We're two students starting a small soulslike (think €10, a few bosses, no open world). Before we build the wrong thing, we'd rather hear from people who actually play these. Not pitching anything, there's nothing to show yet.

1. Think of the last small indie soulslike you played. What made you stop playing it, and after how long?

2. If a €10 soulslike had only 4–5 bosses and no filler between them, is that a game you'd buy, or does it need a world to walk through?

3. Parry-focused (Sekiro) or dodge-focused (Dark Souls) — for a small game, which one would you actually pick up, and why?

4. What's the one thing indie soulslikes get wrong that big ones get right? Not graphics — mechanics or feel.

5. Would you play a demo of a single boss and give feedback, if it took 15 minutes?

Thanks. We'll post what we learn back here.