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What to Know Before Buying a PS5 Soulslike Game

There is no universal best first Soulslike on PS5. Match Demon’s Souls, Elden Ring or Black Myth: Wukong to the setting, combat, challenge and PS5 features you value.
Length11 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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There is no universally best first Soulslike on PS5. The right purchase depends on the kind of world, combat, challenge and console presentation you want. Choose Demon’s Souls for a PS5-focused remake with documented 4K, high-frame-rate, loading, haptic and 3D-audio features; choose Black Myth: Wukong for its Chinese-mythology setting and combinations of spells, abilities, weapons and equipment; choose Elden Ring for an atmospheric fantasy adventure built around mystery and challenge.

What “Soulslike” means when you are shopping on PS5

“Soulslike” is a useful shopping shortcut, not a strict technical category. It usually signals demanding action combat, dangerous enemies, meaningful defeat-and-retry loops and character or equipment decisions, but games using the label can differ substantially in structure and feel.

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That matters because the three most relevant choices here do not offer the same proposition. Demon’s Souls is a remake designed as a PS5 showcase. Black Myth: Wukong is an adjacent action RPG whose identity comes from Chinese mythology and Journey to the West, with a flexible combat toolkit. Elden Ring is presented by PlayStation as an atmospheric action/fantasy epic promising mystery and challenge. Calling any one of them “the best” without knowing your preferences hides the decision you actually need to make.

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A public discussion framed the buyer’s question as, “I’m getting a ps5 today and was wondering which souls/soulslike to play first?” The competing answers in that discussion are a useful warning: experienced players can recommend different starting points because they value different things. Use the preference matches below rather than treating an anecdotal consensus as a ranking.

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Quick comparison: which game fits your priorities?

Game Best fit for What the official material establishes What it does not establish
Demon’s Souls Buyers who want a PS5-focused remake and documented console features November 2020 remake; 4K Mode, High Frame Rate Mode, fast loading, haptic feedback and Tempest 3D AudioTech support with compatible headphones No source-backed claim that it is objectively the easiest or hardest option; no current price or retailer availability verified
Black Myth: Wukong Players drawn to Chinese mythology, Journey to the West and combat experimentation Players can combine spells, abilities, weapons and equipment around staff techniques It should not be presented as an unqualified conventional Soulslike; comparative difficulty and a complete world-structure comparison are not established
Elden Ring Players seeking an atmospheric fantasy adventure centered on mystery and challenge PlayStation describes it as an atmospheric action/fantasy epic that offers mystery and challenge No source-backed comparative difficulty ranking or complete like-for-like structural breakdown

The table is a buying filter, not a quality ranking. If two rows appeal to you, decide with the deeper questions below: how you want to explore, what kind of combat decisions you enjoy, how much challenge you welcome and whether PS5-specific presentation is a deciding factor.

Why Demon’s Souls is the clearest PS5 showcase

What you are buying

Demon’s Souls is the PS5 remake released in November 2020. PlayStation’s product information specifically lists a 4K Mode, a High Frame Rate Mode, fast loading, haptic feedback and Tempest 3D AudioTech support when you use compatible headphones. Those are concrete reasons to choose it when the console experience itself is part of your purchase decision.

4K gameplay requires a compatible 4K display. If your television or monitor is not 4K, you should not pay extra or choose the game solely on the assumption that you will see a 4K presentation. The high-frame-rate option is a separate mode listed by PlayStation; check the current in-game or system documentation for the exact mode behavior on your display rather than assuming every mode runs identically.

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What the challenge description tells you

PlayStation’s official FAQ says that conquering the game’s “dark, hostile world” is a challenge but “a highly rewarding one,” highlighting deep combat, memorable enemies and an extraordinary landscape. That is promotional copy from the platform holder, not an independent difficulty test, but it accurately signals that you should expect a game built around learning through difficult encounters.

Do not convert that language into an unsupported ranking. The available material does not prove that Demon’s Souls is easier or harder than Elden Ring or Black Myth: Wukong. Challenge tolerance is personal, and your prior experience with action games will affect how the same encounters feel.

Who should choose it

  • Choose it when PS5-specific features such as haptics, fast loading, high-frame-rate and 3D-audio support matter as much as the underlying combat.
  • Choose it when you want a clearly identified remake rather than an adjacent game that is only sometimes grouped under the Soulslike label.
  • Choose it when you are comfortable with an explicitly challenging experience and are willing to learn enemy patterns instead of expecting a relaxed action game.

Why Black Myth: Wukong belongs in a separate buying category

A mythological setting with a distinct identity

The PlayStation Store describes Black Myth: Wukong as rooted in Chinese mythology and based on Journey to the West. That setting is the first reason to consider it. You are not simply buying another interchangeable dark-fantasy game; you are choosing an action RPG whose appeal includes its specific literary and mythological foundation.

