Lost Soul Aside Review – An 11-Year Dream That Can’t Quite Escape Its Flaws

Lost Soul Aside on PS5 Pro

A Long Journey to Release

Few games embody the phrase “long time coming” like Lost Soul Aside. Originally the passion project of a single developer, Yang Bing, the game was revealed in 2016 with a flashy trailer that immediately caught the industry’s attention. It seemed almost impossible that such a spectacle could come from one person. Sony soon stepped in, offering support through its China Hero Project, and the title steadily grew into a small studio production under Ultizero Games.

Fast-forward nearly a decade, and Lost Soul Aside finally arrives on PlayStation 5. With its Unreal Engine-powered visuals, kinetic trailers, and heavy comparisons to Final Fantasy and Devil May Cry, expectations were understandably sky-high. Yet, what lands is a game that embodies both the magic and the pitfalls of an ambitious dream that spanned eleven years.

A Familiar Fantasy That Struggles to Land

At the heart of Lost Soul Aside lies a tale of loss and determination. You play as Kaser, a warrior whose sister, Louisa, has been captured by interdimensional invaders known as the Voidrax. To save her — and by extension, humanity — he merges with Arena, a mysterious being who grants him supernatural powers. The setup is classic RPG fare: sacrifice, destiny, and a journey across dimensions.

Unfortunately, the narrative seldom rises above its archetypal roots. Dialogue oscillates between overly dramatic and disappointingly flat, often undermining pivotal moments. Characters rarely linger in memory; allies and foes alike pass through the story without leaving meaningful marks. Compared to the layered storytelling of Nier: Automata or even the character-driven arcs of Final Fantasy XVI, Lost Soul Aside struggles to ground its spectacle with emotional heft.

It doesn’t help that the voice acting is subpar for the English-speaking audience, with the Mandarin track on a much higher level. For a game that spent so long in development, the narrative feels like the least nurtured element of the experience, and is made even worse when you have to listen to exposition spoken with little care for the experience.

The Saving Grace

Where Lost Soul Aside redeems itself is on the battlefield. The combat is slick, stylish, and endlessly satisfying, capturing the essence of action RPGs at their most kinetic. Kaser wields four distinct weapon types: the sword, greatsword, poleblade, and scythe, all of which can be swapped mid-combo. The system encourages creativity, rewarding those who experiment with chaining weapon styles in quick succession.

Arena, the symbiotic partner, adds another layer. Its powers grant elemental attacks, mobility tricks, and crowd-control options, turning every battle into a canvas of choices. Perfect dodges and parries offer moments of brilliance, with slow-motion flourishes reminiscent of Bayonetta or Devil May Cry. For many players, this combat alone makes the journey worthwhile, even if the rest of the package falls short.

Outside of combat, however, cracks begin to show. Exploration leans heavily on linear corridors and narrow pathways, punctuated by occasional open arenas. While some vistas impress, many areas feel like little more than backdrops for the next fight. Invisible walls crop up too often, while platforming sequences expose clunky traversal mechanics that disrupt pacing.

The sense of worldbuilding is minimal. Where Black Myth: Wukong or Nier manage to make environments feel like living, breathing entities, Lost Soul Aside instead feels constructed around combat encounters. It’s a design philosophy that works in bursts but leaves exploration feeling shallow.

Dazzle Without Depth

Visually, Lost Soul Aside excels in fleeting moments. Combat animations are crisp, with particle effects and weapon trails lighting up the screen in dazzling fashion. Boss battles, in particular, showcase the team’s ambition—massive, cinematic encounters that command attention.

But the spectacle isn’t consistent. Environments alternate between breathtaking and bland, with some areas lacking detail or depth. Character designs, while competent, rarely exude personality, leaving the cast feeling forgettable. Weapon customisation exists but often looks tacked on, with effects that border on comical rather than empowering.

The soundtrack provides more cohesion. A blend of orchestral swells and electronic beats gives battles a pulse, ensuring encounters feel appropriately epic. It’s a bright spot in a presentation that otherwise wavers.

Technical Difficulties

Given its extended gestation, expectations for polish were high, but Lost Soul Aside struggles to meet them. On PlayStation 5, performance is serviceable but inconsistent, with occasional frame dips during chaotic battles.

Cutscenes, too, are uneven. Some rival big-budget RPGs in spectacle, while others stumble with poor lip-syncing or jarring lighting. The disparity hints at the challenges of scaling a small project into something expected to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with triple-A giants.

To Ultizero’s credit, patches have arrived quickly. Updates have introduced quality-of-life improvements, including skippable cutscenes, auto-saves, and rebalanced bosses. Yet even with these fixes, the game feels like a polished indie project rather than the blockbuster it aspires to be.

A Gap Too Far

Lost Soul Aside is a game defined by its contradictions. On one hand, it is a remarkable achievement as a passion project that grew into a full release under Sony’s wing, delivering combat that rivals the best in the genre. On the other hand, it serves as a reminder of the pitfalls of ambition, where story, polish, and world-building fail to match the flash of battle.

For players seeking thrilling combat and not mind overlooking narrative and technical shortcomings, this is a journey worth taking. For those expecting a complete package with a gripping story, a finely crafted world, and the seamless polish of a modern blockbuster, it will likely disappoint.

Ultizero Games has proven they can deliver the foundations of a stylish action RPG. With refinement, experience, and support, the studio’s next project could be truly special. For now, Lost Soul Aside remains an ambitious debut: flawed, fascinating, and destined for cult status rather than mainstream glory.

Lost Soul Aside is available now on PlayStation 5 and PC.