Soulvars

A decent game that could have been so much better.

I believe there is an ability for replayability just due to the soulbit mechanic and trying builds with other main characters which are all elementally themed. The game isn’t a traditional deck building game as it is being branded, so the soulbit mechanic shouldn’t put you off SOULVARS. You can pick it up here, plus there is a demo if you want to try before you buy. If you love JRPG’s, games within a Japanese setting or being a agent for hire, SOULVARS does not disappoint.

Overall, the gameplay mechanics of SOULVARS were enjoyable, but the story is repetitive and the characters and story felt lacking. If you enjoy deck-builders, this should be up your alley, but if you're here for the narrative I would look elsewhere.

The creative combat mechanic that skill swapping offers is, unfortunately, the only meaningful source of entertainment value this game offers.

Challenging turn-based deckbuilding pixel art RPG

The game might have had a rough start with laying out the story and explaining the gameplay mechanics, but SOULVARS quickly smoothed out and got in its JRPG groove thanks to a good mix of deck-building and turn-based action. Additionally, it let its retro vibe personality show and it quickly became a pleasant experience.

Despite issues with ambiguity in terms of story and gameplay mechanics, SOULVARS manages to shine as a solid and rewarding experience for those willing to invest the time to master its intricacies.

When you add up its clever combat, involving party setup systems, and streamlined dungeons, SOULVARS equates to one epic indie.

SOULVARS is a complex video game dedicated to fans of classic Japanese role-playing games and, especially, to those who love their deep combat systems. Newcomers might find combat hard to comprehend but the game does offer the resources to understand the mechanics and use them in cool ways.

SOULVARS may have been a hit when it came out on mobile in 2022, but its PC version has not made enough changes for it to feel like it is meant to be played on other gaming devices. The game had an opportunity to increase its interactivity by including more explicit instructions, adding many more narrative elements and by spicing up the game's landscape. However, as it stands, I'd be sticking to the mobile version of SOULVARS as the ported version lacks a lot of soul.