Lost Soul Aside: The Curious Case of Kaser and the Comedy of Errors
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Jeff dives into *Lost Soul Aside*, a decade-in-the-making character-action game, finding its 'cheese-named' protagonist and clunky, unintentionally hilarious gameplay fall far short of its *Devil May Cry* inspirations, despite promising origins.
Right, so I've been tinkering with the latest buzz around a game that’s been brewing for a decade, and bloody hell, it’s wilder than it first appeared. We’re talking about *Lost Soul Aside*, a title that’s finally seen the light of day after what feels like a lifetime in the dev dungeon. But here’s the rub, mate: I’m finding it a bit hard to take the whole thing seriously.
Chief among my bewilderment is the protagonist's name: Kaser. Yeah, you heard that right. Kaser. As in, pronounced like the German word for *cheese*. Now, I know we’ve had some cracking hero names in gaming – Cloud, Dante, even the much-maligned Clive – but Kaser? Fair dinkum, you’d think they were trying to make us laugh. Frankly, I’ve taken to calling him ‘NotThis,’ because let’s be honest, his dark, spiky anime hair, all-black goth get-up, and enormous sword scream 'Noctis from *Final Fantasy XV* clone' louder than a wizard who’s accidentally turned himself into a newt.
And that, my curious gamers, is where the rabbit hole begins. *Lost Soul Aside* started its life, nearly a decade ago, as a fan project – a love letter, if you will – to the likes of *Final Fantasy* and *Devil May Cry*. Conceived by a solo developer, Bing Yang, back in 2014, it actually looked incredibly impressive in its 2016 debut trailer. We’re talking solo dev, UE4, and a vision that garnered so much attention even Sony execs swooped in, offering funding through their China Hero Project. You gotta admire that journey, from ambitious grad student project to full-blown published game. That’s the kind of underdog story that usually makes me do a little jig.
But you know that feeling when you cast a spell and it works a bit too well, but not quite in the way you intended? That’s *Lost Soul Aside* in a nutshell. While the original trailer hinted at sprawling open worlds and extravagant attack animations – an ambitious projection indeed – the final release is a far more linear, contained affair. It tries to slot itself into the classic character-action game mould, like *Devil May Cry 5* or *Bayonetta*. And honestly, after years of sprawling open-world epics and wannabe Soulslikes, a tight, focused action game *could* have been a breath of fresh air. If it worked.
From what I’ve been able to gather (and experience, because a wizard’s gotta do his research!), the launch version of *Lost Soul Aside* is a bit of a clunky mess. The story? Oh, mate, it’s laughably bad. We’re talking a nonsensical yarn about an evil empire, a soul-stealing demon, and the hunt for crystal fragments across dimensions. The opening segment introduces us to the terrorist group Glimmer in a polluted, Midgar-esque city. Now, when *Final Fantasy VII*'s Avalanche blew up a reactor, you knew they meant business. Glimmer’s act of rebellion? Setting off some fireworks. For real. They reckon it’s to 'ignite the will of the people,' but it felt more like a flimsy excuse to kick off an 'epic adventure' that kinda just... fizzles.
Then there’s our cheesy hero, Kaser (sorry, NotThis), flanked by his rather vacuous-yet-sexy female sidekicks. Kaser himself is your textbook stoic protagonist, saying little, but rocking a rather intricate jacket – which, fair play, the costume design throughout the game is a genuine highlight. He lets his weapon do the talking, literally. Lord Arena, or 'Massive Dragon' as he’s introduced, floats around Kaser, morphing into weapons and commenting on the action. And this, mate, is where the accidental genius pops up. Massive Dragon is actually funny – a grumpy old sod with a grand, operatic voice completely at odds with everyone else’s flat delivery. He’s the unintentional comic relief we didn't know we needed.
Speaking of unintentional comedy, *Lost Soul Aside* is quickly becoming an internet meme factory. Within the first couple of minutes, a child character gets unceremoniously punted across the screen in a clip that’s gone viral, and a 'Big Climactic Moment' early on features one of the worst (or best, depending on your sense of humor) 'noooo' screams I’ve ever heard. The game’s practically a goldmine for those 'wait, did that just happen?' moments.
The rest of the storytelling is held together by little more than hopes and dreams. Background music shifts more erratically than a teleportation spell gone wrong, cutscenes are jarringly stitched together, and dialogue often has these bizarre, awkward pauses. And the jank isn’t confined to cinematics. Framerates are choppy on a base PS5, and I’ve heard whispers – and seen evidence – of bugs that halt progress, forcing restarts. One boss even sported a fancy cape that glitched and stretched across the entire screen with every flourish. While the studio has promised rapid fixes, and I’m always cautiously optimistic about post-launch support, it does make you wonder if the magic got lost somewhere in development.
Ultimately, for a character-action game, the combat is what truly matters. And to its credit, *Lost Soul Aside* is *playable* once you get into the rhythm of dodging and blocking. Seeing Kaser dash about with that signature electric-blue glow can be satisfying. Build up enough energy, and he even sprouts demonic arms and gets shocking white hair, entering what I’ve affectionately dubbed 'Dante Mode.' Yet, basic abilities are doled out at a snail’s pace, and despite multiple skill trees, a few hours in, the combat hasn't really evolved beyond that initial spark. There’s also a loose floatiness to Kaser's movement, which often sends him careening off platforms – not ideal when you're trying to look cool. Beyond battling rather samey enemies in clearly signposted arenas, there’s not much else to do, save for some light platforming. Though, I will say, the chibi characters on the world map are quite charming.
What truly lets *Lost Soul Aside* down, mate, is a profound lack of… well, *character*. In every sense of the word. And that’s what makes games like *Devil May Cry 5* so utterly captivating. Dante is effortlessly cool, witty, and his blend of sword and gunplay is iconic. His world feels distinct. Every time I’ve tried to dive back into *Lost Soul Aside*, my mind just drifts back to *DMC5* – a game that absolutely nailed its genre. *Lost Soul Aside*, with its pristine, doll-like visuals, comedy jank, and a protagonist named after cheese, simply doesn't have that unique spark. It's a curious case, indeed.
Original article by Ed Nightingale for Eurogamer, which you can find over at eurogamer.net. Big thanks to Ed for taking the plunge so we didn't have to!
Tags: Lost Soul Aside, Character Action, Game Review, Development Hell, Devil May Cry
Original article: Eurogamer