Check Out: Soulframe

[00:08] This time bringing you a look at Soulframe or more specifically Soulframe Preludes, which there is technically speaking a difference. But this is a game that is currently under a sort of like closed pre-alpha test. Though you

[00:21] because they've been doing some, I guess, advertising at some recent game shows, which is where I heard about it first. in what piques my interest. However, as I'm sure at least a few people watching already know. In looking

[00:34] quickly it's not my usual jam. That is because it is from Digital Extremes, the people behind Warframe, and is an MMO. They like to use the term co-op RPG, but

[00:46] by all accounts, it seems to be an MMO. Nonetheless, after some of the things I was just really curious about what this game was and what it entailed. So, when reached out and asked if I wanted to take a look at it, I went ahead and said

[01:01] yes. Though, I did make it clear MMOs are not my usual jam. But, like I said, I was curious and I figured maybe this video explaining some of this stuff across it in the future. So, let's get into it. First things first, while I was

[01:15] provided access to this uh currently, that is like I would say the primary way to get into it is to be invited into this pre-alpha testing. It is possible to buy your way in via a founder pack over on the Soulframe website, but that

[01:28] is the only place it is currently available. They are planning to like the normal usual platforms and stuff. So, you'll be able to buy it on the typical digital storefronts and I believe they want to bring it to console

[01:41] Outside of that, uh the game is therefore a little unfinished. In fact, making this video and taking a look at stuff, it crashed on me multiple times, which yes, obviously isn't great, but with it being a pre-alpha, it doesn't

[01:56] really mean much. Though, that said, it has been in this prelude stage uh for a I'm not exactly sure when it started, but they've uh frankly had time to and things have evolved and changed since they started. And so, you can kind

[02:11] of see the beginnings of what they have in mind here. Starting first then with in mind here. Starting first then with the story. So storywise, best I can tell, we play a character that was uh touched by some sort of fa magic and it

[02:25] has changed your arm from birth into uh what they call a packed arm that you can swap out and make packs with certain individuals who can then of course you know grant you various types of power. However, you inhabit a world called Ala.

[02:39] However, you inhabit a world called Ala. Ala is this big sort of green wild place that people were very like in touch with nature and everything. And this place was invaded by the Ode. The Ode are these high technology sort of alienesque

[02:52] people who have come here to dominate the land as you would expect and have turned to destroying the wildlife in particular with this sort of liquid called Iicor. And believe it or not, that stuff is in fact polluting the

[03:07] environment, turning beasts crazy, and seemingly has a certain degree of effect on people's memory as well, because it would seem that at some point or another, you were conscripted into the army of these people before being

[03:20] particular, it looks like you were initially left for dead only to miraculously survive, of course. But all of that in mind, it doesn't look like this game has a traditional character creation as of yet. Right now, what you

[03:34] can do is pick some features for your mother actually and a cutscene which later on, you'll eventually unlock a vendor that can change it up for you as well. But it's mostly just like some hairstyle options, a few face options,

[03:47] that kind of thing. And it's nothing like crazy given the state of the pre-alpha. Again, not a terribly surprising move. curious if they will expand on that a great deal later. But realistically, as you begin to explore

[04:00] the island you wash up on and take the fight to these ode people and try to just generally fix the problems that have arisen in nature, you're going to be doing a lot of progression because as you reconnect with your powers that come

[04:13] from your arm, you've got a lot going on. You've got the arm itself, which is going to give you access to a pact that you can then level up by using it. Leveling that up gives you access to a skill tree within that packed arm that

[04:25] you know of course upgrades it and gives you various abilities to use uh some magical abilities even that kind of thing. And then there is your equipment. of different weapon types. So it does look like items have a stat requirements

[04:39] or at least a stat via your virtues of which there are simply three and you'll weapons in particular are divided up into a bunch of different types as you would probably expect. But as you use that weapon type, you'll gain experience

[04:53] for it and then get access to another skill tree that way. You'll also get access to these things called totems, which are typically uh at least so far anyway, picked up by interacting with various animals in nature, and this

[05:05] rewards you the totem. And then you can socket those totems into the various slots of a weapon. And lining up those totems with the exact virtue you have produces a better effect. And then you can also slot a rune into a weapon to go

[05:19] that wasn't enough, there's also some extra stuff that I believe is doing smites and whatnot. So occasionally as you hit enemies, they will like spawn these orbs and you can use those orbs to trigger an effect

[05:33] called pull smite, which is kind of weird, but that sets off like a little explosion and that involved in some basic combos and everything is I would say the gist of the combat system. Combat thus far doesn't seem like crazy

[05:46] complicated or anything. It's kind of a basic almost action adventure melee combat system where you've got your basic, you know, attacks, blocks, parries, that kind of thing. The parry is relatively tame for the people that

[05:58] But if anything, it really does play a lot like an action adventure compared to early game, that may well change. Though, I did get up to and fight one of the bosses, and that seems relatively chill as well. But moving on a little

[06:12] bit from there, then you've got your more traditional stuff like exploration and interacting with uh various factions and whatnot. So exploration is pretty straightforward. You just kind of run around, explore, find points of

[06:25] interest, interact with things like animals or interact with bits of lore, uh gather up materials that you can use for crafting and everything. But a lot of that is done from a central hub that is accessible from basically everywhere

[06:38] called the Nightfold. So, this is a place you can sort of warp into that you can access a bunch of services from, provided you have unlocked them and services. This is where, you know, later on you'll get access to like your

[06:52] upgrade all your weapons and whatnot. It's also where you go to upgrade your pact as well and just kind of generally mess around with your equipment and anything else you would typically do in town. And the rest of it is you kind of

[07:05] questing as you go. There's some interactable stuff. This part seems relatively barebones at the moment, which I I mean, again, is pretty par for the course as far as a pre-alpha goes, and I imagine it's the part they will

[07:18] fill out as time goes on. However, that said, uh there are in fact factions really mess around with these personally. haven't gotten that far, but my understanding is that there are three of them and you can join one eventually

[07:31] changing between them if you like. And that comes with the typical rewards and the like that you'll be able to mess around with. But, uh, given that this is from the people who made Warframe, Warframe itself being known for, uh,

[07:43] understand, I would not be surprised at all if all of those resources and the factions and everything lead in to the sort of MMO grind you may well be used to. And given that this game is free to play and thus will almost certainly be

[07:56] leaning on some sort of cash shop to make ends meet. Again, none of that is how that actually feels when the game is fully released at some point remains to be seen, but is certainly of note, I guess. But as of right this moment, I

[08:08] I've got to say about it. Like I said, own curiosity, and I figured I would share that with someone who maybe also didn't know what this was all about. But if you happen to have played this for

[08:21] love to hear what you guys think about it down in the comments section below. But I freely admit I'm unlikely to cover this one a ton, I might take another look at it when it releases in full just to kind of see what changed and

[08:33] happy that I got a better understanding of what the game actually entails. But all of that naturally means to like, comment, subscribe, all that YouTube jazz. But regardless of any of that, truly just thank you so much for

[08:46] watching. I really do appreciate it. May you wander in wisdom and have an amazing you wander in wisdom and have an amazing day.