Key Highlights:
- Sony will release the Soul Sacrifice demo for PS Vita in Europe on April 17.
- The demo introduces the game’s Save-or-Sacrifice combat system and supports both solo and multiplayer play.
- Soul Sacrifice launches later this month in North America before arriving in Europe at the start of May.
Sony has announced that a playable demo for Soul Sacrifice will arrive on PlayStation Vita next week, giving players an early look at the action RPG before its full release.
The official PlayStation Blog announcement confirms that the demo will launch through the European PlayStation Store on April 17.
Soul Sacrifice is built around a dark fantasy story in which the player is imprisoned by the powerful sorcerer Magusar and uses a living book called Librom to experience the memories of other sorcerers.
Those memories form the basis of the game’s missions, where defeated enemies can be either saved or sacrificed. Saving restores life and contributes towards defensive progression, while sacrificing enemies strengthens the player’s offensive power.
From what I can see, that choice is the important thing for this demo to establish. Soul Sacrifice is not simply using sacrifice as part of its story or visual identity. The mechanic directly changes character development, which means even a short early trial should give players a useful indication of how the full game approaches risk and progression.
The game also allows players to use magical Offerings during combat, with different abilities covering offensive, defensive and support roles.
Sony has positioned Soul Sacrifice as a PlayStation Vita exclusive, with Keiji Inafune involved in its development alongside Marvelous AQL and Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Studio.
The demo will launch before the full game arrives in North America on April 30, followed by Europe at the beginning of May.
Players who pre-order Soul Sacrifice will also receive additional costumes, three magical Offerings and access to the Japanese voice-over track.
Later update: Sony revealed significantly more about the trial only a few days later. GLN later reported more detailed Soul Sacrifice demo features, including multiplayer support and progress that could carry into the full game.
Progress made in the demo could also be transferred into the full game, allowing players to continue from their existing save rather than starting again. Transferring that save unlocked Spirits’ Heart, an exclusive Offering that summons a stone golem.
The full game subsequently launched as planned, and GLN’s Soul Sacrifice PS Vita review found that the Save-or-Sacrifice system became one of the game’s defining mechanics, influencing combat, progression and multiplayer decisions throughout the campaign.
I must say for all the ps vita gamers this is the very first RPG game that beats out all others on psp and ps vita.I just got the DEMO version and its content is so much I cant get enough of playing.My in game name is Chaotic and my psn is bonethugg2.If you see me in the Demo or the full game add me because ive played over 20 hours of this demo so i can be of great help to all who want a reliable team mate.PS Vita owners try the Demo out and see for yourself why this game (demo included) is truly a blessing to PS Vita gamers.One thing I have to say is i hope they have voice chat in the full game because texting while fighting or before setting up to kill a boss is confusing sometimes.Voice chat always is better.