Armored Core 6 

FromSoftware has done an excellent job with Armored Core 6 and made this entry a glorious comeback for the long-running series. Taking place on the planet of Rubicon 3, Armored Core 6 tasks players to partake in increasingly tough battles against different kinds of mechs. There’s just a distinct sense of power fantasy that comes from controlling a heavily armed mech, and the developer’s signature difficulty makes sure that this power fantasy always feels earned.

Street Fighter 6 

Street Fighter 6 adds plenty of new elements to this long-running fighting franchise including but not limited to a full-fledged open-world, and it gets all the better for it. The core fighting mechanics are extremely solid, and it’s a lot of fun to experiment with different characters and find out what catches your fancy. Street Fighter 6 has a really high skill ceiling, and it makes climbing to the top ranks really fun with its selection of diverse game modes.

Mortal Kombat 1 2023 

Mortal Kombat 1 2023 is an excellent new fighter that’s easy to pick up but difficult to master. There’s just a vast list of combos available for each of the dozens of characters, and mastering each of these moves lists one by one is a consistently enjoyable experience. The combat really kicks into high gear on higher difficulties, where you must study your opponent’s moves and quickly devise a strategy to defeat them all in a matter of seconds – and that is something that will keep you coming back for more.

Dead Space Remake

Dead Space Remake is a faithful recreation of the 2008 horror classic, and developer EA Motive has done a job of cleaning up its many rough edges. What we get as a result is a modern first-person shooter that’s every bit as addictive as it is scary. Sure, the encounters are not as frequent as other action horror games – but Dead Space Remake offers plenty of player freedom with its selection of different weapons, abilities, and dismemberment mechanics which makes it all so endearing in the first place.

Hi-Fi Rush 

Tango Gameworks surprised us all with the recently released Hi-Fi Rush, which is easily one of the most well-designed games in recent memory. The entirety of the game world moves to the beat, and you must keep in time with the rhythm as you dish out damage to your foes. It’s a simple gameplay loop that manages to be extremely satisfying due to its rhythmic nature, and it’s made all the better through the use of catchy tunes among others.

Final Fantasy 16 

Final Fantasy 16 features over-the-top, fast-paced, hack-and-slash combat, which makes the resulting experience nothing short of extraordinary. The combat feels extremely polished and fast-paced, and using your abilities and weapons in creative ways not only looks really flashy but also provides a distinct sense of power fantasy. Add to that some amazing Eikon fights, and Final Fantasy 16 becomes a really addictive game.

Batman Arkham Knight

Batman Arkham Knight might just be the end of the Arkham games as we know, and it wouldn’t be an understatement that Batman went down in style. There are a few rough edges here and there, but Arkham Knight nails the rhythmic combat that the series is known for. The parry timings are generously large, the moves really flow into one another, and there are plenty of combat challenges for players to test their mettle.

Ghostrunner 2 

Ghostrunner 2 excellently builds upon what came before in new and interesting ways, and what we get is a sequel that is bigger and better than the original in almost every conceivable way. The one-hit one-kill mechanic is utilized to the fullest extent, and players are expected to do a meticulous ballet of wall slides, slashes, and slides to clear out large rooms of enemies. Ghostrunner 2 has a really high skill ceiling, which is what motivates you to go back and do it all over again – and that is what makes it all so intrinsically addictive in the first place.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus 

MachineGames’ delivered an excellent shooter with Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, which smartly marries the chaotic shooting of 90s first-person-shooters with modern gameplay conveniences and open-ended design. The New Colossus really embraces the chaos with dozens upon dozens of enemies filling the arena at any given point and the ability to dual wield any weapon type, and that makes the experience really fun and replayable.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is an excellent sequel that does a fantastic job of taking what worked in the original and ramping it up to eleven. Everything from the traversal to the story and the combat has been improved in significant ways, which makes it all the more addictive. Parker and Miles both have different movesets and special abilities and chaining them together to create a flurry of hard-hitting combos delivers a power fantasy like no other. Add to that plenty of combat challenges, and Spider-Man 2 becomes a really fun action game. 

Soulstice 

Soulstice is in many ways a glorious throwback to hack-and-slash classics like Onimusha, and it does a really good job of simulating that flashy combat design that made those games so great in the first place. Soulstice’s unique mechanic of controlling two conjoined characters also adds a fresh twist to the experience.

