Over the past decade, Soulslike games have evolved significantly in many areas. Fromenriching combat systemswith more depth and flexibility to exploring new ways of delivering engaging narratives indirectly, and finding simple yet effective methods to make them more exciting by expanding the enemy andboss varietyas well as the range of weapons available to players, the genre has come a long way.
Itemization has always played a huge role in the genre’s popularity. Fans have come to expect every new game to offer awide array of weaponcategories, with enough combat tools to suit every taste and plenty of room for experimentation and rankings. Below are some of the standout Soulslikes that offer the best range of unique weapon types to date, including swords, hammers, axes, spears, bows, and many more.
TheNiohseries is consistently labeled as one of the best in the genre, withNioh 2being an evolution of everything the original offered. This includes a variety of weapon types, with 14 different categories to choose from.Nioh 2features rare types like Switchglaives, Tonfas, Odachis, Kusarigamas, and Splitstaves, rarely seen elsewhere. With dozens of unique weapons in every category, players always have plenty of choices togrow more powerfulwith every hour spent in the game.
Additionally,Nioh 2’s weapons have skills that improve the more players use them, with each weapon featuring a “Familiarity” meter based on how long players use it. This allows for a very personal approach and player attachment to the weapons they choose to wield.
One of the newest additions to the genre,Lords of the Fallen, is a great modern Soulslike with plenty of unique features. These include the throwables system, two parallel worlds to explore, and Vestige seeds (think of bonfires) that allow players to place their own checkpoints. Even more impressive is the game’s rich weapon roster, divided into 16 different types.
From spears and flails to fists and grand hammers,Lords of the Fallenoffers familiar weapon categories but compensates with intricate designs andhighly detailed weapon models. The title’s implementation of ammunition especially deserves recognition and serves as a convenient system that other upcoming games might want to learn from.
Tied with the previous game in terms of total weapon types,Wo Long: Fallen Dynastyis the latest Soulslike byTeam Ninja, the developers behind theNiohseries. In some aspects, such as the variety of weapon types,Wo Longis a step up from the studio’s previous titles. It includesexotic weapon categorieslike Curved Sabres, Dual Halberds, Slashing Spears, and Repeating Crossbows.
Notably,Wo Long: Fallen Dynastyfeatures a magic-infused,fast-paced combatsystem built around melee and ranged weapons, offering little opportunity to play as a true mage. Nevertheless, players can combine the game’s special abilities with different weapon types to unleash spectacular and powerful combos on their foes.
The game that started the entire genre, the originalDemon’s Souls, continues to impress almost 15 years after its launch, featuring 18 different weapon categories to experiment with. This variety was likely a key factor in the game’s success, attracting millions of players and inspiring dozens of successors. Such extensive variety is still somewhat rare in the genre even today.
The combat possibilities of the original game were faithfully recreated in the modern remake byBluepoint Games, currently available exclusively on PS5. Withvarious weapon typesranging from daggers and swords to hammers, axes, and polearms, players will have no trouble finding their weapon of choice.
TheDark Soulsgames remain some of the most impressive Soulslikes ever made, with the entire genre building on the series' name. They offerspectacular weapon varietyto players. From entry to entry, the available weapon types differ slightly, with 22 total weapon categories in the original, 24 inDark Souls 3(including the addition of Reapers and Chimes), and 25 inDark Souls 2(though Twinblades were scrapped for the third entry only to return inElden Ring).
With such high combat possibilities and build variety, it’s no wonder theDark Soulstrilogy stands as one of the most iconic RPGs of the past decade. Occupying the second top spot on this list, these titles still feature notably fewer (almost half as many) weapon types compared toElden Ring, which underscores just how colossal the latter is.
Elden Ringis a gigantic game that almost certainly won’t be surpassed for quite some time.FromSoftwarethemselves have stated that the project was “really the limit” for the studio. Alongside the expansion,Shadow of the Erdtree, todayElden Ringfeatures over 400 weapons spread across 40 different categories, offering players unparalleled freedom of choice, withexotic typeslike Thrusting Shields and Backhand Blades. While some categories are limited, with only a few armaments, these figures are still lightyears ahead of what other similar games offer.
While evenFromSoftwarewon’t be able to produce something of this scale in the near future, the developers' incredible effort was undoubtedly worth it, given how popular and widely acclaimedElden Ringhas become.
