What first began as a PS3 exclusive back in 2009 — which I personally had to import from Japan to play early — soon paved the way for an entire genre. Yes, while Demon’s Souls may be the grandfather to FromSoftware’s signature formula, it’s safe to say that 2011’s Dark Souls is the aunt that everybody knows and loves. After all, it was the studio’s sophomore effort that really helped to solidify and popularise the core gameplay loop we find so fiendishly addictive to this day.
But what if you’ve played all of the From Software classics and you’re on the hunt for even more punishing gameplay? Better yet, what if you need a break from FromSoft-developed titles? Well, we thought that now would be the perfect time to run down the top 10 best Souls-likes to check out if you’re jones-ing for more. The twist? We’re not allowed to include any titles from the beloved Japanese studio that helped to establish the genre in the first place.