Fan-made content is an integral part of what makes video games such a special medium.
Whether it is a mod that changes how a game looks or a custom map for a popular multiplayer game, players get the chance to become part of their favourite games.
For Shanghai-based developer Yang Bang, he began by releasing a demo in 2016, which showed off a vivid world and fast-paced combat, inspired by games like Devil May Cry and Final Fantasy.
Now, 9 years on, that one-man project is now a PS5 game in Lost Soul Aside, thanks to funding from Sony through the China Hero Project.
While it wears its influences firmly on its sleeve, the game leaves behind crucial elements of what made series like Final Fantasy so successful in the first place.
The game opens with the protagonist Kaser and his clichéd backstory. He is living under the boot of an oppressive regime alongside his sister Louisa.
They are part of a resistance group called 'GLIMMER' who are fighting back against the empire. If you think that sounds like the premise of Final Fantasy VII, you would be right (just swap the Empire for Shinra).
Not only are this group of resistance fighters painfully generic, but overall the writing and performances feel more suited to a B movie.
It soon becomes clear they have bigger issues as Extraterrestrial known as Voidrax invade earth and capture Louisa. It turns out her soul is trapped in an alternate dimension, so Kaser is tasked with freeing it.
Untapped power
Thankfully, he is joined by a friendly Voidrax called Arena, who not only helps him with this conundrum but also bestows him with special powers.
These are known as Arena Powers and vary from summoning a tree which slowly heals your character to an ability that sends shockwaves towards your enemies.
Even when upgraded, Arena powers are incredibly underwhelming and do so little damage, they are better as a distraction than a destructive force.
Even when upgraded, they are incredibly underwhelming and do so little damage that they are better as a distraction than a destructive force.
It is lucky then that you have four other weapons to switch between. You start out with a standard sword, but as you progress, you unlock a Greatsword, the long-range Poleblade and a hefty Scythe.
As well as light and standard attacks, each weapon has a special attack that help with stringing combos together. The Poleblade turns into a Javelin that you can throw at enemies, and you can smash your Greatsword into the ground when airborne.
It is fun to play, and there is variety to what you can do, but how it feels to play is a mixed bag. While the Greatsword has a real weight to it, your standard sword feels like a toy.
It is more of a flashy combat system than a mechanically complex one. You will often be left holding your controller as well as you wait for your character to finish off a special attack.
What makes things worse is how developer Ultizero Games designed the levels around this gameplay.
Boss mode
The game consists of boss fights, combat arenas, platforming and light puzzle sections. The problem though, is how uneven the game balances these elements out.
Lost Soul Aside loves boss fights, and you will often fight one after another without any real thought behind it.
Games like Final Fantasy XVI do such a great job of building narrative tension, so when you eventually get to a boss fight, it feels epic and you understand what is at stake.
Lost Soul Aside throws boss fights at you for no other reason other than they look cool, and the novelty wears off quickly.
Lost Soul Aside throws boss fights at you for no other reason other than they look cool, and the novelty wears off quickly.
Each boss has multiple lives and a protective shield you have to whittle down before damaging their health, leading to needlessly drawn-out fights.
Most of the levels are centred around going from one combat arena to the next. Even if the scenery changes, you are doing the same thing repeatedly.
While they are open areas, there is very little exploring to do, as either you find a chest with items or earn skill points by collecting floating orbs…. not exactly thrilling gameplay.
In terms of upgrades, rather than a unified skill tree, each weapon has its own. While it does make sense, you collect so many skill points that there is never really a hard decision to make about what to choose.
While the game runs well and has interesting environments, there are issues with both that crop up.
Firstly, for the most part, the game runs at a solid 4k 60fps, but every time the game auto-saves, it skips a frame and during some boss fights, the performance dips as well.
Secondly, the art design is your standard high fantasy affair, and while there are more uniquely designed alternate dimensions, the areas feel like crafted sets rather than living, breathing worlds.
Ultimately, Lost Soul Aside is jingling keys the video game: flashy combat and grandiose visuals distract from an overall shallow and repetitive experience.
