AI Limit review: A soulslike with wasted potential

Marketed as yet another soulslike, you would not be wrong in thinking that AI Limit was much like the hundreds that had come before it in the genre.

Can we roll and dodge in AI Limit? Yes. Do we take on multiple mini enemies until we get to the big bosses? Yes. Do we respawn at campfires? Yes, but they take on the form of Branches in this game.

Ultimately, AI Limit is very much a typical soulslike and follows the tried-and-tested formula of the genre.

However, compared to the giants such as Elden Ring and Bloodborne, does it hold its own?

I came into AI Limit in a unique position as I am not actually a fan of soulslike games.

Well, it isn’t about being a fan necessarily but more to do with the fact that I absolutely suck at them and have too much of a temper to play games that I know are going to kick my ass.

That being said, I enjoy watching others play and as a fan of anime (or a weeb as we are affectionately known), I thought I would try out AI Limit in the hopes that this would be my getaway into the genre.

SenseGames

Developed by SenseGames, AI Limit is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi ARPG where you take on the role of a synthetic girl known as Arrisa.

She is what is known as a Blader, the last bastion of humanity who must fight to protect the last safe city on Earth known as Havenswell.

To do so, Arrisa must equip a weapon and fight against the Necro (zombie-like enemies) and even fellow synthetic humans but as well as her trusty blades, she also has the ability to use spell-like abilities.

Players can choose to shoot lightning or even deploy a shield which can parry enemies attacks but as with standard soulslike gameplay, the majority of combat depends on rolling and dodging in order to beat the boss’ relentless attacks.

However, what makes AI Limit unique when it comes to combat is that Arrisa does not have a stamina bar and can swing for as long as she likes.

What she does have, however, is a ‘Sync’ bar which fills based on your skills in combat.

As the name suggests, the bar reflects how synchronised you are and the more the bar is filled, the more powerful your attacks and spells.

The bar is filled by dodging attacks, performing combos and, of course, killing the enemy but is depleted when you disengage from combat, get hit or use up spells.

If the bar is depleted, you will become desynchronised, meaning that your attacks become weak and so AI Limit rewards you for being aggressive, rather than dodging and running for your life.

It is a unique take on the gameplay of a soulslike, as instead of having to keep an eye on your stamina, you need to keep an eye on your Sync bar which will allow you to unlock devastating attacks.

SenseGames

Although the bosses and minibosses did not offer me the level of difficulty I was expecting, I still found this mechanic enjoyable; it made me strategise my attacks ahead of time based on how my Sync bar was looking.

After various wars, Havenswell remains the only bastion across a blighted land as humans struggle to find a shred of comfort.

Many of them are now destitute and hope that the last city will offer them a place of refuge. However, Havenswell is far from a Haven and between the dangerous steel corridors and the sewers beneath, the religious manipulating the lost and depressed, and the knowledge of the horrors that lurk beyond its walls, AI Limit offers a bleak landscape.

The land is now returning to the Mud with the substance acting as both the end and the beginning of humanity. It absorbs the landscape outside and yet offers life-giving substance to our Blader who must devour it in order to survive.

As our Blader ventures out into the post-apocalyptic land, AI Limit becomes reminiscent of some of the greats such as NieR: Automata and Blade Runner 2049 when it comes to visuals.

We see sun-soaked deserts and crumbling cities as we race from one location to another and all of which are accompanied by a foreboding soundtrack. SenseGames really nailed the feeling of isolation in its environments.

Not only that but, unlike fellow soulslike games which allow the lore and universe to tell the story, AI Limit has a story to tell and doesn’t stray away from that as Arrisa fights to discover a new hope for the land and its people.

As a result, part of me wishes that this game was not a soulslike and was instead focused on a more RPG-style adventure, allowing players to immerse themselves more in the world and its people, rather than having such a heavy focus on combat.

As for our main character, Arrisa is a one-dimensional main character and merely does what she’s told with a monotone sign of approval. Perhaps this is due to her being synthetic, or maybe it is an issue with her design and voice direction. Nevertheless, I didn’t feel attached to my Blader in any way.

SenseGames

That being said, with Arrisa having been powered by AI, it does drive home how soulless it can be.

Ultimately, AI Limit does not have the scope or impact that titles such as Elden Ring and Bloodborne have but it still manages to hold its own in the soulslike genre thanks to its unique combat system and engaging environment.

However, I still believe that such an environment and story is wasted on occasion and AI Limit could have benefited from straying away from the soulslike genre to explore a more RPG-focused narrative.

Pros: Unique combat system, beautiful environments

Cons: One-dimensional characters, wasted potential

For fans of: Elden Ring, Bloodborne, Dark Souls

6/10: Good

AI Limit is available now for PlayStation 5 and PC (tested on Steam). A review code was provided by the publisher. Read a guide to our review scores here.