Soul Chained

Soul Chained is a solo-developed action game set in Purgatory. Players take the role of fallen rival warlords whose souls have been bound together by the Soul Chain, forcing former enemies to atone for their sins side by side. The chain sits at the heart of the game and affects combat, exploration, deaths and victories alike. The game is now released on Steam, where it has passed 100 user reviews and holds a Mostly Positive rating.

Combat is built around chain physics. Players can coil the chain around enemies to tie them together, trip bosses, slingshot objects and clothesline groups of mobs, and the chain can also send enemies or allies flying. The developer describes combat as deliberate, with stamina management playing a role and repeated dodge rolling actively discouraged by the design. Chain magic, a range of weapons and stat progression are also included. The game uses intentionally low-fidelity graphics and includes a self-described jank slider.

Progress takes players up the Tower of Purgatory, with each chapter ending in a boss encounter against large manifestations of sin, trauma or regret, some of which can knock players off ledges. Online Havoc Mode supports up to four players, with the shared chain meaning that accidental yanks, revives and group failures are part of the experience. A single-player mode is also available, in which the player is chained to a large glowing ball rather than another character and must drag, swing and fight alongside it throughout the ascent.