Grinding is the backbone of any great soulslike game. It’s where you build strength, uncover secrets, and master the art of survival as you get ready to take on the next difficulty spike.
10 Soulslikes With Minimal Grinding
Soulslikes like Sekiro and Hollow Knight place a greater emphasis on skill and optimization than raw stat building.
Whether it’s hunting for powerful gear to achieve ultimate power fantasy, or simply soaking in the atmosphere while leveling up your character, grinding and farming are usually what we do in soulslikes.
Some games keep it simple, others make it strategic, but all of them make grinding feel like an accomplishment. If you’re a fan of that sweet balance between challenge and reward, here are best soulslikes that makegrinding fun and enjoyable.
88. Mortal Shell
Chill grinding with some strategic depth
Mortal Shell
Grinding in Mortal Shell encourages smart resource management with its Tar and Glimpses system, instead of forcing endless farming. That’s why every upgrade feels like a meaningful step forward.
What makes grinding fun is the challenge, though. While it’s a relatively easier soulslike, each encounter in Mortal Shell pushes you to master its combat while working towards that next big power spike.
Plus, hunting down items and uncovering hidden lore adds an extra layer of intrigue.
77. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Reveling in combat
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
This spiritual successor to the Nioh series features a setting inspired by Chinese mythology and offers streamlined combat mechanics. While Team Ninja’s latest soulslike epic draws clear inspiration from their previous titles, it also introduces a refined formula for farming and grinding.
The game compensates for this with an improved combat system that offers greater depth. Grinding inWo Long: Fallen Dynastyis also arguably easier, as players can collect all the pieces of a gear set without having to dedicate a solid amount of time. This is especially beneficial for those looking to explore the game’s combat while leisurely hunting for new gear.
66. Bloodborne
Lovecraftian farming
Bloodborne
Grinding inBloodborneis hauntingly beautiful. Early levels in Yharnam are filled with gothic architecture and eerie streets that make every trip memorable. Slaying Lovecraftian horrors with a variety of trick weapons is always fun.
While Bloodborne doesn’t fully embrace the typical power fantasies found in many other soulslikes, its grinding gameplay remains addictive. This is due to FromSoftware’s exceptional ability to create a horrifying yet rewarding sandbox environment that challenges you to improve by repeatedly defeating its beasts.
That’s why nearly a decade after its initial release, fans are still asking for a Bloodborne remake.
55. Remnant: From the Ashes and Remnant 2
Minimal grinding meets procedural generation
Grinding to become an overpowered scraplord inRemnantgames might not be necessary due to the game’s leveling system. However, this minimal yet enjoyable approach to the grinding formula puts Remnant games in a unique place among other soulslikes.
The procedural generation in Remnant games also enriches the low-stakes grinding and makes every run feel more unique and difficult. For these reasons and more, both games are perfect for those who want a minimal yet strong dose of grinding in soulslike games.
44. Dark Souls Trilogy
Let’s go home
Dark Souls Remastered
More than a decade after its release, grinding in the Dark Souls games is still a blast. Whether you’re farming Souls or hunting for Titanite for your new NG+ run, each little victory still feels oddly rewarding.
On top of that, grinding in theDark Soulstrilogy can be asurprisingly chill experienceas well. Despite their dark and limbo-like world, players have grown to love walking around Anor Londo or taking in the view of Majula.
The strange sense of comfort found in the horrifying atmosphere of these games makes grinding enjoyable. I believe that’s why they serve as a cozy refuge for soulslike fans and keep calling them back.
33. The Surge 2
Become an edgy scraplord
The Surge 2
Grinding inThe Surge 2is fun mainly because of the series' unique limb-targeting system. Strategically dismembering enemies for specific parts adds a whole new layer to farming and makes it more than collecting XP to level up. Moreover, actively hunting for upgrades directly enhances how your exosuit looks as well.
With the sequel’s fast-paced, visceral combat and interconnected level design, The Surge 2 is one of those soulslikes that makes grinding fun up until the end.
22. Elden Ring
Grind the Lands Between
Elden Ring
Elden Ringmakes grinding fun like no other game. Apart from a plethora of reasons why it’s the best soulslike game and the magnum opus of its developer, it also offers a refreshing departure from the classic grinding formula of many other titles.
No matter how diverse the enemies look or how immersive the atmosphere is, grinding tends to feel like a chore. For many soulslike fans, that might not be an issue at all while for others it can be a dealbreaker.
However, in Elden Ring, grinding to collect runes and upgrading gear flows naturally into your exploration of the Lands Between.
The freedom to tackle diverse landscapes and challenges keeps things exciting. There’s something special about the world that feels alive and engaging. That’s how getting stronger and hunting for gear in Elden Ring never feels forced.
11. Nioh 1 and 2
Ultimate soulslike for grinding
TheNiohgames are for those who crave the high-risk, high-reward combat formula of soulslike games. While it’s possible to play the game at a certain pace without dedicating a solid time to farming and grinding, you can always find yourself grinding for the next best gear thanks to the visceral, skill-based combat system.
Since theloot systemis quite diverse and rewarding, it also never loses its luster and makes intense grinding sessions that feel totally worth it. Once you get the hang of the mechanics and start finding powerful gear, the grind becomes more of an adventure than a boring task as well.
10 Best Soulslike Games, Ranked
There are several Soulslike games that recapture the same magic while also introducing some innovative gameplay elements.
