Our interview with Reply Game Studios
Soulstice is the highly anticipated new dark-fantasy-style Action RPG developed by Reply Game Studios, an interesting and ambitious Italian development team.
The project, which was released on September 20, 2022 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, sparked immediate interest, thanks to its valuable aesthetic and playful style.
I’m therefore delighted to present our interview with the team of Reply Game Studios, in order to learn more about their new project’s facets and curiosities.
I’d also like to remind you that if you’re unfamiliar with Soulstice and want to learn more about it, you can do so by reading the article I wrote previously to fully understand all of the topics covered in this interview.
Francesco:
Are you satisfied with your team’s work now that Sousltice Day One has arrived? Do you have any specific expectations for how players will react to your project?
Reply Game Studios:
From the beginning, Soulstice has been a very ambitious project for us.
Now that it’s out, we know we did our best, and we hope players enjoy the game. The initial reactions in this regard appear to be positive; we hope this trend continues!
Francesco:
In comparison to previous years, I have noticed an increase in public interest and curiosity in the Italian videogame scene. Have things changed, in your opinion, or have there always been productions of a certain caliber that have gone unnoticed? Should we still hope for more progress in the future?
Reply Game Studios:
Years ago, there were more or less insurmountable barriers to accessing certain technologies and platforms, which have thankfully since vanished. The perception of institutions has also shifted, thanks to the work of a reality like IIDEA: the trade association of which we are also members.
There is still much to be done, but working conditions in Italy have improved; in any case, what matters is the quality of the video games produced. The good news is that this quality is becoming increasingly noticeable at various levels.
Not only is the public’s perception of our work changing, but so is our perception of ourselves. We must overcome our inferiority complex, which has plagued us for far too long.
Francesco:
What is the symbolic bond that Briar and Lute share? How did their psychological union of body and spirit result in the formation of a Chimera?
Reply Game Studios:
As with the whole narrative sector of the game, we started with the gameplay. First of all, the idea of this “Dual Character System” was developed in order to innovate the traditional experience of a hack and slash game with stylish elements.
The next step was to create a couple of female characters in order to avoid some stereotypes that could have harmed the gaming experience itself.
At that point, we wondered how to “dress up” the concept we were working on, how to create a coherent world and context around it. We came up with the concept of the Chimera as a hybrid warrior, halfway between life and death, who unites the souls of two people based on an existing bond.
Briar and Lute share this bond because they are sisters; however, our protagonists are not the only Chimeras in Soulstice. Furthermore, it is not stated that all Chimeras are of this origin. However, you must play to understand what we mean!
Francesco:
How and how much time did you devote to the characterization of the various characters? Do you believe one character in particular will remain vivid and imprinted in the minds of the players in terms of customization?
Reply Game Studios:
The lion’s share, indeed, of the lionesses, is certainly made by the two protagonists. Throughout the development, we learned to “get to know them,” gradually finding ideas to develop in the narrative sector.
One thing we like about Briar and Lute‘s relationship is that it is not rigid. It evolves as the story progresses, calls into question what appear to be certainties at first, and allows both protagonists to grow, both individually and as a couple.
Francesco:
I noticed an aesthetic and playful style that definitely winks at typical Japanese productions. Are there other more Western-style references? If so, which ones?
Reply Game Studios:
We were certainly inspired by Japanese dark fantasy, but we are also aware of our European and Italian roots. In other words, we didn’t want to fall into what would have been the imitation of a style that is not ours anyway.
As a result, we attempted to render the materials and lighting as realistically as possible. For the same reason, the character design and anatomy are not overly exaggerated. We set out to find a synthesis of East and West, and we hope that players will appreciate the outcome.
Francesco:
How is the gameplay structured, and how does the combat system evolve, taking into account the two sisters’ ongoing cooperation? Will there ever be an effective union between the two resulting in a more powerful attack?
Reply Game Studios:
The combat system is based on the union and synergy between Briar and Lute. Briar is controlled by the player, who can move freely and attack enemies hand-to-hand, using different combos and weapons. Lute is constantly accompanying her sister, primarily dealing with counter and crowd control.
Some of Lute’s actions are automatic and contextual, while others require a reaction from the player and still others must be activated manually. Briar and Lute have two distinct progression paths, with Lute’s abilities being especially layered and interesting because they allow you to create a wide range of “builds.”
In terms of Briar and Lute’s relationship, there are certain situations in which the two sisters can attack in unison, and others in which they find themselves going much further. We don’t want to go too far to ruin the surprise for our players, but we hope we’ve piqued their interest!
The trailers show Briar and Lute combining forces in some situations to unleash devastating attacks. This type of union, however, is temporary or unstable depending on the circumstances, and it is a theme that is important to us: we want the player to feel powerful, but he must also understand that it is a dangerous power that can lead to self-destruction if not understood and “tamed” properly.
Francesco:
I was very impressed by the sound design. How did you go about handling this aspect of the game? Did you work on it exclusively by members of your team, or did you also turn to external sound designers?
Reply Game Studios:
We collaborated with two external Italian teams: 93 Steps, who handled the music and dubbing, and dpstudios, who focused on sound design. They collaborated with us and coordinated with one another under our supervision and management. Meanwhile, we worked directly with Stefanie Joosten (Quiet in Metal Gear Solid V) on the dubbing of Briar and Lute.
Francesco:
Do you have a DLC planned or ready? Or are you already working on other productions?
Reply Game Studioso:
It is still too early to discuss this, but we are very fond of the Soulstice world and would like to see it developed further. At the same time, with Soulstice, we created a “format” that we can apply to other productions, so stay tuned if you want to know what’s in store for us in the future!
Conclusion
While we wait to learn more about Reply Game Studios‘ future projects, we’d like to thank the entire team for their availability.
Briar and Lute‘s adventure has only just begun: while we await our definitive review of Soulstice, we hope to see you in an upcoming interview!
