I love fantasy RPG Soulframe’s cosy start screen even though it could be a creepy piece of habit-forming design

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I still really enjoy playing Soulframe, the new fantasy RPG from the creators of Warframe, even though the story can be incredibly strange and confusing. It’s especially odd when that confusing storytelling shows up in official updates from the developers. For example, they recently described events in the game’s world of 2025 like this: “We entered dreamlike visions and saved Bromius from decaying roots. We collaborated with a witch and explored the underground crypts of The Circade.” It’s all a bit… unusual, to say the least!

Don’t be discouraged by the complex world-building. Soulframe has a lot of subtle, thoughtful design. The game really shines in its quieter moments – I even suspect the login screen might be a cleverly hidden creature collection game!

When you start Soulframe, you’ll find your character resting amongst the plants, like a knight who’s fallen asleep in the forest. The lighting beautifully highlights their armor – a great showcase of the game’s detailed costume design, which is as high-quality as you’d expect from the creators of Warframe’s outfits. Peaceful woodland creatures are sleeping nearby. Press a button to begin playing, and your character will wake up, gently scattering the animals as they move off-screen.

There’s something playfully mischievous about this – it subtly disrupts a peaceful scene, like waking Bambi from sleep. It’s similar to the moment in Shadow of the Colossus when you leave the game on the start screen: the camera pans to Wander asleep, then follows his horse Agro exploring the world. This might be a gentle commentary on being passive and the independent actions of animals.

Shadow of the Colossus (PS4, idle menu)

Many players believe the sleeping animals in Soulframe are a daily login reward – the more you log in, the more you’ll see. While I’ve noticed the animal collection growing during limited playtests, Digital Extremes hasn’t officially confirmed this is a feature. It seems they prefer to keep some things a mystery, and that likely includes this.

I don’t like game features that seem intended to make you play obsessively. Things like daily login rewards feel manipulative and actually discourage me from enjoying the game. It’s frustrating to open a game and immediately be reminded it wants all your attention. I prefer systems that aren’t so obviously designed to keep you hooked, even if they’re still effective at doing so.

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2026-01-16 16:55