In the landscape of 2026, the term 'Soulslike' has become synonymous with punishing difficulty and unforgiving gameplay. But is that reputation entirely fair? The genre's roots stretch back far before the legendary Dark Souls series, with classics like Contra and Ghosts 'n Goblins laying the groundwork. However, I can't deny that modern Soulslikes, particularly those from FromSoftware, present a notoriously high barrier to entry. New players are often met with the infamous, and not particularly helpful, advice to 'Git Gud.' My goal today is to dismantle that gate. I've curated a list of the top 10 beginner-friendly Soulslikes for 2026, games that will gently introduce you to the core mechanics and philosophies of the genre, building your skills and confidence for the titans like Elden Ring or Bloodborne. Let's bridge that gap together.

10. Bloodborne: A Baptism by Fire (and Blood)

Difficulty for Beginners: 10/10

Metacritic Score (2026 Update): 92%

Let's be clear from the start: including Bloodborne on a list for beginners might seem contradictory. It is, by most metrics, brutally difficult. So why is it here? The answer lies in its unique philosophy. Unlike the defensive, shield-based combat of Dark Souls, Bloodborne aggressively rewards offense and punishes hesitation. This 'risk for reward' system, centered on the rally mechanic (regaining health by attacking back), can actually be more intuitive for players coming from fast-paced action RPGs like The Witcher. If you have no prior 'Souls' muscle memory to unlearn, you might adapt more quickly. Think of it as the most challenging 'easy' entry—a trial by fire that offers, in my opinion, one of the most pure and rewarding Souls experiences ever crafted. It's not for the faint of heart, but for the determined beginner seeking the authentic peak from the start, Yharnam awaits.

9. Elden Ring: The Gold Standard of Accessibility

Difficulty for Beginners: 8/10

Metacritic Score (2026 Update): 96%

If you're set on starting your journey with a FromSoftware title, Elden Ring is, without a doubt, the most accessible gate. Its genius lies in the open world. Stuck on a boss? You can simply turn around, explore the vast Lands Between, level up, find new gear, and return stronger. This player-agency over difficulty progression is a game-changer. The early and mid-game allow you to dictate the pace of your challenge. Now, I must be honest: the endgame, particularly areas like the Ashen Capital, delivers the grueling, relentless challenge the series is known for. But by then, you'll have dozens of hours of tailored experience under your belt. For the beginner in 2026, Elden Ring represents the perfect blend of uncompromising vision and player freedom.

8. Remnant 2: Dark Souls with Guns

Difficulty for Beginners: 7/10

Metacritic Score (2026 Update): 82%

What's one surefire way to make a Souls game more approachable? Give the player a gun. That's the core premise of Remnant 2. It transplants the genre's stamina-based combat, bonfire-like checkpoints (called Crystals), and tough bosses into a third-person shooter framework. The key advantages for beginners are monumental:

• Selectable Difficulty: Unlike traditional Soulslikes, you can choose an 'Easy' mode. 🎯

• Full Co-op Support: Tackle the entire campaign with friends, making many challenges far more manageable.

• Powerful Builds: The game features incredibly tanky and high-damage builds that offer a generous margin for error.

While its ranged focus means it won't perfectly prepare you for melee-centric Soulslikes, it's a fantastic, fun, and less stressful way to absorb the genre's core loop of exploration, resource management, and boss mastery.

7. Hollow Knight: A Deceptively Cute Crucible

Difficulty for Beginners: 6/10

Metacritic Score (2026 Update): 90%

Don't let the charming art style fool you. Hollow Knight is a masterclass in 2D Soulslike design. It captures the essence perfectly: a melancholic, interconnected world, a narrative told through environment and item lore, and bosses that demand pattern recognition and precision. The familiar systems are all here: losing your Geo (souls) upon death and recovering it from your Shade, and benches serving as bonfires. For beginners, the 2D perspective can actually make spatial awareness and enemy attacks easier to read. Furthermore, through exploration, you can find Charms (equippable buffs) and health upgrades that significantly smooth out the difficulty curve. It's a challenging but fair introduction to the genre's mindset in a beautiful, hand-drawn package.

