SOULVARS

I picked this game up after watching a friend stream this for the music. After trying it out myself, this game does have some challenging moments but this game is also fun and enjoyable to play through.

Soulvars is a highly customizable and fast-paced turn-based battler that seems to draw inspiration from games like Megaman Battle Network, Kingdom Hearts:CoM, Baten Kaitos, and Shin Megami Tensei. It claims to be a deckbuilding game but that's only true in the sense that you do, in fact, build a deck.
Players build decks by equipping armor, weapons, and accessories to their characters in classic JRPG fashion. This loads Soul Bits into their decks. Soul bits are like cards that each hold a move a character can perform. They can use them in various combinations to create combo skills that deal massive damage and hit multiple times. Each character gets a hand of 5 Soul Bits per turn and you can use them to hit weaknesses and earn extra actions for the next turn or combine them into a more effective attack that might not net you that bonus round and consumes those points you banked last round.
The battles are deeply strategic and the customization system feels genuinely rewarding. By the end of the game, every soul bit you play is incredibly important to your overall gameplan. You can overcome weaknesses with consumables you can purchase from various shops around the map but the economy is such that you'll want to find a skill to replace any given consumable as quickly as possible.
The story is a bit of a mess and the pacing of the game makes it feel more like the middle bit of a Final Fantasy mobile title than it does an entire game. In many ways, gameplay and story-wise, it's like they took the most exciting chunk of an SMT game and made it an entire experience. Lots of it feels barebones and stripped back and the ability system is intentionally a grindfest but everything about Soulvars feels like a fresh take on game systems that have been forgotten by mainstream developers. I would love to see a sequel or another version with a prologue chapter and some sort of epilogue to give a more complete picture of the world and our protagonists.

SOULVARS is a refreshing take on the role-playing genre that successfully merges strategic deck-building mechanics with traditional JRPG progression. Developed by ginolabo and SUCCESS Corp. and published by SHUEISHA GAMES, the title places players in a futuristic world where human souls have been digitized and weaponized. You assume the role of a Soulbearer, an elite fighter capable of battling powerful entities known as Dominators, while uncovering a larger mystery surrounding the fate of humanity. The cyberpunk setting immediately establishes a distinctive atmosphere, combining neon-lit technology with philosophical themes about identity, consciousness, and the relationship between humans and machines.
The game's defining feature is its inventive Soulbit combat system, which replaces ordinary turn-based commands with customizable decks of combat abilities. Every battle revolves around arranging Soulbits into effective combinations, allowing attacks, support skills, and devastating special techniques to flow together in carefully planned sequences. Rather than relying on chance alone, victories are earned by understanding how different abilities interact and by adapting your deck to each challenge. As the adventure progresses, players unlock additional Arts, equipment, and passive abilities that significantly expand tactical possibilities. This emphasis on experimentation makes every new upgrade feel meaningful, rewarding players who enjoy refining strategies and discovering powerful synergies instead of simply increasing character statistics.
Exploration and progression complement the combat well, offering a satisfying balance between dungeon crawling, story advancement, and character development. Equipment can be enhanced with special effects, encouraging players to tailor each party member toward specific combat roles. The variety of enemies and bosses continuously introduces new mechanics that require adjustments in deck composition rather than repeating the same strategies throughout the campaign. This constant need to rethink builds keeps encounters engaging and gives the overall progression a strong sense of purpose. Players who enjoy optimizing characters and experimenting with different approaches will find plenty of depth beyond the main storyline.
Visually, SOULVARS embraces beautifully crafted pixel art that captures the charm of classic Japanese RPGs while incorporating fluid animation and modern presentation. Character sprites are expressive during combat, attack effects are vibrant without becoming overwhelming, and the futuristic environments effectively convey the game's cyberpunk identity. The soundtrack reinforces the atmosphere with energetic battle themes and moody background music that suit both intense encounters and quieter story moments. The PC version also benefits from an interface designed for larger displays and controller support, making the transition from its original platform feel polished and comfortable.
While the game's systems are highly rewarding, they can also be intimidating during the opening hours. The combat mechanics contain numerous interconnected features, and some players may find the tutorials insufficient for explaining every layer of strategy. Mastering deck construction, ability timing, and resource management requires patience, especially for newcomers unfamiliar with card-driven RPG mechanics. Fortunately, once the systems become familiar, battles transform into satisfying tactical puzzles where thoughtful preparation consistently outweighs brute force. The challenge ultimately becomes one of the game's greatest strengths, rewarding players willing to invest time in understanding its mechanics.
The narrative offers enough intrigue to support the gameplay, presenting a compelling science-fiction mystery filled with technological dilemmas and supernatural threats. Although the story occasionally prioritizes gameplay over character development, the central conflict remains engaging throughout the adventure and provides meaningful context for the increasingly difficult encounters. The world-building effectively explores the consequences of a society where souls can be digitized, adding philosophical depth without slowing the pacing of the overall experience.
SOULVARS succeeds by combining familiar RPG foundations with an original combat system that feels both innovative and rewarding. Its engaging deck-building mechanics, extensive customization, memorable pixel art, and immersive cyberpunk setting create an experience that stands apart from many modern indie RPGs. Although its steep learning curve may discourage some players initially, those who embrace its strategic depth will discover a thoughtfully designed adventure that consistently rewards creativity and careful planning. For fans of tactical role-playing games and deck-building mechanics, SOULVARS offers a fresh and satisfying experience that is well worth exploring.
Rating: 7/10