The soulslike craze is well and truly upon us. While this year summer gaming events weren't as loaded with soulslike trailers as 2025 or 2024, we still get multiple new releases in the genre every year from both indie and triple-A developers. Yet even with subgenre overload, it's rare for any of these games to hold a candle to what FromSoftware's soulslikes have accomplished, with Lies of P being the one shining exception.

However, there are some underrated soulslikes out there that capably outshine FromSoftware in at least one aspect. These next games aren't the next Elden Ring or threatening FromSoft's rule over the genre, but they each accomplish something that FromSoftware has yet to pull off. That alone is worthy of recognition, and each of these soulslikes is worthy of your playing time if you're itching for a new action RPG.

Silhouette-based art styles were around before Playdead's Limbo, but they weren't nearly as popular. Now, we see this style in most 2D subgenres, and soulslikes are no different. Unworthy is a 2D soulslike, and also a Metroidvania, but the real star of the show is the consistently arresting visuals.

Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as possible.

You might not have noticed it, but FromSoft's soulslikes are look very similar. Sure, it's easy enough to spot the difference between Bloodborne and Sekiro, but the right Elden Ring screenshot could easily be mistaken for Dark Souls 3, and vice versa. Unworthy has no such issue.

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