Soul Axiom Reviews
Overall, Soul Axiom is a painful experience.
Wales Interactive clearly has great ideas, but Soul Axiom shows that the company needs to focus a little more on execution to make sure that they unlock their true potential for the public.
Simplistic and often jarring its intended design may seem, Soul Axiom is a game that requires, as much cunningly desires, the player's warranted need to look beyond the surface that's initially presented.
Environmentally diverse, and largely consistent in the quality of its conundrums, Soul Axiom is an imperfect but distinct first-person puzzler.
It's simple, but simplicity can be handled in a classy way and I think that Soul Axiom does a great job with something pretty barebones
Despite an impressive variety in art direction and environments, Soul Axiom's puzzle design is shallow and frustrating.
With interesting ideas and settings, Soul Axiom doesn't manage to have a narrative compelling enough. The puzzles, whereas integrated with the environment, feel contrived, and parts of the universe are too disjointed to make sense. It'll make you think, though, although sometimes with pain.
The game is rugged in some departments and a little less ambitious than I had previously thought it would be, but Soul Axiom is still a well put together and intriguing experience. It's a cool world filled with sparkly tech surroundings, a multitude of far ranging level environments and some really enjoyable puzzle solving.
There's a lot going on around a game that doesn't really have a lot going on in it. At its core Soul Axiom is a first person puzzler with a minimalist look and feel and mostly underwhelming puzzles. While the game won't really draw you into its narrative or challenge your abilities, it does provide a pleasant stroll through an imaginary world. You don't have to play this game, but if you want to sit back and have someone walk you through a tale while having to pencil in a few puzzles along the way, then Wales Interactive have a story at the ready. It won't blow you away, but you should be entertained enough to appreciate the effort.
Ultimately, Soul Axiom, is a title of an eerily odd nature. It seems destined for greatness, but instead of pursuing it through excellence of execution, and simplicity, it strives for elaborate complexity it doesn't quite comprehend.
Wales Interactive's Tron-like puzzle game has great atmosphere, a compelling setting, and an engaging concept – but it's ultimately not that interesting to play. The story lacks pace and substance, while the puzzles are lacking in difficulty and nuance – especially given that the powers used to solve them quickly become tiresome.
In conclusion then, Soul Axiom is a slow burning game, but one that satisfies if you engage with the world and its lore. The pacing won't be to everyone's liking, as it isn't a fast paced, reaction based experience, but it is compelling more because of this than in spite of it. Add to this the numerous monkeys to be found, as well as three possible endings and the game has more longevity than the average puzzler. If you fancy having your grey matter teased, you could do a lot worse than this.
Certain sections of Soul Axiom are as memorable as Wales Interactive would like them to be. Unfortunately, however, these moments are buried under a lacklustre and confusing storyline and simplistically dull puzzles.
Soul Axiom has a few fantastic puzzles and some lovely environments. Sadly its also full of boring puzzles, an uninteresting story, horrid cutscenes, and some of the worst glitches I've seen in a video game.
If you were eyeing Soul Axiom, I'd say buy Master Reboot or stay clearly away. Wales Interactive has done much greater things in the past, which makes this all the more jarring. Now, I just hope their critical and commercial pinnacle isn't faded away due to a failure like this.
Soul Axiom is a relaxed, creative, puzzle-drive storyteller. It is a great addition to the world created in Master Reboot. What it lacks in visual appeal, it makes up for in soul. Avoid if you need action and play if you need a kickback-and-play title with a hearty story.
Having played a few of Wales Interactive games, Soul Axiom is a disappointing release from a studio that is capable of better. Muddled in with the disjointed story and an uninteresting cast of characters, there are a few glimpses of genius design that only serve to highlight the lacklustre moments that surround them. Soul Axiom tries to discuss the subject of the soul, but doesn't have one itself.
Undoubtedly, fans of abstract puzzle games will find a lot to enjoy here. But those not so inclined to stick with something a little frustrating and overtly self-insistent perhaps may prefer to wait for the next reboot of this intriguing but poorly executed experience. Where Journey uses the concept of abstract, indirect storytelling to its empowerment, Soul Axiom ends up leaning on it like a crutch when it suits, much to its detriment in terms of the overall experience. The confusing PR description of the game, which is nothing like the experience you actually get, is testament to that muddled framework. This is well worth a go, but it is not a polished gem by any stretch of the imagination.
Some souls are not worth saving.