This indie gem blends Devil May Cry and Darksiders, and it's only $1 right now

I'm a sucker for a good character action game. Devil May Cry was a part of my childhood as much as Kingdom Hearts or Grand Theft Auto (way before I should've been allowed to touch it). There's something so engaging about dishing out combos with a flurry of death, and Soulstice manages to capture that intensity, while also oozing a gothic-style atmosphere that fits similar vibes to Darksiders or even those brilliant Dark Souls games. As someone who bought it at launch, it's a personal recommendation of mine, and for $1 / £1, well, it's an absolute steal.

While big titles like Balatro or Pacific Drive land on our best indie games - and deservingly so, may I add - there's a sore lack of any true-blooded action experiences. Sure, Hades 2 and Terraria have their fair share of combat, but not to the degree of something like Devil May Cry, putting the gameplay above all else with a stylish ranking system. Soulstice is what's missing from the list (in my eyes), and there's never been a better time to give it a try.

Set in the Holy Kingdom of Keidas, the world is compromised when vicious, dangerous monsters called Wraiths invade from the Veil. Reborn as a Chimera, a hybrid warrior made with the union of two souls, you play as Briar and Lute, with the former gaining supernatural strength and the latter sacrificing her soul to become a shade with mystical abilities. It's your job to bring order back to a city ravaged by Wraiths, but as expected, things aren't as simple as they seem.

Briar wields the armaments you'd expect, such as swords or warhammers, dishing out combos like in similar hack-and-slash games, but because you're playing as a duo of characters at the same time, you'll also have Lute's abilities. These grant you otherworldly powers in order to control each arena and deal with the Wraiths in a combat loop that feels satisfyingly similar, while distinct in its own right.

Soulstice is one of those underloved gems that doesn't get talked about nearly enough. It's somewhat criminal that the character action genre remains linked to big series like Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden, or Devil May Cry (all excellent in their own right, may I add), while Soulstice goes way under the radar. It's oozing with style and dripping with gothic elements that make it stand out in a similar way to the first trio of DMC games, and if that sounds like your vibe, well, now's the best time to give it a shot.

With the Fanatical Spring Sale, plenty of games from the latest and greatest to those sorely underloved indies are on sale, and with the Build Your Own Spring Bundle, there's a bunch of games you've missed out on. One of those is Soulstice, and if you buy it in the bundle, it's just $1 / £1. No catch, it's just the one game you need to buy to access the offer, although if you find other ones to play, you can save even more by adding extra games from the bundle. It's entirely up to you.

So, if you're like me and you're a sucker for some character action experiences, don't pass on Soulstice. Especially for a buck.