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Best Soulslike Games That Respect Your Time

Looking for a Soulslike that fits your schedule? Compare Another Crab’s Treasure’s assist options with Nine Sols’ parry-focused 2D combat—and read the time estimates as personal reports, not promises.
Length3 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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If you want a Soulslike that can fit around a busy schedule, start with Another Crab’s Treasure for its official assist options and approachable, colorful style. Choose Nine Sols if what you want is a focused, parry-driven 2D challenge and you are comfortable with a reported playthrough of roughly 20 hours. Neither game comes with a guaranteed completion time, and the available figures are individual reports—not a standardized comparison.

What “respect your time” means in a Soulslike

A shorter reported playthrough is only one part of the decision. A game can take less time overall but still feel demanding if retries involve long backtracking; a longer game can be easier to fit into a routine if its encounters and progression suit shorter sessions. The available sources establish useful differences in duration reports, difficulty flexibility and combat style for these two games, but do not provide consistent checkpoint or failed-attempt data. That means there is not enough evidence here to rank them on retry friction.

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  • Time commitment: Treat a player’s completion estimate as one person’s experience, not a promise or average.
  • Difficulty flexibility: Look for explicit assist options rather than assuming a game’s tone or genre makes it easier.
  • Combat fit: A combat loop that appeals to you can make a session feel rewarding, even when progress is gradual.
  • Retry friction: Checkpoint distance and what progress survives a failed attempt matter, but no comparable details are established for these examples.

Another Crab’s Treasure: the clearest pick for difficulty options

Another Crab’s Treasure is the stronger fit if you want a Soulslike that explicitly offers ways to adjust the experience. Its Steam listing identifies it as a Soulslike and says it is designed for different skill levels and time commitments, with assist options for players who want a less frustrating experience. That is official product copy, not a specific length estimate or a guarantee that every player will find it easy.

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Its presentation is also a contrast with the genre’s often grim settings. GameSpot describes it as a lighter Soulslike that mixes platforming and puzzles with its action. The lighter tone does not remove the challenge: GameSpot also cautions that some bosses can be unexpectedly brutal.

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How long might it take?

One Steam Community reviewer, abhimonk, reported finishing in about 13 hours while exploring roughly half of the optional areas. That is an individual, undated estimate—not an official completion time, an average, or a forecast for your run. Your pace and how much optional content you pursue can change the total substantially.

Best for: Players who want explicit assist options, a less grim tone, and a mix of Soulslike combat, platforming and puzzles.

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Nine Sols: a parry-focused 2D alternative

Nine Sols is the more specific recommendation for players drawn to precise, parry-based combat in a 2D game. PC Gamer characterizes it as Sekiro-esque and reported that writer Harvey Randall’s own playthrough took roughly 20 hours. That figure, published in 2026, is one writer’s experience—not an official estimate or a promise of how long a typical run takes.

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The available sources establish its combat identity and one personal duration report, but do not establish comparable difficulty settings, checkpoint spacing or retry costs. Pick it for the parry-focused style rather than assuming that its reported duration means it will fit a particular session length.

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Best for: Players who specifically want a 2D, parry-centered challenge and are willing to let the combat style—not an assured short runtime—guide their choice.

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Which one should you choose?

Game What the evidence supports Reported time Strongest fit
Another Crab’s Treasure Official Steam listing says it has assist options and is designed for different skill levels and time commitments. GameSpot notes platforming, puzzles, a lighter tone and some unexpectedly brutal bosses. About 13 hours, according to one Steam Community reviewer who finished while exploring roughly half the optional areas; not an average or guarantee. Players who value adjustable challenge and a less grim Soulslike.
Nine Sols PC Gamer describes it as Sekiro-esque and reports a writer’s roughly 20-hour playthrough. Comparable evidence on assist options and retry friction is not stated in the cited sources. Roughly 20 hours, according to PC Gamer writer Harvey Randall’s personal playthrough; not an average or guarantee. Players seeking 2D, parry-focused action.

These are two distinct examples, not a time-based ranking: the reported hours come from different people and sources, and no standardized timing method is established. If flexible challenge is your priority, Another Crab’s Treasure has the clearest documented fit. If parry-focused 2D combat is the draw, Nine Sols is the more targeted option.

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