Quick summary
Soulframe is a free-to-play open-world action MMO created by Digital Extremes, the studio behind Warframe. It transports players to a fantasy realm heavily inspired by films like Princess Mononoke and The NeverEnding Story, emphasizing themes of nature, restoration, and the clash between industry and the wild. Although described as a “sister” or mirror-universe to Warframe, it is neither a sequel nor a spiritual continuation of the shooter—it’s a different genre and tempo altogether.
World and atmosphere
The game’s setting leans into a living, reactive environment: terrain shifts throughout the day, and sprawling cave systems and rifts are often procedurally generated. The narrative and visual tone center on nature fighting back against encroaching civilization, resulting in an uncanny, fantastical landscape that rewards exploration and environmental storytelling.
Core gameplay elements
- Heavy melee combat takes center stage instead of ranged shooting, with slower, weightier movement and strikes.
- Cooperative PvE remains a focus, with group-based encounters and activities designed for team play.
- Exploration is emphasized more than in Warframe, supported by a wide, open hub world that encourages wandering and discovery.
- Procedural design is applied to subterranean networks and crevasses, creating replayable, unpredictable areas.
- A fantasy aesthetic replaces Warframe’s sci-fi veneer, swapping tech-driven motifs for mysticism and natural forces.
How Soulframe stacks up against Warframe
- It swaps Warframe’s first-person shooter mechanics for close-quarters, melee-focused combat.
- Both titles emphasize cooperative player-versus-environment encounters and replayable content.
- Soulframe adopts a slower, more deliberate pace compared with Warframe’s breakneck speed.
- Each game uses procedural generation for portions of its world design to keep exploration fresh.
- The new title centers on organic, nature-based themes rather than futuristic science-fiction settings.
- Like Warframe’s newer open-world areas, Soulframe features a large hub space, but with a stronger focus on discovery.
Who should consider playing?
- Players who enjoy teamwork-oriented PvE and want a fantasy alternative to fast shooters.
- Fans of deliberate, tactical melee combat rather than hypermobile, twitch-based gunplay.
- Gamers drawn to atmospheric worlds and environmental storytelling, especially those who appreciate Studio Ghibli–inspired visuals.
- Those who prefer slower exploration and emergent terrain over nonstop, frenetic action.
Final impression
If you like Warframe’s cooperative systems but want them translated into a slower, nature-driven fantasy adventure, Soulframe looks like a promising next option. It keeps the social and procedural DNA of its sibling while delivering a distinct gameplay rhythm and aesthetic.
Technical
- Windows
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- Free