While once upon a time soulslikes were a big no, over the past few months they’ve slowly but surely sunk their hooks into me. It began with Lies of P, then transitioned to Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn and eventually FromSoftware’s magnum opus, Elden Ring, which I genuinely fell in love with. But I also took a trip back into the past, picking up Bandai’s age-old vampire RPG, Code Vein. As someone who has a hopeless infatuation with creatures of the night it quickly became my favorite soulslike. So imagine my face when I saw AI Limit, a mashup of Code Vein’s combat and Nier Automata’s dystopian aesthetic – spoiler alert, I was smiling.
The world is on the brink of collapse. Humanity has been ushered into Havenswell, the last remaining city that’s been overcome by a mysterious alien substance known as Mud. In AI Limit, you are Arrisa, a unique lifeform known as a Blader that’s been tasked with clearing out the malevolent beasties that seek to overrun the last bastion of civilization. Sporting silver hair and a slick black outfit, the Nier undertones are pretty clear.
Combat, however, plays out in Code Vein style. AI Limit is a soulslike at heart, and tasks you with taking down huge bosses in epic, high-stakes battles. Precision is key, and you’ll need to refine your build in order to tear the hordes asunder.
You can do this by blending various items together to mirror your specific playstyle, but some pieces synergize better with others, enhancing them even further. Keeping an eye on your gear’s Sync Rate is the key to success, as mismatched armor isn’t going to cut it.
Our Blader can also use magic, however, tied to their left hand. In the gameplay trailer we see them use lightning to defend themselves, calling on the forces of nature to purge Havenswell of its demons. As someone who loves blending pure magic with melee combat, I’m beyond excited.
AI Limit was one of Steam Next Fest’s biggest winners back in October 2024, surging up the trending charts. I’ve been waiting for a new demo to drop ever since, and thankfully that day has finally arrived.
A new AI Limit demo is currently available on Steam, with Sense Games also opening up pre-orders. The standard edition is $34.99 / £34.99, with the deluxe clocking in at $44.99 / £44.99. You’ll receive a 10% discount if you order before Monday, January 27, and you’ll get the Maid outfit and hairband as a gift regardless of which edition you choose. You can check out the demo here, and pick it up in advance if you like what you see.
If you’ve already completed the demo and are craving something similar, we have a list of all the best JRPGs right here. Alternatively, if the soulslike combat just isn’t for you, here’s our guide to all the best anime games, encompassing countless styles and genres.
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