Lies of P

Lies of P tells the story of Pinocchio in a rather unique fashion thanks to its dark fantasy setting, but it’s an experience that has plenty to love as well. The combat draws heavy influence from Bloodborne, so it naturally revolves around striking a careful balance between aggressive strikes and calculative dodges. It also infuses some of its own mechanics like attachable prosthetic tools and customizable weapons into the mix, which makes it feel unique in a way. It obviously has a learning curve to it, but once you really get to grips with the systems – Lies of P becomes a really captivating experience.

Elden Ring

FromSoftware knocked it out of the park with Elden Ring, and it truly feels like an amalgamation of the developer’s best works to date. The combat system is still about managing stamina and carefully dishing out damage to your opponents, but what makes it so addictive is the sheer variety of weapons on offer. You can be a master sorcerer with a buffet of spells under your belt or you could be tank dual-wielding heavy swords. The challenging enemies and compelling NG+ options make it really difficult for players, which is what makes Elden Ring so much more addictive. 

Wild Hearts

Wild Hearts might have looked like a Monster Hunter ripoff at first glance, but the game was able to legitimize its existence upon launch with its fun gameplay and unique set of crafting ideas. The Kemono battles offer a diverse set of challenges to overcome, and you can use your knowledge of the Karakuri technology to craft interesting solutions to these challenges. The progression loop and the general smooth-flowing gameplay loop makes it all really addictive, and fans of Monster Hunter should definitely check this one out.

Gears 5

Gears 5 puts players in the shoes of Kait Diaz as she embarks on a grand quest to find the origin of the Locusts, and it’s a journey that’s punctuated with some really amazing firefights. The cover-based third-person shooting has been refined to an immaculate sheen and everything from the feedback to the balance and intensity are on point – which makes it all such an amazing experience. 

Lords of the Fallen 2023 

There have been a number of souslikes that have simply copy pasted ideas from FromSoftware’s games but 2023’s Lords of the Fallen is different. Set in a dark fantasy world, it features an interesting mechanic where you can essentially switch between two versions of the same world to unlock new pathways and interesting secrets. Add to that some solid combat and Lords of the Fallen 2023 becomes a great choice for anyone looking for a fresh Soulslike. 

For PS5 players, action hack and slash title Soulstice will be available. PS4 players can look forward to Tacoma, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Killing Floor 2. A game trial for WWE 2K23 will also be available, though this is more than likely exclusive to PS Plus Premium.

It’s worth noting that several other titles like ELEX 2, Redout 2, MX vs ATV Legends, PAW Patrol Mighty Pups Save Adventure Bay, My Friend Peppa Pig and DC League of Super-Pets: The Adventures of Krypto and Ace for PS4 and PS5 are mentioned in a recent PlayStation Access video. You also have The Talos Principle: Deluxe Edition, Lonely Mountains: Downhill, Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York, A Hat in Time, Carto, Forager, Dodgeball Academia, The Wild at Heart and Thief coming to PS4.

Classics coming to PlayStation Plus Premium include Killzone: Liberation for the PSP and Worms and
Herc’s Adventure on the PlayStation One.

As part of the Order of the Ashen Blade, sisters Briar and Lute arrive in the city to try and quell the disaster. They’re Chimera, a single being that houses two souls. Players control Briar, who wields a massive blade, while Lute assists in spirit form. As players discover new weapons and upgrades for Briar, they can also upgrade Lute to unlock new abilities.

What drove the sisters to become Chimera? You’ll have to play and find out. There’s a fair bit of puzzle-solving and platforming involved, not to mention boss fights against some brutal foes. For more details, check out our review for Soulstice here.

Soulstice tells the somewhat tragic tale of two sisters, Briar and Lute, fighting to close a tear in the veil; the cosmic membrane separating their world from a much more ferocious and sinister one. It’s a situation our main characters aren’t particularly surprised by, as the dastardly wraiths from the other side are known to attempt such things, but this time it’s on a much larger scale and presents an apocalyptic threat. Briar and Lute benefit from being “chimera” as in, a fusion of two souls. In their case, sisters. Lute is now a powerful ghost or “shade” that can wield all sorts of magical abilities while Briar has achieved supernatural levels of endurance and strength. Together they are quite the interdimensional force to be reckoned with, but so too is the army of monsters that await them.

