When Indies Decided You Deserve to Suffer (And You Thank Them For It)
Look, we all know FromSoftware basically wrote the bible on interactive suffering. But if there's one thing the indie scene has proven over the past few years, it's that you don't need Bandai Namco's budget to make you question your life choices while dying to the same boss for the 47th time.
According to PC Gamer, the indie soulslike market has grown over 300% since 2020, and it's no accident. These devs took the sacred formula—punishing combat, labyrinthine level design, that atmosphere that makes you sleep with the lights on—and put their own twisted fingerprints all over it.
What Separates the Casuals from the Real Chosen Undead?
Before we dive into this list of pixel-perfect nightmares, let's align on what makes a proper soulslike: stamina-based combat that punishes button mashing, interconnected level design that makes you go "wait, I'm back HERE again?", death systems with real stakes (no checkpoints every 5 meters), and that environmental storytelling you only understand after watching 3 hours of lore videos on YouTube.
1. Blasphemous II
Spain's The Game Kitchen came back to prove that Catholic iconography + gothic pixel art = premium nightmare fuel. If the first game was already disturbing, this one cranked up the body horror and religious symbolism to levels that would make even Hieronymus Bosch uncomfortable.
The combat is more refined, the bosses are genuine works of macabre art, and the atmosphere? Dude, you'll FEEL the weight of guilt and penitence in every frame. This is 2D soulslike at its most blasphemous peak.
2. Lies of P
Pinocchio has never been this emo. Seriously, who knew a dark reimagining of the wooden puppet would deliver one of the most polished soulslikes outside From's catalog? Neowiz took Belle Époque aesthetics, threw biomechanical horror on top, and said "hold this, Miyazaki."
The city of Krat is genuinely unsettling—the kind of place where you KNOW something went horribly wrong. And the lying system that affects the ending? Chef's kiss. According to IGN, it was one of the best-received soulslikes of 2023, and for good reason.
3. Hollow Knight
Yeah, technically it's a metroidvania, but anyone who got their ass handed to them by Radiance knows this game has more souls DNA than most "soulslikes" out there. Team Cherry created Hallownest, an underground kingdom so atmospheric and melancholic you'll want to explore every corner even knowing you're gonna die ugly.
Christopher Larkin's soundtrack will make you cry (literally, that City of Tears theme hits different), the level design is absurdly interconnected, and the bosses... my friend, prepare your ego because you're about to get humbled. It's indie, it's brutal, it's beautiful, it's perfect.
4. Death's Gambit: Afterlife
White Rabbit took the original game and said "no wait, we can do SO much better." And they did. Afterlife is basically a love letter to the genre, with mounted combat (yes, you read that right), non-linear level design, and a narrative about death and immortality that'll make you think.
The grim atmosphere and giant bosses give off serious Shadow of the Colossus meets Dark Souls vibes, and it works incredibly well. Slept on? Massively. Deserves attention? Absolutely.
5. Mortal Shell
Cold Symmetry came in hot with this 3D soulslike that lets you possess fallen warriors. The "shell" system adds an interesting tactical layer—each body has unique abilities, and you need to learn when to swap skins (literally).
Visually, the game is GORGEOUS in a disturbing way. That dark fantasy aesthetic with Lovecraftian touches that makes you stop just to appreciate how screwed up that world is. And the best part: it's short and sweet, no BS—about 15-20 hours to platinum if you're good (spoiler: you're not).
6. Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights
Binary Haze Interactive delivered something special here. Imagine a 2D soulslike with corrupted fairy tale aesthetics, where you summon dead knights to fight alongside you. It's like if Bloodborne and Hollow Knight had a gothic, melancholic baby.
The premise—a kingdom destroyed by rain that turns people into monsters—is already dark as hell, but the execution is what impresses. The soundtrack is haunting (in a good way), the bosses are tragic and epic, and the atmosphere of desolation is constant. Prepare your emotions.
7. Thymesia
OverBorder Studio said "what if we made Bloodborne but indie and with a plague doctor?" and the result is Thymesia. The combat is FAST, aggressive, and rewards those with reflexes—no turtling behind shields here, partner.
The plague weapon system lets you steal enemy abilities, creating a dynamic and experimental combat loop. The plague doctor aesthetic in grim, decaying environments is *chef's kiss*. It's short (about 10-12 hours), but intense from start to finish.
Why These Indies Matter (Besides Making You Rage Quit)
These games prove the soulslike formula isn't anyone's exclusive property. Each dev brought their unique vision—whether in gothic pixel art, biomechanical horror, or dark fantasy—and showed you can innovate within the genre without losing its essence.
And let's be real: there's something cathartic about overcoming an impossible boss in a game made by a small team that poured their soul (and trauma) into the project. You're not just playing, you're supporting a creative scene that's pushing the boundaries of what soulslikes can be.
Whether you're a veteran who's already beaten Demon's Souls blindfolded or a curious newcomer wanting to understand why people enjoy suffering, these indies deliver memorable, challenging, and above all, atmospheric as hell experiences.
What's your favorite indie soulslike? Any hidden gems we missed? Drop them in the comments—we love discovering new games to die repeatedly in.
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