Attic of the Underdogs

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Review by Underdogs:

PC Gamer says it all about this ambitious 3D platformer that is not as good as Pandemonium!, but is well worth a look: "Attempting to mix elements from first-person shooters like Doom with 3D platformers like Tomb Raider, [Soultrap] is definitely in a different genre than most of the other action games out there. Instead of guiding a typical mascot-type character "with an attitude," you take control of Malcolm, a normal-looking guy in a dress shirt and slacks. Thrust into the world of his dreams, Malcolm has to deal with his inner fears and end the string of nightmares he’s been suffering from. As an added bonus, Malcolm has a jetboard strapped to his feet, so he can jump and coast with ease through his funkadelic dreamscapes.

As one of the first 3D platform games on the PC, Soultrap contains a lot of running and jumping to and fro over floating platforms, while shooting the occasional monster. Though it’s possible to play from a disorienting Doom-style perspective, Soultrap is best played from the external camera mode. The keyboard controls Malcolm’s movement, while the mouse controls his current direction and the camera view. Overshooting jumps isn’t a problem, since a tap of the return key will stop your forward velocity and drop you straight down onto the platform below.

One of the frustration factors in Soultrap is its skinny levels. While Bug! was "on rails" and prevented you from falling off the sides of its floating platforms, Soultrap offers no such protection. When an enemy starts shooting at you, you may find yourself strafing out of the way, and accidentally plummeting to your death off the side of the platform. It takes a good bit of practice to get used to this unfortunate limitation, and you’ll want to use the quicksave option for the added security. Be sure to save plenty of times throughout the level, too -- if you mess up, it’s very possible to get "stuck" with no hopes for redemption. One more thing -- the clock is constantly ticking, and you only have around twenty minutes to complete each level.

Soultrap’s graphics are well-defined. There aren’t any over-the-top special effects, but the clean visuals and slightly psychedelic art design are more than satisfactory. Soultrap is also quite adept at inducing vertigo with its dizzying jumps and skyrocketing platforms.

New players may be put off by the stale first and second levels -- but those who stick with it will be rewarded with some uncommonly slick level designs later on in the game. Your hard work never really pays off, though, since Soultrap’s almost nonexistent ending will make you moan "That’s it?" All in all, Soultrap is a game that will undoubtedly appeal to the Bug! and Mario 64 fans in the crowd, though the frustration level may be too high for some."

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