SolSeraph Review

Every game has its influences, but SolSeraph might as well have the subtitle: Tribute to ActRaiser. Everything from the god-saving-humanity story to the hybrid action/city-building gameplay mirrors the 1990 Super Nintendo gem I adored as a kid – Sega even enlisted ActRaiser composer Yuzo Koshiro to write the score for SolSeraph’s excellent title theme – but this spiritual successor isn’t as successful as the original. SolSeraph’s side-scrolling parts are a nostalgic fever dream, replicating the weighty, methodical feel of ActRaiser and other action games from its era, but its level design can be hit and miss. The city-building sections have nice modern touches, but they’re ultimately too simplistic, lacking any real depth or strategy. SolSeraph is at least partially saved by the fact that these dueling genres don’t overstay their welcome, but they never manage to live up to their inspiration either.

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