No stamina, no limits
By Paul Hunter
Developed by SenseGames and published under PlayStation’s China Hero Project, AI Limit is an action role-playing game that brings a fresh spin to the souls-like genre. While AI Limit draws clear inspiration from games like Bloodborne and Code Vein, it introduces an innovative combat system that sets it apart from the pack.
In AI Limit there is no traditional stamina system, it turns the usual soulslike convention on its head by allowing you to move freely, attack without restraint, and dodge at will. Instead of stamina, the game uses a Sync Rate System, where energy accumulates based on combat choices. This gives you more control over your actions, encouraging an aggressive, high-energy playstyle while still offering a balance between offense and defense.
Set in the decaying city of Havenswell, AI Limit invites you to take on the role of Arrisa, a blader tasked with uncovering the mysteries of the land and restoring special branches throughout the city. The world is full of dark secrets, dangerous creatures, and powerful bosses, providing plenty of exploration and combat opportunities. The game’s world design focuses on interconnected levels and hidden paths, creating a sense of discovery with each new area you uncover. Let's explore what the game has on offer!
In AI Limit, the game’s story is rooted in a mysterious energy source known as the Branches, which affects both the combat and the overarching narrative. Havenswell, once a thriving metropolis, now lies in ruin, with its inhabitants scattered and divided across different districts. These districts are in constant flux, each with its own unique challenges and power struggles.
The plot unfolds as Arrisa seeks to uncover the truth behind the destruction of civilization that's left nothing but monster-infested ruins. Along the way, you’ll encounter a variety of NPCs, each with their own story arcs and quests. Your choices play a significant role in shaping these interactions, allowing for different outcomes and providing a sense of agency as you venture through the world. The game does not rely on heavy exposition, opting instead for subtle storytelling through environmental cues, dialogue, and character interactions.
Though not cinematic in scope, the narrative delivers a satisfying exploration of power, control, and the consequences of using energy beyond its intended purpose. The decisions you make, particularly with the NPCs scattered across the districts, can lead to various endings, giving the story a degree of replayability.
All in all, AI Limit offers an intriguing, if not revolutionary, story. It’s driven by mystery and discovery, relying more on environmental storytelling and player choices than on traditional narrative structures. Fans of atmospheric world-building will find much to appreciate here, even if the plot itself doesn’t always hit the emotional highs of other titles in the genre.
AI Limit offers a fast-paced, fluid combat system that sets it apart from other souls-like titles. What immediately stands out is the absence of a traditional stamina system, a bold design choice that frees you from worrying about energy management during basic actions like dodging, sprinting, and attacking. This allows for a more aggressive playstyle, where you can chain attacks and movements seamlessly.
The Sync Rate System is at the heart of AI Limit’s combat. This mechanic replaces traditional stamina, with the Sync bar influencing how effectively you can perform special attacks, magic, and parries. As you battle, the Sync bar fills up, and its rate of accumulation changes based on your actions. You can push for a more offensive strategy, quickly building the bar with successive attacks, or take a more defensive approach to stabilize your Sync rate by avoiding hits. It’s a unique twist that adds depth to the game’s combat flow.
The weapon system in AI Limit is highly customizable, with a wide array of weapon types, each offering unique attack patterns and special abilities. There are one-handed weapons, two-handed weapons and dual blade weapons that each bring different abilities and attack speeds to the table. Switching weapons mid-combo adds another layer of depth, giving you more options in combat. I found myself switching between weapons often, experimenting with combos to find the most effective strategy for each enemy. One particularly satisfying experience was using a Blader sword and performing a Dashing Slash Special Attack, effortlessly dodging an enemy’s strike while landing a powerful counterattack. This sense of fluidity is enhanced by the ability to upgrade weapons, seals, and special abilities, giving you a nice sense of progression.
The level design is excellent, offering interconnected zones with shortcuts that help streamline your journey. Exploring the various districts of Havenswell, with their hidden paths and optional challenges, was rewarding, even if some areas felt a bit repetitive. The game’s combat, combined with its exploration, creates a satisfying rhythm that encourages experimentation and mastery.
AI Limit’s presentation strikes a balance between modest anime-style visuals and functional design. The districts within Havenswell each have their own unique atmosphere, but it's the level design that stands out here with carefully crafted spaces that support exploration and combat.
Performance is a mixed bag, with mostly fluid gameplay except when large groups of enemies appear on screen, where framerate can dip. It's far from perfect, but the gameplay’s general smoothness makes these technical issues easier to overlook.
Music and sound effects complement the action, but the game’s real standout in terms of presentation is the voice acting. NPCs across Havenswell bring the world to life with solid performances from a memorable voice cast.
In terms of visual and audio fidelity, AI Limit may not be the most polished title out there, but its presentation is effective enough to keep you hooked inside its world without distractions. It’s clear that the developers focused their efforts on making the combat and exploration shine, and despite a few rough edges, it delivers a compelling experience.
Final Score: 7.5/10 - Good
Developer: SenseGames
Publisher: CE-Asia
Genre: Action Role-Playing
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
Developed by SenseGames and published under PlayStation’s China Hero Project, AI Limit is an action role-playing game that brings a fresh spin to the souls-like genre. While AI Limit draws clear inspiration from games like Bloodborne and Code Vein, it introduces an innovative combat system that sets it apart from the pack.