6. Salt and Sanctuary: The 2D Dark Souls Simulator

Difficulty for Beginners: 6/10

Metacritic Score (2026 Update): 84%

If Hollow Knight is the genre's spirit captured in 2D, Salt and Sanctuary is its mechanics transplanted almost wholesale. This is the most faithful 2D adaptation of the Dark Souls formula you can find. It has the weighty combat, the labyrinthine world map, the deep character customization, and the terrifying bosses. For beginners, the 2D plane simplifies navigation and combat spacing. The game also offers incredibly beginner-friendly builds, like the Paladin or Cleric, which provide healing and defensive options early on. Crucially, it avoids 'gotcha' moments and cheap deaths, presenting a clear, if steep, challenge. It's a pure, distilled Soulslike experience in a more digestible format.

5. Mortal Shell: Hardened for Success

Difficulty for Beginners: 5/10

Metacritic Score (2026 Update): 76%

Mortal Shell presents a fascinating case. Its opening hours are notoriously brutal, centered on mastering its unique 'Harden' ability—a temporary state of invincibility that pauses your actions. This initial wall, however, is a red herring. Once you grasp this mechanic and begin acquiring different 'Shells' (character classes with unique stats and abilities), the game becomes progressively more manageable. Each Shell upgrade makes you significantly more powerful. The game is also notably shorter than its peers, offering a condensed Soulslike experience. It teaches the core tenets—caution, learning boss patterns, managing stamina—but provides a powerful toolkit to succeed, making it an excellent concentrated dose of the genre.

4. Thymesia: An Alchemist's Advantage

Difficulty for Beginners: 4/10

Metacritic Score (2026 Update): 71%

Thymesia is a brilliant example of a streamlined, accessible Soulslike. It features a fast, parry-focused combat system with a unique twist: you must use light attacks to inflict 'Wounds' on enemies and heavy attacks to 'Rip' those wounds out for major damage. While the combat is deep, the game is balanced in the player's favor. You gain access to overpowered skills quickly, and there is ample side content to over-level your character. The overall demands on player execution and endurance are lower than in the genre's heavyweights. For a beginner in 2026 looking for a shorter, more forgiving adventure that still delivers the thrill of mastering intricate combat, Thymesia is a perfect prescription.

3. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor: The Force is With You

Difficulty for Beginners: 3/10

Metacritic Score (2026 Update): 85%

Yes, a Star Wars game is a fantastic Soulslike primer! Jedi: Survivor (and its predecessor, Fallen Order) blends Souls-inspired combat—with meditation points acting as bonfires and experience loss on death—with the fluid, cinematic feel of a character-action game. It features multiple difficulty settings, including a very forgiving 'Story' mode. The combat is less about precise stamina management and more about responsive parries, dodges, and using Force powers. It teaches the fundamental Soulslike loop of learning from death and overcoming tough encounters, but wraps it in a familiar, narrative-driven package with spectacular production values. Want to learn parry timings while feeling like a Jedi? This is your starting point.

2. Ashen: A Forgiving World of Light and Dark

Difficulty for Beginners: 3/10

Metacritic Score (2026 Update): 78%

Ashen stands out for its unique, minimalist art style and its emphasis on passive co-op. You'll often find an AI companion or another online player seamlessly joining your journey, making battles significantly easier. The game's structure is also more forgiving. While it features stamina-based combat, checkpoint respawns, and challenging bosses, the open-world design allows you to retreat, explore, and tackle objectives in your own order. The difficulty is consistently dialed back compared to traditional Soulslikes. It captures the atmosphere and core gameplay loop but removes much of the punitive sting, creating a serene yet challenging adventure ideal for newcomers.

1. Tunic: You Hold the Controller... and the Difficulty Slider

Difficulty for Beginners: 1/10

Metacritic Score (2026 Update): 85%

And now, the ultimate beginner-friendly Soulslike for 2026: Tunic. At its heart, it's an isometric adventure game inspired by classic Zelda, but it is infused with Soulslike DNA: an interconnected world, punishing combat, and losing your currency on death. The key differentiator? Unprecedented accessibility options. You can tailor the experience to an incredible degree:

• Invincibility Toggle: No, that's not a typo. You can turn it on.

• Stamina Disable: Never worry about management again.

• Damage Reduction: Make yourself as tanky as you like.

This means Tunic is the only game on this list where you are in complete control of the challenge. You can experience the sublime world exploration and puzzle-solving with no combat pressure, or you can dial the difficulty up to brutal levels. If every other game here seems daunting, start with Tunic. It proves that the Soulslike genre's appeal isn't solely about punishment—it's about discovery, perseverance, and triumph, on your own terms.