@Arthandas Do you agree with my thoughts?
Yeah, for the most part.
I don't know how they managed to achieve such phenomenal animations and environmental art work, but it was really captivating. We're talking AAA levels in regards to those.
Yes, the environments look stunning. My only nitpick is in the context of the whole game some of them feel a bit samey.
The characters/story are a mix of Berserk/DMC
Actually it's like 95% Claymore and 5% Berserk.
Voiceovers were a bit disappointing
Here I have to disagree, I think they were pretty good (apart from generic soldiers heard in flashbacks). Both sisters are voiced by Stefanie Joosten, when I played the game I thought they were voiced by two different people.
The camera can go fucking wild at times during fights, as well as some of the endgame platforming.
The camera is neither the worst nor the best I've seen in a slasher like this. IMO it was pretty ok for the most part. My biggest issue was not the camera but the visibility during more intense fights. Sometimes it's really tough to see the incoming attacks, especially from offscreen enemies.
The gameplay is just Bayonetta/DMC
I think you're underselling it a little. Any slasher is "like DMC" since DMC basically invented the genre but Soulstice has a lot of unique gameplay elements (aura management, skill trees, special attacks available only during high hitstreaks, block/parry done by the spirit etc) that make it stand on its own.
I also really like the mechanical variety of enemies, there's everything from cannon fodder, fliers, teleporters, slow enemies, fast enemies, melee, ranged, buffers, swarmers, armored...
The soundtrack is pretty sweet too, there are some really good bangers. I even bought the OST but immediately refunded it because it's missing a lot of songs and some of them are different than in-game versions.
If I had to criticize something it would be the weapons. I'm not saying they're bad or anything but compared to crazy shit from DMC, the weapons in Soulstice are a little "too safe" (and could use a larger moveset). Also maybe don't put most of the game's bossfights in the last chapters with very little in between... Oh, and cut down a little on the invisible walls, seems like they're going for a Guinness record or something.
Generally I really like the game (it's an extremely good debut from the studio) and I consider myself a veteran of the genre. Unless they fuck something up, the sequel will be amazing.
