In 2018, independent New Zealand-based developer A44 made a striking debut with its inaugural title, a visually stunning Soulslike experience set against the backdrop of a hauntingly desolate landscape, boasting a robust foundation while navigating minor annoyances and refinement opportunities. Six years after its debut, A44 returns for its sophomore effort, blending familiar elements from the Soulslike genre while focusing on delivering a more accessible action-RPG experience. While attempting to walk this fine line isn’t its primary objective, it’s remarkable how few video games manage to navigate it with such finesse.
In crafting its world, punishing death, tackling challenges, and facilitating exploration, Bloodborne perfectly scratches that quintessential Souls-like itch – a hallmark of FromSoftware’s expertise, as consistently demonstrated by the esteemed A44. While simultaneously offering a more accessible experience, the game is also surprisingly forgiving, boasting a lower barrier for entry. This might be attributed to various problem choices available, the relatively easier combat compared to most Soulslikes, or the generous provision of checkpoints and fast travel options.
“From world construction to punishing death, strategic problem-solving, and handling exploration, Remnant: From the Ashes skillfully scratches that signature Soulslike itch – a hallmark of A44’s expertise, honed by their reputation for delivering such experiences.” While requiring coordination and skill, this game can also be surprisingly accessible to newcomers, offering a gentler learning curve.
Let’s clarify precisely what we are discussing? On the distant planet of Kian, the flintlock fantasy genre is meticulously crafted, seamlessly blending traditional fantasy elements with the industrial-era setting and nascent technological advancements, creating a unique and captivating world. As a visual representation of itself, the sport crafts a powerful aesthetic, instantly setting apart its unique visual identity for both itself and the world it inhabits. You take on the role of Nor Vanek, an elite soldier partnered with the enigmatic fox-like entity Enki, tasked with combating formidable beings that have escaped from the Great Underworld and are wreaking havoc on an unprecedented scale.
Lacks a clear commitment to its Soulslike elements within the narrative’s narrative and storytelling frameworks. While adhering to the series’ signature mystique, it incorporates enigmatic notes and textual fragments dispersed throughout, subtly hinting at fresh narrative details and puzzle pieces waiting to be assembled; simultaneously, it demonstrates a willingness to incorporate conventional storytelling elements and tropes, deviating from the Soulslike genre’s typical aversion to such practices. The game boasts a plethora of cinematic cutscenes, whereas some character interactions might initially appear enigmatic, as not all conversational partners insist on speaking in cryptic riddles. Additionally, the planet features thriving cities and settlements, where non-playable characters (NPCs) inhabit, allowing for collaborative endeavors and even engaging in mini-games together.
How effectively does it work? Storytelling isn’t typically where one’s greatest strengths reside nicely. While the setting undoubtedly shines, the narrative’s anxiety overshadows the game’s potential, relegating the experience to mere serviceability. While I cherished the exchanges between Nor Vanek and Enki, and delving deeper into Kian’s world and its lore was consistently captivating, overall the narrative was never more than moderately engaging, and rarely approached the level of fascination that kept me invested.
Boasting a potent backdrop that carries much of the narrative’s weight, the game’s internal turmoil renders its storytelling merely adequate.
Despite this, many other things can still bring joy. The battle, a quintessential representation of a Soulslike experience, is an unadulterated thrill ride. As a more accessible interpretation of the genre, even on normal difficulty, the game presents challenges that are less daunting than those found in many other games within its style; yet, it still maintains a commendable level of toughness while successfully executing the core fundamentals. As combat flows seamlessly from one move to the next – chaining assaults, dodges, and parries with precision – a deep sense of satisfaction resonates within, especially as the game cleverly ramps up the intensity by introducing an escalating array of foes, each presenting its unique set of challenges. In the interim, combat surprisingly unfolds at a swifter pace than in many Souls-like games, as Nor Vanek’s movements exhibit greater agility and athleticism.
As you delve deeper into the world of combat, the sport introduces an array of mechanics that add complexity and depth to the proceedings: armoured or shielded enemies pose unique challenges, a wide assortment of firearms provides varied ranged options, and strategic utilization of Witherings unleashes powerful and magical abilities that can turn the tide of battle. At the heart of the game’s innovative take on familiar tropes lies the Popularity system, a direct analogue to the beloved Souls series – and thus, integral to its overall design philosophy. At its core, the game’s capabilities function identically, earning rewards by defeating enemies and spending them to enhance your character – albeit with a twist here, where your choices are more deliberately guided and restricted within a talent tree, offering a unique approach distinct from traditional RPGs’ free-form character development. While counting on certain rewards from a challenging Soulslike experience, should you unfortunately perish, you’ll forfeit any unutilized Popularity accumulated prior to demise; however, you can potentially regain this lost currency by revisiting the location of your untimely passing – but be warned: successive deaths will result in permanent loss of previously earned rewards.
