How far would you go for the one you love? SoulBlade Studio asks this question with its latest Steam release, SoulQuest, following one woman’s journey to save her beloved.
In the game, you play Alys, an up-and-coming swordswoman who finds her husband taken by the Goddess of Death. Rather than simply accept the punishment the gods have handed down, she instead chooses to fight back, in an effort to save him. But, as you might guess, the journey is far from easy.
SoulQuest definitely has some good hack-and-slash style going for it, as you can build up some ferocious combos and unlock new moves. For good measure, the presentation is classic side-scrolling territory, complete with a lovely art style and great music. Alas, the game also has problems, particularly with how spread apart its checkpoints are, and some platforming sections being way too hard. As a result, you may find yourself being held back more often than you’d prefer.
There is still enough to recommend SoulQuest, but, as I mentioned above, the trip isn’t going to be a cake walk. If you’re ready for a challenge, this one should be just your speed.
In SoulQuest, Love Is the Name of the Game
Alys has a special connection with her beloved, Morrigan. So when he’s taken in a vicious battle with a devastating move, she isn’t too thrilled to see the Goddess of Death haul him away. It’s here that she makes the decision to get him back – by any means necessary – using her sword and agility. A foolish move? Sure, but, hey, love will do that to you.
Over the course of the game, Alys will unleash devastating combos on a variety of enemies, from sword-slashing trolls to more devastating types. She’ll need her agility and skill to keep her in one piece, though she can unlock new abilities to add to the arsenal. Those Ultimates, though!
The gameplay is very good when it comes to combat, though it does feel, at times, that some enemies can take more punishment than expected. Thanks to slight clipping issues, some can even cut through your attacks and hurt you in the process. You can avoid with a quick dodge, but I can’t help but think this could use a little refinement.
There’s also the platforming, which is far from perfect. A missed wall jump here, an out of reach ledge there, and repeating certain sections can get old quickly. Perhaps that’s what the developers had in mind for some spots, but it might turn off certain players that get frustrated with this.
Finally, there’s the big problem – checkpoints. They’re spread too far apart, and as a result, if you die in a battle, you have to start all over again. You can run back and check through them again, but it gets annoying. We just needed more of these – or better yet, an autosave system.
SoulQuest isn’t bad, it just has some issues that get in the way of the journey.
How’s SoulQuest Look and Sound?
SoulBlade Studio did a bang up job with the classic look of SoulQuest. The old-school style visuals, combined with some slick animations, really come together nicely. I also like how spread apart the levels are, even if the platforming sections are a bit tedious. And the town you recharge in has a certain charm to it, like a cozy bed on a Sunday afternoon.
As for the music, there’s a nice heroic soundtrack here, along with solid voice acting (for an indie game) and nice choppy-chop sound effects. Nothing over the top, mind you, but fitting for an adventure of this type.
SoulQuest’s Love Ain’t Easy, But Is It Worth It?
I do wish certain aspects of SoulQuest went down easier, particularly with its platforming and checkpoints. But if you can put up with some of the hang-ups, you’ll find a pretty rewarding adventure here. The hack-and-slash combat is excellent and rife with combos, and the presentation should please fans of this sort of game.
It can be a headache at times – like a real relationship! – but SoulQuest is worth the experience. If you’re strong enough.
GAMERHUB RATING: 3.5 (out of 5) JOYSTICKS
Thanks to SoulBlade Studio for providing us with a review code! SoulQuest is available now for PC/Steam, and works just fine on Steam Deck. It’s coming soon to consoles as well!
Need more adventure in your life? Check out our review of Constance!
