In thisA.I limitreview, we’ll take an in-depth look at the souls-like sci-fi action rpg developed by SenseGames and published byCE-Asia. The game was developed in tandem with thePlayStation China Hero Project, a program funded by Sony, that supports Chinese game developers in creating games. This is the very first game developed by these developers, and we will see whether this game has delivered a solidsouls-like experience.Read on to find out!
Soulslike Sci-Fi Action-RPG
Developed by
SenseGames
Published by
Release date
March 27th
PC (Steam)(review platform), PS5
Price at the time of Review
$31.49 (regular), $34.99 (deluxe)
Story and Setting
A.I. Limitis set in a post-apocalyptic future where humanity is struggling to survive after the fall of civilization due to an unknown failure of the artificial ecosystem. This collapse resulted in natural disasters, famine, wars, and the emergence of monsters.
Players take on the role ofArrisa, an amnesiac Blader with the ability to reconstruct and return after death, utilizing an unknown technology known as theBranches. The story followsArrisaon her mission to repair the broken branches, uncover the truth behind the world’s destruction, and recover her lost memories.
Opening Shot of A.I limit Cinematic
Although the trope of an amnesiac protagonist is overused in games, it works in this case since the player learns about the world alongsideArrisa.The story unfolds gradually through NPC dialogue, slowly fleshing out the world and filling in the details. In trueSouls-likefashion, the game begins with you waking up alone in a dark, dank place—in this case, the sewers.
However, the overreliance onNPCinteractions and exposition makes the story feel slow and, at times, unengaging.Arrisadoesn’t develop much as a character, remaining a blank slate for most of the game. True to itsSouls-like roots, the game features a cast of characters with their own storylines, which unfold alongside your journey. Much ofA.I. Limit’s narrative is told through these questlines, gradually revealing the forces plaguing humanity and the Earth.
Also, much like in Souls games, it’s possible to miss important interactions, potentially skipping entire character arcs. This can leave major gaps in the overall story and even lock you out of one of the game’s multiple endings.
That said, the NPCs inA.I. Limitare generally more straightforward and less cryptic than those in Souls games. You won’t need as much speculation or extrapolation to understand what’s going on. Environmental storytelling still plays a role, but notes and visions you find along the way help fill in the lore more clearly.
Despite its simplicity, the story manages to stay engaging. If you’re paying attention—talking to NPCs, reading notes—you’ll likely see most of the twists coming. Still, the narrative kept me curious about how everything would end, and it wrapped up nicely, aside from one loose thread that seems intentionally left open for a potential DLC or sequel.
Overall, the story and setting ofA.I. Limitare simple and easily missable. Because your character is passive for much of the game and the story is mostly told through NPC questlines, it’s easy to lose track of what’s happening unless you’re someone who actively seeks out the lore—like me.
Like most Souls-like action RPGs,A.I. Limitplaces its main emphasis on gameplay. It simplifies and streamlines FromSoft’s formula into a more approachable form. From the moment you begin, you’ll immediately recognize the Souls-inspired mechanics that SenseGames has implemented.
Game Structure and Level Design
It’s abundantly clear thatSenseGamesdraws heavy inspiration fromFromSoftware. You start off in a familiar way, progressing through the world in a mostly linear fashion. There’s no central hub, though you’ll find some secret areas and optional bosses—if you’re paying close attention to your surroundings.
Secret pathways often involve ledges hidden near long drops, requiring varying degrees of platforming to reach them.
The Branchesact as the equivalent of Bonfires, allowing you to teleport between them to revisit merchants or explore previously missed areas.
There are two key spots you’ll return to frequently:
Amerchantfound in the third area, who sells upgrade materials for your weapons.
Thetemporary campsiteearly in the game, where you’ll find the NPC who upgrades your Lifedrop (the Estus Flask equivalent) and several vendors who eventually gather there.
