[Soulmask]A new survival RPG where you can explore the primitive era

“Soulmask” is an online sandbox survival game developed by Campfire Studio and published by Qooland Games, with an early access version available on the Steam store from May 31, 2024. It is a must-see title in which players bravely carve their own path on a primitive fantasy continent.

It features a beautiful yet dangerous fantasy world recreated with high-definition 3D graphics typical of the latest game works, a game system full of interactive elements, and competitive and cooperative play elements where you start from a blank space and explore, build, and battle, gather tribesmen to expand your tribe, and discover the depths of civilization hidden deep within the magnificent world.

This new work is recommended for those who are looking for a sandbox survival game that depicts primitive peoples, those who like RPGs that can be enjoyed while playing against and cooperatively with players from all over the world online, and those who are thinking about growing the game together with the developer by sending opinions and feedback to the game that is still in development.

Introducing a new work that explores the primitive world

“Soulmask”, which is currently available in early access on the PC game portal site “Steam” store, is a recommended new indie game that allows you to experience the rise of a primitive tribe in a fantasy world. This is a work that unfolds in a dangerous adventure world with no law or order, and is a must-see title that is appealing because it allows you to fully enjoy primitive activities.

The game genre is an “online sandbox survival game'', and the key point is that in addition to solo play, you can experience online PvP (battles between players) and cooperative play elements. The maximum number of participants supported by the official server is a large scale of 50 people, and it can be said to be a PC game that belongs to the MMO (Massively Multiplayer) RPG genre.

“Soulmask'', which is being developed as a work that depicts a “death battle between tribes'', features a highly realistic “tribal battle'' in which the player builds his own camp on a cliff that recreates a wild, primordial landscape, uses the ancient weapons and traps he creates to overwhelm opposing enemies, and survive with his clan.

In this work, which features a time when civilization was not yet developed and sacrifices were considered “natural,'' you will encounter many scenes that would be impossible in modern society. This new work shines with a style that wraps fantasy elements into a world where nature, spirits, and humans lived as one, and its great appeal is that it allows you to fully experience the primordial world.

“Mask”, which is also used in the title, will be an important element in the game. Masks, which were often used for ceremonial purposes in ancient tribes around the world, are depicted in this work as beings that give great power to the player, so even though the work is set in a fictional world, you should be able to enjoy the game with a full atmosphere while maintaining a certain sense of immersion.

Take full advantage of the game's built-in “sandbox elements” and aim for a rich tribal world through farming and breeding, or prioritize exploring a world shrouded in secrets, or play the optional PvP mode and throw yourself into “blood-for-blood” conflicts between tribal players. It's all up to the player.

The work is being developed by the indie game studio Campfire Studio, and published by Qooland Games. Since this is a work that allows many players to work together online, we are starting with an “early access version'' with the aim of having people actually play the game and identify any problems or areas for improvement.

The existence of this work was revealed to the world on May 9, 2024, and distribution was originally scheduled to start as an “early access version” on June 18, 2024, but the distribution date was moved forward and released on May 31, 2024. This was because the development members judged that the work was in a sufficiently playable state, which was a pleasant miscalculation for fans who had been waiting for it.

The game has already received 1,040 user reviews on the Steam store, and the overall rating is “very positive,” indicating that the game is off to a great start. The battle for survival in a wild world, and the wealth of content that immerses many players are cited as reasons for its high ratings, and there are also many positive opinions about the online elements.

At the time of writing, only two days have passed since the early access version was released, but it has already recorded sales of 100,000 copies on June 1, 2024, making it a new PC game that is quickly gaining attention. The number of players is expected to increase dramatically in the future, and as a result, officially supported online multiplayer for up to 50 people should become more popular.

This work is recommended for those who like to play online games that feature the world of tribes, and it will also give great satisfaction to those who are looking for a sandbox survival game where you survive with guts and guts. This is a game title that will definitely appeal to people who like online PvP and cooperative play between players.

About the early access version of the game

There are many games that are distributed as “early access titles” not only on the Steam store but also on other game platforms, but these works are in an “unfinished” state, and there is a possibility that the content of the game and some systems may change as development progresses. These decisions are determined by the “feedback” and “opinions” sent by players.

In recent years, systems have been developed that allow users to jump directly to SNS from within the game, and a large number of players are now accessing the “official Discord server'' hosted by the developer to exchange honest opinions and discussions. The system is such that the active involvement of many users in the development of a work promotes the growth and sophistication of the work, and the official version develops into a more interesting game.

