After almost a decade of waiting, Lost Soul Aside has finally arrived. Originally created by a single developer in 2014 before Sony backed it through the China Hero Project, it grabbed my attention right away and made me wonder if it could really live up to what I was seeing. What started as a passion project has grown into one of the most talked about releases from a Chinese studio, making its launch feel like a big moment for action RPG fans.
How does Lost Soul Aside stack up against today’s action RPGs? Does the fast-paced combat deliver on its promise? And most importantly, was it worth the wait? The answers aren’t simple, but one thing is clear: this is a game built around stylish battles, flashy combos, and cinematic flair. Whether you’ve followed it for years or are just discovering it now, there’s plenty to unpack.
Lost Soul Aside details
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 and PC
Developer(s): Ultizero Games
Publisher(s): Sony Interactive Entertainment
Genre: Action-adventure role-playing
Modes: Single-player
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)
Combat built on style and strategy
The real draw of Lost Soul Aside is its fast-paced combat. It puts you in the role of Kaser, who can switch between four weapons on the fly: sword, greatsword, poleblade, and scythe. Each feels different, and mixing them together mid-combo gives fights a sense of flow. Arena’s support adds even more to the mix, with abilities that range from defensive shields to heavy-hitting blasts.
What impressed me most was how much room there is to experiment. In one fight, I tried launching an enemy into the air with the poleblade, then swapped to the scythe to keep them spinning above me while Arena fired off attacks from below. It took a few tries to get it right, but when it worked, it felt like pulling off a move straight out of an action movie. That sense of freedom kept me coming back.
Bosses push you the hardest. They test your timing, weapon choices, and ability to react under pressure. Beating them can feel great, though some drag on longer than they should thanks to multiple health bars. Regular battles fall into more of a set rhythm, usually throwing grunts at you, then tougher elites, before capping it off with a boss.
Outside of combat, the game struggles to stay as exciting. Platforming sections can be awkward, and later a few spots needed more accuracy than the controls give you. Puzzles show up here and there, but they’re basic and don’t add much variety. Still, I kept jumping back into fights, just to mess around with new combos and see what actually worked.
A stylish look with some rough spots
One of the first things that stands out in Lost Soul Aside is its flashy presentation. Character designs grabbed my attention, from Kaser’s sharp outfits to the intimidating bosses you face along the way. Combat looks stylish with weapon trails and sync finishers lighting up the screen during big encounters. Boss takedown sequences in particular have that over-the-top flair you’d expect from an action RPG, and they never get old to watch.
The environments, on the other hand, don’t always hold up. Some spots look good, while others come off pretty plain. The world doesn’t always feel unique, especially compared to the energy put into the characters and bosses.
The game’s sound is just as uneven. The soundtrack picks up during combat and is great during boss fights, giving battles extra momentum. Outside of those moments, though, the music can cut off abruptly and transitions feel rough. Sound effects do their job, but melee clashes don’t always land with the weight you’d expect. English voice acting is the weakest element, with stiff delivery that makes scenes harder to take seriously. Switching to another language track helps, but the writing itself doesn’t help things much.
On the technical side, performance is mostly steady on PlayStation 5. Combat stays smooth, and load times are quick enough not to break the flow. That said, I did run into occasional stutters, some rough animations, and a couple of crashes. For a game in development this long, these types of issues shouldn’t be happening.
Family, rebellion, and a world in peril
Kaser is a fighter drawn into the clash between the resistance group GLIMMER and the ruling Empire. Things take a personal turn almost immediately when his sister Louisa’s soul is taken by mysterious creatures called the Voidrax. What begins as a rebellion quickly grows into a journey that mixes family ties with a looming threat that spans across dimensions. Along the way, Kaser bonds with Arena, a dragon companion who supports him both in combat and conversation.
The story seems like it should work. There’s an empire to go up against, a family tie driving Kaser, and an ancient threat in the background. On paper, that’s a solid setup, but the way it’s told just doesn’t land. Cutscenes can end so abruptly that big moments lose their weight. For example, Louisa’s abduction is over in seconds, with little time for the impact to sink in. Dialogue feels stiff, and long walk-and-talk stretches often drag on instead of building the world. Characters never get the development they need, leaving them flat when the story clearly wants them to feel important.
Arena, Kaser’s dragon companion, is the one part that kept me interested. His sarcasm and honesty add some spark to an otherwise heavy story, and his banter often makes scenes more enjoyable. The opening chapter also pulls you in and sets the stage nicely, but that momentum doesn’t stick around for long. For me, the story faded into the background pretty quickly. I wanted to feel invested in Kaser’s mission, but it never clicked. Instead, I found myself waiting to get back into the action, because that’s where the game feels alive.
Lost Soul Aside is worth a look for its action
After following Lost Soul Aside for nearly a decade, finally playing it felt surreal. This was one of those games I always kept an eye on, curious to see if it could really come together. Now that it’s here, my feelings are mixed.
The combat is where the game truly makes its case. Switching weapons mid-combo, pulling off a perfectly timed block, and calling in Arena’s support creates battles that feel exciting and rewarding. Boss fights demand quick thinking and often push you to use everything the system offers. These moments are exactly what I hoped for when I first saw the game in motion years ago.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| The combat system is fast, stylish, and rewarding. | Characters lack depth and development. |
| Weapon switching mid-combo feels fluid and fun. | Environments often look plain or generic. |
| Boss battles are exciting and challenging. | Platforming and puzzles feel clumsy and uninteresting. |
Outside of fights, the game doesn’t hold together as well. The story falls back on ideas you’ve seen before, and the characters don’t leave much behind once a scene ends. Some locations caught my eye, but others looked plain. Voice acting, at least in English, often pulled me out of the moment. Performance is mostly fine, though I hit some stutters and a couple of crashes. Animations can look rough too, which is surprising given how long the game was in development. Platforming and puzzles break up the action now and then, but I never found them as fun as jumping back into a fight.
Overall assessment of Lost Soul Aside
Gameplay: 3.5/5
Graphics: 3/5
Sound: 3/5
Lasting appeal/Replayability: 2.5/5
Overall rating: 3/5 (60%)
In the end, Lost Soul Aside is worth a look for its action. If you’re drawn to fast combat and cinematic battles, there’s plenty here to enjoy. Just go in knowing the story and presentation aren’t as strong as the gameplay. After such a long wait, it may not be the complete package some expected, but the fights alone make it an experience worth checking out.
