Young Souls [Nintendo Switch] | REVIEW

Ah, Young Souls, the Stadia exclusive that I always wanted to play but missed out on because I just don’t like the inconsistencies involved with streaming. Well, that exclusivity period has come to an end now, with the game finally making its way to PC and consoles, bringing with it plenty of excellent 2D beat ‘em up action that blends together elements of dungeon crawling and RPG progression as well as a surprisingly deep story involving a war against underground goblins. What more could you want?

Check out a gallery of screenshots down below:

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Young Souls tells the story of Tristan and Jenn, a pair of orphaned twins who find themselves living with an enigmatic Professor who’s working on all sorts of kooky experiments. Of course, things go wrong for the duo when the Professor ends up kidnapped and his lab wrecked, so they venture through it to try and rescue him. What follows is an adventure that takes place deep underground in a land where goblins roam, and unfortunately for Tristan and Jenn, they’re not friendly; in fact, they want to take over the world and it’s up to the twins to stop them.

Whilst the main story feels like your typical ‘save the world from nasty baddies’ sort of affair (and in many ways it is), there’s so much more to Young Souls that builds directly on Tristan and Jenn’s personalities, the relationship they share with the Professor, and the repercussions of their actions during their rescue mission. They’re a genuinely likable pair and it’s intriguing to learn more about them, whilst the truth behind the Professor’s discoveries and his significance to the goblins remains pivotal too. It’s really good stuff and kept me invested in the tale from start to end.

“Whilst the main story feels like your typical ‘save the world from nasty baddies’ sort of affair (and in many ways it is), there’s so much more to Young Souls that builds directly on Tristan and Jenn’s personalities, the relationship they share with the Professor, and the repercussions of their actions during their rescue mission.”

Whilst the story is enjoyable, it’s in the gameplay that Young Souls really shines. The core action feels much like a 2D beat ‘em up, with players venturing through a variety of environments as they mash attacks on enemies and beat up trickier bosses. Pretty familiar for the genre, right? Well, the game also includes RPG elements, with players able to level up, change up their gear, and find loot on their adventure. The gear you use offer plenty of differences too, with some weapons stronger or faster than others, and some armours bringing with them special defensive properties. Whilst it’s easy to go for equipment that has the best stats, these varying bonuses can often make a bigger difference as to whether or not you’ll survive in a level.

Players can also switch between both twins on the fly when playing, so it’s beneficial to actually give them varied loadouts. You could have Tristan equipped with a pair of daggers and equipment that makes him faster to get those quick attacks in, for example, whilst Jenn could go for a heavier and stronger sword that deals extra damage at the expense of mobility. The different enemies you face off against are often easier to take down if you vary up your strategy, so smart preparation with both characters can be a game-changer. Of course, swapping between them can also get you out of sticky situations if either of their health runs low, but there are more strategic ways to embrace both characters if you’re clever about it.

You can also play Young Souls in local co-op and have the best of both worlds if you prefer. I highly recommend it too, with the all-out action of the game really lending itself well to multiplayer – there’s something about beating up goblins in 2D beat ‘em up action with an ally that wasn’t only satisfying but also surprisingly nostalgic… it’s just a shame there’s no online play.

“Beat ‘em ups can often feel like button-mashing affairs with not too much to think about from the player, but Young Souls really embraces its RPG-like elements and adds more strategy to the action.”

As mentioned, there’s also a dungeon-crawling element to Young Souls, with certain areas optional to explore or even locked away by keys that you can find throughout the game. Each area has a recommended level that gives players an idea as to whether they’re ready to approach it or not too, making it easier to figure out when it’s time to progress through the story or maybe do a bit of grinding on the side. With plenty of loot to discover and experience points to be earned beating up baddies though, it’s easy to improve your capabilities.

One thing I really liked about Young Souls was how enjoyable its combat mechanics were. Beat ‘em ups can often feel like button-mashing affairs with not too much to think about from the player, but Young Souls really embraces its RPG elements and adds more strategy to the action. Besides the varied weaponry feeling different to use, being able to hit a bunch of different combos, and the special attacks you can unleash when you’ve built up your power, there’s also plenty of room for defensive manoeuvres with players able to dodge out of the way, block attacks, or even parry them if they time their block carefully. It ensures that the action never feels formulaic and that there’s plenty of room for strategy, meaning players can overcome deadly odds if they fight with flair and finesse. Plus, it just so happens to be a lot of fun, which is what is most important really.

Young Souls is just packed to the brim with personality, with plenty to see and do even when out of combat situations. The twins are able to explore their home town, purchase new gear, or complete gym-based mini-games to boost their stats for example, whilst there’s a blacksmith to visit down with the goblins that can provide some assistance too. Hey, not all goblins are evil alright; in fact, you might even learn to sympathise with them a bit as you progress through the game. The level design is on point too, with a good mixture of enemy showdowns, traps, and loot ensuring that traversing them never gets tiresome. It’ll only take around nine to ten hours to beat Young Souls, but it never feels like it runs out of ideas in that time… it just feels good to play.

“It’s cliché to say it, but it really feels like a Saturday Morning cartoon in many aspects of its design, but I mean that in the best way possible; it is a really wonderful looking game with plenty of creative sights to ogle over throughout.”

Everything looks great on the Nintendo Switch too, with the game’s blend of striking 2D sprites and 3D-style environments proving eye-catching from start to end. It’s cliché to say it, but it really feels like a Saturday Morning cartoon in many aspects of its design, but I mean that in the best way possible; it is a really wonderful looking game with plenty of creative sights to ogle over throughout, especially in the cutscenes that bring a bit more cinematic pizazz to proceedings. The only downside? It runs at 30fps on the Nintendo Switch and can even drop below that on occasions. There’s nothing game-breaking that’ll ruin the experience at all, but it certainly doesn’t look or feel as smooth as it does on other platforms.

Developer: 1P2P
Publisher: The Arcade Crew
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch (Reviewed), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Website: https://www.youngsouls-game.com/