2025 Special - Soul Blazer

When people think of comfy games, it's often titles like Animal Crossing, Infinity Nikki, that one farming game I forgot the name of, and so on and so forth. These cozy titles offer plenty of content, but without the stress that often comes with gaming. My one experience with Animal Crossing was a particularly depressing New Year's Eve, I don't like farms, and Infinity Nikki would set my already ailing GPU on fire. Where do I go for comfort gaming? Would you believe... Soul Blazer?

As you've probably come to expect by my recent posts, Soul Blazer is an Action-RPG where you take control of a guy with a sword. This guy must square off against the forces of Deathtoll, rescuing hundreds of trapped souls in the process. When rescued, these souls will repopulate nearby towns, offering information and rewards. It's exactly what comes to mind when I think "satisfyingly comfy gameplay loop". The game utilizes a specific screen-transition to signify a soul has been rescued, causing an immediate jolt of serotonin. 

Aw yeah. That's the stuff right there.

Rescuing a soul in... Soul Blazer is simply a matter of destroying nearby monsters and then stepping on the generator that was producing them. This process is repeated, with some variation, through a dozen or so dungeons. I don't doubt that a lot of gamers will find the whole thing predictable and a bit boring, yet I myself can't get enough of it. Walking up to a generator and positioning myself in just the right spot to slay a bunch of goons? I could do this all day. Hell let's be real here, I've been doing this all day for over 30 years. Even now in 2025 it's not enough to bore me. 

There are some video games that have achieved some sort of immunity to criticism, at least in my eyes. I mean, when somebody discusses the game's faults, I'm not going to be Sir Contrarian of Jerksville and tell them they're wrong. In fact, I might even agree with them 100%. There are most certainly aspects of Soul Blazer that could've been improved upon, but I don't think about them at all when I'm playing it. Perhaps, the secret sauce is in the little details, such as this game having one of the better swords of the 16-bit era.

To really explain my love of this game's swordplay, I have to take a step back and mention Actraiser. Many will praise its fantastic music and extremely clever simulation mode, but I think it's the sword that ties it all together. When you're performing the same action hundreds of times, that action better be the greatest thing ever. Every sword-swing in Actraiser is direct, has a perfectly distinct arc, and never fails you no matter what. I can feel the tears welling up in my barren lifeless eyes just thinking about it. 

I love this sword so much.

Soul Blazer's sword is the definition of excellence. It's also subtle. Even if you aren't wowed at first, you'll quickly appreciate its feel. Slicing foes in twain is as natural as breathing. The arc of the slash is wide and offers multiple angles to attack from. There's even the slightest tinge of depth. Take note of the above screenshot. If the sword lands on an enemy just like so, it'll actually hit them twice, hastening their inevitable demise. Intentional or otherwise, this is a wonderful detail that makes combat just a little more engaging. No doubt there will be players who won't give it much attention, since the game isn't much of a challenge outside of bosses, but whatever. I'll never get tired of this beautiful hunk of metal.

The spinning ball of light that follows the hero around is also notable. Unlike, well, every other Action RPG out there. Spells are not cast from the hands of the protagonist, but rather that spinny ball thingie. This is another feature that likely isn't explored much by players due to the relative ease of the game, but I love it all the same. Every spell you cast is affected by the light orb's current position. You can use this strategically to reach far away foes, or as a means to cover your back when your attention is focused elsewhere. It's a delightful feature that the adventure its own sense of identity. 

Speaking of magic... oh right. Magic isn't useable against bosses. I've mentioned these clowns a couple times before, and for good reason. They're the culmination of everything you learned during your battles in the dungeons. What did you learn exactly? Well, positioning for starters. Knowing where to place yourself without getting hurt is everything in these boss fights. Also, the "crab walk" that's performed by holding down R or L is essential. Unlike regular enemies, you're only dealing 1 damage to a boss with each attack, so use the faster means of damage dealing. Tough but fair and rewarding to conquer. Soul Blazer gets bosses right. That's a surprisingly rare and beautiful thing in the Action RPG realm. Of course, this is just me talking. I've already explained my immunity to this game's criticism.

An underwater dungeon with the requisite amazing music.

In the end however, the boss battles and spells are only small parts of why I still love Soul Blazer after all these years. It's that core gameplay loop, the repetitive process of destroying monsters and squashing their generators. That's what captivates me. Perhaps... hmm... Perhaps I should be forced to re-examine all of the games I've bashed for not having enough depth and challenge. If I'm going to champion easy-breezy fare like this game, then- oh please! I'm not even going to pretend to humor such bullshit! Seriously though, there are reasons as to why gamers continue to enjoy this title. Give it a shot and maybe you'll discover something to enjoy as well.