Kril, as they navigate the deep, polluted oceans while overcoming rabid sea creatures. Cheekily referred to as a "shellslike" game by the indie developers — the aptly named Aggro Crab, the game has all the makings of what should be a fun soulslike suitable for all ages.

8 Phantom Blade Zero (TBA)

Platforms: PC, PS5

Though it's not entirely clear whether Phantom Blade Zero, developed by S-Game, will be more of a hack-and-slash title or a true soulslike game is still up in the air, as there's been little gameplay footage released so far for the title. What it does do, however, is achieve a unique feudal China-inspired aesthetic and successfully melds it with otherworldly steampunk. Reminiscent of other action RPGs like Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and Ghosts of Tsushima, the dark, gritty aesthetic and high-flying action make it a game to look out for, regardless of whether it is a "true" soulslike.

7 Enotria: The Last Song (2024)

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox X/S

Enotria: The Last Song is an soulslike game inspired by Italian folklore. With stunning, vivid visuals and creative character design, the visual splendor isn't all the game has going for it. Core to the gameplay is a mask system that will enable the character to quickly switch out loadouts to adjust playstyles throughout levels without having to respec. Developed by Jyamma Games, an indie studio based in Milan, Italy, Enotria looks to be a great addition to the roster of soulslike games releasing soon and recently underwent a closed beta on Steam.

2023's Lies of P was based on Pinocchio, written by Italian writer Carlo Collodi, which also tackled cultural and social issues in Italy.

6 Stellar Blade (2024)

Platforms: PS5

A PlayStation exclusive, Stellar Blade was originally slated for a 2023 release date but has since been pushed back to sometime in 2024 with a new title. While it's unclear whether Stellar Blade will be more of a hack-and-slash than a soulslike — as it appears to have a more linear, mission-based focus, it does include similar action-oriented combat and monstrous boss fights akin to other games in the genre. On top of that, the glorious visuals from the South Korean developers Shift Up look to flesh out an interesting new world to explore even if it doesn't fit the exact criteria for a true soulslike.

5 Soulframe (TBA)

Platforms: TBA

Developed by Digital Extremes, the same company that created Warframe, Soulframe is the developer's new IP placed in a dark fantasy setting. A 30-minute gameplay video was released for Soulframe, showcasing some of the combat mechanics and NPCs people will meet along the way. Similar to other games of its ilk, Soulframe will feature precise combat with parries, blocks, and dodges, set in an original realm called the isle of Midrath.

Although Soulframe was originally announced at Tennocon 2022, no release window has been officially set, though estimates online pin the release date for Soulframe somewhere around the end of 2024. From the looks of the gameplay video, the game looks pretty far along, hinting that there might be some level of accuracy to online rumors.

4 First Berserker: Khazan (TBA)

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox X/S

Though First Berserker: Khazan is described as a hack-and-slash title, it does feature similar-looking combat mechanics along with epic boss fights that one would expect from a soulslike. With a unique, 3D cell-shaded art style and an interesting story about Khazan and Ozma, two warriors seeking to redeem themselves after being falsely accused of treason, the game's story is an adaptation of the DNF series of games, the last of which was DNF Duel released in 2022.

3 Rise Of The Ronin (March 22, 2024)

Platforms: PS5

Rise of the Ronin is the latest title by Team Ninja, the creators of the iconic Nioh series of games. Set during the Edo period of 1862 Japan, people will be thrust into the class of a Ronin as they explore a quickly evolving landscape. Unlike other soullike games that have more of an open-story format, Rise of the Ronin will feature dynamic decision-making that actually shapes the course of the campaign. The game also appears to have some unique combat elements and rideable mounts that people can use to traverse the open world.

2 Black Myth Wukong (August 20, 2024)

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox X/S

Black Myth Wukong is a highly anticipated soulslike story where people play as the ancient monkey king, Sun Wukong or the "Destined One," in a highly detailed and compelling world inspired by Chinese mythology. Based on 16th-century Chinese literature, the game has been in development longer than other games, as the detailed visuals were achieved by porting it over to Unreal Engine 5. In addition to soulslike combat mechanics, it will also contain spells, transformations, and other techniques that should set it apart from other games in the genre.

In Black Myth Wukong, there will be several monstrous boss fights, all with different abilities and aesthetics, based on the 16th-century novel Journey to the West.

1 Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (TBA)

Platforms: PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One & X/S

Hidetaka Miyazaki's magnum opus, Elden Ring, has already been released for nearly two years, with the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC announcement coming via the Elden Ring X at the end of February. Other than rumors surrounding an apparent DLC update on Steam, not much outside of artwork has been officially released by FromSoftware. Regardless, the fervor for the DLC and what it could contain has reached a boiling point, with people more excited about a potential announcement or release date trailer than actual game releases from other developers.

Source: Soulframe/YouTube, PlayStation/YouTube