Unlike major game companies, indie game studios and developers are characterized by being “close'' to players, and are often able to provide useful opinions. Instead of just criticizing unfinished game works, users are asked to send constructive opinions such as “Maybe it would be more interesting if we did this'' or “I'd like to see something changed.''

Of course, since it is not complete, various bugs and problems may occur, so if you encounter such a situation, it is essential to report it as soon as possible. By listing the environment in which you are playing, you can more clearly convey the reproducibility of problems that did not occur in the developer's PC environment, which can be extremely useful information for the developer.

Therefore, the people who can recommend “Early Access” games are those who can tolerate a certain number of bugs and glitches, those who can quickly report them in writing, and those who can provide constructive opinions on works that are still in development. It's even better if you approach it as if you were working together with the development team to complete the game.

The reason why I am writing such a long article is because in recent years, many users have been giving “low ratings” on the Steam store, taking advantage of the problems and bugs that occur because it is an “early access version”. This is despite the fact that the store page has a clear warning from Valve, the company that runs Steam, about the game being in early access.

If you don't have a satisfactory playing experience, you can wait until the game is further developed, or you can apply for a refund and get your purchase price back within this period. Despite this, leaving the game with a low rating based on first impressions is not the way to enjoy the early access version. People who have a habit of giving low ratings should be aware of this point.

Features of “Soulmask”

The introduction is a bit long, but in this article I will introduce the features of “Soulmask”. The main character controlled by the player can change its gender and appearance, and while proceeding with survival play from “nothing'', the player will continue to grow admirably while understanding the game system.

I mentioned online play in the previous section, but in this game you can also invite other players while setting up your own local host or private server. By changing various parameters in the settings, you can change the system to your liking, which should make activities with users who are friends with each other even more interesting.

By the way, this is not a work that requires online multiplayer, and you can enjoy the adventure just by playing solo. Many survival games are designed to make players aware of the presence of other players, but titles like this one, which allow players to do whatever they want at any time, will likely play a large role in the survival game genre in the future.

world of adventure

The world of this game, where a wide variety of civilizations are thriving, features a variety of locations such as rainforests, rivers, deserts, plateaus, swamps, volcanoes, and snowy mountains. All of this is reproduced using high-definition 3D graphics, so you can concentrate on the adventure, exploration, and battle while maintaining a high sense of immersion. A major feature of the work is the creation of maps that allow you to feel the power and greatness of nature.

While exploring the “ancient ruins,'' “ruins,'' and “majestic palaces'' scattered throughout the world, players will uncover the theme of this work, “masks,'' and the “great secrets'' hidden in the world. The maximum play time at this stage is 500 hours, which is full of volume, and you should be able to lose track of time and get absorbed in the exploration elements of the elaborately created world.

This is a new PC game that can be recommended for those who like to go on adventures in a world where life and death are two sides of the same coin.It is a sandbox survival game that is extremely entertaining as you engage in various activities while looking at the majestic nature. I'm really looking forward to seeing the world expand further as development progresses. Let's look forward to updates.

About NPCs

The game features a large number of barbarian NPCs full of talent and personality, and many of them can be summoned. There are unique NPCs such as combative warriors, nimble hunters, and skilled craftsmen, so even if you play solo, you won't feel alone. This is a must-see new PC game that offers a variety of play styles depending on the player's preferences.

“Soulmask'' is equipped with a powerful AI (artificial intelligence) and command system, allowing players to freely configure and manage the tasks of NPC tribesmen. By entrusting NPCs with tasks such as guarding the farm, sorting the harvest, changing production lines, patrolling the base, and automatically repairing it, the tribe's base will develop dramatically.

Of course, the most interesting part is when human players work together online, but as mentioned above, this game is flexible enough to accommodate the various interests of players, so even if you continue to play solo, you can fully experience the charm of the game, which is great. Let's develop your tribe more and more while becoming the ruler of AI characters.

About the battle system

Regarding the battle system, there are currently 8 types of weapons in total, and 75 types of “combat techniques'' and “moves'' associated with them. The action system is focused on reality, so the play element where you fight while formulating tactics according to the type of enemy you are facing is sure to get you excited. Brain play elements are also included in the battle action.

For example, in a battle with an enemy animal character, you can make the battle more efficient by using effective brain play, such as choosing a “hammer'' since felines have fragile skulls, or throwing “spears'' or “bows and arrows'' at the wings of flying animals. Survive the harsh survival environment while controlling the battle by choosing weapons.

