Soulframe

Soulframe returns to showcase itself with a new gameplay trailer that combines combat, progression, exploration, and systems still in the works. We are talking about the free-to-play fantasy action RPG that Digital Extremes (Warframe, Unreal) has been developing for some years, inspired by nature and Studio Ghibli films, featuring slow and thoughtful melee combat. The footage arrives after TennoCon and adds concrete pieces to the picture: Warsongs Fable, a corrupted progression path, fishing, mounts, dynamic weather, and new voice performances from Ben Starr and Jennifer English.

What kind of game is Soulframe?

Soulframe is the new project from the creators of Warframe, but here the tone shifts considerably: instead of the frenetic pace of the online shooter, we have a fantasy adventure set in a crafted world, with a more meditative tone and a concept of healing the corrupted land. The structure remains that of a free-to-play online game, with both single-player and multiplayer components, and a pre-alpha version already accessible through Preludes.

The narrative frame revolves around Alca, a world marked by the occupation of the Ode and the struggle to mend the connection between nature and spirit. The player controls the Envoy, a warrior tied to their starting class and a progression tree marked by various abilities, tasked with exploring Midrath and facing the enemies and secrets of a devastated land.

The new gameplay

The trailer heavily emphasizes how the game is expanding its systems. In addition to combat, which remains more methodical compared to Warframe, it showcases fishing, mounts, and a dynamic weather system—elements that push Soulframe toward a more exploratory structure, less centered solely on action.

In the footage, we also see Warsongs, a new Fable that introduces a corrupted progression path, a detail suggesting a darker branching within the game's fantasy framework. The presence of new narrative sequences and character designs goes in the same direction: Digital Extremes is seeking to flesh out a world that thrives not just on combat, but also on progression systems and visual identity.

Combat and progression

Early tests of Soulframe had already shown a slower action premise, with melee weapons, magic, summoning, bows, and less frantic ranged combat compared to Warframe. The new material also confirms this setup, but updates it with a greater focus on pacing management and reading encounters, without transforming the game into a clone of Digital Extremes' main title.

Also interesting is the evolution of the weapon system, mentioned during the devstream along with the expansion of the lore and new character designs. The result is a project that seems to be still defining itself but is no longer embryonic: Soulframe is building its pillars one by one, and the trailer serves to show how these pieces are beginning to fit together.

The weight of the project

The view counts tell a story of real interest, albeit niche: the channel has about 100,000 subscribers, and the new gameplay surpassed 50,000 views in a day, with two other videos released yesterday that saw similar numbers around 25,000 views. These aren’t blockbuster figures, but for a production still in development and off the mainstream radar, they are hard signals to ignore.

The most interesting fact, however, is that Soulframe continues to speak to a precise audience segment: those who follow Digital Extremes for the Warframe ecosystem but also those looking for a less aggressive fantasy action RPG in tone and richer in atmosphere. The new trailer should be read as another step in a project that doesn’t aim for pure spectacle but seeks to solidify its own precise identity.

In short, Soulframe still seems far from a definitive form, but the materials released from TennoCon show a game that is finding its own perimeter: fantasy world, progression, exploration, social systems, and a more controlled artistic direction compared to its sibling Warframe. For more details on the project, we refer you to the official website.