Game intel
Soulframe
This free-to-play open world adventure heavily influenced by themes of nature, restoration, and exploration. Soulframe will deliver its own independent and un…
Digital Extremes just put a flag in the ground: Soulframe Preludes 12 lands Tuesday, November 25, and it arrives alongside the game’s Founders program. That alone would be a big milestone for a still-evolving playtest. But the headline that really made me sit up? Baldur’s Gate 3’s Jennifer English is voicing Empress Alora. If you’ve followed DE since the scrappy early Warframe days (I have), this combo of a systems-heavy patch and a marquee casting reveal signals a shift from “promising experiment” to “we’re building a world you’ll care about.” The patch adds greatswords, a limited fast travel system using consumable seed saplings, better onboarding, and merges the Preludes community into the main Discord-clear signs DE is tightening the loop and preparing for a wider audience.
On the stream, senior community manager Sarah Asselin hosted with CEO Steve Sinclair, president Sheldon Carter, creative director Geoff Crookes, and audio director George Spanos. After a tour of the in-development build, the team saved the juicy bit for last: a message from Jennifer English. “Greetings, Envoys,” she began, teasing a fey dream and the name Alora. We saw concept art of Empress Alora, the ruler of Eldveil, and Asselin hinted she “shares the same moral compass as nature itself.” Spanos started to discuss whether song is her power—only for Sinclair to cut in, “You guys are dangerously flirting with spoilers!” It’s a tiny snippet, but it tells me Soulframe isn’t just building another loot treadmill; DE wants a character-led fantasy with musical theming baked into the fiction.
Sinclair says the Soulframe Founders program is “a lot cheaper than even Warframe’s was 12 years ago,” specifically acknowledging the current economy and that “you might have paying angry customers, and that’s kind of a healthy thing for us.” That’s refreshingly honest. Also, context: Warframe’s original Founders tiers ran roughly $20-$250 and locked in permanent exclusives like Excalibur Prime—the kind of FOMO that still sparks debate today. If Soulframe keeps exclusives cosmetic (or time-limited access to testing rather than permanent power), that’s a win. If meaningful gear or mechanics get permanently gated, expect pushback.
My advice if you’re eyeing Founders: wait for the exact perks list. Look for clarity on exclusivity, whether any items touch progression, how refunds work, and how DE plans to evolve packs over time. Founders can be a great way to fund development and get involved early—but it’s easy to overpromise and underdeliver. The good news is DE’s track record of transparent devstreams and long-tail support is among the best in free-to-play.
Greatswords are the headline addition. Soulframe’s combat already leans toward measured strikes and commitment windows—very different from Warframe’s hyper-mobile parkour ballet. Heavier blades should amplify that “deliberate duel” vibe. Expect slower swing speeds and bigger payoff on clean timing. If DE nails hit feedback and enemy stagger rules, greatswords could become the weapon class that defines Soulframe’s identity.
Limited fast travel via seed saplings is the other big swing. Consumable waypoints are a clever compromise: convenient, but not free. That encourages route planning and exploration without trivializing traversal. The risk? Players hoard consumables “just in case” and end up running everywhere anyway. The solution will be generous drop rates and smart placement that nudges you to actually use the system.
Finally, the tutorial and guidance upgrade is overdue but welcome. Early Preludes drops were intentionally rough, and that’s fine for a closed playtest. If DE wants to onboard a bigger audience—especially with Founders starting—they need clear goals, better messaging, and a gentle ramp. Warframe’s new player experience took years to fix; getting Soulframe’s right early will pay dividends.
If you’re curious, the Twitch drops campaign runs Friday November 14 through Monday November 17. Watch any Soulframe stream for 30 minutes to earn a Preludes key; the window closes at 7am PT / 10am ET / 3pm GMT / 4pm CET. Preludes 12 and Founders both hit on Tuesday November 25. Soulframe isn’t on Steam yet, so keep an eye on the official site and the main Discord (the Preludes community is merging in) for how to redeem and download.
Jennifer English joining as Empress Alora is a savvy get. Shadowheart works because English can sell nuance, doubt, and steel in the same line—exactly what you want for a nature-bound ruler whose power may be “song.” If DE translates that musical motif into boss mechanics, world events, or even diegetic puzzles, Soulframe could carve out a distinctive tone among fantasy action RPGs.
The bigger picture: Founders marks the accountability phase. If DE keeps its hallmark transparency, avoids predatory exclusives, and iterates quickly on combat feel, Soulframe can grow the way Warframe did—on trust and cool ideas. If not, players will bounce. I’m optimistic, but I’m watching the fine print.
Preludes 12 and Founders drop November 25; Twitch drops for keys run November 14-17. Jennifer English is Empress Alora, and the update adds greatswords, consumable fast travel, and better onboarding. I’m excited—just make sure Founders perks stay fair and the “song” of Soulframe isn’t drowned out by monetization noise.
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