Titan Souls is another appealing pixel art game from a small developer, this time focused almost entirely on difficult boss battles. While the gameplay might not be up everyone's alley, anticipation was fairly high for the title from Acid Nerve and Devolver Digital. The reviews are now in, so how did it fare with critics in the end?
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Gamespot, 7/10: "Don't let the soothing songs lull you, however: stress is always just a minute away, and once you have internalized Titan Souls' lessons, so is relief. In time, those lessons become exhausting; you keep studying the exam, yet fail it over and over again until, suddenly, you pass with little fanfare, and a new class begins. Luckily, before work comes joy, and in the few hours that Titan Souls maintains your interest, you prove that you--and the diminutive hero that you play--can change the world with incredible patience, and a single arrow."
Polygon, 6.5/10: "There's a kind of satisfaction to be had in beating Titan Souls' meat grinder, but I only found a feeling of triumph at those points where it stepped away from its die-hard tendencies. In a game that usually kills so quickly, Acid Nerve finds its best moments when its willing to spare the rod, even if it's just for a few minutes."
PC Gamer, 87/100: "Once you've figured them all out that first time, the magic is gone-killing one for the second time just isn't anywhere near as satisfying. There's also little to do outside of the battles with the Titans, save for a few puzzles here and there as you track down some of the hidden bosses, which is a touch disappointing. Upon repeated deaths, it gets a bit tiresome having to trek even the few screens to get back to the boss, rather than having a Hotline Miami style quick restart."
"Unless you get into the unlockable hard mode or the time attack stuff, there's no real reason to revisit after you've been through once. That first time though, when you're swapping strategies with other players, trying to figure out how to best these Titans, is fantastic fun. Like the best bosses, they're a true test of your abilities and Titan Souls is twenty of these challenges. It is a shame there aren't a few more."
IGN, 8/10: "Titan Souls' sparse world and lore is merely the delivery device for its creative fights that hinge on your perception and skillful mastery of its simple, yet fluid and responsive controls. Though the experience is short, it's potent, as weathering every titan's impossibly lethal storm and finding that one true strike is an excellent and intoxicating retelling of David versus Goliath each time. And should you survive the punishing menagerie of monsters, having mastered each bout, Titan Souls raises the stakes and the difficulty, daring you to shoot to kill and do it better."
