A survival game on Steam has captivated me for 150 hours, making me collect villagers like Pokémon

After almost two years in Early Access, the survival game Soulmask has now launched in full version. With a mix of sandbox, survival crafting, and colony building simulation, the game attracted over 44,000 players at launch on Steam. MeinMMO author and genre enthusiast Linda Baumgartl was also captivated by the magical masks and was strangely reminded of Pokémon.

When Soulmask first appeared on my radar, I was immediately intrigued. The Aztec masks and jungle setting looked really cool. However, I hesitated at first. The game was still in Early Access at that time and had to compete with my ever-growing Steam library. There haven’t been any shortages of survival titles in recent years. So, naturally, you think twice about which one to give a chance.  

Eventually, though, curiosity won out and I dove into the world of giant saber-toothed tigers and ancient ruins. And what can I say? The game struck a chord with me like no survival game has in a long time. For Soulmask is not only very extensive; it also dares to take on new ideas that set it apart from the survival crowd.

Suddenly I am the leader of a tribe

The beginning of Soulmask follows a rather classic path. I learn a bit about the backstory before being dropped into the jungle, where I first have to deal with the basics: gathering resources, crafting equipment, setting up a sleeping place. So far, so familiar.

As a real enthusiast for building bases, I seek out a nice spot early on to establish a more permanent dwelling. However, that proves to be more challenging than initially thought. You need a tremendous amount of material and also have to process it at various workbenches. For the timer to be running, my character has to actually stand at the workbench. And that can take a really long time, especially for larger projects.

I’m already cursing the unnecessary grind of the game – when I realize that the game doesn’t actually want me to do everything myself.

In Soulmask, you can actually found a clan. This is not referring to the tribe you form with your friends in multiplayer, but your personal entourage of NPCs. Almost every human enemy in the game can be recruited by you.

To do this, you just have to give them a good whack, use your magical mask powers, and suddenly you have a loyal slave … I mean, of course, a new roommate. At least after you’ve nursed them back to health with some tasty broth.

Over time, a bustling anthill of NPCs emerges, who not only stand at workbenches for you but can also gather resources or defend your camp. Especially cool: With cable cars, you can set up transport routes to automatically carry resources to your base.

Say goodbye to your character

The newly recruited villagers are more than just cheap labor. Behind them lies the greatest peculiarity of Soulmask, which is not so obvious at first. This is mainly because, genre-typical, you start with a self-created character. This somehow implies that you should be playing with this character. But that’s not necessarily the case.

In Soulmask, you can control any of your tribe members and turn them into a full-fledged player character. You don’t play a single figure, but a consciousness that jumps from body to body.

This becomes especially relevant at higher levels. Every character in the game has a range of abilities that they level up as they use them. This includes combat abilities as well. Each ability has a maximum level, which varies from character to character.

• A good character is recognized when the desired ability has a maximum value as high as possible.

Here lies also the problem with your starter character. Although he is solid in everything, he is not really good at anything. In the long term, you should really replace him.

Admittedly, this concept feels a bit alien at first. I was also attached to my starter character, whom I created and leveled with so much love. But the further I progressed in the game, the more I enjoyed this new freedom:

• I can have characters with different builds on hand and use them appropriately according to the situation. This is especially handy when enemies are susceptible to certain types of damage.
• If I manage to subdue an opponent of a higher level, it actually advances me. I simply take over their body and skip a few levels this way.
• “Outdated” characters can still remain useful. For example, as craftsmen in the base or as NPC companions in combat.

For those who are still attached to their starter character, I can at least offer a little bit of reassurance. The developer has since added the ability to transfer the appearance of one tribe member to another. So even if you want to switch to another character eventually, you can at least keep your desired appearance.

My village is like a Pokédex

The hunt for the best tribe members quickly turns into a wild grind-fest. In addition to the various level values, each character has a special class ability – depending on their origin – as well as some innate talents and preferences. These come with different advantages and disadvantages, such as more damage with certain weapons or a special aversion to feces. The selection here is truly enormous and includes over 800 possibilities according to the developer.

Nevertheless, I want to find the perfect tribe member for every job. So I set out to catch villagers like Pokémon. My village is the Pokédex that needs to be filled. I need each one at least once. Ideally in the super perfect shiny variant.

Of course, this type of grind is not for everyone. For me personally, this fills a gap that has been left by Conan Exiles. There was also the possibility to farm “thralls” and use them as workers. Soulmask takes this concept and elevates it to the next level. Especially because now I am not only farming workers, but also my own character.

Soulmask offers a lot of content – maybe too much?

What more could a game named “Soulmask” need? Of course, the masks! During the game, you unlock various masks that specialize in different areas and can be switched at any time. In a separate skill tree, you can unlock suitable abilities, such as becoming a better tank or learning cool new attacks.

In addition, there is of course the classic technology tree with which you can learn new building recipes. In another window, you’ll find the “hunting progress,” through which you can unlock general bonuses by defeating beasts. Additionally, a lot of animals can be tamed, bosses can be defeated, and dungeons explored.

You can already tell – Soulmask is not lacking in content. Quite the opposite. Especially at the beginning, all the menus and systems can be a bit overwhelming. Therefore, my advice is: Follow the quests at the beginning and actually read the tutorials. The game does a good job of gradually teaching you everything, but you just need to give it enough time.

Conclusion? Soulmask may not be the most accessible survival game on the market. However, for those who want to engage with a comprehensive and somewhat more complex game, it offers a solid survival adventure with some interesting ideas. It particularly excels in settlement management and fully controllable NPCs. Anyone who finds these points intriguing should definitely take a look (through the mask).

Even in Early Access, I felt like I had just scratched the surface of Soulmask after 150 hours of gameplay. Since then, the developers have not only continuously improved the game but have also expanded it even more. With the release of the full version, the first DLC was already released, which you can still receive for free. On a completely new Egypt-style map, you can now even build airships: One of the best survival games on Steam is giving away its biggest DLC yet, but you don’t have forever