Welcome to the first devlog for Soul Chained.
Before I start rambling about mechanics, bosses, chain physics, and all the other systems inside Soul Chained, I figured it might be fun to start at the very beginning. Think of this devlog as a little side quest about how this whole thing came to exist in the first place.
In this one, I’ll talk about how the idea for Soul Chained started bouncing around my brain, what it’s like being a solo dev, and the kind of chaotic nonsense you can expect once you actually jump in and play it.
When people ask me to describe Soul Chained, I usually try to answer in one sentence. The problem is I can never quite keep it to a sentence, so it usually ends up sounding more like a phrase. Dark Souls x Chained Together. Honestly, that explains the idea pretty well.
The core concept is simple - at least on paper. Players are physically connected by a chain while fighting enemies, exploring the world, and trying not to get each other killed. In practice though… it gets chaotic pretty quick.
In other games, adding co-op tends to make things easier. More players usually mean more damage, better survivability, and fewer problems. Soul Chained does the opposite.
The chain exists specifically to make things harder. If one player panics, dodges the wrong way, or pulls the chain at the wrong moment, it can throw both players into bad situations. Suddenly you’re not just managing enemies - you’re managing each other. That’s where a lot of the fun comes from.
The chain physics end up becoming part of the gameplay itself. It affects movement, positioning, and even combat in ways that are sometimes strategic… and sometimes completely ridiculous.
If you and your friends are yelling at each other while trying to survive, there’s a good chance you’re experiencing Soul Chained exactly the way I imagined it. At the end of the day, the goal isn’t just difficulty; it's the weird combination of rage, comedy, and fun happening all at the same time.
Working on a game alone means juggling different responsibilities at once, and while I often wish I were, I'm no Tom Cruise. Besides actually building the game, there’s playtesting, talking to the community, fixing bugs, breaking things again, and then pretending I meant to do that the whole time.
Most days, it basically means sitting in front of my PC for about 12 hours, trying to push the game forward one system at a time. It’s not exactly glamorous, but that’s just part of being a solo dev.
Development has also come with its fair share of surprises. Some ideas that sounded great early on had to be cut later once the project started growing beyond its original scope. At one point there was even an entire boss that had to be scrapped because things were getting a little too out of control.
Other parts of development turned out to be far more complicated than I expected - especially things like large-scale level design, environment work, lighting, and optimization. Turns out making worlds that both look good and run well is a whole adventure by itself.
Of course, there are also the creative decisions that made it into the game - not because I wanted to, but because I can. If you’ve seen some of the bosses already, you may have noticed they aren’t exactly subtle. Some of them come equipped with massive schlongs, suspiciously large butts, or other questionable design choices. I assure you - they're not bugs.
At the end of the day, Soul Chained might take inspiration from serious games… but it definitely doesn’t take itself too seriously. ;)
Lastly, on a personal level, what does Soul Chained mean to me? Honestly, a massive sunk cost fallacy. But jokes aside, it’s also a passion project. Something that has taken thousands - probably tens of thousands of hours to build so far. Regardless of where the project ends up, it’s something I’m proud to keep pushing forward.
And this devlog is just the beginning.
In future devlogs I’ll dive deeper into the gameplay systems, mechanics, bosses, and the world of Soul Chained as development continues.
For now though, this post itself feels like a small milestone. So thanks for taking the time to read it and hopefully I’ll see you again in the next devlog.
The journey through purgatory is much easier when you're not alone. Catch the latest tips, updates and announcements by becoming part of Soul Chained's community!Soul Chained @ DiscordSoul Chained @ RedditDon't miss out on all official purgatorial scoop by following our official social pages!Soul Chained on XSoul Chained on TikTokSoul Chained on InstagramSoul Chained on FacebookSoul Chained on BlueSky