"There’s just something about having a supernaturally powerful main character with a giant sword on their back that upgrades their abilities from currency earned from fighting as spectacularly as possible that just continues to endure. While Soulstice is without a doubt one of these sorts of games, I’d be lying to your face if I said it didn’t ultimately win me over with its often-superb mix of evolving old ideas and reinforcing them."

It’s a good albeit predictable tale that has our heroine duo coming across several other characters and tightly-designed areas in this gloomy, gothic world. Sometimes even coming across echoes of the past that provide some context for the story by giving you short glimpses into things that happened in any given area. These little scenes aren’t particularly expressive, but they are sufficiently harrowing, and more than get the job done of fleshing out the game’s world and breaking up the standard action game loop of tearing through enemies and exploring on your way to the next battle, and kind of remind me of talking to fallen warriors in the hall of heroes from MediEvil. I do wish that Briar and Lute were a bit more interesting themselves, especially Briar, who despite being unrelentingly cool and well designed, never really compelled me one way or another as a character.

The gameplay immediately makes it pretty clear that those who’ve ever played an action game from the PS2 or Xbox 360 eras will be right at home. A control scheme centered around light attacks with the Ashen Vindicator – Briar’s standard sword, and heavier blows from the Ashen Enforcer – a massive scythe or other weapons make a familiar set up, and as Briar’s arsenal expands, you’ll have different ways of making shorter work of monsters, but Soulstice also throws in some passive and active abilities with Lute, who can block attacks, freeze enemies, and dish out some pain of her own. Kind of like how Atreus works in God of War 2018. This is where the blending of old and new starts to show, a trend you’ll notice often in Soulstice. For starters, the often-fixed camera does relinquish control to the player, usually for the bigger fights, and then it plays more like a modern action game, but then it’s back to panning and trucking around during the platforming and exploration sections and even some battles for a more cinematic flair. This dual system creates a situation where the camera type switches around fairly often. Both systems work well enough, but the fixed angles can make platforming a bit wonky, and I can see how switching back and forth might feel jarring to some players.

You’ll probably hear people compare Soulstice’s combat to action games from the early 2000s a lot, and that’s not wrong. With Briars cartoonishly oversized sword magically resting in her back when not in use, it’s a tempting comparison to make. but when you get down to it, the individual strikes have more weight to them than that. Where action games from the early 2000s enables you to unleash flurries of attacks and barrage enemies with hyperactive nonsense, Soulstice is a little more deliberate and precise than that. Each and every strike matters – not nearly as much as they would in a Soulslike, mind you – but it still does have a knack for punishing you for too much mindless button mashing, thus forcing you to learn the ins and outs of Briars many weapons, Lute’s plethora of passive and active abilities, as well as the all-important banishment and evocation fields.

"You’ll probably hear people compare Soulstice’s combat to action games from the early 2000s a lot, and that’s not wrong."

These fields are used to great effect and make Soulstice stand apart from the crowd of hack and slash games a good bit. Controlling the blue evocation and the red banishment fields is a special ability that Lute can use to make corresponding enemies vulnerable, barriers breakable, and even reveal platforms that lead to hidden areas and items. Using them too long will hurt Lute though, which will in turn make you less lethal without her abilities for a short time, so there’s some strategy involved here.

Ultimately, the two fields mechanic isn’t that different from the multi-colored attack system of Heavenly Sword, but it’s used much more holistically throughout other facets of the game here like in exploration and puzzle solving that it frankly feels like a more organic part of this game than it did in that game. Also, a unity meter that illustrates the connection between Briar and Lute can add to the efficiency of combat and even lead to a devastating rapture state where Briar can easily tear through all enemies, fields be damned. so that’s something to keep an eye on as well. All-in-all the combat is fun to master and expand upon as new weapons and skills are added to your repertoire. All the weapons are fun to use and just different enough to make them all worth tinkering around with, although I have to admit I ended up favoring the hand of retribution probably more than I was supposed to.

