Soulestination
- January 5, 2021
- Zaxiquej
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam"Soulestination" is a single-player fantasy RPG with about 8 hours of playtime. As the Savior, Rovia, explore over 300 maps across 20 distinct areas, battling over 200 enemies and 30 unique bosses. Along the way, uncover the world's secrets and develop strategies to defeat uniquely skilled foes.
Reviews
- The game features unique and engaging puzzle mechanics that require strategic thinking and lateral problem-solving skills.
- It offers a rich meta-narrative and clever design elements that enhance the overall gameplay experience.
- The game is very affordable for the quality it provides, making it a great value for players who enjoy cerebral turn-based puzzle games.
- The translation quality is inconsistent, leading to misunderstandings that can complicate puzzle-solving.
- There are issues with the game's controls, including sensitivity problems that can lead to unintended actions during critical moments.
- Some players have reported softlocking issues and a lack of options for adjusting the game's window size and audio settings.
- gameplay10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The gameplay is highly praised for its engaging puzzles that require lateral thinking, offering a satisfying challenge that tests players' problem-solving skills. The game features a strong ludonarrative harmony, blending mechanics and narrative effectively, while introducing unique elements that distinguish it from similar titles. Players appreciate the strategic choices involved in resource management and the evolving gameplay dynamics that enhance the experience as the game progresses.
“The lateral thinking required for some of these puzzles was very enjoyable to test my brain against, and the ludonarrative harmony between the game mechanics, meta-mechanics, and narrative was really well done.”
“It's based on the subgenre of the 'tower of magic/sorcerer', but it has many unique mechanics that distinguish it from the rest.”
“It is constantly thought-provoking from a gameplay standpoint and genre-blends masterfully.”
“The gameplay gets even better mid-game, when your options really start to open up.”
“Beside the usual strategic elements of managing resources (finite amount of health and keys) and stat collection through orbs, the so-called soul mechanic largely changes every fight.”
“Mechanically, this is similar in spirit to desktop dungeon or the strategic layer of dream quest -- you frequently make choices such as whether to spend a (totally non-random) amount of life killing a hard monster so you can get its (totally non-random) loot, or take the safer route of fighting an easier monster instead.”
- music8 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality, with many tracks being enjoyable and memorable, though some users found certain tracks, particularly the first one, to be annoying. While the unique music for boss fights adds variety, the limited number of tracks per zone can lead to repetitiveness during gameplay. Additionally, the lack of volume settings has been a point of frustration for some players.
“I turned the music off after the first map because it was so annoying, but I'm glad I turned it back on to give it a second chance after, because most maps in the game have really good tracks that I'm going to continue to listen to for a while.”
“But the boss fights (which by the way are great, all unique and mostly all interesting) each have a unique music track.”
“This was my first ever 'magic tower' game and I enjoyed it thoroughly; it's amazingly well designed, great music too!”
“My second complaint is that there are no volume settings, and the music is extremely annoying, forcing me to turn my speakers all the way down.”
- story6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story is noted for its uniqueness and decent quality, with some players finding it engaging and better than expected, especially after completing the game. However, a few reviewers felt it was a bit lengthy, leading them to adjust difficulty settings to expedite the experience. Overall, it combines RPG elements with a sense of exploration, making it a satisfying aspect for many players.
“The story is also fairly unique.”
“The only downside for me is that it was a bit too long; thankfully, after screwing up big time, instead of trying again, I reverted to the beginning of the last chapter and changed the difficulty setting so I could breeze through it just to see how it all ends. For this type of game, the story was great!”
“Now that I have completed the game, I'll say the story is pretty good!”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks depth, making it hard to become invested in the characters or their journeys.”
“While the gameplay mechanics are solid, the narrative is underwhelming and fails to engage the player emotionally.”
“The plot is predictable and clichéd, leaving little room for surprises or meaningful character development.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are described as generic and reminiscent of RPG Maker, with a humble and amateurish appearance that may not impress players. Despite the intricate design and clever gameplay, the lack of sound and graphics options detracts from the overall experience, leading some reviewers to recommend avoiding the game.
“At first, Soulestination had humble RPG Maker-looking graphics and an amateur English translation, but by the end of the tutorial dungeon, I suspected it would hide a heartfelt, thoughtful, and often very clever game.”
“Play if you want a very cerebral turn-based puzzle game full of heart, intricate design, and cleverness, and don't mind generic graphics.”
“At first, Soulestination had humble RPG Maker-looking graphics and an amateur English translation that didn't impress me much, though by the end of the tutorial dungeon, I suspected it would hide a heartfelt, thoughtful, and often very clever game.”
“Overall, this game just isn't very fun at all, and combined with no sound or graphics options, this is a game to avoid regardless of the price.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a sense of regret and self-reflection when facing bosses, indicating that the emotional experience is tied to the desire for improvement and the impact of their choices in the game.
“So far, I have only come across 5 bosses, all of which made me feel that I could have done much better by undoing some actions.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players note that the game requires significant micro-optimization, especially on harder difficulties, as each chapter is self-contained and every resource—such as health, keys, and equipment—must be carefully managed to succeed.
“I don't even dare to imagine how much micro-optimization the game makes you do on hard, but each chapter is self-contained with the exception of HP, keys, and equipment you bring over, so every single key, crystal, and HP spent matters.”
“I don't even dare to imagine how much micro-optimization the game makes you do on hard mode, but each chapter is self-contained with the exception of HP, keys, and equipment you bring over, so every single key, crystal, and HP spent matters.”
“The game forces you to constantly optimize your resources, which can be overwhelming and detracts from the overall enjoyment.”
“There's an excessive focus on optimization that feels tedious rather than rewarding, making the gameplay experience less enjoyable.”
