Soulstice is an upcoming new title developed by Reply Game Studios and published by Modus Games, and while it may just look like another Souls-like at first glance, it has its own identity and a combat system that marks it as something else entirely. Soulstice has a very fast-paced combat system that is not too different from other action games the caliber of Devil May Cry and Bayonetta, as opposed to the slower pace and approach of Souls-likes. Soulstice developers Samuele Perseo and Fabio Pagetti spoke to Game Rant about why this is not a title where combat is an accessory, how it is instead the main focus over every other aspect.

The base concept for Soulstice was making a combat game that was both a tribute to Japanese anime, manga, and video games while also creating something unique that would retain its European identity. That's when the influence of Nier Automata, Bayonetta, and especially Devil May Cry came into play, but Soulstice spices things up with its main character being the union of two sisters. The dual character set-up is something that makes Soulstice interesting according to its developers, as players control one sister, Briar, while the other, Lute, is controlled by an AI that improves based on the players' combat style - though she is occasionally controlled by players for contextual actions.

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The concept of a dual character in Soulstice is linked to this being a sort of weapon made by mankind to defeat the ethereal Wraiths, enemies who have slithered into the world through the Veil. Wraiths are powerful beings that are incorporeal, meaning that Briar wouldn't normally be able to attack them if it wasn't for her sister Lute, who can cast one of two auras on the battlefield to make certain enemies vulnerable. Briar is shown with a big sword in Soulstice's E3 2021 trailer, and she is a melee brawler while Lute is more of a crowd-control caster, according to Pagetti.

"Mainly, you don't control Lute because we thought about that, and no matter what you do in terms of gameplay, players are always connected to the melee sister, Briar. Sometimes in the game, you control Lute, but mainly she is an apparel AI that improves depending on the player's combat style."

Wraiths are not the only enemies in the citadel, and there are two more enemy classes that go by the name of Corrupted and Possessed. The Corrupted are people or militia who have been touched by the Wraiths and were tainted by their essence, whereas the Possessed are entities with a human body that were taken to be a host for Wraiths. Possessed enemies will require players have one of Lute's auras cast to let Briar hit them, which means players can't simultaneously strike a Wraith and a Possessed enemy. Corrupted enemies do not need to be targeted by Lute's auras to be killed, though, which shakes things up.

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The varied enemy types make for interesting encounters in Soulstice, especially because of the strategic depth that players can delve into by prioritizing specific targets or making split-second decisions. Briar and Lute also have a union system that works as a bond between the sisters while they are fighting, and increasing this value can allow players to perform special attacks and combos to defeat their opponents, Perseo said.

"Lute can only cast one aura at a time, so you have to switch targets or decide who to go for and how to move on the battlefield. You know, taking on the ones that are closer to you or going for the ones who are sniping from afar."

There are abilities players can use, items to find, and consumables that can aid them in battle against stronger foes. Soulstice is also focused on making the characters stronger the more players progress through the game, and there are multiple weapons to help them on their journey. Overall, combat in Soulstice does seem like a branching feature that can have very different outcomes based on the actions of the players and the enemy types make each fight unique, which in turn makes Soulstice worth keeping an eye on.

Soulstice is in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, set to release in 2022.

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