3 Toughest Soulslike Bosses in Non-FromSoftware Games

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Soulslikes are usually known for being tough games; even the cutesy Another Crab’s Treasure can be rather grueling. While tites like 2023’s Lords of the Fallen is one notable exception, a lot of this challenge often comes out in the form of boss fights where players are usually asked to topple massive malformed dragons or skilled swordsmen. And even though famed developer FromSoftware is the undisputed ruler of the genre thanks to its history and consistency, it isn’t the only team to put tricky bosses in its games. Most other Soulslikes have brutal boss fights that can either be a wonderful synthesis of a game’s strengths or a frustrating culmination of its flaws that are further magnified by the high difficulty.

Here are three of the toughest Soulslike boss fights from games that weren’t developed by Elden Ring studio FromSoftware.

3) Commander Honglan (Wuchang: Fallen Feathers)

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a solid Soulslike game with intricate levels that encourage exploration and challenging enemies that demand focus. However, certain boss battles reveal some flaws, highlighting the ways in which Wuchang doesn’t quite reach the level of the best games in the genre. Commander Honglan is a prime example of this difference in quality.

The fight starts off seeming normal, but Honglan quickly proves to be a frustrating opponent. She’s extremely aggressive, leaving players with very little time to react, which turns the battle into a cautious, defensive struggle. Her constant speed means even well-timed dodges aren’t always enough, and some weapons are nearly useless against her. This forces players to completely change their builds just to stand a chance.

The game has some challenging fights, but Honglan is particularly frustrating because it suddenly spikes the difficulty, turning a potentially good battle into a drawn-out struggle. Updates have made healing and getting up faster, which has improved things somewhat, but haven’t completely fixed the problem. Ultimately, whether it’s fair or not, Honglan remains a very difficult boss.

2) Toyotomi Ilideyori and Nine-Tailed Fox (Nioh)

Many Soulslike games save their hardest challenges for dedicated players who reach the end of the game, like the difficult Orphan of Kos fight in Bloodborne’s The Old Hunters DLC. Nioh does the same with its final expansion, Bloodshed’s End. In it, a special sub-mission called “Everlasting Duty” throws two bosses – Toyotomi Hideyori and the Nine-Tailed Fox – into a single, incredibly difficult battle.

Okay, so these two bosses are brought in from other parts of the game, and honestly, individually they’re not that hard. But put them together? Forget about it. The Nine-Tailed Fox is huge, and its attacks fill up so much of the screen that it’s hard to see what Toyotomi is doing, let alone dodge! If you try to focus on taking down one of them, the other will just wreck you. It turns into this crazy, almost unfair fight. You basically have to look up some cheap tricks to win. And to make things worse, this side quest is at a really high level, so you can’t just go grind for levels somewhere else to get stronger – you’re stuck dealing with them at full power.

Online, players are finding very precise ways to customize their characters and abilities to get an advantage. Simply charging in with basic equipment won’t work for most. Considering how difficult the first two Nioh games already are, this fight is likely the toughest one in the entire series.

1) Laxasia the Complete (Lies of P)

Lies of P is one of best — if not the best — Soulslikes, full stop. It’s also one of the harder ones but one that doesn’t bend the needle too far. Laxasia the Complete, though, tests that upper limit and is one extremely arduous battle right near the end of the game.

Laxasia starts with a slight advantage: a large shield that reduces incoming damage while she attacks. She excels at punishing aggressive players who don’t time their defenses correctly. Her quick, low attacks, powerful overhead strikes, and slow ground sweeps are all difficult to parry. Add in the chance of electrical shocks after a strong attack, and it becomes challenging to manage everything and parry effectively to stay alive.

The first part of this fight is tough, but the second phase is much harder. Laxasia attacks with lightning from a distance, forcing players to perfectly time their blocks or dodges, especially while also managing the camera during her incredibly fast dives. She mixes in common attacks like swipes and slashes, making her unpredictable and demanding quick reflexes. Unlike many other bosses, she doesn’t stay vulnerable when staggered – instead, she immediately counterattacks, which will likely surprise players. While King of Puppets used to be a greater challenge, the developers quickly adjusted his difficulty. Laxasia, however, remains unchanged, making her the most difficult – and potentially most satisfying – boss in the game.

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2026-05-22 16:12