Soulcaster: Part I & II

[h1] Skip. [/h1]

My soul left my body during the first boss fight but at least now I have more time to farm loot without distractions.

Soulcaster: Part I & II is a compact yet thoughtfully designed indie experience that brings together two early entries in MagicalTimeBean’s hybrid action–strategy series, offering players a distinctive blend of real-time tactics, tower defense concepts, and arcade-style pacing. At first glance, the game’s retro pixel art and simple presentation might suggest a lightweight or straightforward experience, but beneath that surface lies a carefully balanced system that rewards planning, quick thinking, and adaptability. By bundling both parts together, the Steam release provides a cohesive look at the series’ foundational ideas and how they evolve across its early stages. The central gameplay concept revolves around the role of a fragile spellcaster who cannot directly fight enemies. Instead, you summon and command a small team of allies to protect you from waves of hostile creatures moving through maze-like arenas. Each summoned ally serves a distinct tactical role: a melee-focused warrior for holding choke points, a ranged archer for sustained damage from a distance, and an explosive bomber capable of dealing heavy area damage. These allies function like mobile, intelligent towers, a…

I played these games first on XBox 360 back in the days. Really fantastic gameplay, for the times. And, I still enjoy it. Still wishing MTB would have created a third installment.

A fun and short game (both of them). It pulls from tower defense and action/rpg, but still feels different from both of them. It's a neat blend of ingredients. The challenge rooms (unlocked after the campaign) are interesting puzzles as well. Pick it up on a sale and have a good time! Also, plays perfectly on SteamDeck.

This is a nice little gem with great music and atmosphere and a unique mix of action and puzzles. I had this on my wishlist for years but the description didn't help, even worse since I don't care for tower defense. Turns out I was wrong, this was a lot of fun, even addicting till the very end.