19 Sep, 2023
SOULS
SOULS is a strategy gacha RPG with semi-idle AFK Arena-like gameplay by the publishers of Archero.The core gameplay has us deploy five heroes on the grids in front of us. The enemies are placed on a similar grid on the other side, and as soon as we’re ready, the turn-based combat unfolds completely automatically.
There is a bit of strategy involved in choosing which heroes to use, as they each belong to distinct races that have specific synergies. But that’s about it – the rest is all a numbers game.
Progression is split into chapters that we complete by winning the ten battles they each consist of. And between levels, we level up our heroes, equip and upgrade gear, and unlock new heroes via a gacha system.
Lots of additional game modes and features are also unlocked as we progress, such as caves, a guild system, arena PvP, and much more.
Strangely, there’s no story or immersive lore, which is a shame since the art style and overall atmosphere is great. On the other hand, this makes the game very streamlined. You just log in, complete your daily quests, fight a few battles, and then come back tomorrow.
If you like this type of game, the gameplay isn’t horrible, but unfortunately, the gacha pull rates are very low.
SOULS monetizes via lots of iAPs that let us progress a lot faster. There’s even a VIP system with permanent boosts for each VIP level – although we increase these levels through gameplay too. There are also several pay/grind walls along the way. Be ware!
Overall, I had a decent time with the game as a second-screen experience. But it’s definitely pay-to-win, and the progression eventually slows down significantly.
Score
-
Control
-
Art Style
-
Gameplay
-
Monetization