Many people may have a very rugged image when written like this, but the actions that actually take place in the game are accompanied by game-like behavior, so even those who like battle scenes in fantasy MMORPGs can be said to have a lot of appeal. Let's enjoy a lot of battle action that skillfully combines reality and fantasy while playing.

Other elements

“Soulmask'' is a recommended new indie game that allows you to fully enjoy your stay in another world, with a variety of ways to enjoy it other than exploration, crafting, and battles. You can enjoy an adventure while touching on various elements of life, such as taking a bath in between hard work and having fun with the “bonfire dance'' that seems to be a work that features the world of tribes.

Regarding “masks,'' which is also the theme of the game, there is a mechanism in which players can acquire special abilities by wearing different masks. Since you can use the mask to synchronize your consciousness with that of the barbarian, it is also useful for controlling the NPCs mentioned above. The feature of this work is that “as long as you wear a mask, you can be anyone.'' This structure and worldview place this work in a special position.

Some masks contain the “soul of a hero”. There are more than 10 types of mask secrets in total in the game, such as “Eternal Torch of Immortality'', “Shadow Walker of One-Hit Kill'', and “Mark of the Wilderness of 100 Hits of 100'', and the play element of acquiring these powers through exploration should be greatly improved. It's fun to accelerate your gameplay while becoming a mask collector.

The player's mission is to develop their tribe as the “last one standing” who receives “great protection” from the power of a mysterious mask, and the value of this work is that it allows you to continue playing while feeling a “solid worldview” that does not exist in ordinary sandbox survival games. This is a new indie game that is definitely recommended for people who like fantasy RPGs.

Compatible with Japanese interface

The selling price on the Steam store is 3,900 yen, and you can currently purchase it at 3,510 yen, which is a 10% OFF release commemorative sale price. This limited time price is valid until June 7, 2024, so if you want to buy the game as cheaply as possible, hurry up and get it. By the way, it also states that the price will likely increase once the game leaves the early access version.

The Japanese interface and subtitles are supported as standard, so even those who are not good at playing foreign games can feel at ease. The translation accuracy is also quite high at the moment, so you should be able to continue playing without feeling any discomfort. Sometimes I see games with automatic translations that are difficult to understand, but with this one you don't have to worry about that. You will be able to understand the worldview easily.

There is no support information specified on the store regarding operation with a general-purpose controller, and there is no mention of compatibility with Valve's portable game console “Steam Deck.'' Players who prefer controllers should be aware that the game will mainly be played using the keyboard and mouse. As development progresses, some progress should occur.

As mentioned above, the early access version boasts a total play time of about 500 hours, and you can enjoy the game while accessing all the elements listed in the features section. However, it is not free from bugs and glitches, so those considering purchasing should carefully understand the “characteristics and disadvantages unique to the early access version'' before paying and downloading.

There is no detailed roadmap listed at this stage, but development is expected to continue for at least a year, and various updates, both large and small, are expected to be made during that time. Therefore, there is a possibility that there may be a discrepancy between the content of the game at the time the reader is reading this article and the description inside the article, but please understand that this is the fate of game works that are still in development.

The total number of Steam achievements that can be unlocked is 91 types, which is extremely rich. It would be interesting to continue playing while experiencing a variety of contents and aim to unlock all achievements. It may seem tedious, but the development team places great importance on feedback from players, so we hope that you will play the game with the feeling that we are working together to develop the game.

System requirements

Soulmask has medium system requirements. The graphics board presented in the recommended requirements is equivalent to or better than NVIDIA's RTX 3060 class or AMD's Radeon 6700 XT class, so a current mid-spec gaming PC can be said to be the sweet spot. By the way, the recommended amount of main memory is 24GB.

The recommended CPU model is Intel's i7-9700 or AMD's Ryzen 7 3700X class processor. The installation size is a standard size of around 25GB, but this may increase as development progresses. If you are a person who usually crams games into your storage and is feeling overwhelmed, it is a good idea to secure free space in your storage in advance.

In addition, if you want to play the game while live streaming it, or if you own a PC monitor with a resolution of Full HD or higher, it would be reassuring to have a gaming PC with slightly higher specs than the above. To play smoothly on a high-definition monitor, upgrade your graphics board, and to avoid delays in streaming, upgrade your CPU.

The recommended sandbox survival game “Soulmask'', which depicts primitive ethnic groups, is currently being distributed as an “early access version'' on the Steam store. This is a must-see indie game that achieved amazing sales within a short time after its release. If you are interested, please visit the store now and check detailed game information.

[Recommended points]GO to the primitive world!

