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Void Sols is FromSoftware without the third dimension, and it's coming soon

The soulslike explosion brought on by FromSoftware hasn't always yielded the best results. Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring set the bar high, while not many imitators manage to reach it. There are some neat ideas but the mechanical friction and the world's disregard for the player, both of which are needed to make a soulslike play like its namesake, are often missing or poorly designed. Not in Void Sols, though, as I played the upcoming "top-down minimalist" soulslike earlier this year and came away thoroughly impressed. Now, at long last, we finally have an imminent release date, and an updated demo on the way too.


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RELATED LINKS:

This 2D minimalist soulslike perfectly understands why the genre works

Exciting, unique new indie soulslike game launches free Steam demo

Void Sols releases November 12th!

Greetings Triangles!

Finite Reflection Studios and Modern Wolf are excited to announce that Void Sols will officially be released for PC Steam on November 12th, 2024! You will be able to purchase either the Standard Edition or the Deluxe Edition of Void Sols.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
To celebrate this announcement we have also brought back the Void Sols Demo! Not only will the demo be available up till launch, we’ve also added NEW content for you to explore and experience.

If you haven’t already, make sure you’ve wishlisted Void Sols so that you will be notified as soon as the full game goes live! Also, make sure to join the Discord server to chat with fellow adventurers, share tips, discuss potential builds and keep up to date with all news about the game.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2736690/Void_Sols/

Now go check out our new demo and we hope you are ready to embark on this perilous journey with us in November. ⚔️

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Void Sols | Game Dev of Color

Hello Triangles.

We’re extremely proud to announce that Void Sols will be featured in the Game Devs of Color Expo Steam Showcase! 🎉

Every design decision I make is inevitably influenced by my experiences as an Indian immigrant. In Void Sols the world itself is a reflection of my fears and anxieties.” - Lead Developer of Void Sols, Kartik Kini.


Be sure to wishlist Void Sols and also check out some of the other awesome games in the event! We can't wait to share more with you soon👀

Don’t forget to also join our Discord channel! Get involved with the Void Sols community of fellow adventurers, share tips, discuss builds and keep up to date with all news about the game.

Enjoy! 👋

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Void Sols | Developer Journal vol. 2

Hello Triangles!

It’s time for another Developer Journal! If you missed our last developer update, definitely go back and read it over here.

Kicking things off this time, we’re going to explore some uncharted territory. Everything we reveal today will be brand new content that not even those who have played the demo will know about. So buckle up and get ready to discover The Forest. 🌳

Trees tower above, their thick canopies weaving together, giving cover to the threats that lurk within. You’ve escaped the Prison, yet you’ve somehow ended up venturing deep into a lush, dense forest. The atmosphere seems serene at a glance, yet the further you go, the once peaceful surroundings now feel charged with an ominous energy. Welcome to the darkest parts of The Forest.

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Once you successfully journey through the Prison, your next major destination is going to be the Forest. The air is thick here with the scent of pine and damp earth. Listen closely, you’ll be able to hear the soft rustling of the leaves and gentle breeze moving through the branches. As serene as this place may seem compared to where you were before, it is not the sanctuary you hope it will be.


This area is one that will connect you to even more areas of Void Sols. Hear the sound of rushing water? A river cuts through the dense woods, serving as a lifeline to help navigate your journey through the dimly lit paths. The river is narrow and the bridges are well-worn but there are new things to discover here and even more lessons to learn.

[h3]Formidable Foes[/h3]
Of course with a new area comes more unknown enemies. You’ll find yourself coming face-to-face with various new hostile shapes and forms.

We want you to fully immerse yourself in the experience of these new opponents, so for now we’ll share some sneaky screenshots to give you a taster of what you can expect.

Warning: the flowers here are not your friend.


Despite these new hurdles, you’ll also have the chance to discover new items along the way. Upon leaving the Prison, you will be able to start experimenting with Usable Items: items with limited uses that always replenish when you rest. Be sure to experiment with these, you never know what might happen if you use these in the right context…

Is it even an RPG if there is no fishing? Find the nifty little Fishing Rod and then the world truly is your oyster!


[h3]Level Design[/h3]
Every zone in Void Sols has distinct enemies, layouts, and mechanics. We wanted players to experience a game that would constantly surprise and delight them, and to do so, we took great care to rarely repeat content. Instead of creating a massive world with the same enemies, just with more health, we opted to create a dense and diverse experience full of variety.

Each area created goes through many iterations as we design, refine, and playtest to uncover these spaces that are fun to explore and challenging to overcome.

After the game releases, see if you can figure out what area this was a WIP sketch of!

As we playtest and design spaces, we look at the empty spaces between areas and find secrets to fill them in. Many of the areas you may have previously thought to be empty will have entire zones to discover later in the game.

Pay close attention to the maps you collect, they’ll show you shortcuts and secrets alike!

We can’t wait to see how you navigate the lush environments we have created and how you tackle each of the unique enemies you are bound to encounter in them.

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That was it for this chapter of this month’s Developer Journal! We hope you enjoyed taking a peek into The Forest and a look into our level design process. In our next instalment we will be diving into even more areas that are currently in development. So definitely stay tuned! 👀

Remember to wishlist Void Sols as this really helps us out, and join the official Void Sols Discord server to chat with fellow adventurers, share tips, discuss builds and keep up to date with all news about the game.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2736690/Void_Sols/

Until next time! 👋

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Void Sols | Developer Journal vol. 1

Hello Triangles!

