There is a huge selection of great action-adventure games, with many classic titles like Devil May Cry or God of War still going strong.
Each of these early titles brought something new to the table, innovating the genre and setting a standard for the games that followed.
Italian developers Reply Game Studios have taken what fans love about the action-adventure genre and poured it into their new title Soulstice.
Soulstice is a dark tale about two sisters, Briar and Lute who are on a mission to protect the Kingdom of Keidas, which has come under attack from creatures known as Wraiths.
To battle these beings from beyond the Veil, the sisters have become a Chimera, which is the ultimate weapon within the mysterious Order of the Ashen Blade.
Briar has become superhuman, while Lute who was sacrificed in order to bind her soul to her sister’s, has become a Shade with mystical powers.
The soul-bound sisters will face off against many dark foes while they fight to protect their world from this apocalyptic threat.
Soulstice doesn't tread new ground and isn’t something fans of the genre haven't seen before.
It’s more of a love letter to the genre that sees these superpowered heroines fight their way through powerful enemies.
The game's lore and world-building are fascinating and the developers have done a great job at crafting a dark world that oozes malice and invokes fear.
There is a good layer of depth within Soulstice’s plot that players will enjoy aside from the gameplay.
Visually, Soulstice’s gothic aesthetic does a wonderful job at conveying the game's spooky atmosphere.
Soulstice strikes the right balance between horror and fantasy with each location sporting either eerie archaic architecture or flashy mythical designs, it all comes together well.
Character models are styled well and feel fresh and original, especially Briar and Lute. Enemies, not so much as they are really repetitive and don’t strike as much fear as they would want to.
Despite its name, Soulstice isn't Soulslike but much more of a stylish hack and slash like Devil May Cry.
At first glance, Soulslike looks like it’s your average game from the genre where Briar will be able to unleash a plethora of cinematic attacks from a wide variety of upgradeable weapons like her Vindicator.
However, utilising Lute is where Soulstice comes into its own with her field system adding an extra layer of strategy to everything.
Lute comes equipped with a Blue and Red field that will be needed to be swapped between to attack certain enemies. This alongside Briar’s wide range of weapons makes for a thrilling experience.
Soulstice has a lot of skills and abilities to unlock and the player will need to master as enemies will execute a wide range attack patterns to contend against.
Players will find themselves in so many chaotic situations that require finesse to overcome them. There is also the Unity meter which will grant the duo extra abilities when it reaches a high level.
Soulstice will constantly keep players on their toes and punish players who think they can get through the game by button mashing forcing them to learn the different weapons and combos.
Players will also be able to explore Keidas that’s filled with platforming challenges and great items.
Like combat, the game utilises Lute’s abilities to elevate the exploration experience by using her to unlock hidden pathways to solve puzzles.
Platforming and puzzle solving aren’t particularly challenging however there is enough depth in them that adds an extra level of enjoyment to the overall experience.
Players will have fun switching between Lute’s fields to see what secrets are lurking around even though Soulstice is mostly a linear adventure, there are quite a few surprises scattered throughout.
Hidden throughout the game are Challenge portals that will allow players to partake in objective base battles, like defeating enemies within a certain time limit and more.
This is fully welcomed as it allows players to get better accustomed to the different abilities and practice combat strategies.
The level of customisation is very impressive, more so for Lute who has access to a plethora of skills that can make her unbelievable.
There’s great depth to be unlocked and the game is very generous with how it rewards players, especially those who master the skills and defeat enemies in quick succession.
One of the major issues in Soulstice is the camera which can be erratic, especially during the platforming segments. This can get very frustrating as it can make all the fast pace action difficult to follow at times.
Verdict 3 / 5
Soulstice is filled with fast and furious combat that will please fans and newcomers to the genre. It doesn't really innovate the genre but the developers put a nice twist on existing mechanics. Other than a few issues with the camera, Soulstice is a solid title that maybe plays it a bit too safe.
Soulstice is out now for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, and Microsoft Windows
