Highlights

• The Dark Souls series has set the benchmark for challenging games, and the Souls-like subgenre continues to grow with new IPs and challengers.
• Lies of P, Lords of the Fallen, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and The Surge 2 are all examples of games in the Souls-like genre that offer players intense boss fights and challenging gameplay.

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 Souls-like subgenre it has spawned.

The Souls-like subgenre is snowballing thanks to developers like FromSoftware and Team Ninja. With the Demon's Souls remake and Elden Ring at the top of the heap, the Souls-like subgenre is 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 October 19, 2023 by Michael Llewellyn: Fans of the Souls-like genre have much to celebrate. Of course, FromSoft launched Armored Core 6, which carries several elements from their Dark Souls series, as well as other games like Lies of P and Lords of the Fallen. The nature of the Souls-like, where players strive to conquer fearsome and deadly boss fights, is satisfying like no other genre.

Whether it takes learning the enemy's animations and tells or returning after grinding out a few levels, the moreish nature keeps fans coming back. This list is updated to include more challenging boss fights that fans of the genre should undertake.

19 The Black Rabbit Brotherhood - Lies Of P

Lies of P is a Souls-like and 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)

Lords of the Fallen is the successor to the 2014 original and a reboot by 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.

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

Launched in early 2023, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a challenging Souls-like 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

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and its sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, are considered Souls-like 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 Souls-light.

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

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

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.

13 Valiant Gargoyle - Elden Ring

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.

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.

12 Pontiff Sulyvahn - Dark Souls 3

Pontiff Sulyvahn stood out as one of the more difficult bosses in Dark Souls 3. This imposing foe is found just after the Church of Yorshka bonfire in the Irithyll of the Boreal Valley. The size of the room he is seen inside restricts player movement, adding to the challenge.

Sulyvahn has long combos, making it challenging to study his moves. His favorite attack is the sweeping motion. It is not the longest in Dark Souls, but it does inflict a great deal of damage. Wielding a magic and fire sword, Pontiff Sulyvahn's thirst for power shows no limits.

11 Laurence, The First Vicar - Bloodborne

FromSoft's Bloodborne is possibly the most challenging game on the PlayStation 4. Stylistically, the combat is distinguishable from Dark Souls, where speed and timing are vital. The difficulty is attributed to its boss fights, including Laurence, The First Vicar.

This boss is accessible in The Old Hunters DLC, so not everyone has faced him. In many ways, this foe is like the Cleric Beast but uses fire attacks for added damage. Laurence, The First Vicar is fought in three phases with increasing difficulty. Having good fire resistance going into this fight is recommended.

10 Dreamer/Nightmare - Remnant: From The Ashes

The Dreamer/Nightmare boss is fought in two phases, with Dreamer first and Nightmare following soon after. As the final boss in Remnant: From the Ashes, Dreamer/Nightmare can be defeated by players who use moves, such as fire, that deliver damage over time.

It is recommended to try Dreamer/Nightmare solo. The co-op increases the difficulty of the bosses in Remnant From the Ashes. Attack the head of the Dreamer and the chest of Nightmare to inflict the most damage.

9 Ancient Dragon - Dark Souls 2

Many enemies guard this dragon atop the Dragon Shrine, but the encounter with the boss will leave many players dumbfounded. The Ancient Dragon is as charismatic as he is powerful.

Players should watch for the area of effect attacks when he breathes fire onto the platform. Do not stand under him for too long, as he will try to crush enemies with his foot, sometimes leading to an instant kill. If players time their attacks and look for the opportune moments, this boss can be defeated over a long and arduous battle.

8 Flamelurker - Demon's Souls

Passing through the fog gate, most players would not expect to encounter this fire demon lurking in the underground temple. When facing a boss engulfed in flames, one knows it is not an easy fight ahead.

When the Flamelurker strikes, he inflicts tremendous fire damage. So, players will need a high fire-resistance rating. His area of effect attacks are devasting; his range is even more so. Watch out for his dangerous leap attacks. It is one of the most challenging foes to predict in a Souls-like.

7 Yamata-No-Orochi - Nioh

Yamata-no-Orochi is a boss appearing in Nioh. The Nioh game series is known for its snake bosses and creatures from Japanese legends, and Yamata-No-Orochi is a little of both.

As a multi-headed snake, Yamata-No-Orochi starts with two heads (white horns), then five heads (red, blue, green, yellow, and purple horns), and finishes with a final head (red and black horns). Each snakehead has unique resistances, adding to the complexity of defeating this serpent.

6 Yatsu-No-Kami - Nioh 2

Despite being one of the first bosses players encounter in Nioh 2, Yatsu-No-Kami provides the most significant challenge for players. His toxic sweeping attacks should be answered back with long-reaching weapons. Regardless, users must strike the head and the arms to defeat this foe.

Yatsu-no-Kami is weak against lightning, which should be taken advantage of. Players will also need poison resistance, antidotes, and luck to defeat this terrible enemy.

5 Orphan Of Kos - Bloodborne

Judging by the Orphan of Kos' size, it would appear to be one of the easier bosses to fight. On the contrary, the small stature makes his attacks less pronounced. Orphan of Kos seems impervious to attacks since it is not easy to stagger him.

The Orphan of Kos has varied attacks, making him a challenge to study. The Orphan Of Kos is one of the Great Ones players must defeat. His unpredictability suggests he is the most challenging boss in Bloodborne and perhaps Souls-likes history.

4 Maliketh, The Black Blade - Elden Ring

Maliketh, The Black Blade, is one of the most dangerous bosses in Elden Ring. Like many fights in the game, he has two phases, with his second form being significantly more challenging than the first.

Maliketh can be found at the Crumbling Farum Azula. He is swift with lethal precision and is considered a Legendary boss. Thanks to his speed, he is difficult to predict and can kill the player with one or two hits. However, players adept at parrying will find an opening that makes the boss vulnerable to a big attack.

3 Guardian Ape And Brown Ape - Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Thought the headless Guardian Ape in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice was difficult? Try fighting two at the same time. Once players get the first Guardian Ape down to half health, the Brown Ape gets tagged in for an extra challenge.

Trying to combat two apes capable of doing a 4-thrust, double-foot smash, and a treacherous sweep slash is less than ideal. After defeating one Guardian Ape during the first encounter, FromSoftware throws two into the equation.

2 Malenia, Blade Of Miquella - Elden Ring

The most challenging boss fight in Elden Ring is against Malenia, Blade of Miquella. She is located at the Brace of the Haligtree and is an optional fight. The Demi-God boss fight includes two phases that feel like fighting two separate - and powerful - bosses in succession.

Malenia is capable of inflicting Scarlet Rot. She is relentless in her attacks and highly resistant to most attacks and spells. Her most damaging attacks can be interrupted with Frostbite and Bloodless magic.

1 Dragon Slayer Ornstein & Executioner Smough - Dark Souls

Whenever developer FromSoftware decides to throw in two bosses, players know they are in for a battle. Appearing in the original Dark Souls, many users were taken aback by this encounter. For some, it took seemingly endless tries to beat Dragon Slayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough.

Depending on which boss is slain first, the survivor will absorb his partner, giving him more damage with lightning or increased range. Dragon Slayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough are arguably the most challenging bosses in Souls-likes history.

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