When is the Soulframe launch date? The upcoming fantasy MMORPG from the creators behind Warframe has been on our minds because it was first introduced in 2022. Extra not too long ago, developer Digital Extremes has revealed story particulars and gameplay trailers that give us an concept of what to anticipate from Soulframe’s stunning open world that set up its themes of local weather change and environmental destruction.
Soulframe definitely appears to be like and feels very totally different from its sci-fi sister, Warframe, with an echo of our favourite fantasy video games. Nonetheless, there are many parallels to thrill long-time Warframe followers and new gamers alike as soon as the MMORPG arrives. Till then, right here’s every thing we all know thus far, together with all the most recent information surrounding the Soulframe launch date and the upcoming Preludes playtests.
Soulframe launch date window
The Soulframe launch date is slated for late 2024, and we count on to listen to a definitive date throughout this 12 months’s Tennocon. In the meantime, a choose few gamers are at present testing the sport in Soulframe Preludes, an early closed alpha check.
For individuals who aren’t invited to take part, Digital Extremes are dedicated to holding potential gamers within the loop with common gameplay clips, dev interviews, and different reveals, as confirmed in our unique Soulframe interview.
Artistic Director Geoff Crookes informed us: “Whereas we don’t have a launch date or window to share presently, we do plan to maintain gamers engaged by periodically internet hosting improvement streams that may supply info and perception into our groups’ progress.”
Digital Extremes has not too long ago confirmed date and time of Soulframe’s look at Tennocon 2024, and the presentation is about to be streamed on-line on July 20, at 9am PDT, 12pm EDT, 5pm BST. We’ll be there in individual to convey you the most recent information and, hopefully, that launch date.
Soulframe Preludes
Soulframe Preludes is the title of the invite-only closed alpha check going down proper now. To have an opportunity of taking part, enroll on the official Soulframe web site.
Signal-ups are reside on the official Soulframe website now, and signing up additionally means that you can declare your Soulframe username now, whether or not you’re invited to take part within the Preludes or not. Additionally, you will obtain the Alca’s Eye merchandise when the sport launches, only for signing up.
Soulframe trailers
The Soulframe reveal trailer was the primary spotlight of Tennocon 2022, exhibiting off Digital Extremes’ subsequent main venture. As a purely cinematic trailer, no precise gameplay footage was proven. Nonetheless, it does give some perception into how the sport will differentiate itself from the developer’s earlier video games, together with Warframe.
Extra trailers have since been revealed, together with the Preludes gameplay video beneath, the primary actual glimpse of gameplay we’ve seen thus far.
Soulframe gameplay
Soulframe is a stark distinction to the motion we’ve come to know and love in Warframe. As a substitute of going for fast-paced lightning-style motion, the workforce wished to actually sluggish issues down and actually let you consider each motion. There’s plenty of dodging and parrying but additionally a complete slew of various fight mechanics, too.
Within the Tennocon 2023 demo, we see our character throw their sword at an enemy, just for it to return zooming again like a boomerang. There are additionally three totally different ability timber (Braveness, Grace, Spirit) that will let you turn out to be extra tanky, extra agile, or use nature-based magic. Some spells seem to show enemies to stone, in addition to the standard fireballs and ground-shattering earthquakes.
You can even use the surroundings to your benefit, with the flexibility to kick enemies off of excessive constructions and into chasms. And, if that doesn’t do it for you, you too can summon an enormous wolf that tears your enemies asunder. You can even experience the wolf, by the best way, so there’s that.
In our Tennocon 2024 interview with Soulframe’s chief inventive officer, Steve Sinclair, we additionally bought to investigate into a few of Soulframe’s influences, together with landmark soulslike video games like Elden Ring. “There are plenty of different influences there,” Sinclair mentioned. “Nice melee fight video games like Ghost of Tsushima are enormous ones as effectively.”
Geoff Crookes has additionally given The Submit some perception into the place you may be touring outdoors of the hub space, “the world itself is slightly offended about what’s been executed to it, and the grounds beneath are inclined to shift all through the day”. When it comes to gameplay, because of this dungeons are, certainly, procedural.
As you enterprise via these cases you’ll encounter Wandering Souls, that are spirits whose virtues you may equip as successfully a fourth spell slot. These may help you navigate via dungeons by opening new doorways and pathways or present fight advantages like burning weapons.
One in all my favourite options, although, is that you simply work together with the world by enjoying music on what seems to be a panpipe. Taking part in sure notes will offer you the chance to view echoes of instances passed by, providing you with perception into the world’s previous.
Soulframe setting and story
Soulframe follows a rogue Ode, or sky individual. We’re not sure why our character has determined to desert the Ode, however the group seems to be corrupting the world round it. We meet the mysterious Girl Deora, a determine who seems to have been corrupted by the Ode and turned towards nature. How we all know her is unclear, and what occurs to her as soon as she has been ‘purified’ additionally stays a thriller.
What we do know is that our character seems to have been despatched by a mysterious ‘Empress,’ to whom the once-corrupted stag, Garren, bows. You might be described as an ‘envoy,’ however your goal on this planet stays unclear.
Both manner, it’s clear that the sport is, to borrow DE’s phrases, “closely influenced by themes of nature, restoration, and exploration.” In contrast to Warframe’s futuristic areas and characters, the world of Soulframe tendencies extra in direction of fantasy and magic however isn’t significantly grimdark in nature. There are nonetheless hints that Soulframe gained’t fully stray from sci-fi, although, with character designs nonetheless retaining some futuristic parts, just like the participant’s bionic arm and an enormous spaceship-style construction that’s seen within the latter half of the Tennocon 2023 demo.
That theme of nature is obvious from the trailer, too, because the participant each helps animals and groups up with them in battle, as we see through the loading screens and the small fowl familiars that may information you thru the dungeons. In an interview with the Washington Submit, the Soulframe workforce names Princess Mononoke and The NeverEnding Story as inspirations for the sport. With a heavy concentrate on environmentalism within the former, then, maybe the story might sort out the topic of habitat destruction, amongst different themes.
On the official Soulframe X (Twitter) feed, extra of this theme of nature and wildlife will be seen in a collection of more moderen pictures that includes the likes of Garren, the magnificent elk talked about earlier, that we see make an look after the boss combat. Enemies have additionally been diversified to incorporate extra animals, as imply and monstrous battle hounds are amongst your foes.
As for its hyperlinks to Warframe, in a “Warframe / Soulframe Transition Stream”, the workforce states that, whereas each titles usually are not in the identical universe, they’re engaged on easter eggs and different connections to tie each video games collectively. Whereas Soulframe is neither a prequel or sequel to Warframe, the developer hopes that these connections at the least give followers of the free PC recreation one thing to look out for, with Crookes telling us, “Warframe gamers will discover some similarities to sure appears to be like or selections.”
Soulframe platforms and crossplay
To date, Soulframe is barely confirmed for PC, although next-gen console launch is probably going.
With this restricted info, it’s additionally unknown whether or not Soulframe will help crossplay. For the longest time, Warframe had no type of crossplay carried out in any respect. This modified with the sport’s launch on PS5, permitting cross-gen play between present and last-gen PlayStation consoles. It was additionally revealed throughout TennoCon 2022 that full crossplay between all techniques would lastly be arriving, although that is nonetheless in improvement.
And that’s every thing we all know thus far about Soulframe. With improvement nonetheless in its early phases, it may be a while earlier than extra gameplay is proven, however we’ll replace you as soon as we all know extra. If you happen to can’t wait, why not check out our greatest Warframe builds and fill your time with DE’s different epic MMO, or strive probably the greatest PC video games obtainable proper now?
