Soulstice brings in some cool ideas to the table but fails in some key areas. This game takes more inspiration from games like Devil May Cry, Nier Automata, and Bayonetta but the question is if it can hold up to those standards. There are some elements that they share but the game is a lot more fast-paced than the name and gritty graphics would lead you to believe. All of this can make the early-game feel frustrating at times and could have been avoided by giving players access to later weapons like Briar's bow or by implementing AoE attacks like Elden Ring's Meteorite of Astel either one would have made a world of difference.Despite the name, Soulstice isn't much of a Souls-type game. While players can adjust the camera, it moves slowly and since Briar and Lute's attacks are primarily close-range and single-enemy focused for most of the game, trying to adjust and fight makes it really difficult to maintain combos and awareness. The preset camera angles make it difficult to judge distance and can prevent players from seeing counter prompts if an enemy is offscreen, which usually results in hits that feel like they came out of nowhere. While players can eventually upgrade the fields and unlock abilities that cause it to damage enemies when broken, it can still be frustrating to lose Lute's abilities in the middle of a hectic battle when players are also trying to keep track of various enemies and perform creative combos to build up Unity, which is necessary to perform special Synergy attacks.Ĭombat scenarios like this highlight the weaker parts of Soulstice, such as the camera and access to certain abilities. Players must work quickly though because the field will shatter if used for too long and Lute will be inaccessible for a few seconds while she recovers. These fields are crucial because certain enemies and objects can only be interacted with when inside their corresponding fields. Lute's most important ability is her control over the Evocation and Banishment Fields. Like God of War's Atreus, she is unplayable but acts as an independent entity that will fire bolts at enemies and alert players to attacks she can parry. Despite these similarities, Soulstice still feels like its own game and that is thanks to Lute. Exploration is focused on light platforming, finding items that provide currency and health, and each area uses a fixed camera perspective that cuts whenever players move somewhere new. Combat is focused on utilizing weapons for specific purposes, maintaining combos to build up special abilities, and receiving an overall score at the end of every combat encounter and level. When it comes to combat and exploration, Soulstice plays exactly like Devil May Cry. Related: Steelrising Review: A Fast & Fluid Soulslike Despite the destruction, overwhelming odds, and a mysterious inner power that threatens both of their lives, the sisters press forward into the shattered and unrelenting kingdom. As the two reach a ruined kingdom comparable to Bloodborne's Yharnam, they realize that they're in over their heads. Briar and Lute are a Chimera, an entity that is created by forging two souls that result in two halves: an enhanced physical body, Briar, and the spirit-like Shade, Lute. Soulstice follows Briar and Lute, two sisters who are on a mission to join their comrades and close the tear in the Veil that's allowing Wraiths and other monstrosities to enter the Holy Kingdom of Keidas.
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