In recent days, we had the chance to play Lost Soul Aside on PlayStation for over 30 hours, an experience full of energy, emotions, and ambition. Here’s our full breakdown in this Lost Soul Aside review.
Story: Dictatorship and an Alien Invasion
Lost Soul Aside’s story follows a revolutionary group resisting the rule of a fictional empire, only to be caught off guard by a sudden invasion of malevolent creatures known as the Voidraks.
These beings aim to wipe out humanity, and the protagonist embarks on a desperate journey to gather Soul Crystals to restore the spirit of someone close, kidnapped by the alien invaders.
What follows is a life-or-death quest filled with danger, challenges, and plenty of dramatic turns. Unfortunately, the story suffers from weak voice acting, a result of limited budget. This issue weighs heavily on the experience, making its 25-hour runtime feel longer than it should.
The plot itself lacks originality, echoing familiar themes from series like Final Fantasy, without achieving the same level of impact. While the story isn’t unbearable, it is a missed opportunity to keep players fully invested throughout such a long campaign.
Gameplay
Lost Soul Aside is built around three main pillars: combat, exploration for resources, and platforming. Among these, combat is by far the most polished and enjoyable.
If the rumored budget of $8 million is true, it’s safe to assume that half of it—or more—went into designing and refining the combat system.
The hero, Kazer, wields four main weapons, each with its own skill tree filled with combos and unlockable moves. This keeps the battles engaging and fresh as weapons evolve over time.
On the downside, enemy variety is limited, which reduces excitement after extended play. Boss battles, however, are an exception—the game features a large roster of memorable bosses that stand out. Exploration serves primarily to gather resources and potions for survival and upgrades. It isn’t particularly exciting, but it’s necessary.
Platforming, on the other hand, is enjoyable and visually diverse, but the movement system itself lacks polish. At times, controls feel stiff, giving the impression that traversal wasn’t given the same attention as combat.
Graphics and Audio: Ambition Meets Limitations
Powered by Unreal Engine 5, the game delivers strong visuals, especially in lighting, environmental detail, and flashy combat effects. However, it struggles with character faces and expressions, which are nearly absent. Environments often look like a PS5 title, while character models resemble something closer to the PS3 era.
The world design does shine through, offering diverse landscapes ranging from snowy mountains to lush forests and expansive deserts. Each biome brings visual variety and delivers moments of beauty.
The soundtrack is serviceable, alternating between quiet, understated tracks and more energetic pieces during action. Voice acting is where the experience suffers most: English performances are flat and awkward, while Japanese and Chinese dubs elevate the mood significantly, making the adventure far more immersive.
Lost Soul Aside Review Final Verdict
Despite its flaws, Lost Soul Aside is a labor of love from its creator Yang Bing, who began as a solo developer and ultimately partnered with Sony to bring his vision worldwide.
The game offers fast-paced action, stylish environments, and a heartfelt attempt to compete with AAA titles—even if it doesn’t quite reach that bar across the board.
For players willing to accept its shortcomings, Lost Soul Aside delivers a rewarding action experience backed by ambition and passion.
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