No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. As true as that is for warfare, it’s also true for gaming as you can’t guarantee how players will experience what you’ve made. That’s the case for hit survival sim Soulmask. The body-hopping game was meant to see players bounce away from their starting character in search of something better, but something else has taken place.
In Soulmask you start as a lowly tribesperson, bonded with the mystical power of a magical mask. As you progress through the survival game you’ll encounter other NPCs with varying skills and stats. What’s intended to happen is that you hop into them, abandoning your former body like an old set of clothes. The process of becoming an immortal soul weakened your physical body, making you less capable than the average person. So of course you would leap away – right?
Wrong. It seems that players aren’t letting go of their first selves in the way the developer anticipated. Instead, players are forming bonds with their initial characters, attempting to play as them despite the gameplay hit you receive. Developer CampFire Studio is working to address this and in a recent Steam announcement has expanded on the philosophy behind making your first character weaker, and what’s next.
“In Soulmask, an ordinary person gaining power beyond the physical form is our core theme,” the post reads. “Once I can possess any body or even machinery (yes, you’ll eventually be able to possess machines!), how will I rise to build my own civilization? With every tribesmen being a potential vessel, is “I” the initial ordinary individual, or the entire tribe itself? As for the once-ordinary “I’s” physical form, does it still hold importance?”
The developer may have intended for players to abandon their first physical form, but it seems bonds once formed are hard to sever. “We understand the special attachment many players feel towards their first created character,” the post continues. “Therefore, we’re considering adjusting the starter character’s physical attributes to match with those of an average tribesman—the typical inhabitant of this world. While the starter character won’t possess exceptional strength, they will no longer be weaker than everyone else.”
In addition to this, the first character may receive further buffs with future updates. As the game is in early access, community feedback is going to be key to how this is implemented. Players can have their say over on the Steam discussion forum, or in the comments to this particular announcement. You can read the full announcement over on the official Steam page.
If you’re looking for something else, why not take a look at our guide to the best RPGs you can play, or our best upcoming games guide for a hint of what’s yet to come.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.