Crossing Souls

Crossing Souls is a serviceable action-adventure fueled by 1980s nostalgia, but its dependence on classic tropes isn't enough to make it remarkable.

An earnest and impactful adventure, written within the margins of an homage to 80s cinema.

Flat writing and a confused plot fail to deliver on some promising ideas.

Thanks to its robust battle system, intriguing character-switching puzzles, and beautiful storytelling, Crossing Souls is a fantastic adventure that goes beyond its nostalgic trappings

There is nothing original about this Kickstarter-funded game with a plucky Goonies-style gang of 2D characters – but that is the point

That it ultimately collapses into a string of unpleasant platforming sequences that the core design simply can't sustain means I grew to loathe Crossing Souls, once it entirely abandoned its redeeming features for everything it couldn't get right.

Crossing Souls is an interesting title. Absolutely in love with the pop culture of the 1980s, the title wears this love on its sleeve, and the charm of that is undeniable. Unfortunately, while the writing, art, music, and references are great, the gameplay peters out rather quickly. After a strong first couple of hours, full of interesting and layered puzzles, the last half of the title quickly devolves into no more than a collection of platforming and melee combat scenarios with little else to keep you going. The end result is game that's fun and entertaining despite its gameplay, not because of it.

Come for the wonderful presentation, stay for the baddie boppin'. Crossing Souls nails its 1980s aesthetic, no question there — the 'long-lost-cartoon' game is strong here, right down to the artfully placed VHS artifacts in the animated cutscenes playing out across a sweeping adolescent adventure. Nostalgia aside, the story and beat-em-up gameplay please and surprise in a few key ways, but come with a few too many paper cuts to prevent Crossing Souls from breaking through to that next level.

For those of you with strong attachments to the 80s, Crossing Souls is a sure cure for your nostalgia; for those without, Crossing Souls simply feels like a game that's trying too hard.

While it may leave you wanting more in certain areas, Crossing Souls is still an excellent action game with a terrific, gripping story you'll want to see to the very end.