7 JRPGs That Are Perfect for Soulslike Enthusiasts

Whether you spend your time completing fetch quests in your favorite JRPG or go hunting for the last piece of lore in your favorite Soulslike, you're most certainly a die-hard fan of RPGs no matter how you slice it.

You probably have a preference for one or the other, like everyone else does. There's nothing wrong with that. There's also nothing wrong with trying something new, though, and there's no better genre to expand your horizons with than RPGs.

We've made subgenres to split up different RPGs from each other for a reason. As a whole, this genre describes so many different games, adventures, and mechanics. But in the end, if you find yourself a fan of one, you've got a great entry point into the other.

Today, I want to focus on listing a few JRPGs that are the perfect gateway games for those used to Soulslikes. I'm pretty sure these games can help JRPG fans that want a taste of the Soulslike struggle, too, though, so just try out what game calls out to you!

7 Monster Hunter Stories

A Lighthearted Introduction to a Sprawling Series

Monster Hunter Stories RPG Action-Adventure Released October 8, 2016 Developer(s) Capcom, Marvelous Publisher(s) Capcom, Nintendo Platform(s) PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS, PC, Android, iOS Genre(s) RPG, Action-Adventure

The Monster Hunter series is great for those who enjoy taking on the big bosses of Dark Souls and Elden Ring. The only problem is... it's not exactly a JRPG. There's nothing wrong with picking up a Monster Hunter game, but if you're looking for the JRPG experience, Monster Hunter Stories covers that territory way more.

Monster Hunter Stories isn't a perfect recommendation either, though. It's a turn-based game that focuses on capturing, befriending, and raising Monsties instead of killing or trapping them for protective reasons like in the main series.The tone is less focused on besting massive creatures and more akin to something like Pokémon.

In my opinion, it's a good in-between game that you can experience any way you want. Have you played Monster Hunter before and love the monsters? Or are you new to Monster Hunter and want to get into JRPGs with your history of Soulslikes? Monster Hunter Stories still serves as a decent introduction while also inviting you into other games where the beasts aren't as friendly.

Even if this is a recommendation with a shaky foundation, it is the first one on this list. So sue me for letting the first one be the least fitting. There are far more dramatic, dark, and proper real-time fight recommendations coming up, so just hang on a second, alright?

6 Tales of Arise

A Ruined World Painted Like a Work of Art

Tales of Arise Action RPG Released September 10, 2021 Developer(s) Bandai Namco Studios Publisher(s) Bandai Namco Studios Platform(s) PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Genre(s) Action RPG

As a big fan of Bandai Namco's Tales of series, I'll be open about how Tales of Arise isn't my usual go-to starting recommendation for new players. It breaks away from series tradition a bit too much. Considering how a love for Soulslikes might leave a lot of people reading this list to have more modern tastes, though, I really don't want to offer anything like Tales of Destinyand have the aged character designs completely turn people away at first glance.

In the end, though, Tales of Arise really is a good JRPG for those new to the franchise. The game starts you off in the ruined landscape of Calaglia, currently occupied by the otherworldly Renans. When an amnesiac slave finds a runaway Renan in possession of a powerful artifact, the enslaved Dahnans might have a way to fight back.

Out of the many different narratives and themes in each Tales of game, the way Arise opens in mystery and hopelessness should feel familiar if you're coming off of a game like Elden Ring.On top of that, Arise has some spectacular real-time combat full of cutscene power moves, different character play styles, and an emphasis on dodging make or breaking important battles.

Tales of Arise's biggest point of reference to its own franchise is that the plot certainly goes places. Don't get too used to the fantasy world you explore. This game is very much a sci-fi, and that fact will creep up on you just as the juiciest plot twists hit.

5 Echoes of Aincrad

You Die in the Game, You Die For Real... For Real

Echoes of Aincrad Action RPG Hack and Slash Released July 10, 2026 Developer(s) GameStudio Inc. Publisher(s) Bandai Namco Entertainment Platform(s) PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC Genre(s) Action, RPG, Hack and Slash

It didn't take us long to get to a proper anime game, and if I had to pick one, this one is indeed the best option. Echoes of Aincradis a JRPG taking on plenty of action-RPG mechanics to invite you into the world of Sword Art Online. Specifically, the VRMMORPG. Not just the anime. Yes. Sword Art Online the video game is truly real, but with a catch.

Echoes of Aincrad adapts the gameplay of SAO into an almost Soulslike battle format, but the game's story only gives you two of Aincrad's floors to explore. To me, it's a situation where to win some, you have to lose some. Still, even if the fact that you can only explore two floors might bum me out, the battle system still has a lot of potential for those of you looking for another game with this sort of battle scheme.

To top it off, Echoes of Aincrad has a Death Game mode to really immerse yourself in Sword Art Online's stakes. If you die, your save data is completely deleted, essentially killing you and your character. This, plus the Soulslike battle mechanics, make it a good game for those who are looking for a challenge with a bit more of an anime feel attached.

