Soulstice

The E3 2021 left many important announcements, and now that the E3 decided not to appear for 2022 is a good time to review the great games that came out of the previous event. And one of the most striking is Soulstice, an action RPG that is inspired by Japanese legends and fantasy and takes elements of sagas and genres such as soulslike or hack-and-slash mechanics. Soulstice is a game developed by Modus Games and the studio based in the Italian city of Milan, Reply Game Studios. So, what is this exciting game all about? Well, let’s talk about it!

About the game

"The balance of the Sacred Realm of Keidas is compromised when powerful savage creatures known as Wraiths invade from beyond the Veil, threatening to consume the living," is the premise we read of the Soulstice game. "Wraiths corrupt their victims and can even possess their bodies, becoming unstoppable monsters that prey on ordinary people. The Chimeras, hybrid warriors born from the union of two souls, are the only ones who can protect humanity."

According to the Soulstice story. Briar and Lute are two sisters, both voiced by Stefanie Joosten -Quiet in Metal Gear Solid V-, who have ended up turned into a chimera: Briar gained superhuman abilities, but Lute, after her sacrifice, became her shadow, a spirit with mystical powers. When the city of Ilden gives in to the invasion of the wraiths, both sisters are given the mission to purge it.

While players discover the mysteries hidden in this hostile scenario, we will have to handle both characters simultaneously: with Briar we will use melee attacks and combos to attack, while Lute will use her abilities from beyond to control the battlefield. "Combine their strengths to unlock powerful transformations and realize their true potential as Chimera."

Inspired by classic Japanese fantasy, the game delivers a dark and magically charged story in which Briar and Lute will discover the truth about themselves and their power, "but must work to stay true to their unbreakable bond." The action will take place in the City of Ilden, where, in addition to enemies, puzzles and riddles await us that we will have to solve to advance.

A beautiful game

The art direction in Soulstice is amazing, and it’s also one of the first things you see in a game, so it’s a nice eye candy game. It’s pretty customizable, and you can get your character’s equipment customized too. They’ve even announced a deluxe version of the game that includes an entire book of illustrations, as well as the soundtrack of the game.

Hack-and-slash games are always very visually appealing, and they tend to be very stylized too. Games like the Devil May Cry series, the main pioneer in the genre, have a marked visual style that anyone can recognize at first sight. And this is what Soulstice is going for too, so you definitely should check it out.

Pros:

• Solid visuals
• Great gameplay
• Good story

Cons:

• It’s a little short