Soulmaskis anindie survival gamethat has the classic rough feel to it that other games of the genre sport. It has a lot of mechanics, though some of them feel a bit rough. The combat aspect of the game isn’t very well explored, but it has enough depth that most fans of the genre find it acceptable.
There are a total of eight weapon types in the game,not including the toolsthat the game categorizes under weapons. These are Gauntlets, Spears, Dual Blades, Blades, Greatsword, Hammer, and the humble Shield. Players can spend their efforts gaining mastery over certain weapons, but which one should they choose?
8Gauntlets
Hand-to-Hand Combat
The Gauntlets are a close-range weapon that offer the player the option for fast-paced combat. The Gauntlets can deal a lot of strikes in a short amount of time, but each strike’s individual damage doesn’t amount to much.
The starting gauntlet skill is called Revolving Kick. This attack eats up enemy stamina, forcing them out of their defensive stance, making it a great way to deal with shield-bearing enemies. Meanwhile, the strong attack starts a continuous barrage of punches that can go on until the player’s stamina runs out. These two moves can be combined to great effect.
7Dual Blades
Furious Barrage
The Dual Blades are, as the name suggests, two blades that the player can wield at once. These are not the same as wielding two normal blades. The Dual Blades have to be crafted separately, and come with their own unique attacks.
Whenthe proficiency of a weaponis leveled up, players have a chance to unlock new skills for that weapon at certain milestones.
The normal attacks aren’t amazing, but they get the job done. The strong attack is useful for closing the distance on enemies just out of reach. The starting skill, Lightning Speed, executes six strikes quite quickly, dealing a ton of damage in a short time. Since the skill doesn’t have a big cooldown, players can use it repeatedly. It’s effective, but there are still better options in the game.
6Blade
Hack And Slash
The most typical weapon of them all, the Blade, is a single-handed weapon that can be wielded with a shield. The Blade isn’t a bad option, but there are more exciting and exotic options available. The Blade’s strong attack just executes a sweeping attack that deals more damage than normal.
The starting skill that Blade users have is the Tiger Strike, which grants the player invulnerability when executing it. The player will dash forward and strike the enemy the first time, and then strike again and perform a backward roll when performing the skill for the second time. Both the dash and the roll will give the player I-frames, giving them a chance to dodge while also dealing damage.
5Hammer
Onga Bonga
The Hammer is a double-handed weapon that packs a big punch. However, it is very slow, making itless viable for squishy buildswho can’t take a lot of damage from enemies. The creators of the game know this, which is why the Hammer’s starting skill is Solar Protection. When activated, players take 50% reduced damage from any incoming attacks, effectively doubling their defense.
The Hammer does one strike at a time, slamming down on the ground. Its strong attack is just a powered-up variation of the same thing. This is a good weapon to take onagile bosses, like the Saber-Toothed Predator, that are hard to pin down.
4Bows
Archers Galore
Nothing says “hunter-gatherer” more than a bow and arrow, combined with some good oldSkyrim-style crouching. There are different types of bows in the game: Long Bow, Great Bow, Normal Bows, and Rapid Bow. Each of them has its own unique specialty. The Long Bow lets the player zoom in further, the Great Bow deals more damage at the cost of more stamina, and the Rapid bow fires much faster than the other ones.
Since bows are long-range weapons, havingtribe members following the playeris quite useful when engaging enemies.
The skill that players will start with for Bows is Back Jump Shot. When activated, the player will jump back, evading any attack coming towards them, and shoot multiple arrows at an enemy. A Long Bow or Great Bow will shoot two arrows. A normal or Rapid Bow user will shoot three arrows at the same time.
3Spear
Safe And Effective
The spear is a classic weapon, and it’s easy to craft. It deals decent damage, and works like a spear is expected to work. The good thing about a spear is that it can be used while blocking with the shield. This makes it a great weapon for players that don’t want to run around, but want to stand their ground and block attacks. It’s a safe bet when fighting enemies,making it great for leveling up.
The Spear’s strong attack makes the player thrust it multiple times in a row. The starting skill, Ultimate Throw, throws the spear a fairly long distance from the player. It can then be retrieved, dealing damage both times to any enemy in the way.
2Shield
The Best Defense
A shield isn’t necessarily a weapon, but it can be used as one if the need arises. It is typically used either alongside a Spear or a Sword, though it goes best with the Spear. When activated, the Shield blocks incoming attacks and reduces incoming damage, but it incurs a penalty of -90% movement speed.
The Shield’s skill is called Shield Counter. It can be used to parry enemy attacks, dealing a lot of damage to them in the process. To use this skill, players to use precise timing, activating the skill right when the enemy attack is about to hit them. Hold down the Shield key, and then press the skill activation key to activate the Shield Counter.
1Great Sword
The Mightiest Blade
Great Swords are also two-handed weapons, but they are much more agile than the Hammer, making them a viable option for a lot more people. The Great Sword’s strong attack is just a powerful slash that deals more damage than normal attacks. However, these weapons have the best starting skill in the game.
Quadru-Tornado Slash is the name of the starting skill, and it does two things. First, it gives the player Solar Protection, reducing incoming damage by 50%. Secondly, it starts a spinning attack that deals damage to any enemy in the range of the player. This is one of the easiest ways to deal with many enemies at once. Since the damage of each slash is so high, players will take off a good chuck of the enemies' HP in just one use of the skill.Combine it with a Weapon mod, and it will become a killing machine, eating anyone caught in its grasp.
