Soulash 2

Soulash 2 is an expansive fantasy sandbox RPG that blends elements of traditional roguelikes, roleplaying games, and sandbox genres into an innovative experience. You adventure in a procedurally generated world where gods have perished and strive to seize power, conquer territory, craft legendary artifacts, and even ascend to become a god yourself.

I immediately enjoyed the freedom and creativity afforded in this fantasy realm. With skills ranging from combat prowess to architectural design, you shape your character to be an explorer, warrior, merchant, builder, and more. The open sandbox structure lets you approach objectives however you choose, offering engaging roleplaying opportunities beyond just hacking and slashing (though there's plenty of that too!).

Worlds With Character

The highlight of Soulash 2 is its simulated game world. Settlements feature dynamic populations shaped by procedurally generated factors like trade routes and resource availability. This makes each playthrough feel alive with unique challenges.

The world exists before you arrive and continues evolving whether you live or die, creating higher stakes. The only issue I found during my playthrough is that the procedurally generated nature of the world lends itself to a fair share of poor level designs.

Like most games that use procedurally generated maps, like Dwarf Fortress, some of the randomness translates into maps with a lack of resources, an abundance of enemies – or in the worst cases, both of them together.

Like a Roguelike Should Be

While not as brutal as hardcore roguelikes, Soulash 2 still captures that tense, unforgiving style. Death carries penalties, erasing progress if you enable permadeath. Luckily, you can tweak three modes to suit your preferred difficulty.

High Fantasy offers the most forgiveness for death while Hardcore Mode goes full-roguelike with deleted worlds and characters when you die. This range of customization is welcome in RPG titles such as this.

In almost every way, Soulash 2 is a step-up over its predecessor Soulash. At least, unlike the prequel, Soulash 2 gives non-magic users more of a fighting chance, and that's mostly thanks to the revamped crafting mechanics.

Crafting Creates Character

I especially enjoyed the crafting system which features item slots for magical ingredients that grant effects. With near-endless ingredient combinations, I created equipment tailored to my play style. This customizability paired with the flexible progression system enabled uniquely powerful heroes. It really makes the player feel a sense of accomplishment once you craft the best build yourself.

Soulash 2 creates a fantasy experience where you leave your mark on a world that evolves with or without you. If you enjoy complex RPGs like Dwarf Fortress but crave more approachable gameplay, Soulash 2 is an easy recommendation. Just be prepared to lose yourself in its expansive realm.

Pros

• Living simulated game world
• Customizable characters and crafting
• Sandbox freedom supports varied playstyles

Cons

• Steep learning curve early on
• Can feel grindy