Soulstone Survivors: Prologue
- August 26, 2022
- Game Smithing Limited
- 7h median play time
Get on SteamWishlist the full game!New characters, weapons, skills, bosses and so much more! About the GameThis is the free version of Soulstone Survivors, an action roguelite where you slay hordes of foes and face titanic bosses while learning powerful skills to enhance your character.Unique characters and skillsIn this version, you get to experience playing with 3 never seen before characters! Craft powe…
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Reviews
- The game offers a fun and addictive gameplay experience with a variety of skills and character builds.
- The graphics and art style are appealing, providing a visually engaging experience.
- The progression system is rewarding, allowing players to unlock new abilities and characters as they play.
- The game can become repetitive quickly, with limited content in the prologue leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
- Some players find the visual effects overwhelming, making it difficult to track their character and enemy attacks.
- The balance of difficulty can be inconsistent, with some builds feeling overpowered while others struggle.
- graphics79 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received generally positive feedback, with many users praising the modern, clean aesthetic and smooth performance, particularly in comparison to similar titles like Vampire Survivors. While some noted that the art style may not be unique and can occasionally hinder gameplay visibility, the overall consensus highlights the appealing visuals and engaging animations that enhance the gaming experience. However, a few critiques mention that the graphics can be overwhelming during chaotic moments, suggesting a need for balance in visual effects.
“Amazing graphics, smooth gameplay.”
“The art style is gorgeous and it's very addicting trying to make the most OP builds possible.”
“It features crisp graphics and far prettier visuals than Vampire Survivors, with lots of flash, glitz, and glamour.”
“Made with what seems to be mostly store-bought assets, the game does not have a unique art style.”
“The graphical style is awful.”
“All the visuals were so flashy that - even early game - I could not tell what was hitting me.”
- gameplay79 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many praising its smooth mechanics, intuitive controls, and engaging combat, while others criticize it for being shallow and repetitive. Players appreciate the variety of abilities and character builds, but some feel that the current content is limited and lacks depth compared to similar titles like Vampire Survivors. Overall, the game shows potential for improvement and offers a fun experience, though it may require further development to enhance replayability and challenge.
“Amazing prologue version for a survivor-like game with some manual targeting elements as well as crafting mechanics.”
“The gameplay is wonderful and very smooth.”
“Very smooth and fun gameplay, big hopes for the full version.”
“Very limited amount of gameplay at the moment.”
“I could have been AFK for all that it mattered in gameplay; I had no clue what was happening. Attack indicators can't be seen under the million of effects. I never had this problem with a vampire survivor game.”
“Looks not that good but runs poorly; incredibly shallow gameplay. I get bored after the first run, and skill upgrades are generic and uninteresting.”
- music28 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the soundtrack as enjoyable and fitting for the gameplay, while others find it repetitive or lacking in energy. Many appreciate the sound effects and overall audio experience, though some suggest improvements are needed for a more dynamic and varied musical backdrop. Overall, the music is generally considered decent but could benefit from more variety and personality.
“Absolutely one of the soundtracks I've heard in a long time; if the full game is as good or better than the prologue, I definitely know what game I'm buying next!”
“Pretty chill game, great soundtrack, good mechanics.”
“Great soundtrack that you actually want to leave running.”
“Sounds and music could use a bit of work, but still pretty good.”
“The music is a bit repetitive, but that is a minor thing compared to the overall experience.”
“Zero personality, generic assets, droning background music, and progression walls straight out of a free mobile game.”
- grinding19 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite prominent, with many describing it as "super grindy" and reminiscent of mobile games. While some appreciate the balance of upgrades and the ability to progress through boss battles rather than solely grinding, others feel that the extensive farming required can lead to boredom and detracts from the overall enjoyment. Despite these criticisms, many still see potential in the game and recommend it for those who enjoy a grind-heavy experience.
“Feels set up to be extremely grindy. After I successfully won my very first run, which took 30 minutes of rather intense gameplay, I could only purchase a couple of skill tree upgrades and not much else.”
“The game is designed around grinding materials to upgrade yourself, but the rounds last long enough as is and get rather boring very quickly with how little control you're allowed to have.”