As for the levels, although the different areas are connected in a way that makes sense in the world as a whole, and the individual level designs are not terrible,complete with poison swamps and long drops into the abyss, the progression route is hugely linear as you follow the main path with only one optional area, that is completely missable if you progressed along the main path and never explored the other route.
There are no multiple connections between different levels and there is zero chance of you ending up in a high level area while underleveled because you took the less obvious path and found a shortcut leading to a different area.
That being said, exploration is still important as there are many nooks and crannies complete with enemies hidden around corners that will kick you off the ledge, that are not immediately apparent as you progress on the main path and taking the time to explore these will reward you with valuable loot.
You will also find doors and shortcuts to a branch that will allow you to bypass most of the enemies in an area, allowing you to progress easily without needing to go through the whole area again after dying.
Overall, the level structure is well put together but does not stand out among the crowd of all the souls-like games and a little more variety will definitely help but it is good enough not to take away from my enjoyment of the game.
Combat and Build Customization
As previously mentioned,A.I. Limitis heavily inspired by FromSoft games, and anyone who has played titles likeDark Souls,Sekiro, orElden Ringwill feel right at home with its combat system. From the moment I started the game, myDark Soulsmuscle memory kicked in immediately, and it took minimal time to adjust to the combat changes made by SenseGames inA.I. Limit.
There’s no traditional stamina bar, posture gauge, or mana bar inA.I. Limit—instead, all of these mechanics are combined into a single bar called theSync Rate. You build Sync Rate by hitting enemies with basic attacks and lose it when you take damage.
When your Sync Rate drops to zero, you’ll enter a weakened state, similar to being posture-broken in other Souls games.
A unique feature ofA.I. Limitis that theSync Ratehas multiple levels—lower levels deal significantly less damage, while higher levels increase your damage output. Using weapon skills or spells also consumes energy, reducing yourSync Rate.This effectively makes the Sync Rate a combination of both posture and mana bars, and this simple change promotes a moreaggressive playstylecompared to traditional Souls-likes.
Another twist to the classic Souls combat formula is the addition of theCounter Fieldskill. This is one of the first abilities you gain, and it quickly becomes a core mechanic of the game.
The Counter Field functions exactly like a parry in a typicalSouls-likegame—a successful parry opens the enemy up to afatal strike.
Its timing feels closer to Sekiro’s parry system since the parry activates instantly upon pressing the button, making it easier to time than shield parries in Dark Souls. There are even a few bosses—one of which appears in the demo—that have their own Sync Rate bars like the player. Fighting these bosses feels more like Sekiro than Dark Souls, although this mechanic is specific to only a few encounters.
In addition to theCounter Field, you’ll unlock ashield, aclaw attack, and theLightning Stepdodge skill, which you can switch between on the fly. That said, I relied on Counter Field for 99% of my playthrough, only using the claw attack once during a specific boss fight.
Even with these changes, the combat still feels very close to playing a traditionalDark Soulsgame rather than faster souls-likes such asNioh. You’ll still need tolearn attack patterns, time your attacks and parries, and stay on your toes—otherwise, enemies can take you out quickly with a single combo.
If you’re a veteran FromSoft player, you’ll likelymaster A.I. Limit’s combatin no time. The timing for attacks, parries, and dodges feels very similar toDark Souls—just without the stamina bar.
One minor issue that bothered me throughout my playthrough was thelock-on camera, which often struggles to keep large enemies fully in frame. This was especially annoying during certain boss fights.
Staying true to Souls-like traditions,levelingis the core of combat customization. You’ll earncrystalsfrom defeating enemies and bosses, which can be used to level up your stats and upgrade weapons andseals—a system familiar to most Souls fans.
A major improvement here is that youdon’t lose all your crystalsupon death. Instead, you lose a set amount based on thenucleusyou have equipped. This means you won’t experience the usual frustration of losing all your souls or runes to a random enemy before you can retrieve them.
