Soulmask

About

Soulmask is a single player and multiplayer survival role playing game. It was developed by CampFire Studio and was released on May 30, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Soulmask is a sandbox game that prioritizes an authentic survival experience. As the "last one" blessed with the mysterious mask, players will grapple for survival in a primitive land steeped in mysterious faiths, carving out a path to ascendance. Start from nothing, explore, build, recruit tribesmen to fortify your clan, and ultimately unravel the mysterious truths hidden behind the civilizations…

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80%

Audience ScoreBased on 7,685 reviews

gameplay454 positive mentions

grinding651 negative mentions

Unique gameplay mechanics with the mask system that allows players to control different tribesmen.
Visually stunning graphics and a large, immersive world to explore.
Engaging crafting and building systems that allow for automation and resource management.

Excessive grind required for progression, especially in leveling awareness and crafting.
Combat can feel clunky and unresponsive, with issues like stun locks and AI pathing problems.
Main character is capped at level 50, making them feel useless compared to recruited tribesmen.

gameplay
1,314 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
58%
7%
The gameplay of "Soulmask" is characterized by a blend of innovative mechanics and traditional survival elements, offering a unique experience through its tribe management and mask control systems. While many players appreciate the depth and variety of gameplay, including engaging combat and crafting mechanics, others find the multitude of systems overwhelming and the progression grind tedious. Overall, the game shows promise with its captivating visuals and intricate mechanics, but it requires further refinement to enhance user experience and balance.
- “The game combines deep combat mechanics with a compelling story, offering a blend of strategic gameplay and narrative depth.”
- “Its atmospheric design and engaging gameplay make it a standout for fans of the genre.”
- “The gameplay is amazing and the concepts are unique.”
- “The game suffers massively from a lack of direction and broken mechanics.”
- “The crafting mechanics are overly convoluted, often requiring resources that are either too rare or frustratingly inaccessible.”
- “It overcomplicates every gameplay element to the point where it's a headache to figure out and sucks out a large part of the fun.”
grinding
667 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
1%
98%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding it excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring significant effort to progress. While some appreciate the depth and challenge that grinding provides, others feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading to frustration and a sense of monotony. Players have noted that the game can be adjusted for less grinding through server settings, but the default experience is often described as overly grindy, reminiscent of classic survival games like RuneScape and Conan Exiles.
- “The building isn't tedious and actually made me build so many structures just for the sake of aesthetics.”
- “Skill progression - 8 of 10 skills are a hair slow but still not tedious (x3 setting feels a little better).”
- “It has a good progression and it's not too grindy once you figure things out.”
- “Takes a month or so to hit max level for an average player that lets their PC run overnight to AFK craft for XP grinding just to stand a chance against other clans.”
- “The prospect of doing so much grinding is not what I expect of a game.”
- “The game is ridiculously too grindy....to the point most players have resorted to AFK crafting to level.”
graphics
484 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
37%
3%
The graphics of the game have received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising the stunning visuals, vibrant environments, and immersive aesthetics that enhance the overall experience. While some users noted minor graphical hiccups and areas for improvement, the majority found the graphics to be top-notch, well-optimized, and comparable to high-quality titles in the survival genre. Overall, the game's visual appeal is a significant highlight, contributing to its engaging gameplay and unique atmosphere.
- “The graphics are stunning and run smooth.”
- “The stunning graphics immediately draw you into a beautifully crafted world that feels alive and immersive.”
- “Soulmask is a standout survival game that shines in early access with its polished experience, stunning visuals, and unique blend of mechanics.”
- “The graphics are poor, with everything looking wet all the time.”
- “Also, graphics are so bad it looks like it should have come out like 8 years ago.”
- “The game is made with an older version of Unreal Engine, I believe, and at max settings the graphics look fuzzy and not sharp; the character models could be better and the armor skins could be much better and more fun.”
story
245 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
70%
6%
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players praising its captivating narrative and well-developed characters, while others criticize it for being disjointed or lacking depth. Many appreciate the unique storytelling approach that unfolds through exploration and gameplay, but some feel that the absence of a strong, linear plot detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a blend of engaging mechanics and narrative potential, though it may require further development to fully realize its storytelling capabilities.
- “The storyline is captivating, with well-developed characters and intricate world-building that keep you engaged from start to finish.”
- “Soulmask, for me, is not just another addition to the survival genre; it is an innovative masterpiece that uses the survival genre as the vehicle to present a fascinating story that compels engagement and rewards the player with something we have never had available to us before.”
- “It’s a thrilling adventure that perfectly blends eerie atmosphere with compelling storytelling, making it an unforgettable journey into the unknown.”
- “The game lacks a meaningful story, mostly consisting of running around to collect items for upgrading armor and weapons.”
- “There is no story, or plot.”
- “Only downside is the story is close to non-existent... but still enjoyable, nonetheless.”
optimization
211 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
51%
8%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback from players. While many praise its solid performance and stability for an early access title, noting that it runs smoothly on various systems, others report issues such as stuttering, crashes, and lag, particularly in multiplayer scenarios. Continuous updates from the developers aim to address these concerns, but some players still experience significant performance hiccups, especially during combat and with certain graphical settings.
- “This game is only in early access but it is extremely polished for the most part and runs smoothly; the optimization is good and there aren't any game-breaking bugs.”
- “The game is well optimized for us at least.”
- “In all honesty, I personally haven't had any performance issues so far, and it seems for an early access game it's well optimized and better than some of the AAA games that have released in recent years.”
- “Lovely game, but please fix the stuttering and crashes occurring after the world just loaded... so annoying!”
- “But the game is so poorly optimized that it crashes all the time.”
