| Soul ✦ Glitch | |
| Developer(s) | 
|
| Platform(s) | Pacifico Nintendo Switch PlayStation 4 |
| Release Date(s) | 2019 |
| Age Rating(s) | 17+ Mature (ESRB) 18 (PEGI) |
| Media Included | Pacifico Application Nintendo Switch Cartridge PlayStation 4 Disc |
| Cost |  $49.99 £44.99
|
Soul Glitch, known by extension as Soul Glitch ✦ The Countess, is an action, fighting, and role-playing video game created by solarrion (t∣b∣c), set in a remixed timeline of the Tess Saga trilogy of video games. The title sees some of the previous cast of characters return, however, the roster is still lined up with new additions and the re-telling of old stories wrapped up with new plot twists and developments, creating a sense of familiarity flattered with difference.
The game is planned to be released onto the Pacifico, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 platforms through Solarrion Studios in an undetermined year. The game was rated 17+ Mature by ESRB and given an 18 rating by PEGI.
✦ Development
The project was initially created on July 23rd, 2019, with a simple logo and a small synopsis of the game's core elements. It was later revealed officially two days later on July 25th with a finished logo, and the confirmation of the first playable character - Tess, with a redesign.
At the beginning of 2020, the game received a new direction along with a much needed face lift in content. A new logo was created and revealed, along with plans on shifting the direction of gameplay to suit more of a fighting-game feel rather than the visual novel direction previously, taking notable inspiration from the Super Smash Bros. Brawl Subspace Emissary story mode. In note of this, the stages concept was ditched and replaced with open-area levels and quests that the player can explore for themselves, making the game feel less linear, and also providing more replay-ability and interesting level design.
Intentions for the title have always been to tie up the loose ends presented through under-developed content in The Tess Saga, as well as other Solarrion content where stories weren't told as they were intended. This led to the inclusion of Esme in the game, for example.
✦ Plot
Soul Glitch takes place in a large man-made metropolis called Diamond Dust, commonly abbreviated and known hereby as Diadust, in the year 2043. Diadust used to be a bustling, thriving concrete jungle until the city was hit with an unprecedented and sudden heatwave. The heatwave has left the metropolis at a standstill, with many of their natural resources, wildlife and nature being utterly destroyed - the people of Diadust have no idea how to handle the situation or what to do to bring the city back to its peak. Due to this state, the city erupts into chaos - pillaging, rioting and other petty crimes run riot across the city, causing devastation and terror to all of the civilians.
✦ Corrupted Radiance
Corrupted Radiance is the name of the main story for Soul Glitch. The story is revealed through an episodic format, complimented by cut-scenes at important parts throughout the game. For the sake of simplicity, the story is explained through episode summaries which can be found at the link below.
✦ Gameplay
The game takes inspiration from big gaming titles such as Grand Theft Auto V, Fallout: New Vegas, the LEGO video game series, and the original inspiration for the series, Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls.
Soul Glitch is played through a level system represented through the Districts of Diadust. Diadust is divided into several districts which the player can explore, unlock, and develop as the story progresses. Levels are discovered within these districts which create the story and allow progress to be made, however, all districts are home to little secrets and other surprises which can only be unlocked through the likes of exploration and side quests.
Taking inspiration from games like L.A. Noire, the player has a task book, which acts as the main menu for the game during gameplay. This allows the player to see their progress on missions, note down side quests, present information on foes, as well as customisation options like controller mapping, screen brightness and the like.
✦ Equipment & Customisation
Soul Glitch uses a multitude of options and customisation tools to really feel like the player is developing their squad and building a unique team.
Every character has equipment that the player can add to enhance their character's stats. Following typical layouts from games like Runescape, you can equip items to the head, body, and feet of a character, as well as giving them accessories (i.e. rings, necklaces, glasses).
The main stats present in the game are:
- Health
- Power
- Defence
- Charm
- Resistance
- Speed
- Luck
- Accuracy
Every character has specialities, which is reflected through their starting stats. Through a levelling system, characters become more powerful and have more powers gifted to them. Characters gain experience from defeating enemies, or through making deeper friendships with other characters. Additional experience is also collected through completing quests, and through completing achievements in the game (i.e. 100 kills).
