The soulslike genre has been around for quite some time now, and over the years, more and more developers have tried their hand at creating a challenging yet deeply rewarding experience that can be enjoyed by both fans and newcomers to the space. A lot of games take heavy inspiration from the bigger names in the space, like Sekiro and Dark Souls, sending players on fantasy adventures to castles, temples, and just about every other setting in between, whilst keeping the same third-person action intact that makes the genre so well-loved. However, a few games have attempted to break into new ground, switching the perspective to first-person and aiming to deliver a far more immersive style of gameplay that still follows the same tenets of the genre as closely as possible.
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By having the camera positioned right behind the player's eyes, the gameplay loop starts to feel a lot more like an FPS, with some games opting to lean heavily into the shooter aspects more than others. This doesn't mean to say that melee combat can't work; it just feels very different from the faster pace of a third-person soulslike, forcing players to play safer and be more calculated with their swings, things that feel very reminiscent of the early days of the genre. There are plenty of great games out there, in the traditional style and the first-person ones, but there are also a few that stand out above the rest that perfectly encapsulate the essence of a soulslike, whilst still bringing in some new ideas that make the perspective shift feel not only enjoyable, but entirely necessary.
FlyKnight
Small Scope Yet Perfect Execution
Details:
- Clean stamina-based combat
- Purposeful dungeon design
FlyKnight is a small-scale first-person soulslike that succeeds in transitioning the genre's intensity to a first-person perspective through care and restraint. Rather than chasing spectacles or insane cinematics, it focuses on the core fundamentals of deliberate combat, atmosphere, and the tension that comes from exploring without any real safety nets or constant guidance. Encounters are compact but punishing, forcing players to carefully manage their stamina and observe enemies before going in for the kill, even when playing with another brave knight.
What elevates the game is how clearly it translates the design philosophy of the genre into first-person without overcomplicating things. Everything from the attacks to the movements is readable without much clutter, and the environments twist and turn in intelligent ways that ensure that players can still get lost, but that they never truly feel stuck. And like any good soulslike, death remains just as deadly, keeping players on the tip of their toes right up until the end. It lacks the scale and ambition of larger entries, but its polish and clarity make it a strong example of how the mechanics of a soulslike can function in an immersive perspective without losing their identity.
Mohrta
Oppressive Atmosphere Driven By Fear
Details:
- Environmental hostility
- Fights under constant psychological pressure
Mohrta leans heavily into the psychological aspects of a soulslike in just about every way possible. The first-person perspective amplifies the strangeness of the world, and each combat encounter feels claustrophobic and exhausting in a way that third-person soulsikes just can't compete with. Enemy placement is cruel by design, forcing players to read silhouettes, sound cues, and movement patterns under constant stress, which creates a constant loop of second-guesses in the midst of some pretty challenging fights that will test veteran players to their absolute limit.
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The game’s environments actively work against the player, using darkness, narrow spaces, and visual distortion to disrupt the natural rhythm, and while it may seem tough at first, the world slowly becomes clearer further into the game. In terms of the combat, which is normally the main focal point for soulslike, the game is as much about timing as it is about surviving the panic that comes from the constant surprises and unexpected encounters. At its core, Mohrta understands where to draw the line between enjoyment and discomfort, pressuring players into moments of danger whilst offering them no clear way back in the process.
Lunacid
Rebirthing The Classics
Details:
- Minimal hand-holding
- Exploration-driven progression
Lunacid is the clearest modern successor to FromSoftware’s early first-person Souls lineage. It takes all of the elements that have existed within the space for over 20 years and perfectly fuses them with a more modern feeling gameplay experience that emphasizes the slow exploration and cryptic storytelling, which are both supplemented by an oppressive sense of isolation. There are no speedy parries or hyper-aggressive enemies, only a dark and gloomy descent into the unknown, where players will find themselves face to face with a long list of horrifying yet strikingly beautiful creatures from all sides of the fantasy landscape.
Perhaps the clearest difference maker that the game brings is its commitment to obscurity. The player's progression through the world is nonlinear and guided by very few markers or instructions, making every discovery feel earned rather than granted. The game could certainly work from another perspective, but in first-person, all of the gloom of the atmosphere and the struggles in the gameplay become far more personal, transforming an otherwise simplistic experience into something far more special. For players looking to take a step back in time without all of the clunkiness and mechanical issues from the past, it is the perfect game to experience the history of the soulslike genre, with some handy modern improvements.
Witchfire
Soulslike Difficulty Meets FPS Precision
Details:
- High-speed action
- Shooter mechanics, but Souls-level punishment
Witchfire pushes the soulslike formula into faster, more aggressive territory and trades the flashy swords and giant axes for old-school guns of all shapes and sizes. The gunplay demands precision and resource awareness in a very similar way to a melee soulslike, and it brings with it just about as much punishment and pain from mistakes as any other game in the genre. Combat encounters are brutal and constantly shifting, forcing the player to always be looking out for the next threat, whilst also actively discouraging recklessness as severely as hesitation.
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A big part of the game's success and fun comes from how well-designed the levels are. Not only are the arenas themselves engaging to play through, but the enemy density and placement always come with a unique set of challenges that always push the player to find new ways to approach each obstacle. Leaning more into the aggressive side of things, similar to Bloodborne, players will quickly realize that there are plenty of risk-reward situations that make every push forward feel like a calculated gamble that can either end in riches and greatness or another defeat on the pile of many. The game is very much still evolving, but it represents the most ambitious attempt to merge souls-like design with pure first-person combat.
Honorable Mention: King's Field
Where It All Began
Details:
- Originating a lot of the core soulslike elements
- Mechanically obsolete but still massively influential
King’s Field is arguably where the soulslike genre, as it is known today, truly began. Long before bonfires, stamina bars, or fog gates became codified ideas, King’s Field established the core principles of slow, deliberate combat, hostile level design, minimal guidance, and an overwhelming sense of uncertainty. The first-person perspective wasn’t a gimmick but an essential part in elevating the game’s oppressive tone, forcing players to confront danger head-on with no way of spatially detaching themselves from the action and threats in front of them.
That said, time has been unforgiving. Revisiting any of the games in the franchise now feels like a trip to a gaming museum that is remarkable in its own right, but far from an actually enjoyable time. The lack of combat feedback, combined with the near glacial movement, can make the otherwise challenging encounters feel pretty frustrating purely from a mechanical point of view. Modern players accustomed to clearer systems and responsiveness may struggle to see past the issues and appreciate the core loop that once stood as a revolutionary piece of game design that would go on to usher in a wave that is still ongoing to this day. Despite its aged state, the game and the series as a whole remain historically vital, as nearly every modern first-person soulslike, from Sekiro to Elden Ring, can be traced all the way back to this humble beginning.
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