Void Sols
- November 12, 2024
- Finite Reflection
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreIn Void Sols, a top-down minimalist game, you play as a triangle navigating a shadowy maze filled with formidable angular enemies and bosses. Your goal is to liberate the subjugated world, with death serving as a lesson in this geometrically-styled adventure. Acquire Sols from defeated foes to modify your playstyle, and delve into the world's many hidden secrets.
Mac OS
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features a minimalist art style that, while initially unappealing, grows on players and complements the gameplay.
- Combat is weighty and satisfying, with a variety of builds and weapons that encourage experimentation and respec at any time.
- Exploration is rewarding, with well-designed levels that include hidden secrets and shortcuts, enhancing the overall experience.
- Some bosses are poorly designed, with difficulty spikes that feel out of sync with the rest of the game.
- The auto-targeting system can be unreliable, making combat against multiple enemies frustrating.
- The game lacks extensive guides or wikis, which may deter players looking for more hand-holding or assistance.
- graphics42 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Void Sols" feature a minimalist art style that initially may not appeal to everyone, but many players grow to appreciate its clean aesthetic and effective use of color and animation. The visuals successfully convey a compelling atmosphere, enhancing the gameplay experience without overwhelming the player, and are praised for their beauty despite their simplicity. Overall, the game's graphics are seen as a standout feature that complements its challenging soulslike mechanics.
“The game's clean aesthetic is a standout feature, using minimalist graphics to convey complex information without overwhelming the player.”
“The graphics are beautiful considering how simplistic they are.”
“The visuals are wonderfully done, and combat is fluid and fun.”
“Don't let the primitive looking visuals fool you.”
“The graphics in this game outside of the enemy designs look pleasing, despite the whole dark ambiance surrounding them.”
“If you like souls-like games because of their atmosphere, tense combat and exploration of moody and grim environments and don't need AAA graphics with all the bells and whistles then you'll love this.”
- gameplay38 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its variety, challenge, and engaging mechanics, offering a thoughtful blend of exploration, combat, and strategic depth. Players appreciate the unique enemy designs and the ability to customize their experience, although some note that certain weapons may feel underpowered and combat can drag due to inflated enemy health. Overall, the game delivers a polished and enjoyable experience that resonates well with fans of the genre, featuring a minimalist approach that enhances its core mechanics.
“Gameplay is fantastic and simple with enough variety and challenge that it never stops feeling new and fun.”
“While the premise may seem whimsical, the game’s execution is a surprisingly thoughtful blend of tight mechanics, creative level design, and compelling exploration.”
“Great gameplay with awesomely stylish visuals and the best soundtrack on this side of the soulslike river.”
“However, it feels like enemy health bars are artificially inflated to account for this mechanic, which can make combat encounters drag on unnecessarily, particularly late in the game.”
“My primary gameplay pain point is how the world appears to open up once you reach the forest, but you're actually going to find a lot of blocked paths until you follow the real, intentional road forward.”
“Caveat though: some of the primary and secondary weapons seem weaker mechanically than others, and I'm unsure if that's down to my own limitations as a player or just due to some sort of objective fact.”
- music32 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising the boss tracks as exceptional and integral to the overall experience. While some critics noted that a few boss fight themes felt less intense than desired, the majority found the soundtrack to be immersive and well-composed, enhancing the game's atmosphere and gameplay. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, with many players expressing a desire to purchase the soundtrack.
“I love every single boss track in this game, so much so that I might be considering buying the soundtrack.”
“What this ultimately means is a more accomplished, singular focus on the experience, providing all the visual information a player needs along with a soundtrack that hits all the right beats.”
“The boss music is killer, and several of them evolve as the fight progresses too.”
“Only real criticism I could throw at it is perhaps some of the boss fight tracks had tamer music compared to other boss tracks in the game -- I like having more intense music when dealing with my tougher opponents.”
“It's a shame, because the quality is there and the layering intensity as the fight goes on is well done (more games should do it), but the music genre just feels out of touch.”
“Music is also subjective, and while it's certainly not award-winning, I personally felt that it generally matched the feel of the game and wasn't really bad in any way.”
- atmosphere14 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Void Sols" is widely praised for its moody and eerie qualities, enhanced by minimalist graphics and a compelling soundscape that immerses players in a half-alien, half-mundane world. The game's use of light and darkness, along with identifiable landmarks, creates a rich environment that supports exploration and combat, although some players feel the boss music detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the atmospheric design effectively captures the essence of souls-like games, appealing to fans who appreciate tension and exploration over high-end graphics.
“Akin to the 2012 rogue-lite Teleglitch, Void Sols plays with light in a way that builds a fantastically moody and eerie atmosphere, making for interesting encounters and traversal.”
“The game's graphics are simple but still manage to convey a very convincing atmosphere with the help of an impressive soundscape and beautiful lighting.”
“Was really surprised by the killer ambient atmosphere and interesting twists and surprises as the game opens up.”
“I don't have much negative to say, just not my cup of tea. Part of what I like about Dark Souls games is the spectacle and atmosphere.”
“If you like souls-like games because of their atmosphere, tense combat, and exploration of moody and grim environments, and don't need AAA graphics with all the bells and whistles, then you'll love this.”
“Outside areas in particular - while still masked in darkness - have clearly identifiable landmarks, adding to the atmosphere of this half alien, half mundane world.”
- story11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's story is primarily conveyed through environmental storytelling and item descriptions, resulting in a minimalist narrative that some players find engaging, while others feel it lacks depth. Despite the sparse explicit storytelling, the design of each area contributes to a unique narrative experience, allowing players to interpret the lore in their own way. Overall, the storytelling approach aligns with the soulslike genre, emphasizing exploration and player imagination over traditional narrative structures.
“These transitions help maintain interest and provide visual storytelling without overreliance on text or dialogue.”
“There's been thought put into how each area of the game tells its own story, a soulslike staple.”
“Even though the story has no dialogue, the creators manage to imbue such narrative significance to so many moments -- and not in a 'collect the seven things and then go beat the big bad' way.”
“There's not a ton of explicit story; it's basically all told through item descriptions and the environment, but even then there doesn't appear to be much story.”
“The story/lore would only be more sparse if there was none at all.”
“In Dark Souls and other souls-likes, storytelling is often done through a combination of the environment and item descriptions.”
- stability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, users report occasional glitches, such as unregistered combat actions, but generally find the game stable and enjoyable, particularly noting its good performance on the Steam Deck.
“It runs great on Steam Deck.”
“I experienced a few annoying glitches from time to time, like having my hammer swing go through an enemy without it registering, but combat is enjoyable and works most of the time.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the loadout system for enabling experimentation without the need for extensive grinding for respecs, and they find that well-placed shortcuts effectively reduce tedious backtracking.
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's replayability, noting that the initial playthrough lasts around 12 hours, with the added incentive of challenge runs featuring unique rules and handicaps. This variety enhances the overall experience, making it a game that offers significant replay value and ongoing challenges.
“My first playthrough clocked in at around 12 hours (a bit more if you're thorough), and instead of a basic New Game Plus, you get challenge runs with different rules and handicaps, which are a nice addition for replayability.”
“It's a game that I will find massive replayability in, as well as a constant challenge.”
