What the data says about souls like indie games

The data reveals a significant concentration of player engagement within the top echelon of souls-like indie games on Steam. Hollow Knight leads by a substantial margin with 486,850 reviews, followed by Cuphead with 188,490. The top three titles alone account for over 850,000 reviews, indicating that a few games capture a disproportionate amount of player attention within this genre.

Release year appears to have some correlation with review volume, though not exclusively. Titles from 2017, such as Hollow Knight and Cuphead, and the upcoming Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025) and Hades II (2025), demonstrate high review counts. However, games released more recently, like ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights (2021) and Bright Memory: Infinite (2021), also appear in the top 12, suggesting that sustained quality and player interest can extend beyond initial release periods. The positive review percentages are consistently high across the board, with 9 out of the top 12 games holding 94% positive reviews or higher, and Hollow Knight, Dead Cells, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps all achieving 97%.

For players seeking highly-regarded souls-like indie experiences, focusing on titles with a high review count, particularly those above 100,000 reviews, suggests a broad player base and likely a polished experience. The consistently high positive review percentages across these top titles indicate that players generally find these games to be satisfying. However, it is important to note that review counts, while a strong indicator of popularity and player engagement, do not directly measure the depth of a game's mechanics, its narrative impact, or individual player preference for specific subgenres within the souls-like umbrella. A game with fewer reviews might still offer a unique or preferred experience for a specific player.