AI LIMIT Review

In 2019, AI LIMIT was unveiled as a component of PlayStation's China Hero Project, an endeavor where PlayStation assists in funding and publishing video games made in Asia. Aside from Lost Soul, among the various games that have come out of the China Hero Project, AI LIMIT has been among my most anticipated titles.

With so many games in the genre that are similar to Souls, it's hard to think of many that can match the quality and atmosphere built by FromSoftware. While there are a lot of games that are similar to Souls, games like Code Vein, Nioh, and Lies of P have really broken new ground in the genre. After spending more than 60 hours with the game so far, I can assure you that AI LIMIT is most certainly one of them.

I feel bound to start by stating that AI LIMIT is a satisfying, souls-like sensation. It's more like an anime souls-like and quite comparable to something like Code Vein. Given this, it is likely the first thought that will cross your mind, while in other words, this is perfect for you if you like Code Vein, because I did. There are some visual elements that harken back to the anime style, and you'll notice elements reminiscent of both Code Vein and Bloodborne. AI LIMIT felt like a combination of the two.

AI LIMIT's story unfolds in the last human city, Havenswell, which is teetering on the edge of collapse. It has endured the chaos caused by the destruction of an artificial ecosystem. The world has been polluted with a corrupt material called Mud, which has given birth to creatures called Necros, which kill all living humans. You will be assuming the role of Arrisa, a blader and warrior responsible for repairing unique branches all around Havenswell.

While you progress the narrative, you'll come across the organization called Church that took the responsibility of clearing the Necros, which seems to be failing badly, and while they also don't want the bladers like you to interfere with the operation, you'll find the city's history and learn some dark secrets.

Though it may not be the most compelling part, the AI LIMIT narrative will still hold your attention while you uncover more secrets. Unlike other soul-like games that provide an excessive quantity of speech, this one keeps the setting small, with just a handful of NPCs and hidden notes that give you insight into the world.

AI LIMIT's combat mechanism is like any other souls-like game. The basic features are the standard light and heavy attacks. You can increase the power of your heavy attacks by pressing and holding Triangle or Y. There are also falling attacks and dash attacks, and the dodge system is almost identical to Bloodborne's, which I absolutely adored.

When AI LIMIT's Dodge Roll and Dodge Step felt remarkably similar to Bloodborne, where you have to avoid or parry enemy attacks to gain an advantage or even avoid an attack in order to make the most of the character's limited iframes, it's possibly the most comparable thing I've encountered in a souls-like after Lies of P and a bit of Black Myth: Wukong.

Bloodborne's defensive mechanic is mainly dodging rather than blocking, and it's pretty much the same for AI LIMIT. There are blocking mechanics with LB, but you'll barely use it because the sidestepping dodging is enough to avoid enemy encounters. All you have to pay attention to is your timing and direction of dodge—more than that, the running jump that looks remarkably similar.

You dash and then push forward the analog stick, similar to Bloodborne, to make a forward roll. There is no jumping in AI LIMIT. Well, technically, there is one, but it's similar to what we saw in Lies of P. You can jump certain gaps while running and pressing R3, but I couldn't perform any jump attack other than dropping from a height and slashing an enemy.

Like any standard souls-like, you level up at the Branch (bonfire of the game and increase Life, Vitality, Strength, Technique, and Spirit. Your health is defined by Life, your damage by Strength and Technique, and the ability to use certain weapons is dependent on these attributes.

Without the prerequisite, you may still use the weapon, but you will be limited to its basic functions. Vitality determines the rapidity at which the sync rate grows as you attack enemies, while Spirit dictates the amount of damage you can inflict with spells (and certain spells have specific Spirit requirements).

Your resources throughout the game are used to enhance your weapons at branches, and also increase Life Dew (Flash system) for healing up to a certain number. There are other items like Mud Ball (which heals over time) that can heal too, but they don't replenish like Life Dew whenever you rest at the Branch.

There are also throwable objects, which you can place in the quick slots along with consumables for healing and curing. Since you lose your Sync rate when taking hits from enemies, there is an item that restores part of your sync rate. Even if you don't have these items in the quick slot, you can still go to the inventory from the menu and use those items while the game remains paused during that time.

Weapons are plentiful in AI LIMIT, starting from Katanas, Greatswords, Quickblades, both single and dual-handed, Halberds, and Longswords of various kinds. During my playthrough, I wielded the Serrated Halberd since it suits my playstyle, which is capable of strong thrust attacks, as well as the Envenomed Blade, a Katana-like weapon for quick slash attacks and poison damage.

You can equip two weapons and switch them by pressing the B button, while the ability to combo when switching weapons is the game's most appealing feature. Changing your weapon mid-combo allows you to use the other weapon for your next follow-up attack effectively.

However, whichever weapon you use, its attributes have a separate cost from your Sync Rate, and it's one of the most crucial aspects of the game. The higher the Sync Rate, the more damage you deal to enemies. Performing normal attacks on enemies will increase your sync rate, and if you take damage from enemies, you may also lose your Sync Rate.