Defeating enemies with quickness and purpose leads to a better score and collecting more crimson tear residue, at the end of a fight, which you can then spend on upgrades for Briar’s weapons, same for Lute with the cobalt-colored residue. I’ve got to admit I was surprised to see just how deep Lute’s move set goes, and how she can be upgraded into quite a juggernaut of her own in several different ways. Spend wisely though, as you only have the ability to buy items and skills in between levels or while talking with Layton; a traveler and observer that helps flesh out the story a little bit and also acts as the quintessential “whaddya buyin’?” character.

"Admittedly, some enjoyment of Soulstice may be gained or lost immediately depending on your personal experience with classic 3D action games."

Admittedly, some enjoyment of Soulstice may be gained or lost immediately depending on your personal experience with classic 3D action games. Soulstice proudly lives and dies by the same sword. Somebody who just got into the action genre within the last ten years or so might feel very differently about the game’s often fixed camera and highly linear layout than somebody who has fond memories of God of War 2. It’s also not helped much by some average-to-okay voice acting and writing, and the generic early 2000’s video game music is a pretty big missed opportunity as well. Still, regardless of the type of action you’re most comfortable with, Soulstice gets more than enough right with modern and classic ideas to be worth pushing through its few hang-ups.

This game was reviewed on PC.

"Soulstice is a character action game, and this genre comes with some very specific “rules”: a fast-paced and responsive combat system, combos, multiple weapons, boss fights, and so on. We meant to meet such expectations, but we also wanted to add something fresh and unique to this mix."

Soulstice’s central gameplay premise is a fascinating one, with players being tasked with controlling two characters at the same time. How did the idea for that first come about, and how challenging has it been to ensure that it’s properly executed in gameplay?

Soulstice is a character action game, and this genre comes with some very specific “rules”: a fast-paced and responsive combat system, combos, multiple weapons, boss fights, and so on. We meant to meet such expectations, but we also wanted to add something fresh and unique to this mix. That’s where our dual character system came into play. It was part of the concept from the very beginning, and the decision to involve two sisters came shortly afterwards. On the other hand, it was not a simple or a quick process to strike the proper balance between the Player’s actions (who mainly controls Briar, the Ashen Knight) and the AI-driven support of Lute, the Shade. Eventually, we decided to evolve Lute’s role as a combination of automatic actions performed by her, contextual reactions based on combat prompts, and the manual use of her blue and red fields, which make it possible to interact with certain enemies and elements in the environment.

Combining Lute and Briar’s unique abilities in combat is clearly going to be a crucial aspect of the game. Can you talk us through how the game uses the idea in terms of mechanics? For instance, is mixing and matching their abilities and experimenting with different combinations something that the game emphasizes?

It may sound like a paradox, but we felt that we wanted two characters to strengthen our single player combat experience. Lute helps Briar with counters, crowd control, defense and buffs. The Player will be able to actually “build” her in different ways, to find the setup that best matches their own playstyle. In other words, Lute helps the Player take a more proactive stance, instead of just reacting to the enemies’ actions. Moreover, if the Player manages to mix Briar’s and Lute’s abilities successfully, the sisters will gain momentum and their “Unity” will increase. A higher Unity causes Lute to become more effective, e.g. targeting multiple enemies at a time. Moreover, Unity can also trigger special “Synergy Attacks”, which cause Briar and Lute to strike together, but that’s not all. When their Unity is high enough, Briar and Let can even enter an enhanced battle trance called “Rapture”.

"It may sound like a paradox, but we felt that we wanted two characters to strengthen our single player combat experience."

What should players expect from Soulstice in terms of enemy design and variety, especially when it comes to boss fights?

This is an aspect of the game we really care about, and we have worked hard to create a diverse roster of enemies, one that could make for an engaging combat experience, throughout the whole game. Moreover, each enemy belongs to one of three different classes: the Corrupted, the Wraiths and the Possessed. The Corrupted come in different varieties, but they are always vulnerable to Briar’s attacks. Wraiths and Possessed, however, are a different story: Briar can’t actually harm them if they are not under the influence of Lute’s Evocation or Banishment Field. In particular, the (blue) Evocation Field causes invisible Wraiths to coalesce and become vulnerable, while the (red) Banishment Field is needed to face the otherwise invincible Possessed. Then again, the most powerful Possessed will release the Wraiths haunting them when defeated, and the Player will have to destroy them for good, before they have the chance to inhabit their husk again. All in all, we created an array of different elements that could work well together, and that we could mix to create interesting situations in any given battle.