Thenucleusis a piece of equipment obtained from bosses. It determines how many crystals you earn from kills and how many you retain or lose upon death, depending on itsabsorptionandretentionrates.
There arefive different weapon typesin the game, withthreeavailable at the start:
Later, you’ll also unlock:
Similar toDark Souls III, each weapon has its ownunique weapon skill, and with32 weapons total, you’ll almost certainly find one that suits your style.
That said, Imissed the flexibilityof mixing my favorite weapon with my favorite skill, like theAshes of WarinElden Ring. Fortunately, you’re able to equiptwo weapons simultaneouslyand switch between them mid-combo at the press of a button—so you can still combine weapon and skill pairings in a creative way.
Yourgearincludes two weapons, a nucleus, a headpiece, an armor piece, and seals. Different armor pieces provide varying defenses against specific damage types, but there’s no armor tier system (e.g., light, medium, heavy) or full set bonuses.
You can freelymix and matchyour head and armor pieces depending on the area or the enemies you’re facing. You also have aspell slotthat can be swapped at any time via the menu, but I wish there were a quicker way to cycle through favorite spells without having to pause and navigate the menu each time.
Sealsfunction differently from other gear. They can only be changed atBranches, and they essentially act as the game’sclass system, with seals focused on spellcasting, fatal strikes, or balanced builds.
Eachmain sealcomes with4–5 minor seal slotsthat allow you to gainpassive stat bonuseslike increased defense or max HP. The real customization comes from picking the seals that best match your playstyle.
Despite this, there honestly isn’t a lot ofbuild variety. You’ll likely fall back on what you already know—especially if you’re a Souls veteran. While you canfreely reallocate pointsat any time, and the game encourages experimentation, most builds don’t feel distinct enough to warrant multiple playthroughs.
Although theSync Rate baracting as both posture and mana is an interesting twist, itpushes gameplay toward a specific, aggressive playstyle, which ends up limiting build diversity to some extent.
Enemies & Bosses
Lastly, for gameplay—a Souls-like game’s experience is, in no small part, affected by its enemy variety, andA.I. Limitoffers a decent amount, with a total of73 enemy types, including bosses. Some of the earlier bosses return as mini-bosses later in the game, but these instances are few and far between.
This number doesn’t include theelite variantsof certain enemies that appear in the later parts of the game. These variants typically have larger health pools and slightly altered movesets compared to their standard versions, which is nothing new for a Souls-like game.
In terms of bosses, there are a total of22 boss fights, although about5 of them are repeatedwith slightly different movesets.
That said, all of the bosses arewell-designed and enjoyableto fight, featuring clearly telegraphed attacks that you may read and counter accordingly. None of them feel overly frustrating. The two bosses that featureSync Rate mechanicsare especially fun, as they evoke the challenge and flow ofSekiro, making for a very satisfying experience thatA.I. Limitcaptures surprisingly well.
Design, Audio & Visual
The graphics in the game are decent—especially the character models, which are well-detailed and visually appealing. However, if you’re not into anime aesthetics, this game likely won’t change your mind.
Theattack animationsandvisual feedbackfrom parries and counters are excellent, coming surprisingly close to the level of FromSoft games, which is impressive considering this is a debut title from a new developer.
That said, while characters look good overall,facial animationscan be a bit stiff. In particular, the protagonistArissaoften feels like a wooden doll—standing expressionless while scenes play out.
Another immersion-breaking issue is that characters sometimes look like they’reskating across the floorinstead of walking on it. This is noticeable during calm sequences, though it’s far less apparent in combat. On the plus side, enemy designs are generally strong, and some bosses really deliver a sense ofepic scaleduring battle.
Audio is, in my opinion, theweakest aspectof the game. Whileattack soundsfeel weighty and impactful—and the satisfying clang of a successful parry hits just right—other audio elements are lacking.
All boss fights share asingle music track, which gets repetitive quickly. During exploration,ambient music is so subtlethat I struggled to recall whether there was any at all.