The Popularity system truly shines thanks to its unique threat/reward dynamic, which motivates players to craft intricate combinations and strategies during combat, as the multiplier increases with each successive successful execution. When engaging in prolonged battles, consistently incorporating a range of techniques such as dodging, assaulting, parrying, and using firearms can significantly boost your popularity. Despite this seeming benefit, there’s a crucial caveat: when you’re hit, your multiplier resets instantly, and you simultaneously gain all the Popularity points you’ve accumulated thus far. The thrill of the game lies in balancing the urge to maximize returns with the risk of potential losses – will you continue to grow your multiplier, anticipating a massive payoff, or exercise caution by cashing out early before the odds turn against you? The innovative combat system effortlessly strikes a balance between mastering intricate mechanics and achieving satisfying rewards, without ever feeling overly punitive or discouraging.
“Not only does the Popularity system incentivize correct interactions with the game’s comprehensive fight mechanics, but it also strikes a perfect balance between reward and consequence, never feeling unduly punitive.”
Past the learning curve, development mechanics are relatively straightforward in their execution. By leveraging the popularity you’ve garnered, you’ll gain access to expertise in the talent tree, gradually expanding your move set and arsenal of abilities, while also discovering and equipping gear to further refine your build. Outside of the game’s core mechanics, players will discover fresh opportunities to acquire new weaponry, enhance existing arsenal, purchase cosmetic items, and uncover additional features. Soullike enthusiasts might be disappointed by the dearth of construction variety here, yet development mechanics are sufficient enough if approached more as an action RPG in this specific regard, primarily due to the Popularity system being the main draw of development aspects.
The place exploration is particularly effective in safeguarding players’ interests, doing an outstanding job of ensuring their protection. As a semi-open world, its design seamlessly transitions through interconnected linear and semi-linear areas, featuring loops and shortcuts characteristic of Soulslike games. The thrill of discovery often awaits in the uncharted territories, yielding a deeply fulfilling sense of accomplishment. Players will encounter fresh companions to join their caravan, explore various regions to acquire exceptional equipment, utilize crafting resources to upgrade valuable tools, rescue hamlets to unlock healthier flasks, and engage with numerous side quests to uncover.
Ensures that the sooner velocity of its flight displays in its common traversal and exploration as efficiently. Norvanek’s agile common motion velocity allows for nimble movements, complemented by a diverse range of skills including jumps, double jumps, dashes, vaults, and other techniques that can be strung together seamlessly. As a result of her extraordinary abilities, Enki will not only soar through rifts in the sky but also experience an ever-changing array of thrilling adventures that never fail to captivate her senses. While the game’s options may seem unoriginal at times, even the most mundane choices can become engaging when paired with the simple yet satisfying experience of traversal and exploration, as I found in numerous environmental areas. While the sport’s action and animation sequences can feel a bit stiff or unrefined at times, this inconsistency can occasionally detract from the overall experience of both combat and exploration. While it wasn’t a significant issue for me, I could imagine others might find it more vexing.
“The place exploration excels at providing a safe and engaging experience for gamers.”
One aspect that everyone suffers from is jankiness, although the truth is that I didn’t expect technical excellence and top-notch polish from this game in the first place. This exhilarating adventure boasts breathtaking scenery and an unassuming technical edge, leaving you stunned by the sheer grandeur on display at times. The game’s setting allows for a rescue narrative that showcases its artistic design, creating immersive environments and locations that are visually pleasing – unless, of course, you find yourself overwhelmed by the details when zoomed in too closely.
Is cricket, in all honesty, a sport that boasts more than enough merits to render any reservations utterly unfounded? Veterans of the Soulslike genre seeking a fix will find much to appreciate, with particularly satisfying challenges emerging when difficulty levels are cranked up. Meanwhile, newcomers may discover the perfect introduction to the style’s demanding approach, one that can be intimidating for some. A thrilling battle, engaging character progression, a perfect setting, and an outstanding Popularity system combine to deliver a robust, utterly satisfying action RPG with Soulslike elements – an absolute must-play experience.