In AI Limit there is no traditional stamina system, it turns the usual soulslike convention on its head by allowing you to move freely, attack without restraint, and dodge at will. Instead of stamina, the game uses a Sync Rate System, where energy accumulates based on combat choices. This gives you more control over your actions, encouraging an aggressive, high-energy playstyle while still offering a balance between offense and defense.
Set in the decaying city of Havenswell, AI Limit invites you to take on the role of Arrisa, a blader tasked with uncovering the mysteries of the land and restoring special branches throughout the city. The world is full of dark secrets, dangerous creatures, and powerful bosses, providing plenty of exploration and combat opportunities. The game’s world design focuses on interconnected levels and hidden paths, creating a sense of discovery with each new area you uncover. Let's explore what the game has on offer!
In AI Limit, the game’s story is rooted in a mysterious energy source known as the Branches, which affects both the combat and the overarching narrative. Havenswell, once a thriving metropolis, now lies in ruin, with its inhabitants scattered and divided across different districts. These districts are in constant flux, each with its own unique challenges and power struggles.
The plot unfolds as Arrisa seeks to uncover the truth behind the destruction of civilization that's left nothing but monster-infested ruins. Along the way, you’ll encounter a variety of NPCs, each with their own story arcs and quests. Your choices play a significant role in shaping these interactions, allowing for different outcomes and providing a sense of agency as you venture through the world. The game does not rely on heavy exposition, opting instead for subtle storytelling through environmental cues, dialogue, and character interactions.
Though not cinematic in scope, the narrative delivers a satisfying exploration of power, control, and the consequences of using energy beyond its intended purpose. The decisions you make, particularly with the NPCs scattered across the districts, can lead to various endings, giving the story a degree of replayability.
All in all, AI Limit offers an intriguing, if not revolutionary, story. It’s driven by mystery and discovery, relying more on environmental storytelling and player choices than on traditional narrative structures. Fans of atmospheric world-building will find much to appreciate here, even if the plot itself doesn’t always hit the emotional highs of other titles in the genre.
AI Limit offers a fast-paced, fluid combat system that sets it apart from other souls-like titles. What immediately stands out is the absence of a traditional stamina system, a bold design choice that frees you from worrying about energy management during basic actions like dodging, sprinting, and attacking. This allows for a more aggressive playstyle, where you can chain attacks and movements seamlessly.
The Sync Rate System is at the heart of AI Limit’s combat. This mechanic replaces traditional stamina, with the Sync bar influencing how effectively you can perform special attacks, magic, and parries. As you battle, the Sync bar fills up, and its rate of accumulation changes based on your actions. You can push for a more offensive strategy, quickly building the bar with successive attacks, or take a more defensive approach to stabilize your Sync rate by avoiding hits. It’s a unique twist that adds depth to the game’s combat flow.
The weapon system in AI Limit is highly customizable, with a wide array of weapon types, each offering unique attack patterns and special abilities. There are one-handed weapons, two-handed weapons and dual blade weapons that each bring different abilities and attack speeds to the table. Switching weapons mid-combo adds another layer of depth, giving you more options in combat. I found myself switching between weapons often, experimenting with combos to find the most effective strategy for each enemy. One particularly satisfying experience was using a Blader sword and performing a Dashing Slash Special Attack, effortlessly dodging an enemy’s strike while landing a powerful counterattack. This sense of fluidity is enhanced by the ability to upgrade weapons, seals, and special abilities, giving you a nice sense of progression.
The level design is excellent, offering interconnected zones with shortcuts that help streamline your journey. Exploring the various districts of Havenswell, with their hidden paths and optional challenges, was rewarding, even if some areas felt a bit repetitive. The game’s combat, combined with its exploration, creates a satisfying rhythm that encourages experimentation and mastery.
AI Limit’s presentation strikes a balance between modest anime-style visuals and functional design. The districts within Havenswell each have their own unique atmosphere, but it's the level design that stands out here with carefully crafted spaces that support exploration and combat.
Performance is a mixed bag, with mostly fluid gameplay except when large groups of enemies appear on screen, where framerate can dip. It's far from perfect, but the gameplay’s general smoothness makes these technical issues easier to overlook.
Music and sound effects complement the action, but the game’s real standout in terms of presentation is the voice acting. NPCs across Havenswell bring the world to life with solid performances from a memorable voice cast.
In terms of visual and audio fidelity, AI Limit may not be the most polished title out there, but its presentation is effective enough to keep you hooked inside its world without distractions. It’s clear that the developers focused their efforts on making the combat and exploration shine, and despite a few rough edges, it delivers a compelling experience.
The Verdict
AI Limit impresses with its fluid combat, unique stamina-free mechanics, and rewarding exploration, making it an enjoyable entry for fans of the soulslike genre. While technical issues like bugs and framerate dips hinder the experience, the game’s deep combat systems, diverse weapons, and impactful decisions shine through. It's a solid choice for those looking for a fresh take without the traditional stamina constraints.Final Score: 7.5/10 - Good
AI Limit details
Platform: PS5, PCDeveloper: SenseGames
Publisher: CE-Asia
Genre: Action Role-Playing
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.