Digital Extremes has enjoyed a great deal of success with Warframe over the last decade or so, and though the looter shooter is obviously going to continue being a huge priority for the developer (especially with its next expansion, Warframe: 1999, looking as promising as it does), Digital Extremes does have other irons in the fire as well. Specifically, we are talking about Soulframe, a fantasy free to play action MMORPG that the developer has been working on and showcasing for a while now. Recently, we got another extended look at the game, with additional details also being shared by the developer afterward, and here, we are going to go over some of those key details that you should know.
STORY
Digital Extremes is crafting an entirely new world with Soulframe, and though those who have played its Preludes (which is what the developer has dubbed its playtests) have already gotten a decent taste of its fantasy setting, the developer has shared new details for everyone to dive into. Specifically, Soulframe will see players playing as an Envoy, a rogue Ode looking to heal the curse of your former group that has corrupted the world. Digital Extremes has stressed on a few occasions that Soulframe is going to be heavily fantasy themed, as opposed to Warframe’s sci-fi setting, and is going to focus on themes such as restoration and nature. The latter in particular is, of course, something that is abundantly visible even at a glance, courtesy of the game’s many, densely overgrown environments.
STARTING ISLAND
Digital Extremes has been pretty careful in not calling Soulframe an open world game, instead describing the free to play MMO as a game that will allow players to freely explore a large overworld. Exactly how large is that overworld going to be, however? In an interview (via MP1st), the developer recently revealed that Soulframe’s starting island is going to be twice as large as the Plains of Eidolon area in Warframe. For those who are unaware, is a pretty damn large area in and of itself- which means you can expect a sizeable overworld in Soulframe upon release.
CHARACTER CUSTOMIZATION
Character customization is something that Digital Extremes has prided itself on with Warframe (one of several things, actually), and Soulframe being an MMORPG is, of course, going to attempt to follow in its footsteps. As part of its recent showing, we got a decent look at its customization mechanics, which, interestingly enough, will see players customization the look of their in-game mother, a Night Maiden. Players will be able to customize her eyes, hair, skin tone, and more, which in turn will determine your character’s physical attributes.
GEAR
Beyond cosmetic customization elements, you can, of course, expect a robust gear and equipment system as well. This is an RPG, after all. For instance, you can equip various different Pacts, each of which comes with unique idols, which in turn are special weapons of sorts that need to be charged up to be used. In addition to that, there are various armour pieces and armour sets, helms, and weapons, with different gear pieces bringing unique benefits and buffs. Digital Extremes says the game will encourage plenty of meaningful build variety, allowing players to tailor their character to their preferred play style, including ranged options.
MASTERY
Interestingly, it has also been confirmed that Soulframe will feature a Mastery system that won’t be too different in how it works from the one in Warframe. Speaking during the aforementioned roundtable interview, the developers explained how it will tie in with other systems, including your aforementioned Pacts, your levels, and more. “It actually does have a very similar mastery rank system,” they said. “You have your Envoy, which is your character, and then you have your Pact, which is your cursed armour. Your Pact is a class that you can level up. And then, for every Pact you level up, your Envoy gains a level. And then they have three RPG stats, that are what we call the Virtues. And that feeds back into the system as well.”
ANCESTORS
One of the key systems in Soulframe is going to be ancestory. Specifically, the action RPG will allow players to recruit and bring back various ancestors to the Nightfold, which is essentially a hub location tucked away in an alternate dimension. Every ancestor is essentially an expert, each boasting different skills that you can make use of in various ways.
VERMINIA, THE RAT WITCH
A new ancestor in Soulframe that we got a look at during the game’s recent gameplay presentation was Verminia, the Rat Witch, who is going to be particularly useful for players time and again. The so called Rat Witch will not only enhance the customization of your cosmetics, she will also enable you to concoct various potions and elixirs.
ENEMIES
Digital Extremes’ recent showing of Soulframe also offered us new glimpses at some of the enemies that we will be locking horns with in the game. One enemy that we saw quite a bit of in a combat encounter in the recent gameplay was dubbed Nimrod, who is apparently a recurring foe. Wielding a tesla coiled staff, this enemy is capable of manipulating thunder and electricity, so these encounters should prove interesting- in theory, at least. Another enemy that we got a brief glimpse of was Bromius, who is an armoured bear, though we don’t know much else about him.
EARLY ACCESS LAUNCH
The wait for Soulframe has stretched on a couple of years, but Digital Extreme says it won’t be much longer before we’re playing it. The developer says the game will have “some form” of an early access launch later this year. Exactly what that means remains to be seen, but though we do not have a date, or do not know exactly what the scale of the game’s release will be, Digital Extremes has said the game’s Preludes will be opened up for everyone in the fall. There are also going to be founders packs available for purchase, though apparently, they are going to be “way less” exclusives than the founders packs for Warframe were. Beyond that, this is, of course, an entirely free to play game.
POTENTIALLY ROUGH RELEASE
Digital Extremes is being quite honest as it sets expectations for Soulframe’s early access release later this year. As per creative director Geoff Crookes (via Wccftech), the game is going to launch in a potentially rough state, though as per Crookes, working on the game based on feedback from players is going to be central to how Digital Extremes handles things, just as it did with Warframe. “The closed testing we’ve been doing with our community has been so impactful,” Crookes said. “We’ve learned a ton, and we continue to listen and learn each day. We’re hoping to open this up to a lot more players this Fall. Everything is still rough around the edges, but that’s part of our style – the feedback is important to us, and we really do iterate on it regularly.”