Ember Souls feels like a mix of Assassin's Creed & Prince of Persia in virtual reality
Swing through the air like Ezio and defeat enemies with precise sword strikes: Ember Souls promises to be an entertaining VR experience.
Ember Souls takes you into a fantastic world full of adventure and danger. As the last immortal, you must face an ultimate battle against the mysterious Shadow Sultan in this VR hack-and-slash game. This involves not only sword fights, but also parkour, climbing and tricky environmental puzzles. Find out how the demo of the title inspired by Prince of Persia and Assassin's Creed plays in this article.
A magnificent palace full of mystery
My adventure begins on a boat, slowly drifting towards an island. Even from a distance, I can see magnificent buildings with golden domes that remind me of the architecture in Prince of Persia and immediately catch my attention. I disembark at a jetty, grab a sword and make my way to an imposing palace.
Standing in front of a closed gate, a shimmering blue bird invites me to pet it. In a brief conversation, it tells me how to get over the walls and into the palace. On my way there, I smash barrels and vases and find a useful sign — an incentive to explore my surroundings further.
The environment in Ember Souls looks beautiful. | Image: Virtual Age
Time manipulating and wall jumping
After a climbing passage, I encounter my first enemy, whom I decapitate with a well-aimed blow after parrying his attack. Shortly afterward, I learn to run along walls and discover an ability that will be very familiar to fans of Prince of Persia: slowing down time. I use this trick to successfully clear more enemies out of the way.
In the next section, I learn how to use tapestries to shimmy upwards or safely descend from elevated positions. The movements feel intuitive and fluid, and I soon feel like a skilled climber. Finally, I pass through a portal to the next level.
Grappling hook and assassin's touch
There, my feathered companion gives me a new ability: I can use a wind stone to create a grappling hook to reach distant places. I use it to pull myself to the nearest wall. I then swing from pole to pole, feeling a bit like Ezio in Assassin's Creed.
The freedom of movement is impressive, and I enjoy moving elegantly through the air. The developers have done a good job here and created a movement system that feels good and gives an authentic parkour feeling.
The climbing passages in Ember Souls feel good. | Image: Virtual Age
Puzzles, battles, and a sudden ending
Thereafter, an enemy with a shield blocks my path to another gate, which I open with a 'key combination' on the wall after he dies. Behind it is a portal that teleports me directly to the next level.
Once inside a sealed chamber, I am given the ability to smash walls with a powerful hand movement. It feels powerful, and I'm excited to use it in battle. One room further on, two helmed skeletons and an invisible swordsman await. The fight is challenging, but thanks to my new skills and precise swordplay, I manage to defeat my opponents. After this exchange of blows, the final portal opens — unfortunately, the demo ends when I pass through it.
My first impression: Ember Souls feels good throughout
My first impressions of Ember Souls are positive: The lovingly designed levels and the atmospheric music allow me to immerse myself in this fantasy world. Although the enemies are not quite as graphically detailed as the beautiful city, this only slightly detracts from the enjoyment of the game. The focus is clearly on the well-executed parkour sequences, which are made even more varied by creative skill. The combat is also impressive, with precise controls and dynamic action.
Overall, Ember Souls is a promising and entertaining VR adventure that leaves you wanting more. The mix of exploration, puzzles, parkour, and combat works well and provides a varied gaming experience. I'm excited to see more of this fascinating world and finding out what challenges lie ahead. If the developers can maintain the level of the demo, Ember Souls will be a VR game worth recommending to fans of the genre.
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