Soulstice [PlayStation 5] | REVIEW

I really, REALLY like Soulstice. I can’t say that it doesn’t have its issues, but the frantic old-school hack-and-slash action ticked so many boxes for me that I was hooked in from the moment I started playing. It keeps things simple but exciting and delivers exactly what you’d expect from the genre: plenty of baddies to kill and a ton of satisfying ways to do so.

Check out some screenshots down below:

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The Holy Kingdom of Keidas finds itself under attack from demonic creatures known as Wraiths, so it’s up to two sisters, Briar and Lute, to take them down. Fortunately, these siblings aren’t normal humans, but rather Chimeras – powerful warriors that have a special bond that allows them to unite in combat. Sometimes, power isn’t enough though, and with the odds firmly stacked against the pair, the battle to protect humanity will be a tough one full of twists-and-turns.

If I’m being completely honest, there’s nothing about the narrative of Soulstice that particularly blew me away. We’ve seen the whole ‘good versus evil’ battle plenty of times already, whilst some of the twists that occurred along the way could feel a little predictable. Fortunately, Briar and Lute themselves bring plenty of intrigue, with the relationship between the sisters and their reliance on one another standing out as one of the most important aspects of the game. I found myself invested in their plight and the struggles they share together, whilst I wanted to learn more about their history and what made them so close. The overarching narrative of the game might not blow you away, but the protagonists make it easy to invest yourself in the journey.

The core gameplay loop feels like just about every other hack-and-slasher you might have played, with players controlling Briar as she unleashes all sorts of vicious combos and special attacks to deal endless hurt to her opponents. Players can switch between weapons of varying capabilities on the fly (I LOVED using the hammer to dish out some heavy hits), whilst it’s also possible to counter incoming attacks from enemies or dodge out of the way. It’s simple stuff that fans of the genre will feel familiar with immediately, but it never stops feeling satisfying to dice enemies up.

“Soulstice is just one of those games that makes the player feel REALLY powerful and I’m ALL for it.”

It helps that there are a few other aspects to combat that make it feel more strategic, such as Lute’s influence and abilities. Whilst she primarily acts on the defensive, she can also halt enemies in their path or deflect attacks, whilst her Evocation and Banishment fields are vital to taking out specific enemy types. I’m not typically a big fan of this sort of thing in gaming, especially since it can halt the flow of the action, but it adds a strategic edge to each showdown here where you’ll have to carefully work in liaison with Lute and prioritise the enemies you take out with each combo of attacks. It takes some getting used to, but when you get in the swing of things it becomes second nature.

You’re also able to upgrade both Briar and Lute as you progress to unlock new skills and abilities, ensuring combat remains fresh and intuitive as you pile hours into the game. Whilst there’s a natural difficulty curve that comes with progress, you’ll never feel overwhelmed; in fact, some of the abilities feel exceptionally effective and can make it much easier to take out later foes. Whilst there isn’t a whole lot of flexibility to adapt to different fighting styles in the upgrades, you’ll certainly feel like a powerhouse with the duo’s repertoire of attacking manoeuvres by the time you reach the latter stages of the adventure.

Want to know the coolest function of combat? Briar and Lute’s Unity, which fills up as you flow together combos and avoid enemy attacks. When full, players can unleash an array of powerful abilities that utilise both sisters’ strengths, with different attacks or buffs applied to make it even easier to take down foes. It can be a real game-changer in some of the game’s tricker encounters, especially since it isn’t afraid to overwhelm the player with a high enemy count, whilst it also just feels good to perform these mighty attacks. Soulstice is just one of those games that makes the player feel REALLY powerful and I’m ALL for it.

Oh, and the boss battles are excellent too, with the spectacular affairs showing off the best of the game’s combat and visual presentation.

Check out some screenshots down below:

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It’s clear then that I got a LOT of love for Soulstice, with the old-school combat some of the best I’ve experienced for some time. However, it does have some issues – most notably with the camera. Players don’t have full control of the camera through Soulstice and it make it feel rough to keep track of what’s going on in combat, especially when swiftly trying to stack together combos or keep an eye on incoming attacks. There were plenty of occasions where I was hit by an attack I simply couldn’t see because of the camera angle, whilst lining up attacks could be clumsy too; there’s a lock-on mechanic, but it’s not always ideal when trying to switch between targets.

It’s evidenced in the game’s exploration segments too, where players often have to interact with the environment or string together jumps to get around. It’s a little less frustrating here because you’re less at risk of taking damage, but landing the right jump or simply finding your way around each locale could feel a little more awkward because of the fixed camera angles. It’s not a problem all of the time, but when it is, it’s VERY noticeable. It probably doesn’t help that these sequences didn’t pack the punch of combat either though, with the light platforming and puzzling of the game often feeling a little dull compared to the battles with enemies.

You could also argue that some of the environments could feel a little samey, but that feels like a bit of an unfair criticism given how pretty the game can be. There are some wondrous landmarks to be seen across the world that really capture that gothic fantasy vibe perfectly, whilst the enemy designs are fantastic and make sure that the monstrosities you face off against are truly grotesque. Whilst I’ll admit that some of the combat animations could be a little stilted, for the most part Soulstice looks terrific.

Developer: Reply Game Studios
Publisher: Modus Games
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), Xbox Series X|S, PC
Website: https://soulsticegame.com/