SolSeraph Critic Reviews

SolSeraph’s definitely a successful copycat that lacks originality. If you haven’t heard of or played ActRaiser, SolSeraph will seem quite unique. It’s an example of the finished product being greater than the sum of its parts: a good action platformer combined with a good RTS that makes for a very good package. If you were hoping for another ActRaiser game someday, this may be the best you’ll ever get. But if you hold ActRaiser dear to your heart, you may get offended at how much SolSeraph essentially remakes that wonderful game.

SolSeraph is a good way to bring ActRaiser back. It does have some shortcomings, but if you’re willing to embrace nostalgia, there’s a lot of fun to be had with this game.

I appreciate Ace Team's attempt here, I really do. It's kind of amazing that this game exists in 2019 under Sega. It's not as original as the team's past projects, but SolSeraph has a lot to like if you're looking for a modern take on an absolute gem of the 16-bit era. Part of me wonders how outlandish these creators could've gotten with a bigger budget and scope, but as a tribute, this still hits the spot. Even if SolSeraph fails to raise the bar, I'm so happy someone took another crack at ActRaiser.

SolSeraph is an authentic ode to ActRaiser undercut by unbalanced action levels and shallow strategy gameplay.

SolSeraph is a good game that tries to do too much. Unfortunately, everything it does is the bare minimum and never really pushes itself to be great. All in all, SolSeraph is a safe and enjoyable title.

We’ve seen better from ACE Team. Abyss Odyssey was a gorgeous representation of the developer’s own culture (something we still see too infrequently in video games), while Rock of Ages was as funny as a Monty Python sketch, and Deadly Tower Of Monsters was the spot-on love letter to the dodgy B-cinema that so many of us loved growing up. In that company SolSeraph seems a little too unfocused and uncertain of itself, despite being an entertaining and challenging game in its own right. However ACE Team at its worst is still more distinctive than most other developers at their best. I do think that SolSeraph will find an audience, and I do hope, for those who have played ActRaiser, that this comes across as the spiritual successor they've long been waiting for.

While it’s very easy to see the elements that inspired SolSeraph, the game fails to capture why any of these memorable mechanics are worth revisiting or reinventing.

SolSeraph could have hemmed slightly closer to the conventions of its clear inspiration, and it may have been better for it. The changes to the sim aspect create gameplay depth at the expense of tonal depth, and the action segments can be annoyingly clunky, especially with the unnecessary addition of enemies that are untouchable until an unclear point in time. The willingness to riff on one of the most beloved classics of an entire console era shows a remarkable amount of audacity, and it actually halfway works. It's the half that doesn't that makes SolSeraph such a qualified recommendation.

If SolSeraph featured more in-depth core gameplay in either of its 2 genres then it would be a much more fulfilling experience.

A spiritual successor to Actraiser, SolSeraph is one of those titles that goes into the file of games we really wanted to like because in theory it had all the ingredients, good ideas and influence from great games of the past, but unfortunately comes together in an uninspired way. The basic elements of Actraiser are present but SolSeraph is an homage that fails to capture the spirit of the game that made players feel like a god 28 years ago, resulting in a pale imitation. That’s not to say there isn’t any fun to be had here, as I did enjoy playing it, but it failed to reach the bar set by the game it tries so hard to emulate. Despite being a new IP, the Jay Sherman quote “if it’s a remake of a classic go see the classic” is applicable in this case.

Solseraph could have been a great game, unfortunately, its just not very entertaining. The city building bits are good enough but they get broken up by very bland platforming sections, they just don't seem to fit very well and feel rushed. It is certainly unique with its mixture of game styles but it is too disjointed to be enjoyed to its fullest.

Even if you have fond memories of the original ActRaiser, I’m not sure that I could wholeheartedly suggest checking out SolSeraph. It absolutely is a successor to the SNES original, but I found myself increasingly disappointed and frustrated with the gameplay loop, and could only think of how much better the game would be if it had focused on one central mechanic instead of splitting attention between the two.

This re-imagination of the SNES classic ActRaiser feels sluggish and superficial.

Living up to a legend is practically impossible, but instead of providing an entertaining experience on its own terms, SolSeraph adheres to an ancient blueprint. It seems content to imitate rather than innovate, but its tedious gameplay can’t even accomplish that. I love ActRaiser, and I can’t blame SolSeraph for failing to recapture the magic of a 16-bit classic. At the same time, SolSeraph doesn’t have much value apart from how it reminds you of a better game you may have played about 30 years ago.

SolSeraph is a game that was made with good intentions and a lot of heart. The developers wanted to pay homage to a classic, but unfortunately missed the mark on almost all fronts. The platforming bits are frustrating with enemies coming out of no where to knock you off. The city-building parts never get deep enough to challenge you or force any decision other than stacking barracks and watchtowers along the roads. As someone who loves city-builders, I just wish it was a better game.

Painfully plain mechanics and an inadequate narrative render SolSeraph insufficient entertainment for nearly anyone. ActRaiser fans will find its flaws indefensible, and anyone else who manages to stumble upon it will fail to be captivated by the excruciatingly repetitive tower defense and tiresome action platforming.

Overall, SolSeraph is a huge letdown. It's the lack of variety, the terrible platforming levels, and the forgettable building sections and music that makes the game so frustrating and dull. Given the promise of an ActRaiser successor, I was really excited to see what new stuff ACE Team would bring to the table, but the answer is absolutely nothing. In the process, they've managed to strip away the magic of what made the SNES classic so fun, while doing nothing to evolve or develop the formula. Despite this huge misstep, I really hope we do get a solid ActRaiser-inspired game in the near future.

There are elements here that could make an interesting spiritual sequel to ActRaiser, but they never realize the potential.

The similarities between SolSeraph and ActRaiser are unmistakable, but it’s a joyless facsimile that lacks a single spark of innovation.

SolSeraph might replicate the gameplay of the original it but doesn’t even attempt to channel the same sense of innovation and experimentation. Failing to offer any improvement or evolution of the concept is a far greater insult to its legacy than just letting the game being forgotten by history. A fate to which it is now assuredly doomed anyway.