“Wants to be Vampire Survivors but is way too grindy.”
- optimization11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received significant criticism, particularly on the Steam Deck, where users report massive performance issues and lag spikes during intense gameplay. While some players note that it runs smoothly at times, many express a strong desire for improvements, especially during skill-heavy encounters and boss fights. The low-poly art style is appreciated for its potential to enhance performance, but the current optimization is deemed heavily lacking.
“Works well on Steam Deck too, although slightly unoptimized as of now.”
“I do wish it was better optimized because when you're spamming skills and the ice boss is spamming skills, it gets harder to hold onto your frames.”
“I think the low-poly art style is a perfect fit for this genre of games, not just because your whole screen will get filled with enemies, but by using low-poly assets you can still achieve good performance without having to drop all your settings to low.”
“Massive optimization issues on Steam Deck.”
“Needs optimization badly.”
“Horrible performance issues at the end; some long, boring runs of chipping away at the final boss. Melee feels very bad compared to ranged because of the amount of kiting you need to do constantly.”
- replayability9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability due to its evolving mechanics, diverse character builds, and an engaging talent tree. Players appreciate the potential for future updates to enhance replay value, while the ability to customize skills and the variety of gameplay elements contribute to a fresh experience. However, some users express a desire for more content, such as boss variety, before fully committing to the game.
“Since this game is still actively being updated and reworked, I expect even more replayability in the future.”
“The differences between builds, the talent tree, the characters, and the card system that is yet to unlock all point towards a lot of replayability.”
“The replayability is endless, and I lose track of time so easily while playing.”
“I've wishlisted the full game, but I'll probably wait and see if they've added more boss variety and more unique elements for replayability before I end up getting it.”
“The replayability is endless and I lose track of time so easily while playing.”
“It does have a very well-designed UI and skill points will help with replay value. It's very reminiscent of Risk of Rain, in my opinion, and again, aside from my personal faults I found with it, I believe it's a great start for a free game, but these days my time is scarce and I don't have time to invest into this genre in order to get to its 'endgame'.”
- story7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game currently lacks a compelling story and structured quests, which detracts from its potential. Players express a desire for more engaging narrative elements, unique gear customization, and multiplayer features to enhance the overall experience. While the gameplay is enjoyable, the absence of a well-developed story and clear objectives is a significant drawback.
“Really interesting game that could be awesome with adventures and quests, a multiplayer mode, survival lore, and unlockable powers that develop along with the game's unveiling and continuous updates.”
“Add a story, unique and legendary gear (gear you can customize uniquely to your gameplay would be awesome), more objectives to max out the map, and maybe even a multiplayer co-op setting would make this game worth it.”
“Overall, definitely recommend it!”
“It doesn't have a story thus far, but the gameplay is somewhat similar.”
“The Diablo core gameplay loop is present, but all the tedious elements like selling vendor trash and listening to boring quest dialogue are stripped right out.”
“The missions are too long, and sometimes it is hard to know what skills you have or how to reroll them.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised, with players finding it both entertaining and engaging. Many users highlight the funny prologue and express enjoyment in watching others play, indicating that the comedic elements enhance the overall experience.
“Another funny prologue, thanks!”
“I saw dangerouslyfunny play this and I really enjoyed watching him play it, so I figured I would give it a shot and man, I'm really glad I did.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The monetization approach of the game is generally well-received, as it avoids common pitfalls like microtransactions and unnecessary account requirements, focusing instead on a straightforward gaming experience. However, there are concerns that it may shift towards a live-service model, introducing monetization through skins and progression in the future.
“This is clearly a game that aims to take the versus genre and transform it into a more live-service model, focusing on monetization through skins and progression.”
“This is clearly a game that wants to take the versus genre and turn it into a more live-service situation with monetization focused on skins and progression.”
“This is a big boy version of the phone games you have seen in ads.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional response to the game is largely negative, with players expressing frustration over gameplay mechanics, particularly the inaccuracies of attack indicators that lead to unfair hits. This frustration diminishes the overall enjoyment and emotional investment in the game, prompting some users to abandon it entirely.