In this perspective, our bosses are meant to be the proverbial icing on the cake. Each boss is going to be unique, and the battles against them always feature specific mechanics and challenges, which must be overcome in order to defeat them.

What approach does Soulstice take to its world design and exploration? How large will the city of Ilden be, and how freely will players be able to explore its environments?

The main focus of the experience is on combat, so the structure of the levels is pretty linear. There will still be some detours and secrets to find, however, as well as environmental puzzles to vary the pace of the experience. Exploration sessions are also defined by the use of some fixed cameras, which helped us give a more “cinematic” direction to the whole game, with some nice vistas of the city you are fighting your way through.

"The main focus of the experience is on combat, so the structure of the levels is pretty linear. There will still be some detours and secrets to find, however, as well as environmental puzzles to vary the pace of the experience."

How much of an emphasis will Soulstice put on its story and storytelling? What kind of a balance will it strike between its large-scale and overarching narrative elements and the more personal story of the two sisters?

As we started working on the lore of Soulstice, we gave ourselves two main rules: the most important gameplay elements should have a meaning related to the narrative, and the narrative of the game should always be consistent with the gameplay experience. In other words, we wanted to make sure that the story could be an added value to the player’s experience, rather than a distraction or a burden. That said, once we established the basics of the game, we had the opportunity to develop the story of Soulstice through different layers. One layer is about the mission that Briar and Lute have been given: the events, the characters and the challenges they must face as they try to reclaim the Sacred City of Ilden. Another layer is about what actually happened there, how the city fell to the Spawn of Chaos, and why. But there is also a third and final layer that deals with the intimate relationship between the two sisters, with the pain and the traumas they had to endure to become a Chimera. Eventually these different streams merge into one, and we hope that the Player will enjoy the narrative of Soulstice as a nice seasoning to the action-packed main course they found on the menu!

Please note that some of these games may have 2022 as a tentative release date as of the time of writing this feature, and are subject to change. 

With that out of the way, let’s begin:

God of War: Ragnarok

Sony Santa Monica delivered an excellent reimagining of God of War with its 2018 reboot which masterfully combined sincere storytelling with adrenaline-pumping gameplay. Those familiar with the game would know that the story ended on a cliffhanger, and naturally – fans are more than excited to see the narrative unfold with the sequel. The aptly titled God of War: Ragnarok will continue the adventures of Kratos and Atreus as they bring about Fimbulwinter. God of War: Ragnarok releases on 9 November 2022 for PS4 and PS5.

The Last of Us Part I

Naughty Dog’s 2013 classic, which mixes cinematic story-telling with action-adventure and survival elements, remains an unforgettable experience. On September 2nd, fans can relive that experience on PS5 (for a $70 price tag, of course) with The Last of Us Part 1. Built from the ground up for the console, it offers more detailed environments, improved animations, shorter loading times, DualSense support, and a wide range of accessibility options.

AI improvements, a revamped crafting bench, and much more also await. Though multiplayer isn’t included, it’s still worth looking into for the sheer visual splendor.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero

Twelve years after its original release on PlayStation Portable, Falcom’s The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero is finally being localized to English and released worldwide. Set months after the end of Trails in the Sky the 3rd, the story moves to Crossbell, a city-state of advanced technology and economic wealth. Crime and conspiracies run rampant, which results in the formation of the Special Support Section led by Lloyd Bannings.

Releasing on September 27th for PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch, the English version includes High-Speed and Skip Modes along with improvements to texture quality, bug fixes, and much more.

NBA 2K23

Dread it, run from it – NBA 2K arrives all the same. The year’s release features the usual ensemble of MyCareer (with The City and The Cruise returning for current and previous gen platforms), MyTeam, MyGM and MyLeague modes featuring both NBA and WNBA teams. However, significant revamps have been made to the gameplay, from new Pro Stick combos and Adrenaline Boosts to new Shot Meters and Shooting Attributes.

Even the Badge System and Player Builder have been improved, providing more freedom in customization. If that weren’t enough, The Jordan Challenges from NBA 2K11 return with the original 10 rebuilt and five new challenges added. NBA 2K23 is out on September 9th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Hopefully, it amounts to more than another yearly microtransaction fest.

