While you wait for Silksong, check out this other Metroidvania with stunning 2.5D art and Soulslike elements

While Metroidvania fans wait for Hollowknight: Silksong to finally launch, another captivating side-scroller with action RPG and Soulslike features is in the works - and it's coming out this year.

As showcased earlier today during the Future Games Show at Gamescom Presented by Sid Meier’s Civilization® VII, Mandragora is a dark indie gem blending fast-paced elements of Metroidvania games with the challenges familiar to hardened Soulslike fans. Developed by Primal Game Studio, the team behind the upcoming side-scroller boasts Riot Games veterans and Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines writer Brian Mitsoda himself.

Wishlist Mandragora on Steam now

In Mandragora, players must take on a world lost by mankind to gruesome monsters - and fight to take it back. There are countless creatures and terrifying bosses to slay, difficult moral decisions to make, and various paths to choose from. Thankfully, there are also allies to meet along the way as well as useful skills and powers to equip to ensure victory. From Heretic to Vanguard, Mandragora also offers six unique classes - one to match any style of play.

The customization doesn't end there, either - Mandragora features extensive options in its character creator, including different body types, hair colors and styles, tattoos, and voices to choose between. Players can craft over 350 items, too, from wearable ones to useful consumables - an essential ability considering the formidable foes scattered throughout the Metroidvania's many maps and secret areas. Whether embarking on a main quest or side quest, preparation is key.

For those in search of an even greater challenge after unlocking and upgrading to their hearts' content, there's also always New Game Plus to look forward to - although it's not for the weak. If you want to play Mandragora as soon as it releases this year and face off against some of the side-scrolling genre's most difficult enemies, add the ARPG to your Steam wishlist now for regular developer updates.

If you’re looking for more excellent games from today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.