TheEnglish voice actingis decent overall. Some characters perform better than others, and NPCs tied to questlines generally do a good job conveying emotion—which is impressive, especially given the limited facial animation typical of anime-styled characters.
The weakest part, in my opinion, is the protagonistArissa. This isn’t due to the voice actor, but rather thelack of character development—she remains a blank slate throughout the game, expressing little to no emotion. The game also offersChinese voice-over, which I tried briefly, but as a non-Chinese speaker, I couldn’t judge its quality and quickly switched back to English.
Visually, theart directionof the levels starts toblend together after a while. While there are a few distinct environments—likesewers, slums, andcities—most areas feel too similar, as you repeatedly traversedark grey corridorswith minimal background detail.
Only a handful of key story locations and the final stretch of the last area really stood out, offering something visually distinct. I found myself wishing the rest of the game had more of that variety.
Even though the game takes place in afuturistic post-apocalyptic setting, we’ve seen from titles likeThe Surgethat this theme can still deliverdiverse locales and striking vistas. Sadly,A.I. Limitdoesn’t take full advantage of that potential. A few boss arenas are visually impressive and give off a strong sense of epic scale, but such moments are rare.
Whileproduction valuesaren’t top-tier, they’re solid for aAA title from a brand-new developer. Nothing ever feels bad enough to detract from the overall experience. Despite its flaws,A.I. Limitis an enjoyable and ambitious effort that shows promise—especially for a debut.
A.I limit - Replayability & Price Point
A player completely new toSoulslike gamesmay take around30–35 hoursto beat the game, but the average Soulslike player will likely go through it in25 hours tops. If you are looking to collect everything, it will take you an additional playthrough, which can last around10–15 hoursdepending on your speed—making a total of30–40 hoursfor a completionist run.
Although the game has aNew Game Plus, the linear progression and the limited customization options will reduce replayability. However, if you want to collect all the achievements, a second playthrough is a must. And if you’re not replacing your save files and are doing fresh playthroughs for all endings, a third playthrough will be required. But there is little reason to play beyond a third run. Also, there are no noticeable changes between eachNew Game Plus,with no new content apart from going for a different ending.
When considering a game’s price point, we take into account the amount of content available, the impact of the experience, and the value of purchasing a game right away versus waiting for patches or a sale. Priced at$31.49on both PS5 and PC,A.I. Limitis worth your money, offering a solid double-A experience. Considering this is their debut title, the combat inA.I. Limitis really solid, and the devs can only improve from here—creating more unique takes on the Soulslike formula while building upon the strong foundation they’ve established withA.I. Limit.
A.I limit - Final Thoughts
A.I. Limithas piqued my interest since it was announced, and I tried out the demo as a Soulslike player. Although the game didn’t blow me away, it didn’t disappoint either—even if there are some aspects I found a little lacking. So, if you’re a veteran Soulslike player looking for something to scratch the itch, or a new player looking to enter the genre,A.I. Limitis a solid option that delivers a dependable Soulslike experience without too many bells and whistles.
Despite having a straightforward story that you can see coming if you’re familiar with sci-fi narratives,A.I. Limitstill tells a decent, coherent tale. While the story isn’t the strongest aspect of the game, it serves its purpose—and the solid combat and engaging boss fights are what primarily carry the experience. The bosses are fun to fight, and I went through two playthroughs without getting bored, as the combat is both satisfying and enjoyable.
As a debut title from an untested studio,A.I. Limitis a very solid game—especially at the price point of $31.49. I recommend picking it up if you’re looking for a light Soulslike offering that delivers value for the price. But if you’re in search of a full-course Soulslike experience, there is one major alternative currently available.
A.I limit is solid soulslike sci-fi action rpg offering a good action RPG gameplay experience as a respectable AA production title. While it does have shortcomings in some design aspects and replayability, if you are looking for a soulslike with combat closer to the Dark Souls games, it does not get any closer than this.