Splatoon 3

Splatoon 3 will feel very familiar to fans of the previous two games, which is a good thing, but there are plenty of new features. Splatsville is the new hub with shops like Naut Coutour and Crush Station to purchase different gear, Ammo Knights for weapons, and a new digital CCG called Table Turf Battles. There are 12 stages for multiplayer in total, some new and several returning, along with new weapons like Stingers and Splatanas.

Even the core gameplay has received some new moves like the Squid Roll and Squid Surge maneuvers. Of course, those keen on PvE can experience a brand new campaign, “Return of the Mammalians,” and co-op with Salmon Run Next Wave. Splatoon 3 is out on September 9th for Nintendo Switch, with additional weapons, stages, gear catalogues, and more coming free after launch.

Soulstice

Reply Game Studios’ Soulstice may seem like your average hack and slash action game with launchers, Stingers, combos and so on. But there’s a lot more to this tale of two sisters, Briar and Lute, as they venture to the city of Ilden and battle forces from beyond the Veil. The dark fantasy art direction and story-telling, combined with the solid combat variety and intriguing story, should make for an interesting experience.

Soulstice is out on September 20th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, with a free demo available to try on Steam.

Slime Rancher 2

Monomi Park’s Slime Rancher 2 going into early access on September 22nd for PC and Xbox Series X/S. While Beatrix LeBeau returns as the protagonist, players will venture to the new Rainbow Island to gather its slimes. Though it offers improved visuals and new slimes, you’ll still be collecting and raising them to earn Newbucks and expand the farm.

Though the full extent of content for the early access launch has yet to be revealed, the developer promises “a big world to explore, many different slimes to collect and combine, and an introduction to the game story and the mystery behind Rainbow Island.”

FIFA 23

Unlike its contemporaries, FIFA 23 signals the end of an era as Electronic Arts’ agreement with FIFA comes to an end. As such, it offers much of what fans expect – over 19,000 players, more than 100 licensed stadiums, 30 licensed leagues, over 700 clubs and so on. In addition to HyperMotion2, which uses machine learning for more than 6,000 animations, and Technical Dribbling for more responsive turning and dribbling, this year features the FA Women’s Super League and French Division 1 Féminine (with more coming post-launch).

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be playable alongside the 2022 FIFA World Cup. And of course, it wouldn’t be FIFA without the return of Ultimate Team, for better or worse. Unfortunately, many of the new gameplay features are exclusive to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Google Stadia. Furthermore, the Nintendo Switch is getting the same Legacy Edition as the past few years with very few gameplay changes. With FIFA 23 releasing on September 27th, it remains to be seen if it ends the series on a high note.

Serial Cleaners

As the follow-up to Draw Distance’s 2017 breakout hit, Serial Cleaners leans more into the “fantasy” of portraying a cleaner for the mob. This time, there are four cleaners to choose from, each with their unique skills. However, you’re still working through different environments to dispose of dead bodies, clean up the evidence and avoid any police that happens by.

With a fast degree of stealth, open-ended maps with dynamic scenarios, and a non-linear story with different choices to make, Serial Cleaners promises a gritty experience inspired by Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. It’s out on September 22nd for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Return to Monkey Island

It’s been almost 31 years since the mysterious ending of Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge. Director Ron Gilbert thus returns to provide the thrilling conclusion to the saga with Return to Monkey Island, releasing on September 19th for Nintendo Switch and PC. It sees Guybrush Threepwood (reprised by Dominic Armato) getting his mojo back, encountering new and familiar faces, and ultimately, maybe, finally discovering the Secret of Monkey Island.

New locations like Brr Muda and Terror Island await along with reactive dialogue trees, an integrated hint system and even a new Casual Mode for the less hardcore players to enjoy the story.

Session: Skate Sim

Session: Skate Sim has been in early access since September 2019 for PC and Xbox One. Along with dual stick controls, it offers realistic physics, four difficulty levels and various locations to skate in like New York City, Philadelphia and the recently revealed San Francisco. In addition to challenges, which net cash for spending on t-shirts, caps, shoes, and more, players can customize their skateboard with over 250 parts.

There’s also a full-fledged video editor for creating clips, complete with different viewpoints, filters, and so on. Can Session fill the void before the new Skate launches? We’ll find out when version 1.0 arrives on September 22nd on PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, and PS5.