- “The game needs serious optimization with multiplayer and it becomes a different game altogether when there are more than 30 players online.”
stability
117 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
1%
78%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting a range of bugs and glitches, particularly in combat and NPC behavior, which can lead to frustrating experiences. However, some users note that these issues are not game-breaking and are somewhat expected given its early access status. Overall, while the game runs well on various systems, it still requires significant improvements to reach a more polished state.
- “It's a largely bug-free and fun game with a long and varied gameplay loop that ticks all the needed boxes.”
- “The game looks excellent on the highest settings, but it runs great and still looks good if you're running on a dated system (I play on both a GTX 1080 with an old CPU as well as a monster gamer at home).”
- “No bugs, no glitches, no anything.”
- “Even worse, I've been troubleshooting a visibility issue for my private server for 6 hours now.”
- “The combat feels clunky, and you’ll find yourself dying to random, frustrating glitches.”
- “It is rough, buggy, and very clearly has a long way to go before it deserves to have the title of 'full release,' but it surely isn't claiming otherwise.”
music
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
75%
6%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that enhances the atmosphere, while others find it repetitive or underwhelming. Technical issues, such as sound cutting in and out, have also been noted, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, while the music can be relaxing and fits the game's scenarios, it may not be memorable for all players, leading some to prefer listening to their own playlists instead.
- “One of the standout features of Soulmask is its music.”
- “The hauntingly beautiful soundtrack perfectly complements the game's atmosphere, enhancing every moment of exploration and combat.”
- “It's extremely attractive, the music is perfect, and it has a proper mix of lore built into it.”
- “Music is quite underwhelming.”
- “There's not really any music to speak of and sound effects are sorely missing.”
- “Music is the same the entire time... area is the same as well... same forest, lake, trees, animals.”
humor
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding joy in unexpected glitches, quirky character interactions, and amusing combat scenarios. Many highlight the comedic elements of the game's design, such as the absurdity of certain mechanics and the humorous dialogue from AI tribesmen. Overall, the game offers a lighthearted and entertaining experience, particularly in multiplayer settings, despite some frustrations with balance and polish.
- “Some weird glitches here and there but honestly have led to some really funny moments (getting launched into orbit by an anaconda and surviving).”
- “One of the things I respect the most is that the devs are very active and actually post the ban lists (which is hilarious).”
- “Very funny game, awesome multiplayer experience.”
atmosphere
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
20%
13%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and captivating design, enhanced by beautiful graphics and a haunting soundtrack that complements exploration and combat. Players appreciate the diverse biomes and engaging environments, which contribute to a thrilling and memorable experience. Overall, the atmospheric elements significantly elevate the gameplay, making it a standout title in the survival genre.
- “The hauntingly beautiful soundtrack perfectly complements the game's atmosphere, enhancing every moment of exploration and combat.”
- “The graphics and atmosphere are beautiful, creating an immersive environment that enhances the overall experience.”
- “It's a thrilling adventure that perfectly blends eerie atmosphere with compelling storytelling, making it an unforgettable journey into the unknown.”
- “At first, the tropical rainforest atmosphere frustrated me.”
- “The graphics, atmosphere, and sounds are all fitting and immersive.”
- “Graphics and atmosphere”
replayability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
68%
19%
Overall, the game's replayability is viewed as limited and somewhat frustrating, with many players finding it redundant. However, the introduction of PvP elements and potential future updates, such as procedurally generated maps, could enhance its longevity and replay value. Players remain hopeful for improvements as the game continues to develop.
- “And I think the PvP makes it even better and actually replayable.”
- “I'm glad to give them a positive review as this product on day 1 is way more playable than most survival early access titles that are coming out.”
- “Replayability is poor and redundant.”
- “Update: recent update seems to have made the game a bit more playable for some I've talked to, but it is still very frustrating and often asinine.”
- “Replayability to be determined; if random/procedurally generated maps make it into the game, I will give it a 10.”
monetization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
71%
The monetization strategy of the game heavily relies on microtransactions, which many users perceive as exploitative cash grabs that detract from the overall experience. Players feel that the game is designed to punish those who invest time without spending money, and there is a sense of misleading advertising regarding its intended gameplay style. Overall, the monetization approach has led to dissatisfaction among players, who criticize the lack of artistic quality and the game's reliance on in-game purchases.
- “Feels like a cash grab.”
- “It's just punishing you for taking time and making it blatantly obvious that there was no intention of this being played solo, which isn't very clear through the sales page or advertising.”
- “I see them as cheap cash grabs by modders that try to make a game with no art or animation talent on their team.”
character development
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
37%
27%
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the initial fun and tailored gameplay, while others express disappointment over the soft cap at level 50 for skills and limited character design options. The minimalist approach to character customization has been criticized for lacking variety, despite the game's appealing visual style. Overall, the character development system is seen as standard and somewhat restrictive.
- “Solid but standard survival fare with souls-like bosses and roguelite character development.”
- “It's a good looking game both in terms of character design and stylistic choices.”
- “However, what I found so far has been a massive disappointment; the leveling and character development is, as of this post, soft locked at 50 for all skills.”
- “The first thing that struck me was the rather minimalist character design options, with very limited choices available.”
- “There are too few options for character design, including hairstyles, hair colors, and individual tribe hairstyles.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that emotional engagement in hardcore games is heightened through investment in units, suggesting that a deep commitment to the game enhances their overall experience. The mention of glitches, such as with the anaconda, does not detract significantly from this emotional connection, indicating that players are willing to overlook minor issues for the sake of immersion.
- “I'm a fan of hardcore games because investment in units increases my emotional engagement with the game.”