

Frequent parrying and a vigilant eye on the stamina bar were crucial for survival. Six years ago, these approaches merged with the release of Ska Studios’ Salt and Sanctuary. Meanwhile, the Metrovania genre rewards the careful explorer who can focus on scouting out save points rather than get distracted in stat-building fights. Traditionally, they impart humility by putting you against an impossible boss at the very start.

Following years of power fantasy, Soulslikes introduced a sense of fragility with almost any enemy capable of killing you. Several design philosophies have been massively influential in gaming.

Platform: PC, also on PlayStation 4/PlayStation 5Īvailability: Epic Game Store and PlayStation Store