The story is set in Ilden, which has faced utter devastation following a tear in the Veil. This has led to Wraiths crossing over, possessing the living and creating corrupted monsters. It’s up to the Chimeras from the Order of the Ashen Blade, to stop them. You’ll control Briar and Lute, with the former possessing overwhelming physical strength and the latter existing as a Shade with mystical abilities.

As players progress through the city, they’ll learn that things aren’t quite what they seem. Learning new abilities, unlocking new weapons, and much more can be discovered as the duo fight to quell this disaster. Soulstice releases on September 20th – check out our preview here for more details.

Story

The story begins with Briar and Lute, sisters who have arrived in the City of Ilden after a terrible disaster. Something – or someone – caused a massive tear in the Veil, resulting in a massive incursion by the Spawn of Chaos. As Chimeras and members of the Order of the Ashen Blade, the two must fight through the hordes of Corrupted, investigate the cause of the tear, and ultimately seal it. Of course, nothing is as simple as it seems, and Echoes of recent events indicate that the Order may have other plans in mind for the fallen kingdom.

Dark Fantasy Setting

As part of the Kingdom of Keidas, Ilden is described as a place where the Torchbearer shines. However, following the tear, it’s a ruined city teeming with horrors. While Soulstice doesn’t go full-on cosmic horror like Bloodborne, it’s still pretty dark, both in subject matter and mood lighting. Lots of dead civilians, gore, and hints of a tragic backstory for the sisters are just a few things to expect.

The environments are also pretty varied, starting out at the ruined docks, transitioning to the streets, through a tower and prison, and so on. Though somewhat linear in the early going, subsequent areas open up a bit more, providing other rooms to explore, secrets to discover and resources to loot. The camera is positioned statically while exploring, changing angles when moving out of frame a la the older Resident Evil titles (and even shifting to a side-scrolling perspective in some platforming sections like NieR: Automata). In combat, the camera can be moved, providing a better sense of the battlefield.

Cast

Players control Briar, who is the standoffish powerhouse of the duo is is struggling to contain the Corruption within her. Perhaps it’s due to how Chimeras are created (not unlike the Youma in manga/anime Claymore), but one thing is for sure – letting it overtake her can result in Lute being lost. As for Lute, she sacrificed her body and bound her soul to her sister as a Shade. Capable of sensing disturbances in the Veil and providing back-up in a myriad of ways, Lute has her own emotional baggage.

Throughout their conversations and random remarks, you’re able to glean more about their dynamic – how much they care for each other, and what events led to their current predicament. There’s also the Observer, Layton, a mysterious figure serving the Order who provides items to buy, and can upgrade abilities for both sisters. Arrogant at times, exasperated at others but mysterious all the while, he also doles out orders and comments on the situation. Other characters pop up during the story, including Donovan, a powerful Chimera who doesn’t use his Shade to fight (for various reasons).

Not a Soulslike

The name may make you think otherwise but just a few seconds of combat should make it obvious – Soulstice isn’t a Souls-like. Its gameplay takes heavy cues from Nier: Automata, though combat is melee-focused. You can chain together light attack and heavy attack combos, and launch enemies into the air. Briar can also dash, both on the ground and in mid-air, while Lute is responsible for disrupting enemies.

The latter can outright repel melee attacks, slow enemies, stop projectiles from reaching her sister, and much more. She can also attack foes with automatic ranged blasts and slashes. You’ll need to carefully time Lute’s disruption abilities though, and things can get fairly chaotic when facing multiple enemies at a time. However, things quickly settle into a nice rhythm and the controls are very smooth throughout.

Unity

As Briar and Lute attack enemies, they start building up Unity, as represented by the icon in the upper right corner. Unity provides multiple benefits, like allowing Lute to fire two additional energy blasts. However, it also lets you unleash Briar’s Synergy Attacks – powerful moves with cinematic angles great for knocking back or outright killing enemies around you. Taking damage or being knocked back causes Unity to decrease, so you’ll have to balance between being aggressive or defensive when the situation calls for it.

Evocation and Banishment Fields

Eventually, you’ll come across Cobalt Veins and Crystal Overgrowths, the former being blue and the latter red. These require Lute to activate an Evocation or Banishment Field to destroy them, though they must remain in the field’s range. Keeping a field active generates Entropy and when the max is reached, Lute will vanish for a short period of time. Things get especially dicey when dealing with blue and red enemies – they can only be damaged when the field of their corresponding color is active.

