Lost Soul Aside Faces Mixed Reception Due to Optimization Challenges
After a long and anticipated development cycle, Chinese studio Ultizero Games has finally released its debut project, Lost Soul Aside, an ambitious blend of slasher and action RPG elements. Unfortunately, the game's launch has been met with a lukewarm reception, primarily due to widespread reports of performance and optimization issues from early players.
Currently, Lost Soul Aside holds a 'Mixed' rating on Steam, with only 56% of just over 400 user reviews being positive. The core complaints revolve around technical difficulties: players are consistently pointing to frame rate drops, stuttering in cutscenes, and general instability as major drawbacks, alongside some feedback on combat mechanics.
Developers Acknowledge Issues and Promise Swift Updates
In response to the early feedback, Ultizero Games has quickly acknowledged the reported problems. The studio has promised immediate fixes, with a substantial Day One patch expected to arrive very soon. This upcoming update aims to deliver significant improvements across several key areas:
- Enhanced performance and stability
- Visual improvements
- General audio refinements
- Overall gameplay enhancements
The journey of Lost Soul Aside has been a remarkable one. First announced in 2014, it began as a passion project by solo developer Yang Bing. His impressive early work eventually caught the eye of Sony, who, through their China Hero Project, provided funding that allowed Bing to establish Ultizero Games and bring his dream to fruition over many years.
Player Feedback: Frustration Mixed with Hope
Early players have shared a range of opinions, often highlighting the game's potential while lamenting its current technical state. Many express enjoyment of the core concept and combat when it works, but are frustrated by consistent frame drops, even on high-end systems.
One player noted, "I waited too long for this game, I like it, but FPS drops during any combat. Lags in videos and cutscenes." Another critic echoed, "It’s 2025, and the trend of releasing unfinished products is still alive! I'm baffled: do you really have no funds left for polish and optimization?"
Crashes and stuttering are common complaints, with one reviewer stating they "played for about 20 minutes and encountered many problems: horrible optimization, FPS not rising above 30, lags in cutscenes, and frequent crashes." They advised against pre-ordering, feeling the game didn't justify its price.
Even those with powerful hardware reported issues, describing a strange visual effect where the game doesn't quite feel like a smooth 60 FPS, with the character and environment appearing to move at slightly different frame rates. Some also found the combat to be "passable" but lacking impact or having "strange" unchangeable controls, and the story to be "cringey" or confusing in its opening.
However, many hold out hope. One long-time follower of the game praised Yang Bing's dedication, stating, "Yang Bing went from a solo developer to the head of a thriving studio... Such a level of dedication is rare." This player, despite finding issues, left a positive review hoping to prevent the game from being unfairly review-bombed, seeing potential for a "fun slasher for a couple of evenings" even if it isn't a "Game of the Year" contender.
What This Means for Players
Lost Soul Aside is available on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store) and PlayStation 5, with text localization in multiple languages. Despite the initial technical hurdles, the passion behind the project and the developers' swift response offer hope for its future. While the game's current state makes it difficult for some to recommend at its full price, the availability of a demo on both PC and PS5 provides a valuable opportunity for players to experience the game firsthand before making a purchase. With promised updates on the horizon, Lost Soul Aside still has the potential to overcome its launch issues and deliver on the promise of its ambitious vision.
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