The Sync Bars are divided into four distinct colors, showing exactly where your energy levels are right now. Your basic attacks will become weaker as you use the special abilities in the game. However, basic attacks do fill up the Sync Rate rather fast, so the game does encourage you to play aggressively. The catch is that your ability to deal basic damage is also determined by the resource system.

There are also Frame Abilities like Thunder Step, Piercing Claw, Counter Field, Shield, etc., for countering enemies, which are particularly comparable to Elden Ring's Ashes of War. All Frame Abilities act more like a high-risk, high-reward effort. You need to select the one you'll use from the designated X, A, B, Y buttons by holding RB and then pressing LB to implement it.

For instance, Counter Field ability is more like the parrying mechanism of the game. It works the same way as in a souls-like game, but the only problem here is that it eats up your Sync. Something that highly discouraged me from using Frame Abilities during my entire playthrough. Parrying is never my strongest forte when it comes to being soul-like.

Not only does it require some practice, but there is a small window of opportunity that needs to be mastered if anyone wants to use these abilities in a boss fight. So, it was a struggle to constantly adjust my Sync Rate and parry timing. There are also Spells, which are more like special attacks, and every Spell has its own unique set of special attacks. The Sync Rate is the main resource needed to perform special attacks in the game. Pressing RB while holding down LB will activate these.

While they have their advantages, I hardly use them since the Spell damage is directly linked with the Sync Rate, which affects the outcome of your normal attacks. Till now, there are seven different types of Spells in the game, and those who love mage builds in souls-like games will find them useful. Though most of the spells are introduced mid-game, you simply have to increase your Spirit stats instead of Strength or Technique to be able to use all of them. One thing to note here is that you can only use a single spell that you select from the Branch.

As for AI LIMIT's level design, I feel compelled to praise it because of the quality and manner in which all levels are really designed. To put it simply, AI LIMIT is a typical souls-like game, and it includes branching paths that might lead to secret rewards or hidden bosses. Throughout the game, there are always one or two alternative branching paths, and each path comes with even more exploration choices, new NPCs, and more lore to uncover.

You can pretty much explore any location you want. Sometimes, you just have to find a way to reach out to certain locations since the game doesn't always tell you how to get there. While they seemed like puzzles at times, I deeply enjoyed exploring all the locations. The developers have placed items or enemies in areas that you might think are inaccessible at the beginning, but most of those areas are reachable once you clear certain parts of the chapter or when you visit that area again through another chapter.

AI LIMIT also does a great job visually. The setting of the devastated wasteland most resembles Code Vein. All the characters, including NPCs, are nicely designed. While the first chapter might give the impression that the game isn't open-world, once you step into the outer world, that idea will immediately change. Naturally, the art style is what really sets AI LIMIT apart from other games in the genre. The developer's decision to blend an anime design with a dark setting turns out to be a brilliant one.

Even though some of the characters might appear the same, their voice acting fits them well. It may not be a visual masterpiece, but it's overall very pleasant because of the visual diversity of the levels that are all so wonderfully planned. For instance, the scene may abruptly shift from a deserted town to a shiny palace peak or a poisonous jungle. However, it would be naïve to overlook some technical shortcomings, especially when you're platforming in certain areas, but none of those are really game-breaking.

Technically, AI LIMIT seemed flawless since the combat was deeply satisfying. However, common issues in this genre, like the target mechanism becoming disorganized when there are multiple enemies, persist here, too. Also, notably, when you do a heavy attack, Arrisa takes a big step forward, and when you do this on a cliff or platform, you can't avoid her falling to the ground.

There are a few areas in the game with a lot of platforming, and for this reason, I have died multiple times. I either had to lure the enemies to a safer area or run away to avoid death. Those were probably the only frustrating parts of the game that I encountered. I didn't mind the challenge, but dying for the wrong attack animation was annoying for me.

However, the developers will probably sort this out soon with the day-one patch. While it's true that sometimes specific frame rate reductions or difficulty loading delays occur, SenseGames skillfully sidestepped the majority of performance concerns. This doesn't happen very often, and when it does, it's usually in places where our gameplay is unaffected.

The only part of the game that I thought could use a bit of improvement was the sound and music. The voice acting of all the other NPCs felt realistic, but Arrisa's voice felt a bit lifeless. Even though it made sense since she woke up from some sort of amnesia, I was expecting her vocal appearance to change gradually once I progressed further in the game.

It's nothing too major to complain about, but Arrisa's voice could certainly use a bit of realism. The music remains pretty much the same throughout the game, except during boss fights, it picks up the tempo a bit, which was fine, but nothing that will stay in your memory after you close the game.

AI LIMIT has been in development for almost six years, but it has finally hit the shelves, and it has a solid foundation. The game drags at the beginning, but as you start digging into the lore, it really takes off. The combat is thrilling, and the experience feels almost as good as Bloodborne.

Though it lacks the polish of the FromSoft title, SenseGames delivered a fine overhaul to the souls-like genre. AI LIMIT, as a whole, succeeds in becoming a captivating spin on the souls-like concept. If you like this genre, you should definitely not miss playing it.