If you’re into Soulslikes, AI Limit could be your next must-buy!
Today, I’ll share my first impressions of an upcoming souls-like ARPG called AI Limit for PC and PS5.
I’m not usually a fan of anime-style games, but the post-apocalyptic setting and blend of classic Dark Souls with Code Vein roped me into this one.
And no! This is not code vein 2.
AI Limit is developed by Sense Games and published by CE-Asia, both of which are new names to me, but they’ve crafted something I thought was worth my attention.
So, let’s take a look.
Story & Dialogue
You start off waking up in a sewer, grimy and disoriented, not knowing what the heck is going on.
But after a little running around, you come across Asteria, who answers most of your immediate questions.

She explains that you’re in an ancient underground drainage tunnel deep beneath the southern region of a city called Havenswell.
And naturally, she urges you to continue your journey to piece together the bigger picture.
But before you set off, she also guides you to repair a Branch, explaining that as a Blader, you have the power to do so.
As a Souls fan, you’ll immediately recognize that this is your ‘bonfire’ signaling what’s ahead without needing much explanation.
And that’s what I really like about AI Limit.
The story is presented in a way that flows naturally through in-game dialogue and cutscenes, giving you all the key info without overwhelming you.
Plus, all of the interactions are narrated, so you’re not bogged down by walls of text.
It’s a seamless experience that keeps you immersed in the world, as I think games should try to do.
Progression Systems
AI Limit sticks to familiar Soulslike systems: Crystals are your “souls,” used for leveling up and buying items, while Branches serve as your bonfires.
You’re able to teleport between any repaired branches. So, if you need to backtrack or revisit areas, it’s quick and easy.
Now, instead of going into detail about every character and weapon stat, I’ll just say this — the upgrade system is very intuitive.

You pick a weapon, look at what it scales best with, pump points into its scaling stat, and upgrade it when you find materials like luminous carbon. Simple, effective, and very Soulslike. (Quick clips showing these steps)
By the way, in this demo, I didn’t find myself needing to grind much, but I’m sure that will change in the full release.
If you’re not familiar with these leveling systems, I’ll be putting together guides to walk you through them and show you how to make the most of your stats.
And if you’re new to Soulslikes in general, don’t worry because AI Limit does a great job of holding your hand just enough without being overwhelming.
Tutorials pop up exactly when you need them, and if you forget anything, your notes are just a button press away.
But overall, the game is pretty straightforward, making it easy to get the hang of things without forcing you to memorize complex systems.
Combat
Now, let’s talk about the combat.
You can backstab enemies, and it feels good—especially after playing Enotria, where that wasn’t an option.
The parry system is where things get interesting. There’s a bit of wind-up to the parry, so it works best against slower enemies or predictable attacks.

Mess up the first swipe, and you’re likely to miss the second. You might be able to parry again after a failed attempt, but the wind-up seems to prevent it. It’s usually better to back up, reset, and go in fresh.
As with any game, there are complaints on the Steam forums about the parry window and its wind-up, and I’m sure tweaks will be made. But overall, I thought the combat felt fair as it stands.
Parrying bosses are especially fun. Once you learn their moves, you’ll feel like one of the parry gods — Ongbal or JACKFROMSOFT. Well, at least until you hit the boss challenge. But I’ll get to that in a minute.
If parrying isn’t your thing, there’s also a shield option to block attacks. (insert clips)
Dodging is another solid option in AI Limit. The dodge window feels pretty generous, and you can dodge just about anything if your timing’s good. (insert dodging clips)
But for me? Parrying is where it’s at.
A new feature to master is the Sync Rate, which replaces the typical stamina system.
The higher your Sync Rate, the more damage you deal and the more abilities you can use.
It’s powered by mud energy (yeah, mud), and you lose Sync when you get hit, cast spells, or attempt a parry.
This adds a nice layer of strategy, and I expect it to become even more crucial in the full game.
The enemy variation is pretty solid — we’ve got you’re regular mobs, ranged enemies, laser-beam giants, and others wielding massive pipes (yeah, that’s big).
There are even enemies that fight each other, which gives me a few ideas.
There’s also a good balance between combat and exploration. The demo offers secret areas, alternative paths, and a potential side quest like how to make mud balls.
Main Boss Fight
Now for the main event — Lore, the Lost Lancer.

At first, he wrecked me. Again, and again, and again.
His move set is varied but pretty predictable once you figure him out. And after a few rough attempts, I finally nailed the parry timing and felt unstoppable.
It’s all about patience.
The save point right before the fight made it a perfect spot to sharpen those parry skills, and after a few more tries, I finally took him down.
It was one of those rewarding, classic Soulslike victories. But I knew that this was just the beginning.
But what I didn’t expect after completing the demo was a Boss Challenge mode!
Feeling confident after defeating the Lost Lancer, I jumped into the challenge right away and faced the Hunter of Bladers… and let me tell you, this fiery boss showed me no mercy.
Even with all the upgrades and items I could carry, she absolutely obliterated me.
But that’s exactly what makes it exciting — it’s a perfect setup to hone your skills before the full release. Speaking of which, The game is aiming for a 2024 release, but we’re still waiting for an exact date.
Will You Play AI Limit?
Overall, AI Limit left me wanting more.
The demo strikes a solid balance between combat, exploration, and discovery.
I didn’t run into any major performance issues or bugs, and the controls felt responsive and smooth.
With a little more polish, it’s definitely on my must-play list. So, what do you think? Could AI Limit be the next big Soulslike?