Soulslikes With The Best Enemy Variety

Soulslike games have become some of the most popular action titles today, known for their intense combat, engaging exploration, diverse weapon choices, and challenging bosses. However, one often overlooked aspect is the variety of regular enemies, which can greatly enhance the experience during extended playthroughs.

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By  Adam Carradus

Introducing new enemy types throughout the game is crucial to maintaining player interest, as it forces them to learn new attack patterns and adapt to fresh challenges. Conversely, reusing the same enemies across different locations can quickly dampen excitement and even make the game feel repetitive or trivial. Let's explore some of the best soulslike games that excel at enemy diversity, offering a wide range of foes that require unique tactics to overcome.

1 Elden Ring

The Largest And Most Diverse

Elden Ring, along with its massive expansion Shadow of the Erdtree, stands as one of the best open-world soulslike games available today. The game impresses on countless levels, and its unparalleled variety of enemies is a key highlight. Throughout hundreds of hours, players will continue to encounter new challenges and unique foes scattered across the vast expanse of the Lands Between.

From dangerous wildlife to battle-hardened warriors wielding a wide array of moves and special attacks, Elden Ring offers relentless surprises. Tricky mages hurl devastating spells from afar, while dark, menacing shadows lurk in the deepest corners of dungeons and catacombs, waiting to pounce with deadly grab attacks. With so many enemy types to discover, some players may not even encounter every unique foe in their first playthrough, showcasing the sheer depth and variety the game offers.

2 Black Myth: Wukong

Surprisingly Great Enemy Array In Every New Chapter

Black Myth: Wukong can be difficult to classify strictly as a soulslike game, as it balances traditional action-RPG elements with some soulslike mechanics. However, the exact classification isn't what matters most here. What truly stands out is that Game Science's debut title boasts an incredible range of unique and engaging enemies across its six chapters, keeping players consistently immersed.

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The game's responsive combat system allows for different approaches, making each new encounter a delight to crack. Rooted deeply in Chinese mythology, Black Myth: Wukong offers a steady stream of fresh challenges with enemy designs that are not only unique but also rarely seen in other games, further elevating the experience and keeping it captivating for hours on end.

3 Dark Souls 3

Packed With Plenty Of Different Creatures To Fight

Dark Souls 3, along with its expansions Ashes of Ariandel and The Ringed City, is often underappreciated for its variety of regular enemies. Despite being a more compact and almost linear adventure compared to Elden Ring, it still offers a comparable range of unique foes to fight. Staying true to FromSoftware's traditions, players are continually faced with new and challenging enemies, each with their own dangerous habits and wide range of combat abilities.

Adapting to these threats and learning their tricks is a key part of the satisfaction in Dark Souls 3. Additionally, the campaign cleverly places tough late-game enemies early on, guarding secrets meant to be uncovered later, which adds a rewarding backtracking component for players willing to take on the challenge.

4 Nioh 2

Nearly All Enemies From The First Entry Return

Nioh 2 stands out for its impressive enemy variety, especially for players who didn't experience the original. Nearly all the enemies from the first game make a return in the sequel, alongside a host of new demons, humans, and yokai. Even Team Ninja's later titles, like Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, struggle to match the diverse array of creatures found in Nioh 2.

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The design of these monsters is a major highlight of the experience, with colorful, memorable, and intricately detailed beasts and demons in all shapes and sizes, just waiting for players to slip up. Coupled with the game's Diablo-like loot system and enemy drops — a feature rarely seen in the genre — the rich variety of foes significantly boosts the game's replay value.

5 Lies Of P

Many Various Enemies With Minimal Reuse

Lies of P may not reach the level of enemy variety seen in FromSoftware's titles, but for its nearly linear structure and unique robopocalypse setting, the game performs admirably. Players mainly encounter three types of enemies — humans (alchemists), puppets, and carcasses (monsters) — but each category offers impressive variety. Combined with the game's itemization system, players are encouraged to frequently change gear to maximize efficiency against different foes.

From a design perspective, Lies of P is a visual treat. The intricate puppet models are particularly striking, with detailed animations that allow Pinocchio to dismantle them piece by piece during combat. Few non-FromSoftware soulslike games manage to feel as distinctive and rewarding as Lies of P when it comes to enemy design and progression.

6 Bloodborne

Unique Setting And Secret Locations Allow For Great Enemy Diversity

Bloodborne rightfully earns its place among the top games for enemy variety, even a decade after its release. The game's unique, mystery-filled setting — featuring secret areas and vastly different locations like catacombs, villages, city streets, castles, and swamps — creates an immersive backdrop for an impressive range of monsters. Some of the creatures players encounter could easily be classified as nightmare fuel.

True to FromSoftware's tradition, each enemy has a distinct set of moves and combat patterns, making encounters feel fresh even when fighting variations of the same foe later in the game. From aggressive villagers with packs of dogs and stone-throwing giants to eerie cosmic beings and unexplainable horrors, Bloodborne consistently delivers new challenges and keeps the experience engaging until the very end.

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