10 Recent Soulslike Games That Didn't Get Enough Love

For the longest time, video game genres seemed set in stone. But in recent years, lesser-known types of games such as  roguelikes, Metroidvanias, and dungeon-crawlers have become noticeably more popular.

But if any genre has dominated the industry in recent years, it's Soulslikes. Over a decade ago, FromSoftware's action RPGs garnered a reputation for their cryptic storytelling, precise mechanics, and unrealistically ruthless difficulty. Not only did these punishing games popularise a whole new way of playing, elements from Soulslikes can be observed in other established IPs, like The Legend of Zelda and Monster Hunter.

Now, there's no doubt the creators behind Dark Souls and Bloodborne still have a foothold on the genre. With that said, several Soulslikes unaffiliated with FromSoftware have taken the world by storm, including Lies of P and Tunic. 

However, there are plenty of gems that remain buried, despite busting at the seams with innovation. Though fans of the genre are sure to rush out for the next Elden Ring DLC or the upcoming Duskbloods, here are some lesser-known Souls titles released in recent years that deserve a bit more attention.

Soulslikes tend to use a gritty aesthetic, which often gels with the eerie music and ominous atmosphere. Though this combo is usually package and parcel with the genre, it can make a lot of Souls titles feel derivative.

Fortunately, Asterigos: Curse of the Stars ditches the angsty-riddled vibe, and instead utilises Pixar and Ancient Greek-inspired art, making everything on the screen pop.

Acme Gamestudio's hack-and-slash offers a huge diversity in combat, since players can choose from six weapon types, and switch between them on the fly. This simple setup allows for dynamic battle strategies and caters to various playstyles.

The environments are subtly interconnected, spurring players to explore. Each biome feels distinct and cohesive, so it's more engaging while venturing from one place to another.

Now, that's not suggesting this colourful RPG is a masterpiece. It has some unpolished gameplay, excessive dialogue, and the choppy lip-syncing gets grating after a while.

However, Asterigos is still worth checking out, especially for newbies since it's nowhere near as hard as other Souls titles. If you want to get into Souls but found the games too challenging, Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is a great place to start.