Not every Soulslike that stumbles out of the gate deserves to be forgotten. While some of these games earned lukewarm or even harsh reviews at launch, what’s surprising is how many of them actually have strong mechanical foundations hiding underneath clunky design choices, bad marketing, or just an unforgiving release window.
Whether they were dismissed for technical hiccups or unfairly compared to FromSoftware’s titans, these games deserve a second look from players who care more about dodging well-timed swings than Metacritic numbers. Below are the most underrated Soulslikes with great gameplay, ranked not by review scores, but by how much they still slap in combat boots.
Chronos: Before the Ashes
The Soulslike That Ages You, Literally
- Metacritic Score: 68
- Developer: Gunfire Games
- Release Date: December 1, 2020
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Stadia
On paper, Chronos: Before the Ashes seems like it’s doing too much with too little. But dig in, and there’s a unique mechanic at its core that makes it one of the most memorable entries on this list. Every time the player dies, their character ages — not metaphorically, but literally. Youth favors agility and strength-based weapons, but as the years creep in, the game starts to reward arcane builds and magic-focused strategies instead. It’s progression by way of time, and it’s surprisingly effective.
Originally released as a VR game, Chronos had to make a few compromises in its transition to flat-screen, which is probably why it scored a modest 68 on Metacritic. But its fixed camera angles and puzzle-heavy design still bring a strong Resident Evil 4-meets-Dark Souls vibe, and the world design is quietly some of the most imaginative Gunfire Games has ever produced outside of Remnant.
Hellpoint
Cosmic Horror Meets The Souls Formula
Despite its 64 Metascore, Hellpoint is one of the few Soulslikes that fully commits to cosmic horror, and it actually pulls it off with an unnerving sense of atmosphere. Set aboard the derelict Irid Novo space station, the game blends bleak sci-fi and dark fantasy in a way that evokes Event Horizon as much as it does Bloodborne. The combat is weighty and unpolished, yes, but there’s real depth once players get into the timing of dodges and the experimental builds hidden behind strange, modular weapons.
One of the strangest and most unique features in Hellpoint is its real-time clock, which governs enemy placements, world events, and hidden bosses. There’s even a full day-night cycle on the station, except it’s more of a “sun blinks through a black hole” situation. Pair that with couch co-op and a gear system that rewards exploration over grinding, and it becomes clearer why it’s still getting patches years later.
Morbid: The Seven Acolytes
When Bloodborne Goes Isometric
- Metacritic Score: 71
- Developer: Still Running
- Release Date: December 3, 2020
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One
The thing that jumps out most in Morbid: The Seven Acolytes is how sickly everything looks. Everything is dying or already dead. Its Lovecraftian world leans so hard into rot and body horror that even the shopkeepers look like they’re one bad sneeze away from spontaneous combustion. But underneath all that bile-soaked art is a surprisingly snappy action RPG with a deep stamina-based combat system.
Despite being a 2D isometric game, Morbid doesn’t feel like it’s playing dress-up with Souls mechanics. Parries, dodges, and executions are all meaningful, and the insanity system punishes reckless aggression in a way that adds tension. Its Metascore of 71 might scare off players expecting polish, but for those willing to chew through its grotesque charm, there’s a tight little Soulslike hiding in there, held together with bone needles and spite.
Thymesia
No Time For Defense, Only Pain
Blink and it’s over. That’s how fast Thymesia expects players to react. This Soulslike leans all the way into speed and aggression, stripping away shields and turning parries into mandatory reflex checks. The protagonist, Corvus, uses a combination of saber strikes and stolen Plague Weapons to overwhelm enemies in what feels like a fever-dream version of Sekiro. And once the claw comes out, it’s personal.
What makes Thymesia shine, despite its 69 Metascore, is how surgical the combat feels. It’s not really balanced, but when the systems click, every encounter becomes a showcase of muscle memory and timing. There’s barely any armor. The healing options are stingy. But the dopamine hit from executing a perfect deflect-parry-dash combo? That lands. And while the environments may feel sparse, the lore nuggets tucked into journals and level design point to a world that’s rotting from ambition as much as plague.
Necropolis
A Hot Mess With Great Bones
Few Soulslikes get as much flak as Necropolis, and with a 59 Metascore, it’s easy to see why. Its launch version was missing a ton of features, had frustratingly vague progression, and leaned too hard on randomness. But underneath all that mess is a roguelike dungeon crawler with some of the most satisfying animation-locked combat in the subgenre. Every swing counts. Every dodge costs. And death resets everything but what’s been learned.
There’s also a wicked sense of humor buried in its lore and item descriptions. The Brazen Head, the narrator of the entire game, mocks the player constantly, sometimes even breaking the fourth wall. Combined with minimalist visuals that feel like concept art in motion, Necropolis is something of an acquired taste. But for those who enjoy roguelike tension and Soulslike precision, it’s worth revisiting, especially after its updates added classes, crafting, and better co-op support.
Salt and Sacrifice
Might Not Be A Better Sequel, But It’s A Better Hunt
Salt and Sacrifice didn’t have the smoothest landing after the cult hit Salt and Sanctuary, and its 72 Metascore shows that. But once players get past the decision to use randomized Mage hunts instead of traditional progression, it’s hard not to get hooked on the combat loop. The pace is faster than its predecessor, with snappier movement and more weapon options that encourage experimentation instead of punishing it.
The Mage hunts are the real meat of the game. These aren’t just boss fights, they’re entire chase sequences across sprawling levels, filled with ambushes, traps, and flailing magic. There’s a strong Monster Hunter energy to the whole thing, but layered over a Soulslike skeleton. It doesn’t always work, but when it does, it’s exhilarating in a way few 2D action RPGs manage to be.
Lords of the Fallen (2014)
The Game That Walked So Everyone Else Could Sprint Past It
Long before the reboot tried to salvage its reputation, Lords of the Fallen was swinging for the Soulslike fences in 2014. It got slammed for clunky animations, janky hitboxes, and a world that felt more corridor than kingdom. But it also had a heavy, methodical combat system that punished panic rolling and rewarded smart timing. Shields mattered. Stamina mattered. And bosses hit like trucks with anger issues.
What really made Lords of the Fallen interesting was its rune and stat system. It let players tailor weapons in meaningful ways without falling into stat-bloat hell. And while its story about redemption, gods, and Rhogar demons was borderline incoherent, it was still ambitious in scope, with a full New Game Plus and alternate realms that changed how encounters played out. Not bad for a game that launched when people still called everything a “Dark Souls clone.”