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Combat built around combinations

The store description emphasizes that players can combine spells, abilities, weapons and equipment around staff techniques. That gives you a decision point different from a simple “dodge versus block” preference: you may be most interested in assembling an ability loadout and testing how multiple tools work together.

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Because genre boundaries are debated, describe it accurately as an adjacent action RPG rather than assuming that every buyer will regard it as a conventional Soulslike. If your definition requires a particular progression loop or world structure, verify the current PlayStation Store description and edition details before purchase; the material available here does not establish a complete, like-for-like comparison with the other games.

Who should choose it

  • Choose it when Chinese mythology and Journey to the West are major attractions.
  • Choose it when experimenting with spells, abilities, weapons and equipment sounds more appealing than committing to one narrow combat pattern.
  • Do not choose it solely because a list labels it “the easiest Soulslike.” No reliable comparative difficulty ranking is established here.

Why Elden Ring suits mystery-driven exploration

The official positioning

PlayStation’s PS5 owners’ guide describes Elden Ring as “an atmospheric action/fantasy epic that will provide ample mystery and challenge to all brave enough to dive in.” That wording identifies its core promise: a large-feeling fantasy adventure where discovery and uncertainty are part of the appeal, alongside demanding action.

Do not buy on an invented difficulty scale

The available source does not establish a comparative difficulty ranking for Elden Ring. Forum anecdotes can conflict because players approach its encounters, exploration and character choices differently. Treat “hard,” “accessible” or “best beginner choice” as personal judgments unless a source provides a defined test and conditions.

Who should choose it

  • Choose it when an atmospheric fantasy setting and the promise of mystery are your strongest reasons to play.
  • Choose it when you want challenge to be part of a broad adventure rather than selecting a game primarily for a PS5 technology showcase.
  • Choose it when you are comfortable learning systems through exploration and do not need a universal difficulty verdict before buying.

Compare the four buying questions that actually decide the purchase

1. What kind of world do you want to explore?

World structure is one of the most important differences among action RPGs, but the official material reviewed here does not fully document every candidate’s progression model. Do not assume that a store tag or a fan classification proves that a game is linear, area-based or broadly open. Instead, decide what matters to you first:

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  • Guided progression: You prefer a clearer sequence of areas and encounters, with less uncertainty about where to go next.
  • Discovery-led progression: You want mystery, optional routes and the feeling that exploration itself reveals the next objective.
  • Setting-first exploration: You will follow a game because its world premise—such as Journey to the West—is compelling even before you know its exact structure.

Elden Ring is the clearest match for a buyer whose priority is the official promise of atmosphere and mystery. Black Myth: Wukong is the setting-first choice. Demon’s Souls should be selected primarily for its remake identity, challenge and PS5 presentation rather than an assumed world-structure comparison that the available material does not verify.

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2. What combat decisions sound satisfying?

Ask whether you want the satisfaction of reading enemy attacks and managing direct encounters, or whether you are most excited by assembling a varied toolkit. The available product description gives Black Myth: Wukong the clearest evidence for the latter: spells, abilities, weapons and equipment can be combined around staff techniques.

For Demon’s Souls and Elden Ring, the supplied official descriptions establish challenging action combat and mystery, but they do not provide a complete feature-by-feature combat matrix. Avoid choosing based on an imagined ranking of parries, dodges, builds or weapon counts that has not been verified for the exact PS5 edition.

3. How much challenge are you prepared to accept?

Challenge is a purchase requirement, not a badge. Decide whether you enjoy repeating an encounter to learn its timing, whether you can tolerate losing progress during experimentation and whether you want the game to demand sustained concentration.

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PlayStation explicitly markets Demon’s Souls as challenging and rewarding, and describes Elden Ring as offering mystery and challenge. Those statements are not a numerical scale. The available evidence does not justify declaring any of the three easy, hardest or ideal for every newcomer.

4. How important are PS5-specific features?

If your priority is demonstrating what the console can do, Demon’s Souls has the strongest documented case in this comparison: 4K Mode, High Frame Rate Mode, fast loading, haptic feedback and Tempest 3D AudioTech with compatible headphones. The 4K mode requires a compatible 4K display.

If those features are nice-to-have rather than decisive, let setting and combat preferences lead. A technically attractive mode cannot compensate for buying a world or combat system you do not enjoy.