Flow of the beginning of play

At the very beginning of “Soulmask”, play begins with a shocking introductory movie that shows the world of the game. After viewing a profound introduction that strongly reflects the original image, the character creation screen will start. As mentioned above, you can edit the gender and appearance of the characters on this screen, so you can create the protagonist of your choice.

The customization screen displays a full-body image of the main character, and allows you to preset hairstyles and hairstyles, and then adjust skin tone, height, weight, and body fat using parameters. Just like in an MMORPG, you can jump into an adventure world while editing your own character, which is sure to increase the sense of immersion.

The protagonist, who was about to become the next sacrifice, narrowly escapes from danger and goes directly to the “mask'' that is the main theme of this work. It is a mysterious scene in which golden particles appear from a mysterious artifact and fly towards the protagonist's face, where a mask is created. The story of him surviving after being anonymously executed is very similar to Skyrim, which is really interesting.

After the movie where the mask is put on, the mask editing screen appears immediately. Here you can choose one of three mask designs: “Civilization,'' “Conquest,'' and “Abundance.'' Each mask has seven types of skills that boost the player's abilities, so choose carefully, decide on the coloring (overall and eye color), and wear it.

After entering all the information, including the name, the protagonist will be transported to the “New World” through the portal where the mask appeared, where he will form a new tribe of his own. For the first time, the quest goal and task will be displayed in text at the top left of the screen, so let's perform various operations and actions while aiming to accomplish the task. This is a new game with a smooth introduction that leaves a good impression.

The operations and actions in this game are based on those of general survival games. The style is to gather crafting materials while collecting resources, and sometimes survive battles while exploring the map. The interface has a simple style that doesn't display anything more than necessary, and some operations are displayed as shortcut key icons, making them easy to understand.

By the way, on a separate screen you can see detailed explanations about the game's content and how to operate it while playing. If you have any questions while playing, open this screen and check the explanation. This part also has high translation accuracy, making it easy to understand the content. Although it is an early access version, it is a highly recommended PC game with a very well-developed system.

Overall review: Can it spark a revival of the survival genre?

“Soulmask'' is a new sandbox survival game where you can experience play elements featuring tribes and masks in a primitive world.It is a PC game that needs attention and has the power to revive the survival game genre, which has shown signs of stagnation in recent years. This is a new work that brings light to a genre that has become a red ocean due to the large number of works being released.

The first thing to note is that it firmly implements a “worldview” and “story” that most survival craft online games do not have. Many survival games are weak in this respect, and players often end up wandering aimlessly after being left alone. It is admirable in that it overcomes the weaknesses of the same genre.

If humans don't have some purpose or goal, they tend to lose motivation when playing games. This is precisely the reason why most survival games, which were released at the speed of bamboo shoots after the rain, did not last long, and the result was a dilapidated play environment where players simply engaged in PvP and looting, and did not engage in any “constructive work.”

Campfire Studio, the developer of this game, overcomes this weak point by setting a “big goal” of aiming for the prosperity of the tribe while utilizing the power of masks, giving players a clear sense of purpose. The opening, which is completely bare, follows that of the same genre, but it also shows us a solid path forward.

The next thing to note is the system, which is designed to be playable even in solo play. The characteristics of radical online survival games are their combative worldview and system of “do it or be killed,'' but they aim to differentiate themselves by focusing on PvE so that even one player can enjoy thrilling play, and by creating a mechanism that allows them to control NPCs.

Of course, there are settings that will satisfy even those who like PvP, but it is interesting that it also provides a place for people who are tired of only doing PvP every day. In the first place, it has a style that can be enjoyed even by people who are not good at playing in sync with other players online, so it can be said that the soil is ripe for many players from all over the world to continue to join the game.

That the direction this work has taken is in line with the needs of the times is evidenced by the fact that it achieved sales of 100,000 copies in less than two days after its release and received over 1,000 highly rated reviews. Survival games like this one, where you can pursue your own goals, have clear things to do, and can be played solo or multiplayer, will likely become mainstream in the future.

“Soulmask'' is a must-see game in which players bravely carve out their own path on a primitive fantasy continent, and is currently being distributed on the Steam Store as an “early access version.'' It is currently the hottest survival game, with players from all over the world purchasing and enjoying the game. This boom looks like it will continue for a while.

YouTube commentators in Japan have already covered this work, and the number of views is increasing. The total playing time is 500 hours, which is a huge amount, but if you continue playing every day and actively upload videos, you are sure to be able to attract a certain number of viewers. This is a must-see indie game that can be recommended to those who stream live games.

[Recommended points]A new work that has a feeling of being a hit!