Soulframe feels like it’s been in development for a while. Digital Extremes’ upcoming fantasy MMO has been lurking on the periphery, opening up pre-alpha Preludes access in 2023, but only to a limited number of players. We’ve seen a new wave of players enter Alca with every passing TennoCon, where the doors have been thrown open, but quickly closed again. Now, however, DE has confirmed Soulframe has entered ‘Open Preludes’ (read: open alpha), allowing anyone and everyone to check out what the developer has been working on.
I’ll get the exciting bit out of the way first: Soulframe’s Open Preludes are going live next Friday November 6, so one week from reading this, you can play it. It’s still only available via its own client, and this only applies to those on PC, but it’s a huge new step in the game’s overarching journey. “This week [week commencing October 26] felt like early Warframe dev,” Creative Director Geoff Crookes said in a preview that PixelArena.io attended. “We’re breaking a lot of bones again,” Design Director Scott McGregor laughs. “That’s always exciting in game development.”
This is a huge leap forward for Soulframe. After an impressive showing at TennoCon earlier this year, I’m excited to see what this means for the game. I’ve mused before about how Soulframe actually feels like a playable experience now versus just a tech demo, and with the changes that are coming with update 17, I sense that I’ll be feeling even more optimistic.
Update 17, Verse of the Veilands, is set to rework Midrath as we know it. The Ode’n corruption has begun to spread far and wide, and it’s up to you to stop it. Akin in some ways to Diablo 4’s Helltides, Ode Syphons will now be spread across the map and are “stealing the energy from Alca.” Players will complete Votives (quests and objectives) to unlock each region’s unique song, with which they can cleanse the corruption. This gives you a more “directed” experience, versus just jumping straight into the open world.
Resources have changed in response to this corruption, and the myriad fauna that call Alca home have retreated. Some other events will only trigger when the Syphon is overturned, and loot tables will change depending on the region’s status.
“First impression is going to be a bit bleak, but there’s really great contrast on healing the zones,” Crookes says. “Scott and I were talking yesterday about how aesthetically nervous we are about this change, as the game has gotten a lot of really great feedback on how cozy it is, and how beautiful the world is.” The Syphons will make Alca a “much more unforgiving and harsh” environment “at first glance,” but if Digital Extremes has learned anything from The Saboteur, I expect it won’t stay that way for long.
In a similarly Ode’n vein, there’s a brand new Pact (or class) dropping with Update 17. Called Ode Strike, its kit focuses on traps, with a focus on stealth and deception. Abilities currently include a spinning bola, an AoE spike attack, and long-term crowd control Ode balloons that spirit enemies away mid-combat. There’s a collection of new weapons and armor, with a dagger for the new Pact, too.
Perhaps the most important thing, however, is that DE has finally answered the question: mounts when? After revealing at TennoCon that mounts would be coming this fall, Update 17 finally lets you ride your wolf pup – a reward for all of your training. “The animations are amazing,” promises McGregor, who describes them as still being “puppies” at heart. There are also some new, but “angry fish,” which I’m both intrigued by and terrified of.
More generally, Soulframe’s seasonal Halloween update, Bita’s Eve, returns with a new mask, talisman, and a sickle. The mask in particular gives big, creepy Esquie vibes from Expedition 33, and I’m very much okay with that.
Soulframe’s Open Preludes launches on Friday November 6, and is accessible to anyone and everyone. Remember, you’ll be downloading the game via the Soulframe website, versus Steam. Update 17, which includes the new Pact, mounts, and updated map systems, will land in November.
Soulframe has come a long way over the past few years, and while I sense that some players may be a little shocked by this radical change in aesthetic direction, I’m obsessed with it. I was worried that the game would blend into fifty shades of brown, but the Ode Syphons and their corruption feel like they’ll add a little more vibrance or, at the very least, amplify Alca’s inherent sparkle. As a longtime fan, I’m excited to see what comes next. Who knows, perhaps we’ll finally get word on the Soulframe release date at TennoCon 2027.