Soul Sacrifice review round-up

By Tamoor Hussain for CVG UK

In our Soul Sacrifice review we said Vita now "has an RPG that offers strategic depth with a smooth, responsive battle system that is tactile and visually spectacular".

Various websites and magazines have also published their verdicts on the latest game from Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune, and as usual we've gathered up all the scores and put them in one easily digestible list.

• CVG: 8.5 - The PS Vita has an RPG that offers strategic depth with a smooth, responsive battle system that is tactile and visually spectacular.
• Destructoid: 8/10 - Soul Sacrifice, true to its driving idea, is a game of compromises. There's a staggering wealth of content, but it can be tiring in its repetition. Battles are frantic and fun, but can be exhaustingly annoying if you choose the wrong friends. Very much like the game's Lacrima system, however, many of the sacrifices one must make to enjoy the game are negligible in the long run, and there's nothing that should stop one having a damn good laugh and getting utterly hooked on an adventure that really can be played until the Vita's batteries run dry.
• IGN: 7.7 - Soul Sacrifice isn't the be-all, end-all Vita game many hoped for, but Vita's RPG-hungry contingent will like it
• NowGamer: 8.5/10 - While not immediately accessible, Soul Sacrifice rewards your investment with a polished game that's challenging and deep.
• Eurogamer: 7/10 - The evocative setting and tangible narrative help propel you on a journey where taming every Archfiend and building an unstoppable collection of spells quickly becomes the driving force. It's just a shame that behind all the mythical monsters and magical flourishes there isn't an equally accomplished gameplay system that actively encourages you to learn and exploit the nuances of your prey. A worthwhile stopgap, then, but the wait for the Vita's defining magic moment continues.
• Edge: 6 - It's a brave game that dares to weaken players in one way as it empowers them in another. Comcept may be wrong in thinking Monster Hunter would be better if it was just about hunting monsters, but Soul Sacrifice is courageous and thematically bold enough to distinguish itself from the clones that have followed in the wake of Capcom's phenomenon. As with Inafune's recurring criticisms of Japan, however, it proves repetition isn't always the best way to make a point.
• GamesRadar: 3.5/5 - Soul Sacrifice is probably best described as an M-rated Monster Hunter; even with all of its nifty mechanics and unique art direction, at the end of the day, you're still just chasing down evil things and looting their bodies. There's a strong element of cooperative play with an excellent twist that will surely be the death of many a friendships, and plenty of character customization to build up your own magic-wielding badass. The game's got plenty of great content, especially if you can convince a few others to take that step with you, but if you're holding your breath for a great story, you're almost certainly going to be disappointed.
• God Is A Geek: 9 - Soul Sacrifice can be an uphill battle given its difficulty and depth (at least where character progression is concerned), but it's an immensely satisfying experience nonetheless. It does feel like an amalgamation of a lot of games, so that certain elements are familiar while at the same time completely new, and there isn't a huge amount of variety in the quest set-ups. Also, the simple, uncluttered mission objectives may, in time, become tedious to some and others simply won't wrap their heads around the intricate business of offerings, sigils, soul shards and Lacrima. However, those who allow themselves to become immersed in Soul Sacrifice's shadowy, harrowing world will discover an incredibly playable, deep and unique game - and one of the best titles the Vita has to offer.
• Polygon: 6.5 - It takes a sizable commitment to uncover the dark, captivating mythology of Soul Sacrifice underneath its grind-heavy beginnings. Whether unlocking the mysteries of its story or plumbing the depths of its magic systems, the experience is weighed down by a reliance on dull combat mechanics. Its complex, interlocking systems and the draw of cooperative multiplayer can't save Soul Sacrifice from its greatest sin: tedious gameplay.
• Official PlayStation Magazine UK: 8 - Soul Sacrifice's barmy vibe occasionally gets in the way, but the combat and customisation are good enough for you to soon put that aside. It's a brilliantly well-structured handheld game, both offline and on, and despite the lack of a traditional hub world it never sacrifices depth for the sake of portability. Familiar ideas are wound up with fresh ones, resulting in one of the strongest games of its kind to hit the system so far.
• Metro: 7/10 - There are some important flaws but this is still one of the most ambitious and enjoyable games on the PS Vita, even if it still doesn't feel like a killer app.
• PlayStation Lifestyle: 8.0 - Soul Sacrifice offers a unique, engaging experience. Its quest structure makes it perfectly suited for a portable, yet its addictive nature will have a lot of players never wanting to put it down.
• Push Square: 8/10 - Soul Sacrifice offers a consuming fantasy adventure set in a desperately dark world. It may succumb to repetition in places, but its underlying moral mechanic brings a warped twist to a genre that's becoming increasingly crowded in the wake of Monster Hunter's success. The presentation isn't always as polished as you'd expect from a first-party release, but the perverse art direction makes up for it. If you're in the market for something a little different, there are worse experiences on the Vita for you to surrender your time to.