A non‑FromSoftware soulslike demo finally won me over

I'm a FromSoftware fiend who usually skips other soulslikes. I can enjoy more removed takes like Lunacid or Mina the Hollower, but games like Lies of P or Nioh sit in an uncanny valley for me. Prison of Husks' demo on Steam, though, managed to change my mind. It invites comparison with its camera, controls and overall vibe, but it’s different enough to stand on its own. I loved its committed PS1 aesthetic—forced 4:3 aspect ratio, 640×480 default and chunky console menus—feelingly retro rather than trend-driven. It mixes Demon's Souls–style level design with Sekiro-esque combat and some unique flourishes. I kept perfect-blocking a miniboss until I finally buried it. It’s not perfect—parry windows sometimes felt tight and it lacks Sekiro’s clear stagger feedback—but the combat is more satisfying than most lesser Sekiro imitators. The atmosphere nails that grey, towering gothic feel I associate with Demon's Souls (and, to a lesser extent, Dark Souls 1).