Whether you’re a newcomer to the game, or a veteran that has explored the shadow-filled maze since its Prologue days, we warmly welcome you to Void Sols!

We’re super excited to share with you our very first Developer Journal. In these developer journals we will be sharing with you major insights into the development progress of Void Sols, giving you a sneak peek of the areas we are working on and a heads up on upcoming content for full launch.

This month we will be focusing on bringing you an introduction to Void Sols. Perfect for those of you who may have not yet been able to play the demo or have just stumbled upon this game and want to find out more about it.

[h2]What is Void Sols?[/h2]
Void Sols is a new indie soulslike developed by Finite Reflection Studios that combines the minimalist visuals of Geometry Wars with the tense combat of Dark Souls. You play as a humble triangle facing off against menacing angular enemies and relentless, challenging bosses.

You will die, but the lesson from each defeat is vital. Defeat enemies, collect their Sols and use them to refine your abilities and enhance your build in this abstract fantasy.



[h2]Hit the Ground Running[/h2]
As you begin your journey through Void Sols, the game will introduce you to a whirlwind of weaponry to choose from.



You will always start with the Sword. This particular weapon is reliable and consistent and should carry you through the game decently in each scenario you face. The other weapons you will be able to find along your way are the Dagger, Great Hammer, Throwing Daggers, Shield, and Great Bow. Almost all of these items can be found within the first 30 minutes of the game, so make sure you’re exploring every nook and cranny!



The reasoning behind why we made sure that you had the chance to encounter a range of weaponry early into the game, is so that you would immediately feel the breadth of opportunity when it comes to building variety. While other games would have you start with selecting a class and starting items, it was important to us that we gave you everything you would need to experiment and discover the build that would truly resonate with your playstyle.

Since you can change your stats whenever you want to, EVERY item is valuable! An item found in the Prison at the start of the game can even be viable through to the end game, if utilised correctly. 10 different types of swords that have the same animation, yet slightly different stats were not appealing to us. Therefore, our focus was to make sure we created a game that would have fewer total weapons, but making sure each one felt extremely distinct and amplified different power fantasies of the player.

[h2]Power Fantasies[/h2]
Now for the fun part - Let's talk about the build archetypes that are available within the first 30 minutes of starting the game:

Generalist
Build: Sword, Shield, Relic of Power, stats evenly distributed

You like stability and reliability. This build does not excel in any given way, but ensures you are ready for whatever the game has to throw at you.

Tank
Build: Great Hammer, Great Bow, Relic of Colossus, high VIT / STR

Dodging is for losers and people with low health and defence. You hit slow, but can take hits as well. The bow gives you versatility while synergizing with the STR scaling of the Great Hammer.

Glass Cannon
Build: Great Hammer, Shield, Relic of Power, only STR

You are a parry god. Yes, you can only manage one attack before you’re out of stamina, but that attack will hit like a truck hauling dynamite. You will also probably die in one or two hits but that shouldn’t matter because, again, you’re a parry god.

Rogue
Build: Dagger, Throwing Dagger, Relic of Agility

You like to keep moving. You don’t like the waiting game, and prefer to be up close and personal when you deliver the killing blow. This playstyle is fast paced, and takes advantage of stunning enemies and bosses through continuous damage.


The further you get into the game, the more diverse and strange the power fantasies become (there may or may not be a “Pyromaniac” archetype that you can build into by the late game!). Give these builds a try once you get your hands on the game and we look forward to seeing what builds you conjure up as well!

[h2]The Enemies[/h2]
The Prison Yard will present you with a range of interesting but aggressive enemies that are sworn to keep you imprisoned. Every enemy in Void Sols is designed to feel distinct from one another with memorable and predictable attack patterns, rewarding cautious observation and combat experimentation. The more you know, the better your odds.

Guard
The Guard is the first enemy you will encounter once you escape from your prison cell. Their long swords can perform wide, mid-range attacks in an arc pattern. They can be stunned before they attack if you are aggressive enough, just make sure you have enough stamina for anyone else waiting their turn to fight!

Grunt
You will encounter these pentagon shaped enemies known as the Grunt in dark crevices within the Prison. They are aggressive, fast, and squishy. Though they die in only a few hits, their dagger attack can come faster than you expect!

Jailer
This intimidating foe is the Jailer, guarding multiple areas of the Prison. Relentless in their pursuit of you, they are the first enemy in the game to introduce a combo attack. It's always the same attack with the exact same timing, however the damage will leave little room for error.

Spotter
Possessing the ability to perform both short-range and long-range attacks, the Spotter is sure to be a threat. They utilise their charged arrows to fire attacks into the distance, but if you choose to close the gap, they will bring out their dagger to perform fast, close range attacks.

Watcher
As the name suggests, the Watcher patrols high security areas, alerting enemies of any intruders if they get within their line of sight. This enemy is also special, as you cannot damage them, meaning that avoiding them is the wisest choice.

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We hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this Developer Journal and we look forward to sharing with you more insights into the world of Void Sols! In our next instalment we will be diving into what lies BEYOND the Prison. This will all be new content, even for those who have played the demo, so stay tuned! 👀

Remember to wishlist Void Sols before you embark on your next quest, and join the official Void Sols Discord server to chat with fellow adventurers, share tips, discuss builds and keep up to date with all news about the game.

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