NGN has reviewed the Metroidvania Souldiers:

Souldiers Review

A soldier's work is never done

Anyone who has dabbled with Metroidvanias knows that patience is at the heart of the experience. They often test your tolerance as you spend endless hours exploring every inch of moribund environments, constantly circling back on yourself like a carousel ride until you eventually find the right path to your destination. Souldiers, the debut game from Retro Forge Games, has made patience the main ingredient for their dish as both Metroidvania and Souls-like mechanics are stirred together in a 2D side-scrolling world.
After an eye-catching animesque opening, the story kicks off in the Kingdom of Zarga, which is at the height of a bloody war. The court magician orders a regiment of soldiers to ambush the enemy forces by infiltrating a cave, but after a devastating earthquake, the squadron becomes trapped. Out of nowhere, a Valkyrie appears and promises the troops another shot at life if they enter the mysterious land of Terragaya. From here, you pick one of three Souldiers that follow their comrades into the unknown realm. Not too long afterwards, many of your fellow soldiers are slaughtered by ruthless monsters, and it quickly becomes apparent that this new world is just as cruel and unforgiving as the last.

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Souldiers is a worthwhile venture if you are someone who is seeking a brutalising challenge. The retro graphics are also an absolute delight to gaze upon as you traverse through various environments, cunningly using the terrain to your advantage in battle. Although, there is no sugar-coating that the plot is middle-of-the-road, and the technical issues can hinder the final acts. However, if you don't mind rolling with the punches, inside and outside of battle, then you're in for a good time.

Score: 70/100

The Metroidvania RPG Souldiers has been released:

Souldiers - Launch Trailer

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COGconnected checked out the Metroidvania Souldiers:

Souldiers Review – Delightful Duty Beyond Death

Souldiers Review

Souldiers is more or less built entirely out of buzzwords. This is a pixel art Metroidvania with soulsborne elements chucked in for good measure. On paper, this sounds like an actual nightmare. In practice, the game is quite delightful! The art direction is crammed with gorgeous details, the combat feels slick, and the challenge level is finely honed. If Souldiers feels familiar at first glance, that’s because it is. And yet, the end result is still a lot of fun.

You play a single member of a massive squadron that’s been deceived, betrayed, and doomed to die. The Valkyries take notice of your plight, offering you a chance to continue your fight beyond your destined death. You’ve got three classes to choose from, Scout, Caster, and Archer. I found the Scout to be the most accessible, although they’re also the simplest. Caster and Archer are more powerful, but resource management gets trickier. For a first playthrough, I recommend the Scout. There’s just so much to learn in terms of movement and combat, you see. Best not to add ammo and cooldowns on top of all that.

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It’s All Down To Your Skills

You’ve got a host of RPG elements to play around with, but they almost feel extraneous. Accessories, perks, and levels all play second fiddle to your developing mechanical skills. The stage and enemy layout discourages level grinding, and each level comes with minor gains. Equipment can change your stats, but it’s all rather ephemeral. Icing on the cake, so to speak. Your progress is clearly connected to your own abilities, which I’m totally fine with. It just makes the RPG elements feel like window dressing.

For a game composed of familiar elements, Souldiers still managed to surprise me. If nothing else, the game’s execution is exemplary. Even if you’ve played a ton of pixel art, soulsborne, and Metroidvania titles, this particular blend is a satisfying one. The art direction is beautiful, the controls are tight, and design is rock solid. If you’re looking for a new 2D adventure, Souldiers will easily scratch that itch.

Score: 80/100

RPG Site reports a gameplay video of Souldiers.

Souldiers Gameplay Video Released

Publisher Dear Villagers and developer Retro Forge Games released a new video for platforming RPG Souldiers. The video features gameplay footage narrated by progammers Sergio Martín and Leo Fernández Infante and highlights the game’s three playable classes — Scout, Archer, and Caster — as well as its character growth systems.

Souldiers puts players in the role of a fighter battling for freedom in Terragaya, a land on the border between life and death. The game features an interconnected world filled with environmental puzzles and is planned to release in spring 2022 on PC and Nintendo Switch.

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