Soulframe Is Stunning In 2025 And Now Is The Perfect Time To Play Preludes

Digital Extremes, the developer behind the absolutely massive space ninja MMO Warframe, has been quietly working away at its fantasy title, Soulframe, for a couple of years now. The game is just as weird and unique as its sci-fi sister, and if you haven’t already applied to jump into its early access Preludes, right now (yes this exact moment) is the time!

I was lucky enough to be shown a slice of Soulframe’s latest upcoming content ahead of the developer’s annual TennoCon conference in London, Ontario, Canada (thank you DE!). I’ll tell you all about that in a moment, but right now I want you to head to the official Soulframe website and sign up for Preludes. You’re guaranteed access for life if you sign up this TennoCon weekend (July 19 and 20, 2025), and with what’s coming next, you’re definitely going to want to.

Important: Even if you missed your chance at guaranteed access, I thoroughly recommend signing up for Soulframe’s Preludes because more players are added each week.

The Cozy Action Game Of Your Dreams

I won’t make you wait any longer, the next Soulframe update will bring with it a dark and mystifying quest in which you’ll delve into Wevetwood in search of a bear gardener, Bromius, who has been drinking a little too much fantasy tree sap for his own good. He’s hideously mutated, resulting in the three-headed monstrosity teased at last year’s TennoCon, but he’s also just one part of the new location you’ll explore.

Now, I didn’t get to see everything that Digital Extremes planned for TennoCon 2025. I was shown a teaser that took an Envoy into Wevetwood alongside Verminia, the ratty witch. There, players will explore and search for signs of the aforementioned three-headed bear and seek him out by chasing down a cheeky magic user who took something precious from the furry beast while he was at his weakest.

A few things really stood out to me from this particular play session, but all of them hammer home how much Soulframe is the cozy action game of your dreams. Forget Infinity Nikki‘s lovely-yet-unhinged story and cozy open world, this is a fantasy setting unlike anything else that’s not only fully-realized but open for you to truly live as a ranger in a fantasy novel’s forest.

For example, take sneaking. In the demo I was shown, the Envoy didn’t just crouch down and move closer to enemies while treading lightly. There are multiple abilities dedicated to taking these core gameplay concepts and making them unequivically Soulframe‘s. While yes, the Envoy could just do a Solid Snake sneak, there’s a power that transforms them into butterflies so they can get closer while fitting in with their surroundings. It’s fantasy invisibility, and I’m in love with it.

Soon after showcasing this ability, Digital Extremes showed off the first of many battles against a colleciton of sprites. These guys seem to be troublemakers more than anything. They get in on the action when you challenge bigger foes, but they’re pretty easily defeated. The Envoy we saw used a staff that casts magical projectiles to hit enemies to send them on their way.

The most exciting thing about the sprites is that they’re actually the subject of some amazing (and I believe upcoming) cozy weapons. You’ll be able to loot leaf-inspired weapons from them. Actual swords that look like leaves. Is there anything more appealing in a fantasy action game than that?

Finally, let’s talk about how Soulframe handles combat. This game isn’t going to bore you with the same old fights using the same old methodology. Each battle, no matter how small, feels interesing. This might simply be those sprites piling in on your fight with some soldiers in the woods, a giant who uses lightning storms to defeat you and teleport, or a wizard who changes forms while you fight.

The final part of the demo I saw highlighted a miniboss battle with a wizard who taunts you and changes shape as you fight. He went from a fairly wild wizard form into a swam of giant bugs, hoping to capitalize on numbers, before becoming a tree. The tree can hurt you, so you’ve got to be specific about which parts you hit to draw him back out.

I’m very excited about Soulframe and will be poiling a lot more time into it while I wait for this three-headed bear to show up. But I also want you to hop in and give it a chance right now. It’s new, different, and trying to push boundaries no other game seems to be aware of these days.

Not just his, but the game itself is stunning and brings to life a world that you want to be a part of. I can’t tell if its the poetic nature of the dialogue, the gorgeous landscapes, or the way every creature, enemy, and acharacter is crafted to be beautiful even when they’re monstrous, but all of it draws me in deeper and I don’t want to leave.

About the Author

Jamie Moorcroft Sharp

Editor

Jamie adores the indie games that you don’t hear about until you’re on a video essay binge at 3AM and suddenly the sound of them changes your life. He’s played games all his life and loves looking at the intricate details that make them magical and different. If there’s a wierd list, embarrassing feature, or something else far too out there on Bonus Action, there’s a good chance he wrote it. But that’s not all! He’s also an absolute fiend who never knows when to stop when he puts on his dirty robes and takes on his D&D persona as a Mud Warlock who acts on that tiny voice in your head when it wonders what would happen if you did something really dumb right now. He’s easy to beat in a TGC, though, just keep an eye out for his crazy card combos.

Visit Website View All Posts