✦ The Combat System
Soul Glitch has a turn-based system for combat. Each character has a unique moveset which allows them to perform different attacks with different conditions. Taking inspiration from Final Fantasy, and Pokemon, when the character interacts with an enemy in the over world, they descend into a fight. The player is then given some options such as "FIGHT", "BAG", "RUN", or "CHARM". If the player successfully defeats an enemy, they will receive experience points for any character involved.
These different attacks can also be used against objects to aid your advancement and help you find secret areas, such as using a fire-based attacks to burn something down, or using ice to freeze a lake in order to cross it.
✦ Exploration
Another major part of the game play is the exploration aspect. From the beginning of the game, you are free to explore as much as you like of your unlocked Diadust Districts, at the beginning of the game you will only have Panterra unlocked, but as the game progresses many more will open up and even some previously unreachable areas in unlocked districts will become accessible. Through exploring the world, the player will learn so much more about their favourite characters, the overall story, sub-context, relationships between characters, and so much more.
Missions are unlocked by interacting with characters that have a "!" over their heads, indicating they need help with something. Missions can range from a multitude of conditions, such as retrieving an item, defeating a beast in the world, taking care of a petty crime, locating a character for them, or similar sorts of situations. Missions also allow you to use any character you wish to complete them, as in the over world you can change into whatever character you please and missions take place in the over world.
✦ Currencies
While you navigate the game, you will have opportunities to collect an in-game currency known as "Diagems". These are specialised gems which can be used to purchase goods by the player in a multitude of stores in the over-world. Examples of items that can be bought include alternate costumes for the playable fighters, as well as alternate costumes for NPCs which you can donate as gifts to them upon interaction, exclusive moves and animations to add flare to a character's move, and even donate to the metropolis' mayor in order to help rebuild broken parts of Diadust to unlock new areas.
✦ Friendship
Friendship is another big game mechanic in Soul Glitch. When playing through the story, you'll come across moments where your character can speak with a selection of replies being available. Your replies will determine whether your friendship with the character(s) you're interacting with increase or decrease.
Increasing friendship with characters unlocks new moves for them called Double Trouble moves. These moves are exclusive between two characters, allowing them to attack together utilising their abilities.
✦ Diadust Districts
Soul Glitch is set in the metropolis of Diadust - a once bustling metropolis that has descended into chaos following an abnormally strong heatwave which wiped out a considerable amount of nature and wildlife in the city.
Diadust is planned to have around 30 districts that the player can explore. They are all encompassed in a world map, however, some may be blocked off or have restricted access at certain points in the game depending on where the player is in the story. They are all inter-connected, meaning that the player can travel to every district through exploring the map.
| District | Biography |
| District 1 ✦ The Gallows ✦ |
The Gallows is the scariest district of them all. The district is full of criminals and delinquents who are the shut offs of society. Most citizens of The Gallows have been rejected from other districts due to their reputation, making this district a haven for the people who can't catch a break elsewhere. Despite this, The Gallows has a tight nit community and is also regarded as one of the most loving districts due to how the people all care for each other. This loving nature doesn't pass to other districts though, when outsiders who are known to be wealthy or comfortable in another district visit, the citizens can be cruel and unforgiving towards them. It takes a brave person to step foot in the Gallows without some prior connections. |
| District 2 ✦ Steelwings ✦ |
Steelwings is a large ore refinery and mine that was one of the first industries that began in Diadust. It has also brought about a large sum of wealth to the refinery's owners, the Nightingales, and in turn, gave Diadust's economy a large kick start. It is managed by a devoted team of professors, miners, and engineers as Steelwings provides the vast majority of houses in Diadust with electricity and heating. |
| District 4 ✦ Ancient Luxor ✦ |