Of course, you’ll also encounter some platforms and puzzles that require switching between the fields, and they provide a good break to all of the slashing. There are also Motherlodes, large chunks of blue crystals, which must be destroyed with combos and provide Cobalt Tear Residue for unlocking Lute’s abilities. Red crystals also appear throughout, which provide Crimson Residue for buying items from Layton and unlocking new weapon abilities for Briar.

Rapture

At a certain point in the story, Rapture is unlocked. Think of this as your Spartan Rage button, as Briar harnesses the Corrupted power within her to go ballistic on her enemies. Rapture attacks can damage all foes, even those that require an Evocation or Banishment Field. Activating it again unleashes a super-powerful attack to damage remaining enemies, and the overall power showcase is pretty awesome (techno music notwithstanding). The drawback of Rapture is that it decreases Unity significantly, but that’s easy enough to build back up over time.

Weapons

Initially, Briar has access to only two weapons – the Ashen Vindicator, which is a quick striking weapon (ironically so, given its size), and the Ashen Enforcer, a hard-hitting but slower weapon. Eventually, she receives the Hand of Retribution, a powerful gauntlet that can uppercut foes, parry attacks, and so on. Each weapon is effective against different types of foes – the Ashen Enforcer is good against flying enemies while the Hand of Retribution is better at stripping armor. Though the Ashen Vindicator remains equipped at all times, one can switch between their equipped secondary weapons in combat.

Weapon Abilities

Once again, if you’re familiar with NieR: Automata, then a lot of the weapon abilities will look familiar. Along with the Stinger-esque Piercing Lunge for the Ashen Vindicator, you have the Ashen Enforcer’s Arching Onslaught, which is a charged attack for knocking back foes. You can also launch foes with the Enforcer and smash them back down. It’s all fairly straightforward but Synergy Attacks and transitioning into a different weapon ability at the end of a combo provides some variety.

Lute’s Upgrades

But it doesn’t stop there as Lute has her own dedicated skill trees for Offense, Defense, Fields and Rapture. You could unlock the ability to disrupt stronger foes, decrease Entropy when slaying enemies while a field is active, unleash an explosive blast when overcharged, and much more. Best of all, abilities can be respecced if you want to try out different choices.

Enemy Types and Bosses

The Spawn of Chaos are a wily bunch, throwing everything from fodder to powerful Wraiths and Possessed at the sisters, oftentimes in overwhelming numbers. Things start out simply enough with Corrupted humans, though spear-wielding and armored heavy-sword users quickly enter the fray. Eventually, you’ll fight Wraiths, who can only be damaged inside of an Evocation Field. The Possessed require a Banishment Field to deal damage, and include quick-moving Slashers. We won’t spoil any of the boss fights but one of them is a Possessed with multiple different stages and mechanics that are challenging but fun to fight through.

Challenge the Void

Throughout the journey, there will also be special portals that lead to Void Challenges. Each has a unique objective to complete, from executing Perfect Counters or slaying all foes before the timer runs out, and provide rewards upon completion. Void Challenges can be played outside of the main campaign as well, if you fancy a higher score.

Difficulty Options

Soulstice provides five difficulty options – Human, Initiate, Knight, Chimera and Transcended. Human is the easiest and ideal for someone who just wants to enjoy the story while Initiate is a more balanced experience that still provides a decent challenge. Knight is where things get a bit more hairy, while Chimera and Transcended are the two toughest and must be unlocked. Chapter Selection allows for experiencing each difficulty separately (though save data for the current chapter is wiped). Besides a few key mechanics like Rapture, character progression and currency is shared between all difficulties. It’s great for those seeking a tougher challenge to unleash all of their abilities on from the outset.

Accessibility

A wealth of accessibility options are also available, from text size, font style and subtitles background to colorblind modes for Deuteranopia, Protanopia, and Tritanopia. One can also adjust screen shake, toggle gameplay assists like Auto Combat, Auto Fields and Auto Counter, enable the option to pause the game when opening the Inventory, and use only one button press for completing special events and QTEs. It’s a nice set of options to have in addition to rebinding controls.