Soul Dier

Soul dier is a fairly difficult tactical strategy game that has many unique ideas and gimmicks. The game is heavily based around customizing builds and playing around with different interactions and it is effective at this by not including an xp system so that one character is significantly stronger then the rest of the party. This also makes it so there is never a fall off with any of the other party members as there is not a single party member I would call useless as each one has a role that they fulfill.
Overall the combat in this game feels really good and overcoming hard levels with handmade builds can feel very satisfying.

This is a hidden gem for turn based games. Does a great job building upgrades and getting more complex. Strong variety of missions. Challenging. Highly recommended.

Note: i was involved in playtesting, but these are my own opinions.
Further note: i only played through the prologue and chapter 1 with a whole ~14 levels left to beat, which is indicative of this game being well worth the price despite only being one half of a whole package, it's clear to see why it had to be split up - but also this review only covers those 10 hours.
Review:
though personally i am not exactly familiar with nor particularly a fan of tactics games, this one is really easy to get into while also offering a fair challenge.
levels offer a lot of variety by introducing different stage-specific gimmicks, changing up objectives and sometimes totally going off the beaten path and doing something completely different.
i found myself voluntarily switching up builds almost every level because of how much there is to strategize - skills, items, charms, etc. yet it never got overwhelming.
as mentioned, levels can get pretty tough. you can't brute force them. given my lack of proficiency within the genre i can't speak for everyone but i definitely struggled at certain points. however, i would say the difficulty is balanced and satisfying.
the story is more of a backdrop to the gameplay for me but it is very cutely written, i find the characters quite charming.
performance wise the game runs really well and the very infrequent issues i did experience were patched out.
tl;dr it's clear that a lot of love and effort went into this project so i'd highly recommend supporting it, especially if you like tactics games - but even if you don't it's streamlined in a way that doesn't dumb down its mechanics so even a dummy like me could play it and have fun.
p.s: the OST is an absolute banger and well worth the listen. seriously

Just cleared Soul Dier Part 1. This game is a turn-based strategy game with awesome game design. Each stage has new gimmicks so it never gets boring. There's only one difficulty level but it's perfectly balanced - first playthrough might be a bit tough, but once you figure out the positioning and manage your items right, it's totally beatable.
The music slaps too, never gets old. Highly recommend this hidden gem for turn-based strategy fans.
剛剛通關了 Soul Dier Part 1,這是一款設計優秀的回合制策略遊戲,每個關卡都有新的機關,設計上不會令人感到沉悶。難度只有一個,但調校得恰到好處,初次遊玩可能會有點困難,但如果懂得調整站位和善用道具就能通關。
音樂也很出色, 很推薦給喜歡回合制策略遊戲的玩家,是一款值得發掘的隱藏佳作。

Still playing the early stages, but the art style is so cute and I love all the music!!!

最近試玩了《凋靈戰士 Soul Die》，真的有驚喜！畫面非常漂亮，角色和場景都很有質感，音樂也很搭，氣氛營造得很好。最有趣的是攻擊遞減的設計，讓我在每一步都要多想一下，戰術感十足。雖然目前只玩了部分內容，但整體感覺很不錯，已經開始期待後面的劇情和玩法了。如果你喜歡戰棋或回合制策略遊戲，這款真的值得一試！
Just tried out Soul Die recently, and I was pleasantly surprised! The visuals are gorgeous—characters and environments are really well done. The music fits perfectly and adds a lot to the atmosphere. One thing I really liked was the diminishing attack mechanic—it makes every move feel more strategic. I’ve only played part of the game so far, but it’s already leaving a great impression. If you're into tactical turn-based games, this one’s definitely worth checking out!

Only a few chapters/battles in so far, but already hooked/extremely interested in where this game is going next. The combat system feels reminiscent of older tactical JRPGS, like Arc the Lad. Positioning is important, enemies can have differing defense from each direction, characters have unique abilities powered by points that recover during turns where you don't use an ability (for example, when performing a regular attack, or even more points when you Wait). Items refresh after each battle (though you can only bring a limited number with you), so you don't have the issue of saving items because "Maybe I'll need this later". Some stages have interesting gimmicks; one stage that takes place in a sandy/rocky area has a wind direction mechanic that you can take advantage of, for instance.
Especially enjoying the music, musical vibes highly reminiscent of earlier JRPGS; and that's one of the biggest compliments I can give. Hearty recommendation, especially for fans of retro tactical RPGS. If you're unsure, 100% recommend picking up the demo at a minimum and giving it a look to find out if it's to your taste. I can at least confirm that it is to mine.