Soulstone Survivors Review

While I’m not a fan of roguelites, I find myself playing more survivorlikes than I ever thought I would. And sometimes there’s one which does something different enough to catch my interest, which is where Soulstone Survivors comes in. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it polishes the formula to a dazzling shine.

At its core, Soulstone Survivors sticks to the tried-and-true format: you control a single hero in an enclosed arena, dodging waves of enemies while your attacks and abilities auto-fire on cooldowns. Gather dropped experience shards to level up, unlock or upgrade skills, and gradually transform into a whirlwind of destruction.

There are over 20 characters ranging from normal fantasy-style Barbarian to the Roman-inspired Legionnaire, and the ghost pirate Cursed Captain. Each one has unique skills, weapons, and expansive skill trees, so you can experiment with different builds as you forge new weapons and equip buffing runes.

The main mode, however, isn’t the only game mode. You fight enemies until it summons a boss, do that a handful of times, then you can either finish the level or continue. There is also the Unholy Cathedral mode, which pits you against waves of bosses in a confined arena, and Titan Hunt mode, where you activate sigils to face the Void King. Every run in either mode will gain you experience to use in the skill tree, to hopefully keep you alive that little bit longer.

Visually, Soulstone Survivors is colourful, with the isometric environments filling with flashy effects. However, the sheer amount of on-screen chaos can be overwhelming, and while the game does a decent job of keeping things readable, it’s easy to lose track of your character in the heat of battle. Additionally, the constant voice lines from characters can become repetitive and grating over time, detracting slightly from the otherwise polished presentation.

One area which might divide players is its difficulty. Compared to other games in the genre, it feels more forgiving, with generous upgrades and a steady flow of power-ups that can make you feel like an unstoppable force. While I like this sense of empowerment, players seeking a punishing challenge might find the early stages too easy. The other modes are more of a challenge, so might be more of a focus for those looking to make it hurt.

On the whole, Soulstone Survivors is a fun game with little letting it down. It looks good, has an absolute ton of content to keep you playing and replaying, and is a worthy entry in the genre.