Soul Survivor: Trials of the Goddess

I've been playing and testing earlier versions of this game to help the developer out with feedback and I loved every second of it. So much so, that I went and refused to take a free key and just actually bought the game myself in order to give it a "proper" review, not a "received game for free" review, because this game deserves it. The game pulls off the retro style really well. Everything looks and sounds great. So if you're here for a nostalgia trip, you came to the right place. The gameplay itself is just as good. It's a very unique concept. In each area, there are a bunch of items laying around and you're allowed to take any 3 of them just like that. And to proceed, you'll have to fight any 3 battles on that map. Eemies on each map vary in level, strength and weaknesses, but also exp you can gain from defeating them. This makes everything a strategic choice. Do you want to slay this strong creature to gain more exp? Is it worth the potentially higher damage you will suffer? Maybe you'll die. Maybe you'll level up. Did you pick the right items? Who knows! There are also a bunch of hidden items scattered about that do not count towards your 3 item limit which is also a great reward for the curious players. And if all that wasn't enough already, the game features a whole bunch of characters to play. Each character comes with their own little passive bonus as well. And on top of that, we also got permanent unlockables. Skills, Items, characters and whatnot are available for purchase for increased replayability. We're still not done here either... Leveling up gives you 3 "SP" which you can use to learn all kinds of passive abilities to make your own little character builds and playstyles. I could keep going on about what other great things await you in this little gem, but I feel like you're wasting your time here. This game is worth every penny of it's asking price and more. Just go and grab it already. Seriously.

I do not like retro games, I hardly like rouge likes, yet I cannot stop playing this game. Soul Survivors gameplay loop is maddeningly addictive. It has the "one more turn effect" survival games or civilization provides. I intended to pick this up for about an hour just to give it a try only to realize 4 hours had passed and now it was 3am. Do yourself a favor, get this game.

Wonderful little rpg with rogue like elements. Deep story if you go looking for it, tough battles, lots of ways to build characters, whole lotta fun in my short time with it so far. Think this one will be great for speedruns.

As of today I've completed three runs of the main game, found all the secrets hinted at in the achievements, and completed Take 3 Fight 3 side game. After a good week obsessing over this game, I can say with confidence that it is an indie gem. Soul Survivor has a perfect rogue-light balance of difficulty that relents after a combination of improved skill and a sprinkling of carry-over items that can permanently be unlocked. The secrets are neither impossible to find, nor obvious, making it all the more satisfying to finally figure them out. The gameplay is what truly makes this game shine. Combat is exquisitely balanced, a true feat given all the permutations possible. Each area is full of rewards that feel great to uncover, and enemies that feel beatable, but often terrifying nonetheless. The options the player has to customize their character with skills and equipment provides fodder for limitless theorycrafting. Cowardly players (myself) will settle on the first successful strategy they find, but creative players will enjoy experimenting with different builds and powerful combos. Even after a few successful runs, I know I'm nowhere near the meta. Really fun, relatively short-lived, and carefully designed. Definitely recommend this one.

This game is amazing. I can't think of anything to criticize.

Good game. My time played is roughly the length of one run.

A retro-style RPG with rogue-like mechanics! Carefully pick who to fight, and which items to pick up on each level to build up your character to venture deeper into the dungeons. A lot of possibilities for different character builds and play style! Each level may have hidden secrets or areas only accessible if you have certain items or skills, so there are a lot's to explore and discover on each play-through. Works fine on the Steam Deck with a simple toggle of "Full Screen" in the options menu.

This game has a lot to offer. Lots of replay ability and customization for the characters. Sort of a mix between rogue-like and RPG. Give it a try.

I enjoyed this game a lot! It's a very Dark Souls experience in terms of difficulty, but it's in classic pixel RPG rogue-like style! How fun is that? Love the aesthetic of the game. I do wish I was able to keep all progress on the second chapter at the mines tho. xD But overall, a great RPG and I enjoyed fighting my way through the monsters. I'm still going to continue on with the 2nd chapter, and hopefully survive my way through it. I urge you to buy the game if you're into challenging fun battles, important decision making, and classic pixel RPG experience with rogue-like elements. 10/10!

This is a well made short RPG. I've done a couple of runs so far, and have not hit any crash bugs or other issues that often plague indie games. I will say though as a small disclaimer this is not really a rouge like game. You DO get some upgrades, but they only apply to what you can pick when you start out as far as I can tell. Also it is best to play this as an RPG first. I'd highly suggest using the unlimited lives version to learn how to play it, as you can and will fail often, especially in more squishy builds. Or use your save spots well. If I had any suggestions for improvements...I'd like to see a few permanent upgrades that apply without having to select them. But as short as the game is it might be tough to do this without breaking the entire game. In fact that might be a better idea for their next game too.