Games Like Bloodborne: The Best Soulslikes For Yharnam Refugees

Bloodborne has a problem: it's still trapped on PS4 and PS5 hardware. No PC port. No 60fps patch on PS5 (officially — the community has found workarounds). Ten years after release, the game that launched FromSoftware's aggressive-combat era of souls games is still held hostage by Sony.

But Bloodborne carved out a specific space in the soulslike genre. Aggressive, offensive-minded combat where dodging is often worse than pushing forward. Lovecraftian gothic horror aesthetic. Trick weapons that transform mid-combo. A world that descends deeper into cosmic terror the longer you play. Finding games like Bloodborne means finding titles that nail at least one of those pillars.

The FromSoftware family

Elden Ring is the obvious starting point if you want "FromSoftware but on PC." The combat isn't specifically Bloodborne's — it's closer to Dark Souls 3's rhythm — but there's a massive amount of Bloodborne DNA in the game. The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion specifically references Bloodborne heavily. The games like Elden Ring post covers its peer set.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice shares Bloodborne's offensive-minded combat philosophy. You deflect rather than dodge. You push forward rather than retreat. The skill ceiling is arguably higher than any other soulslike. The games like Sekiro post has more.

Dark Souls III is the most Bloodborne-adjacent Dark Souls entry. Faster combat, bonfires replace lamps, and many enemies and environments evoke Bloodborne's gothic aesthetic. The DLC (Ashes of Ariandel and The Ringed City) leans even harder in Bloodborne's direction.

The aggressive combat soulslikes

Lies of P is the closest non-FromSoft soulslike to Bloodborne we've ever gotten. Gothic aesthetic (Pinocchio-themed Belle Époque France). Aggressive combat with parry mechanics. Weapon system that lets you attach different blades to different handles to create custom setups. The games like Lies of P post has more.

Lords of the Fallen (the 2023 version) is a competent soulslike with dual-reality exploration mechanics. The Umbral plane you shift into for exploration adds a horror element that's Bloodborne-adjacent.

Code Vein is anime soulslike with vampires. The combat is more forgiving than FromSoft games but the character customization and class system add depth. Divisive but beloved by its audience.

Mortal Shell is indie soulslike with a unique hardening mechanic that lets you tank hits instead of dodging. Short campaign, sharp combat, genuinely interesting.

The horror soulslikes

What Bloodborne does uniquely is merge soulslike combat with genuine horror. The second half of the game becomes cosmic horror body-terror. Games that capture that specific blend:

Blasphemous and Blasphemous 2 are 2D metroidvania-soulslikes with religious horror aesthetic. Gorgeous pixel art, genuinely disturbing imagery, tight combat.

Lunacid is a retro-style first-person soulslike with Bloodborne's exact aesthetic — gothic dungeons, moon worship, creeping dread. Built by one person. Punches well above its weight.

Dark Deity [series] and similar indie soulslikes increasingly recognize that Bloodborne's horror atmosphere is part of its appeal.

The recent notable releases

Black Myth: Wukong is a Chinese-mythology action game with soulslike DNA. Faster paced than most FromSoft titles, spectacular visuals, excellent boss design.

Stellar Blade finally came to PC. The combat has Bloodborne's aggressive rhythm even though it's not strictly a soulslike. Worth checking.

Enotria: The Last Song is Italian-folklore-inspired soulslike. Different aesthetic, familiar gameplay.

No Rest for the Wicked is an isometric ARPG with Bloodborne-adjacent combat tension. Still in early access but promising.

The 2D alternatives

Hollow Knight and its long-awaited sequel Silksong are 2D metroidvania soulslikes. Different genre entirely but the careful exploration, atmospheric world, and skill-based combat share DNA. The games like Hollow Knight post covers this space.

Salt and Sanctuary is 2D Dark Souls. Punishing combat, deep character building. Not beautiful but effective.

Nine Sols is taopunk 2D soulslike from the Rabbit and Steel developers. Gorgeous hand-drawn animation, excellent combat, strong story.

The "aggressive combat" outliers

Nioh 2 runs a souls formula with even more depth. Stance-switching, weapon variety, genuinely brutal difficulty. Not Bloodborne atmospherically but the combat feel is adjacent.

The Surge 2 is sci-fi soulslike with a targeted dismemberment mechanic. Specific body parts can be severed for their gear. Unique and underappreciated.

Hellpoint is sci-fi soulslike on a derelict space station. Quality is uneven but at its best, it captures that specific dread-and-combat loop.

The PS5 workaround

Let's be honest. If you haven't played Bloodborne yet and you own or can borrow a PS5, do it. The game is available digitally and plays fine on PS5 at PS4 framerate. There's a community patch (Bloodborne PS5 60fps) that works for modded PS5s. The game is still held hostage by Sony but it's accessible enough that you shouldn't dismiss it.

What we make at Choost

We don't make soulslikes — the design depth and content volume required is beyond our current scope. But we love the soulslike philosophy of "fair but punishing." Granny's Rampage takes a different approach (power fantasy bullet heaven) but the idea that player skill should matter carries through. For other soulslike recommendations, the best soulslike games and games like Dark Souls posts have more.

The short answer

For the closest non-FromSoft experience: Lies of P.

For similar aggressive combat: Sekiro.

For open-world scope: Elden Ring.

For 2D Bloodborne feel: Blasphemous.

For indie gothic horror specifically: Lunacid.

For modern action-adjacent: Black Myth Wukong.

Bloodborne remains unique. Nothing else specifically captures the Victorian gothic horror meets aggressive trick-weapon combat blend. But the pieces of it live in enough games that you can build a reasonable substitute while you wait (hope? pray?) for the PC port that may never come.