Lost Soul Aside has arrived on PlayStation bringing another action role playing game to the platform. The protagonist in this new adventure is Kaser who is on an adventure of discovery and redemption. After certain events transpire in the opening moments, Kaser embarks on a journey to save those he cares about along with the planet itself. The main antagonist was dealt with and sealed away generations ago but seems to be slowly coming back, which sets the stage for this adventure. While I enjoyed the story being told throughout the game the standout feature of the game for most people will most likely be the combat.

The combat is fast and fluid and I was able to adapt to it quickly. With that said, this combat system is easy to learn but difficult to master. For those who like to button mash during combat, that can certainly be done but it will make some of the boss fights you can encounter a bit more challenging. I found that once I started to try and utilize the entire combat system (including dodging and blocking), the battles become much more manageable and more fun overall. There is also an idea here that I really like that I haven’t seen in many (if any) games. There was this one boss that took me three times to defeat. After my first loss the game gave me an accessory where I would take less damage from enemy attacks while simultaneously inflicting more damage on the enemy. When I lost that second time it gave me another accessory that was even before than the one before it. It really helps out when you are encountering a difficult enemy and makes it so that, theoretically, no one should be stuck on a boss for too long. One of the great aspects about this is that it is completely optional to use. Just because the game gives it to you doesn’t mean you have to equip it. If you want to try and do a run and challenge yourself as much as possible, by all means do that. For those who might want a little bit of help, the item is available to use. It is a great idea and system and a tremendous compromise when it comes to the difficulty in the game.

The combat itself has a lot going for it with standard strikes but also being able to team up with an ally for more varied and powerful attacks. Fairly early on in the game you meet a companion that joins you and can give you additional power in battle. It is called Arena Power and you can use it by pressing L2 and then one of the buttons. I found this to be a great way to augment my battle strategy by switching up my attacks to try and keep the enemy guessing. While attacking your opponent you will also build up Fusion Energy. One of my favorite things to do in combat was to activate Fusion Merge once the bar was full and really unless some powerful attacks. This was especially helpful on some bosses that had multiple bars of health that you needed to get through. After attacking the enemy for a while and dropping their stance to zero, I enjoyed unleashing a Sync Finisher that is a very powerful attack that does quite a bit of damage. The flip side to this is that once you do that, the enemy’s Stance will be completely restored so I did have to utilize a bit of strategy on how and when I would try and hit certain attacks. The combat system is fairly deep but not too deep which should allow those who aren’t familiar with these types of games to jump in and learn what the game is all about. If it all seems a bit overwhelming at first simply return to the tutorial at any time and practice until you understand how everything works.

The equipment used in the game can also be customized in a number of different ways. There are trinkets that you can use, different Arena powers to utilize, and different ways you can customize your weapon to try and gain the upper hand in battle. Weapons have six accessory slots and you can put those accessories wherever you want on the weapon giving your weapon a really cool custom look and feel. For example, one accessory I gained access to is a “Demon Head” which you can put on the tip of your sword or closer to the handle. The placement of the accessories seems to be for purely cosmetic reasons so the exact location you place them is of no consequence. Be sure to equip accessories as you get them though to help with stamina consumption, increasing your attack power, and more.

For those who have to play games in spurts because of real world obligations or maybe you just juggle a number of different games at once, Lost Soul Aside also has a nice journal section that can be visited at any time. If you need a refresher on the characters in the game, the locations, the concepts, or even some of the events, this is a great place to look and read. It will give you a quick overview on information you have discovered so far and is a great way to bring back in those players who might have played the game for a little while.

Like many role playing games, Lost Soul Aside also has a skill tree to unlock as you earn skill points. Different items in the skill tree include learning new attacks, increasing your overall attack power, being able to restore your health, and more. Before I started unlocking different skills I tried to look ahead and plot my course to get the skills I wanted most first, and then concentrate on the other ones. I recommend everyone else doing the same but you can go through the skill tree however you want.

As you progress in your game you will run into someone from time to time that can help you out. Speaking to this person will allow you to save your game, go to their workshop so you can by items to craft, buy something from their shop, go through different dimensional gates that you have found easily and quickly, and more. The first time you meet this person you will want to hit the “Gift” option as well to see if there are any items on your account waiting to be redeemed. There is also a battle simulation option here if you really want to hone your skills before the next combat encounter. Finally, there is also a way to change your appearance when you unlock different skins for the characters, customizing how your party will look.

Graphically speaking Lost Soul Aside is a pretty game and I really enjoyed the soundtrack as well. The locations are great from a city in shambles to ancient ruins, alternate dimensions, and more. The selection of music that was chosen during big moments in the story or while simply enjoying location helped immerse me in the game even more and added to my overall experience.

Going through this game is a fun experience and I don’t really have any complaints about it. The combat is fast and fluid, I enjoyed the different party members, and the combat system is fun to pick up and play. There are some who might think Lost Soul Aside is a little short for an action role playing game but for me personally, I thought the length is great. I rarely have time for big giant adventures that can take hundreds of hours to go through.

Lost Soul Aside is definitely a game fans of role playing games should check out. The combat is fun and I enjoyed the story the game told me. My party numbers were interesting and different and I enjoyed the variety of locations that I visited on my journey. If you want to try a new role playing game that isn’t a part of the big franchises out there, be sure to give this one a try.

Score: 8/10

Originally posted on Gaming Target

Please Note: Sony provided us with a code for Lost Soul Aside for review.