Fantasy MMORPG Soulframe remains nestled away in its closed alpha form as this year’s TennoCon arrives. Despite plans to open that beta’s doors to a bunch more folks over the course of this weekend, developers Digital Extremes are keen to keep Warframe’s cottagecore sibling closed off for at least a bit longer.
The good news is that they have a bunch of new stuff they’re planning to unleash into fantasy land soon, as they continue to build a strong fairytale-infused foundation for the tale of the natural world clashing with technologically-advanced invaders.
First of all, if you’ve signed up for an account via Soulframe’s website to this point or do during the course of this weekend, July 19th to 20th, you’ll be granted access to Soulframe’s Preludes alpha testing, joining the fair few folks already running around in there. Given that’s likely to drive a pretty sizeable expansion of the playerbase, Digital Extremes CEO Steve Sinclair was asked during a press preview attended by RPS whether it indicates an early access release might be coming soon.
“We have ambitions, we have a few things…about our progression systems that are not quite in yet. We’re not comfortable doing anything open until those systems are in,” he replied, “So, it’s a great opportunity to join us and help shape that future, but we still have a few things we need to get in before we’re comfortable even trying that.”
While they’re still playing a bit coy with regards to timings on Soulframe additions, the devs did show off a number of features that’ll be arriving in the game soon, with the biggest being a new quest in the form of the Waste Bear fable. This got a big demo playthrough as part of the game’s Tennocon 2025 showcase, and it’s all about you being enlisted by a witch who is Clair Obscur levels of French to investigate the plight of a three-headed bear omen spirit called Bromius, who’s struggling to fulfil his duty of caring for the trees.
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There’s outside pollution that’s affecting him, some little woodland fellas called Sproutfolk that you’ll have to battle to save them from the corruption, and a boss battle you’ll have to trek through a new dungeon called the Neath’uns to face. If you want to know more about how it came to be and why it features a mini-boss who is brilliantly named the Wazzard of Wastes, make sure to check out our pre-TennoCon interview with Soulframe director Geoff Crookes.
Aside from that, the devs also teased the mote system that’ll allow you to unleash weird little woodland creatures on your opponents, expanded character customisation via the means to change your hairstyle, and some medieval-style martial arts manuals being added into the progression system to teach you skills like parrying. Plus, the promise of more stuff to do down the line in the form of extra Sparrow’s Tales, fables, and ancestor ghost people to recruit to your home camp, the Nightfold.
It all looks pretty cool, though that might just be me being easily swayed by the fact the bear fable involves you fighting a Wazzard.
