Unfortunately, all of my most anticipated matches over the past year have fallen short of expectations. While South of Midnight was a masterpiece of storytelling, it struggled to nail the action-heavy combat, and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 wasn’t the sequel or great action RPG I was hoping for. Looking to the future, Fable certainly has potential, but radio silence is quite concerning, and Phantom Blade Zero still doesn’t have an official release date. soul frame is a game I’m hoping will break its streak of bad luck, and considering it just hit a major milestone, I’m starting to get excited.
Having been to the past three TennoCons, I’ve watched Soulframe go from what felt like an almost bare-bones open world to a full-fledged action MMORPG. While I wasn’t sold on Digital Extremes’ early gameplay design (it turns out many people weren’t), the game continued to grow over time, turning into a Soullight experience with a world that oozes magic, mystery, and style.
While the Preludes have been rumbling in the background, adding a bevy of new content like fresh weapons, twisted fables, and character customization, today Soulframe is launching its Founders program, reflecting Warframe’s efforts since 2012. In the words of creative director Geoff Crookes, this is a “huge step” and feels like the road to launch has started.
Similar to Warframe’s Founders Program, you can choose from four different options spread over two tiers. Each Wyld pack grants access to its eponymous Pact (or class tree), so combat-focused players may want to align themselves with Tethren. Sirin, on the other hand, is perfect for dirty glass cannon assassins like me, and Oscelda is aimed at magic users. Depending on the character you choose, you’ll get unique primary and sidearms, talismans, new looks for spirit guides, moonsteel threads (which give you transmog abilities), figments (for moribund armor), and Arks, the game’s premium currency.
One tier above these is the aptly named Paragon, which offers all of the above in addition to unique greatswords and talismans. And, perhaps my favorite, the opportunity to plant your own flowers in the Eternium Garden. The team showed off this gorgeous, magical grove in a recent press livestream, and it’s absolutely beautiful.
There are also merchandise bundles associated with each tier, and Paragon comes with its own T-shirt. However, Warframe requires a Sphere Sword. The green goes perfectly with my Nyx Prime.
Soulframe’s Wyld Tethren, Sirin and Oscelda packs retail for $29.99 / £24.99 each, while the Wyld Paragon pack costs $99.99 / £84.99. The latter is certainly aimed at big spenders, but I’d argue it’s not a bad deal considering each pack grants access to the game itself, as well as access to prelude codes that can be shared with friends. You can get the Founders pack here.
It’s worth noting that if things work out similarly to Warframe, cosmetic rewards will likely be limited edition, so if you want them, now’s the time to get them.
Additionally, putting on a tinfoil hat, Warframe’s Founder Program ran for just under a year before launch, so while Soulframe’s release date isn’t set in stone, it does suggest that we might not have to wait that long.
In addition to Founders, Preludes 12 has also arrived. The highlight is of course the greatsword. This provides fighter-oriented envoys with heavier weapons. The game’s sub-boss (now called Agari) has also been buffed, and fast travel has finally been added to the game. This is music to my ears. Additionally, Baldur’s Gate 3 and Expedition 33’s Jennifer English has joined the game’s cast. You can see the full breakdown here.
Overall, Soulframe feels like it’s trying to: something. Maybe it’s a beta, maybe it’s a full launch. We’ll have to wait and see. But if you’re looking for me, you’ll find me in Nightfold. It’s slowly but surely becoming my second home.