Ancient Luxor is a district which is heavily based off of Ancient Egypt. The district is known for being a tourist attraction among Diadust - and is also praised for its unnaturally hot temperatures compared to most other districts. The district is also home to many temples, pyramids, and other Egyptian looking artefacts, creating a seemingly perfect carbon copy of Ancient Egypt. Luxor is also one of the few districts that has its own leader, known as Thebes, however their identity is strictly hidden from as many people as possible. |
| District 6 ✦ The Nivor Valley ✦ |
The Nivor Valley was the most beautiful district in all of Diadust. Prior to the disasters, the Nivor Valley was home to the most luscious and pristine wildlife. It was renown throughout Diadust for being home to exclusive plants and nature that you couldn't find anywhere else on the planet. Scientists would often visit the valley and preserve different wildlife within it in an attempt to help flourish dying out species, leading to the valley becoming very rich in its wildlife. |
| District 8 ✦ Sunset Boulevard ✦ |
Sunset Boulevard is a black and white setting that heavily resembles Los Angeles in the 1950s. The district is known for housing most of Diadust's celebrity population in the entertainment industry. The district is overrun with paparazzi and wannabe celebrities trying to find their 10 seconds of fame, which makes it the busiest district in all of Diadust. |
| District 9 ✦ Subarbiea ✦ |
Subarbia is the home to all things plastic. Everything superficial, plastic and exaggerated dwells within this melancholic dollhouse of a neighbourhood. The inhabitants are devoid of empathy, due to how far removed they are from normal civilians. They have lost the right to think for themselves, leading to many rumours surrounding the area as being home to a cult of all things plastic. Surely such a thing can't exist in this utopia? |
| District 12 ✦ Kelanhih Cove ✦ |
One of the smaller districts, Kelanhih Cove is home to stunning rain forests and waterfalls. A lot of aquatic species dwell within the cove, such as rare fish and undersea life. Rumour has it that there are even mermaids and other undersea beings lying in the depths, but nobody has ever truly discovered what lies at the bottom of the ocean. |
| District 13 ✦ Panterra ✦ |
Panterra was the first district to exist in an olden-day Diadust, however, as the city itself became more popular and overbuilt, Panterra was left behind due to its lower-technology and became abandoned. This caused the district to plummet, and become regarded as a ghost town to any modern day Diadust citizen. The district is only inhabited by those too poor to live elsewhere, or rebellious youth who have nowhere else to loiter. Most civilians have long forgotten about the district's existence and have likely never even visited the place. |
| District 15 ✦ Cirque du Sunrise ✦ |
✦ Levels
Below are the levels in the game and how to complete them.
| District | Task |
|---|---|
| ✦ Panterra ✦ | Level A ✦ Steal the Stolen Goods ✦ The goal here is to follow the rioters across the district and try to find a lead towards your stolen property. There are many obstacles in the way, and rioters who won't be afraid to attack you if they catch a long glance at you.
This is also the tutorial level, so the game will teach the player how to do the basics such as move, attack, and interact with objects in the world. |
✦ Fighters
Here is the roster for the Soul Glitch. The only starting character is Tess, with other fighters becoming unlocked through the story, missions, or other various methods in the game.
✦ Guests
Guests are characters that appear in the over world, but are not playable fighters. They can be interacted with by various other characters, and may even give out sub missions or quests.
✦ Gallery
✦ Trivia
- Big themes for Soul Glitch include glitching, psyche, and chaos.
- Soul Glitch was inspired by a Tess-related novella that the creator has been writing since her initial creation back in 2015.
- This title is considered as a "soft-reset" for the series, as it largely ignores anything established in previous canon titles.
✦ Update Log
✦ July 23rd ✦ Ideas for the game were conceptualised and organised, and a basic logo was created.
✦ July 25th ✦ The game was revealed and Tess was confirmed as the first character, with a redesign.
✦ July 26th ✦ Tess' subpage was created, stages were added and a teaser was revealed.
✦ July 28th ✦ Added two new districts and announced a new character, Facade.
✦ July 29th ✦ Created Facade's subpage.
✦ July 30th ✦ Revealed two new characters, Esme and Leire.
✦ August 1st ✦ More depth added to the game play, including the reveal of the friendship mechanic, in-game currencies, more clarification on the combat system, and Double Trouble moves.
✦ January 3rd ✦ A change in direction, modified logo, and general changes to the article's written aspects.
✦ January 8th ✦ Redesigned the roster icons, and made several modifications to the Fighters subpage.
✦ January 16th ✦ A new character, Nihil, was revealed. And in turn, a new district, Steelwings, was also revealed alongside it.
✦ June 16th ✦ Three new characters were revealed, Aliah, Cleo and Nelly. Four new districts were revealed,