During the PC Gaming Show held at E3, there were several interesting games that made their debut worldwide, including the new action dark fantasy hack ‘n slash game,Soulstice. This new IP is from Reply Game Studios, a relatively small Italian development studio that isn’t new to the industry thanks to its work on bothTheseusandJoe Dever’s LoneWolf. Apart from the word “soul” within its name,Soulsticedoes seem to share major similarities withDark Soulsgames and theupcomingElden Ringas well, at least from a setting and ambiance standpoint.
As a matter of fact,Soulsticedoes come with classicSoulslike elements in terms of its dark fantasy worldand the main characters, Briar and Lute. That’s not all though, becauseSoulsticeseems to also tap into the atmosphere of manga the caliber ofBerserk,Attack onTitan, andClaymore. The enemies are quite interesting as well; they are Wraiths who have crossed the Veil and can now wreak havoc on mankind and even possess their victims, while players are one of the so-called Chimera, the union of two souls.
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The Influence of Soulslike Games on Soulstice
While very reminiscent of bothDark SoulsandEldenRing,Soulsticeappears to stray from the mechanics of similar games in terms of combat.Soulsticeis a game packed with action where fighting enemies comprises most of the experience, and it seems to be drawing inspiration from Japanese action games more akin to theDevil May CryseriesandNioh. This makes Reply Game Studios’ new title both appealing for its Souls-like nature combined with a different hack ‘n slash combat system that is much faster than that ofDarkSouls, while also retaining some of its strategic aspects.
The relationship between the two protagonists, the sisters Briar and Lute who are reborn as a Chimera, is key to the plot of the game, and it also reflects on the abilities that players will get to unlock and then use. Players will get to manage both the physical prowess of Briar and Lute’s capabilities of controlling the battlefield with supernatural abilities that transcend those of her sister. This synergy can also be used to explore theworld ofSoulsticein moments of solace from battles, employing skills and abilities that seem to be designed for combat in order to traverse the land and uncover its secret.
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The transformation that allowed Briar and Lute to become one and their coming of age story doesn’t seem too dissimilar from that ofFullmetalAlchemist, and the influence of Japanese art and video games is vibrating inSoulstice. Regardless,Soulsticedoes have its own identity, and it shows off its advanced graphics thanks to the power of next-gen consoles.
Soulstice’s Approach on the Soulslike Genre
As such, despite the fact thatSoulstice’s combat is set to differ from that ofDark Soulsand possiblyElden Ringas well, it does remain a game that fans of the genre will find compelling in some ways. In fact,Soulsticemay go to show that powerful games can be handcrafted by small teams as well rather than big studios. All of this combined should appeal to many fans, though exact details regarding its length, characters, enemies, and world remain to be seen.
Fans will learn more in the coming months, but for now, it does look like a promisingaction dark fantasy IP. Overall,Soulstice’s allure is in its unique rendition and mixture of fast-paced combat in a world that is inspired both by Souls-like and the foundations of Japanese creativity.
Soulsticeis in development and will release in 2022 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
