Lead designer Kartik Kini introduces this top-down dungeon crawler as "Geometry we're transported back in time to one of videogames' formative moments. As an abstract shape exploring a maze-like map with enemies to avoid and secrets to discover, it recalls Atari's Adventure, with its minimalist aesthetic and foreboding atmosphere, as much as Kini's contemporary reference points.
Otherwise, Kini's description fits the bill. As our triangular hero dodges jabs from pointed blades and fast-moving projectiles from archers, breakcore music from composer Vivi Mouse kicks in, capturing a similar mood to Bizarre Creations' twin-stick shooter. Yet we also find ourselves resting at bonfire-like sparks of light, where we can refill our healing flasks and choose which of our stats to boost, at the cost of causing enemies to respawn.
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1387349800/1713437535/articles/4cGxxzdH21713442452404/0717177781.jpg]
Maybe we aren’t, as we’d assumed, a victim, but a threat unleashed on the world?
Kini, however, considers Void Sols more in conversation with Dark Souls than beholden to it. "High customisability and experimentation" are a focus, which becomes apparent once we've levelled up a few times and amassed some equipment. While you can invest points in vitality, speed, strength and dexterity, you can just as easily subtract them. So, too, can you rearrange weapon upgrades.
“Some other Soulslikes ask you to invest heavily into one playstyle," Kini says. “And if you aren’t paying attention, you could make a build that works against you down the line and ultimately tarnish your experience.” Here, should you find yourself struggling with a powerful but slow hammer build against the Prison Warden boss, it takes mere moments to equip daggers and respec towards speed.
This isn’t simply about reducing friction, sanding off the sharper edges of FromSoft’s work. There is no fast travel, for starters: Kini would rather players feel immersed in the world, and pick out hidden shortcuts to aid exploration. You also can’t equip new gear outside checkpoints, discouraging menu management when you’re out and about.
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1387349800/1713437535/articles/4cGxxzdH21713442452404/4783133084.jpg]
Another game enters the frame when we ask about Void Sols’ story. The impetus for the geometric character design, Kini explains, came from a question: &...
Otherwise, Kini's description fits the bill. As our triangular hero dodges jabs from pointed blades and fast-moving projectiles from archers, breakcore music from composer Vivi Mouse kicks in, capturing a similar mood to Bizarre Creations' twin-stick shooter. Yet we also find ourselves resting at bonfire-like sparks of light, where we can refill our healing flasks and choose which of our stats to boost, at the cost of causing enemies to respawn.
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1387349800/1713437535/articles/4cGxxzdH21713442452404/0717177781.jpg]
Maybe we aren’t, as we’d assumed, a victim, but a threat unleashed on the world?
Kini, however, considers Void Sols more in conversation with Dark Souls than beholden to it. "High customisability and experimentation" are a focus, which becomes apparent once we've levelled up a few times and amassed some equipment. While you can invest points in vitality, speed, strength and dexterity, you can just as easily subtract them. So, too, can you rearrange weapon upgrades.
“Some other Soulslikes ask you to invest heavily into one playstyle," Kini says. “And if you aren’t paying attention, you could make a build that works against you down the line and ultimately tarnish your experience.” Here, should you find yourself struggling with a powerful but slow hammer build against the Prison Warden boss, it takes mere moments to equip daggers and respec towards speed.
This isn’t simply about reducing friction, sanding off the sharper edges of FromSoft’s work. There is no fast travel, for starters: Kini would rather players feel immersed in the world, and pick out hidden shortcuts to aid exploration. You also can’t equip new gear outside checkpoints, discouraging menu management when you’re out and about.
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1387349800/1713437535/articles/4cGxxzdH21713442452404/4783133084.jpg]
Another game enters the frame when we ask about Void Sols’ story. The impetus for the geometric character design, Kini explains, came from a question: &...
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Edge Uk (Digital) - 1 Issue, June 2024