Customizing Your Character in Soulframe: Options and Gameplay Highlights
At the TennoCon 2024 fan event, Digital Extremes treated fans to an exciting glimpse of their upcoming medieval fantasy action-MMORPG, Soulframe. This “sister game” to the popular Warframe promises to deliver a unique experience with its engaging story and slower, melee-heavy combat. However, what truly piqued everyone’s interest was the innovative approach to character customization, especially the feature being called ‘momcrafting’.
Entering the World of Soulframe
Before diving into the main story and combat elements, Soulframe introduces players to an enchanting cinematic that sets the stage for an epic journey. The preview shared during TennoCon begins with a bird soaring through a rainstorm towards a besieged castle, where a dramatic battle unfolds below. This picturesque entrance leads to the first phase of the game’s character customization, which is remarkably different from anything we’ve seen before.
Momcrafting: Build Your Character Through Ancestry
In a groundbreaking twist to traditional character creation, Soulframe allows players to design their character by first customizing the appearance of their parents. The TennoCon demo highlighted the mother customization process. Players could choose her features, such as hair color, eye color, and facial structure. Throughout this process, a narrator recites poetry that reacts dynamically to the player’s choices, weaving a rich narrative around the mother’s appearance.
While the demo primarily showcased the customization of the mother, it hinted that these features would later influence the appearance of the player’s character. Additionally, this unique approach adds a layer of depth and personal connection to the in-game avatar, setting Soulframe apart in the realm of MMORPGs.
The Nightfold: Your Personal Hub
Once your character’s mother is set, the game transitions into giving players a taste of the adventures that await. Moving beyond the character creation phase, the demo fast-forwarded past the introductory quest to provide a sneak peek into combat and questing. However, it left fans eager for more, especially after showcasing the pocket dimension known as the Nightfold.
The Nightfold serves as the player’s hub, similar to the Orbiter in Warframe. Here, players can manage their progression, equipment, and fashion options by gathering the spirits of their ancestors. These spirits, residing within the Nightfold, assist in crafting, upgrading, and customization. One such ancestor introduced was Verminia, the Rat Witch, who aids players by brewing elixirs while offering unique cosmetic upgrades.
Combat and Pacts
Soulframe’s combat system stands out for its emphasis on strategic melee battles. Unlike the quick-paced space ninja antics of Warframe, Soulframe prefers a slower, more deliberate approach. Players will also have access to a “Pact,” which refers to their cursed arm and serves as the game’s class system. Swapping out this nightmare limb grants different core magical abilities, adding layers of strategy and variation to the combat. In the demo, players glimpsed a character deploying their halberd like Thor’s hammer, exhibiting a mix of melee and ranged attacks.
Open World and Procedural Dungeons
The exploration aspect of Soulframe also promises to be vast and engaging. The game features an expansive open world that players can explore, leading to procedurally-generated dungeons. This method is reminiscent of how Warframe‘s missions are randomly generated, ensuring each adventure remains fresh and unpredictable. The open world offers numerous opportunities for players to engage with the game’s environment and lore deeply.
Expanding Player Access
While there’s no official release date yet, Digital Extremes aims to get Soulframe into more players’ hands by fall of this year. The developers have been keen to keep fans involved and have shared various facets of the game’s development during TennoCon, such as concept art and community feedback influence. The gameplay shared gave a close-up of the physical characteristics you choose for the mother and hinted at future ancestor interactions and customization features.
What Lies Ahead
As excitement builds around Soulframe, it’s clear that Digital Extremes is set on creating an immersive world that feels deeply personal and engaging. The momcrafting feature alone demonstrates a commitment to innovative character creation that grounds players in the game’s mythology from the get-go. Combined with its rich narrative, strategic combat, and a blend of personalized elements, Soulframe is shaping up to be a notable entry in the action-MMORPG genre.
Stay tuned for more updates as Soulframe gears up for a broader release this autumn, and prepare to dive into a world where your legacy begins with a single, poetic choice.
Image credit: Digital Extremes
For more information, check out the full TennoCon 2024 livestream available on YouTube.
Priyanka 
Divya