Those itching to play a new Metroidvania may want to check out Souldiers, the debut project of indie developer Retro Forge. This sprawling fantasy adventure combines classic 16-bit pixel art with more modern lighting and effects. And although its premise doesn’t exactly break new ground, the developers seem to have injected it with a great deal of polish. Back when the developers first announced the game last year, they slated it for a spring 2022 release. It seems they have held true to this promise, as a new trailer for Souldiers unveiled a May 19 release date, as well as a nifty animation.
According to the Steam page, Souldiers sees players controlling, well, a soldier who finds themselves lost in the mystical realm of Terragaya. This mysterious land exists “on the fringes of the afterlife,” which raises some questions since the player character “never actually died.” Finding the Guardian and traveling “to the next world” represents the player character’s main goal, and they can only do so by battling enemies, upgrading their stats, solving various environmental puzzles, and thoroughly navigating the game’s sizable 2D map.
What else can players expect?
To defeat Terragaya’s nefarious foes, players will have to make use of dodging and parrying to get out of harm’s way and capitalize on openings. As they explore Terragaya, players will find all sorts of treasures and secret passageways as well as fearsome bosses that will put their combat skills to the test. Just like any other Metroidvania, players’ movesets will expand as they progress, which will allow them to traverse the environment with greater ease.
With the release date finally revealed, those who have kept up with the development of Souldiers will have all the more reason to be excited. Those who want to try out Souldiers ahead of time can download the free demo on Steam.
