Environments are also a tale of two worlds. However, there are just as many bland designs sprinkled along the way. I love the look of some of the larger ones and the main character is cool. Some of the enemy designs are absolutely stellar. Also who puts the parry on the B button? It just feels awkward more often than not.įrom a purely visual standpoint Soulstice feels as uneven as the game play at times. The window to perform it is wide, but even still I would find myself missing them due to not being able to recognize it, or simply not registering. I found times where defeating an enemy would then not move onto the next one, and sometimes when it did, it would not turn the camera. I fought with the camera as much as the enemies during some battles. Yes it is fully controllable, but oftentimes I would find it getting stuck on objects or plastered up against a wall. The camera in Soulstice is not great in combat. While I always appreciate a solid clone game it rarely comes without caveats. It adds flavor to the combat keeping it from being a simple button masher. It is very similar to DmC’s system where certain enemies can only be damaged when in this mode. Holding down a trigger will envelop both characters in a field that allows Briar to inflict damage. Enemies are also color-coded using Lute’s two styles. She can also be used to parry by tapping the B button when it appears on screen. Players directly control Briar while Lute auto-attacks. The real unique twist comes in the form of Lute. There are normal and heavy attacks, a parry system, and of course juggling. During combat the camera offers up a fully-controllable option that is familiar to any third-person action game.Ĭombat is not quite as fast as something like Bayonetta, but it is still quick. In addition it also creates plenty of confusing angles where I got lost trying to figure out which way it wanted me to go. As mentioned moving around the environments is presented with a cinematic camera that chooses which angle to showcase giving some truly awe-inspiring moments. ![]() Soulstice is very familiar when it comes to game play. Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, PC Players may recognize the main characters as they are both voiced by Stefanie Joosten, who is best known for her role as Quiet in Metal Gear Solid V. It deals with some heavy topics here and there and the bond between Briar and Lute is felt in the performances. The story is actually more intriguing than it has a right to be. This forms a super soldier that possesses supernatural abilities in addition to their unique bond. ![]() In this world they are known as a Chimera, which is a warrior created by two souls that are fused together after nearly perishing. The game follows the sisters Briar and Lute. What we end up with is a game that is reminiscent of action games of past generations that rely heavily on familiarity mixed with some unique elements. Developer Reply Studios definitely wears its inspiration on its sleeve. While the name and visual aspects first led me to believe this was a Souls-like experience, it is more akin to something like Devil May Cry with its fast-paced combat and cinematic camera angles when moving through the environment. Soulstice is the textbook definition of that idea. I miss the days of mid-tier video games that take a familiar concept and put their own spin on it.
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