After an extensive 11-year development cycle, transitioning from a solo project to a full team effort, Lost Soul Aside has finally been released. However, its launch has been met with a less-than-stellar reception, reflected in its current `Mixed` rating on Steam. Even positive reviews frequently mention issues such as subpar audio mixing, weak English dubbing, a generic storyline, an awkward checkpoint system, and noticeable performance problems in various sections of the game. While not addressing every single criticism, the official Lost Soul Aside X account has issued a statement regarding some of these concerns.
Specifically, the development team acknowledged that certain prologue cutscenes are pre-rendered at 4K resolution and 30 frames per second, which can lead to stuttering during playback. The Lost Soul Team apologized for this technical issue and assured players that they are `actively working on optimizations` through `future updates` to provide a `smoother gameplay experience.` They concluded by thanking players for their `continued support and patience.`
Lost Soul Aside originated as a solo endeavor by developer Yang Bing, drawing inspiration from Final Fantasy, particularly Final Fantasy XV. In 2017, Yang Bing established Ultizero Games with the backing of Sony. The action game experienced several delays throughout its development, including a planned May launch this year, before its eventual release today.
For those interested, a demo of Lost Soul Aside is available on both PlayStation 5 and PC. This demo allows players to experience a segment of the story, practice combat mechanics in an arena, and test their skills in a boss-rush challenge.
Lost Soul Aside is currently available for PlayStation 5 and PC.