Soulblight

Any form of Roguelike/roguelite title is unforgiving in practice. To what extent? There are generally two approaches to that question. The first kind is more roguelite, allowing for some progress to be saved in certain areas, items to be kept, or the player is allowed to level up their character permanently no matter how many times they’ve died. The other type, the classic true roguelike experience, is comprised of permadeath and a total loss of items or bonuses as a result. I like a good challenge – and Soulblight by My Next Games definitely introduces a great deal of difficulty, though it is equally difficult to say that it is wholly enjoyable; its certainly not for everyone. I would personally say if you enjoyed Risk of Rain 2, you’re probably more likely to like Soulblight. While it is thoroughly unique in style and design, Soulblight requires a bit of extra legwork before you decide if this is something you may be dying to play, or if you should give this one a pass.

Sanctuary, Sweet Sanctuary

Souldblight shines the brightest when examining its story elements and art direction. The somber, cryptic, and sinister tones of the story are complemented incredibly well by each level’s design and leave just enough to the imagination to allow you to creep yourself out just enough to keep it interesting. Attempting to traverse an unfathomably dangerous sanctuary, you are a hero cursed by a crystal stuck to your arm to be the only hope of removing the blight of the Soul Tree. Infiltrating the nearby Citadel is the only path to said tree, but don’t worry, you’ll be endlessly resurrected by a cult until you’ve succeeded. No pressure. That’s pretty much the main idea, which I’m fond of as a concept. There are several points where the narrative gets a bit caught up in itself, where it almost felt like it was talking down to me, but aside from that Soulblight is hauntingly atmospheric to the end.

Saint or Taint?

Alright so you can’t exactly choose Saint in this instance, but the RPG mechanics introduced with the Taint system are easily the coolest part of the gameplay. This is not exactly new for roguelike games, but the actual system itself not only gives you advantages at the start of each level, but also drawbacks that genuinely act like choices your character has to make. Regarding combat, there is a lack of efficiency and innovation; it boils down to point and click to attack/grip or don’t. Even with combat this simple, it still feels clunky in multiple areas. Finally, the grind, almost the sole reason to play roguelike games, is okay at best. There is nothing inherently wrong with grinding itself (which is totally dependent on which player you ask, some hate it and some praise it), Soulblight’s grind lacks polish and purpose. Since getting hit even one time can cause a sort of death spiral that’s impossible to avoid, dying doesn’t feel like a learning experience. Instead, it just feels like a constant punishment where little is gained. Making mistakes should be punishing, no arguments here, but there should also be some sort of silver lining, no matter how small it is.

Bottom Line

There are a lot of good things to say about Soulblight as either an experience or as a form of art. Its nuanced in character choice, art direction, and sets a consistently somber tone (the music can match this too). Unfortunately, the core gameplay presents your objectives so that they quickly become chores as the grind quickly wears on you.

Pros

• Great art style/sound
• Intriguing story concept
• Taint system is interesting mechanically and story-wise

Cons

• Grind is boring, hard to get into
• Combat not too innovative
• Narrative can be muddled/confusing