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PS5 purchase checklist before you pay

  1. Confirm the exact game and edition. Make sure the listing is the PS5 version or a package that explicitly includes PS5 access. Do not rely on a generic “Soulslike” search result.
  2. Check the format. Decide between the physical and digital listing you actually intend to use. Disc requirements, storage and account access differ by format.
  3. Read the current product page. Store descriptions, editions, included content, prices and availability can change. Verify them on the day you buy.
  4. Match the display to the feature. For Demon’s Souls 4K gameplay, you need a compatible 4K display. For Tempest 3D AudioTech, you need compatible headphones.
  5. Check your audio setup. If immersive audio is a deciding factor, confirm that your headphones work with the PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech support rather than assuming every headset delivers the same result.
  6. Set a challenge expectation. Buy a demanding game because you enjoy learning and retrying, not because an unsupported chart calls it easy.
  7. Review current price and stock. No current retailer price, inventory status or subscription-catalog inclusion was verified for this guide, so treat any older listing or deal as potentially stale.

How to choose when two games still appeal

Choose Demon’s Souls over Elden Ring when…

Your deciding factor is the PS5 remake presentation: documented graphics modes, fast loading, haptics and compatible-headphone 3D audio. You also want the official challenge-focused identity of Demon’s Souls, and you are not buying on the assumption that either game has a universally measured difficulty advantage.

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Choose Elden Ring over Demon’s Souls when…

The phrase “atmospheric action/fantasy epic” and the promise of mystery speak to you more than a console-feature checklist. You are willing to accept challenge as part of that adventure and do not need a PS5-exclusive showcase to justify the purchase.

Choose Black Myth: Wukong over either when…

The Chinese-mythology and Journey to the West foundation is the strongest hook, and you want to combine spells, abilities, weapons and equipment around staff techniques. Its adjacent action-RPG identity is a feature to understand, not a reason to force it into a stricter Soulslike definition.

Buy none yet when…

You cannot identify whether your priority is setting, combat experimentation, challenge or PS5 presentation. Wait until the current store page confirms the edition, format, price and availability you need. A short delay is cheaper than buying a game whose defining feature does not match your expectations.

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What sales estimates can—and cannot—tell you

A market chart can show that a game has reached a large PlayStation audience, but it cannot determine which title is right for your first purchase. Video Game Insights’ October 2025 report lists estimated PlayStation units sold for games released after January 1, 2015. The figures are estimates based on VGI data, not official publisher disclosures, and the report uses a broad “Souls-like” chart label; that label does not mean every listed game is universally classified as a Soulslike.

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Game Estimated PlayStation units sold Report qualification
God of War 48.3 million Video Game Insights estimate, October 2025
Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut 34.3 million Video Game Insights estimate, October 2025
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla 25.6 million Video Game Insights estimate, October 2025
Monster Hunter: World 19.2 million Video Game Insights estimate, October 2025
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 19.0 million Video Game Insights estimate, October 2025
Elden Ring 16.3 million Video Game Insights estimate, October 2025
Dark Souls III 10.4 million Video Game Insights estimate, October 2025
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice 8.1 million Video Game Insights estimate, October 2025
Bloodborne 7.7 million Video Game Insights estimate, October 2025
Demon’s Souls 7.7 million Video Game Insights estimate, October 2025

Use these numbers as broad market context only. They do not measure quality, newcomer suitability, current activity, technical performance or whether a title fits your definition of Soulslike. No comparable estimate for Black Myth: Wukong is established in the supplied report.

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Common buying mistakes and how to avoid them

Mistake: treating a genre label as a guarantee

Labels compress different experiences into one word. The safest approach is to read the game’s own current description and identify the specific features you want. Black Myth: Wukong demonstrates why this matters: it is worth considering for its own mythology and combat combinations, while its status as a conventional Soulslike remains debatable.

Mistake: assuming challenge rankings are objective

Neither the official descriptions nor the available evidence establish a universal difficulty order. Buy based on your tolerance for demanding encounters and retries. If you are uncertain, look for a return policy or a way to sample the game legally before committing, where available.

Mistake: paying for a feature your setup cannot show

A 4K mode is useful only with a compatible 4K display, and Tempest 3D AudioTech support matters only if you use compatible headphones. Check your hardware first, then decide whether Demon’s Souls’ documented presentation advantages justify choosing it.

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Mistake: using old prices or listings

Prices, editions, stock and subscription catalogs change. The available information does not verify current street prices, retailer inventory or program participation. Recheck the exact listing immediately before purchase.

Bottom-line decision

Start with Demon’s Souls if you want the most clearly documented PS5 showcase and are ready for an explicitly challenging remake. Start with Black Myth: Wukong if Chinese mythology and flexible staff-centered combat combinations are your priority, while treating its genre label cautiously. Start with Elden Ring if an atmospheric fantasy epic built around mystery and challenge is the experience you want. None is a universal first choice; the best purchase is the one whose defining feature matches your reason for turning on the PS5.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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