4 Final Fantasy VII Remake

Big Sword Energy

Final Fantasy 7 Remake FX Wiki Wiki Released April 10, 2020 Developer(s) Square Enix Publisher(s) Square Enix Franchise Final Fantasy Platform(s) PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4

I'd be surprised if you haven't been asked "have you played Final Fantasy 7?" at some point in your life. It's a must-play and one of the easiest JRPG recommendations out there. While I'll always say you should play the original before Remake, I can't deny that Final Fantasy 7 Remake is more your speed if you're coming in after a Soulslike addiction.

All the battles are in real-time combat with special character actions serving the same general purpose of heavy attacks. With Cloud himself, that's quite literal as he switches between his operator and punisher modes. But each character has their own play style that's unique to them, and figuring them all out and switching between them feels fantastically fun from start to finish.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake might not be the toughest game you've dealt with, but it's also not the only game as part of this recommendation. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's Dynamic difficulty is pretty challenging, even more if you choose the head start option. Your party will be bumped to level 65, and the enemies are scaled to match it. It was a lethal combination for me when I came back to the game years after Remake.

3 Code Vein

The True Anime Soulslike

Code Vein Action RPG FX Wiki Wiki Released September 27, 2019 Developer(s) Bandai Namco Studios Publisher(s) Bandai Namco Entertainment Platform(s) PS4, Xbox One, PC Genre(s) Action RPG

Out of all the games on this list, Code Vein definitely fits the bill the most. For all intents and purposes, Code Vein is a Soulslike, but it's typically left out of the conversations about them thanks to its art style. A lot of people are either quick to assume it's a JRPG, or it's so JRPG adjacent it gets put into that pile instead. My point remains the same, though. Code Vein is a good recommendation for those wanting to see what JRPGs are about.

In Code Vein, you create your own vampiric character who has a unique affinity to gain special powers from sharing blood with savage vampires. These are the Blood Codes, which serve as Code Vein's classes. Unlike other Soulslike games, you can change your Blood Code whenever you want, mix-and-match a few abilities, and create multiple builds at a time. These mechanics include special dramatic finishers that can be activated on the right frames, but these finishers are the most divisive thing about the first game. You either like them or don't, and that's typically where some people decide to see Code Vein as a Soulslike or JRPG.

It has some interesting art direction going for itself, merging the usual gothic dark fantasy elements one would expect of the genre with designs one could see an edgier Organization XIII wearing. The style does a great job at somehow getting the cool aesthetics of JRPGs to fit with the religious designs of a Soulslike, and that just makes it stand out on its own. I personally admire it, but I get that it could turn some people away.

2 Kingdom Hearts

Not Telling You to Play the Entire Series For Once

Kingdom Hearts Released September 17, 2002 Developer(s) Square Enix Publisher(s) Square Enix Franchise Kingdom Hearts Platform(s) PS2

I really enjoy Kingdom Hearts. I've played it since it originally came out on the PS2, and I'm one of the people that will defend the story to the death. It's really not that complicated, but I'm also not here to tell you to play the whole series today. Just the first entry.

Kingdom Hearts' gameplay has gained plenty of fun mechanics over the years that I really enjoy. (Flowmotion, my beloved.) Even still, the first PS2 entry really kept things down to brass tacks. Because of this, there's plenty of skill involved with the limited moveset you still have by the end of the game. It does come out looking a bit like a Soulslike in the end, too. A lot of players have come to appreciate this difficulty these days, with some saying this was the Elden Ring of their youth.

Of course, if you find yourself falling down the rabbit hole after playing Kingdom Hearts, the other games can offer plenty of challenge. Just in a different way where dodge rolling isn't critically important. Kingdom Hearts is famous for its secret and special bosses, as well as its Critical Mode. Those are waiting for you if you dare hop into this series. I'm saying "if!" This isn't a shameless plug! I swear!

1 NieR

A Game of Many Options

Nier Action RPG Released April 27, 2010 Developer(s) Cavia Publisher(s) Square Enix Platform(s) PS3, Xbox 360 Genre(s) Action RPG

Now, NieR is a franchise that toes the line on what makes a JRPG, but I feel like it fits in terms of its overall dramatic flare and just how much it stands out on its own. It gets even more lovably dramatic with each new installment, and it has managed to capture plenty of intrigue with its ruined world, overarching story, and the amazing way that both of its biggest games aren't required reading to hop in.

If you really care about following a specific order to get into the series, then your best bet would be to start with NieR Replicant. Not only does its combat work well with what you might already know from games like Dark Souls, but it's genuinely the best introduction you can have; recommended by plenty of fans. If you want something a bit more flashy and different, though, NieR Automata has you covered, too.

There's a lot of charm to be found in the original NieR, remade as NieR Gestalt, that I feel like gets overlooked fairly often in favor of Replicant and Automata, though. There's just something special about watching an old man deliver friendship speeches to his companions as they're close to throwing everything away. It's something you'll only find in NieR. It's just great.