You’re dead. That’s how it starts. But instead of pearly gates or eternal fire, you’re standing in a dusty, ethereal version of the Wild West called Limbo. You have a gun. You have a boss—who happens to be Death itself. And you have a very long list of souls to collect.
Soulslinger: Envoy of Death isn’t your typical shooter. It’s a weird, gritty blend of a roguelike and a high-octane FPS that feels like someone dropped Doom into a supernatural spaghetti western. Developed by Elder Games and released out of early access in April 2025, it’s one of those titles that flies under the radar but manages to do something genuinely different with the "run-die-repeat" loop.
Why Soulslinger: Envoy of Death Hits Different
Most roguelikes focus on the "rogue" part—the random items, the crazy builds. This game cares about the shooting first. The movement is fast. If you stop moving for more than two seconds, the "Cartel"—that’s the gang of soul-stealing demons you’re fighting—will absolutely shred you.
It’s got this specific rhythm. You dash. You fire a soul-powered revolver. You dash again.
The Core Loop
You aren't just clearing rooms for the sake of it. You’re an "Envoy." Basically, Death’s personal bounty hunter. The Cartel is trying to break out of the afterlife, and your job is to make sure they stay put.
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Between runs, you hang out in a hub world called Haven. Honestly, it’s a bit lonely there, but it’s where the magic happens. You talk to NPCs who are just as stuck as you are, and you use the "essence" you’ve collected to craft better gear.
- Weapons: You start with a basic revolver, but eventually, you're rocking double-barrel shotguns that feel like they could punch a hole through reality.
- Essences: These are the mid-run power-ups. You might find a "Prime Essence" that adds lightning damage to your bullets or a "Shadow Clone" that mimics your shots.
- Permanent Upgrades: This is the "lite" in roguelite. You get stronger over time. Your health bar grows. Your reload speed gets snappier.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Difficulty
A lot of players jump into Soulslinger: Envoy of Death expecting Hades with guns. It’s not that. It’s much more punishing in the first hour.
Early on, you’re weak. Your gun feels okay, but the enemies—especially the teleporters and those annoying fire-rushers—can feel like bullet sponges. This has led to some "Mixed" reviews on Steam, but there’s a nuance here that people miss: the game is built around the Fast Reload mechanic.
If you time your reload perfectly (think Gears of War style), you get a massive boost. If you miss it, you’re vulnerable. Mastering this single mechanic is the difference between hating the game and feeling like a supernatural god.
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The Performance Elephant in the Room
Let’s be real for a second. When the game first launched in early access back in late 2023, it was... well, it was a bit of a mess. Stuttering was everywhere. You’d enter a room, the shaders would compile, and your frame rate would tank just as a demon was mid-swing.
Elder Games has been grinding on this. The 1.0 release in 2025 fixed the majority of the "stutter-struggle." They rebuilt the shader compilation from scratch. If you played it a year ago and walked away frustrated, it’s a completely different beast now.
It’s built on Unreal Engine 5, which means it looks stunning. The "Land of Memories" and the "Graveyard" zones have this haunting, atmospheric lighting that most indie shooters can't touch. But that beauty has a price. You still need a decent rig. If you're rocking an old GTX 1060, you'll have to play on low settings to keep that 60 FPS target.
Quick Tech Specs Check
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- RAM: 16GB is the baseline, but the devs suggest 32GB for the smoothest experience.
- Storage: About 30GB. An SSD isn't just "recommended"—it's basically mandatory if you don't want to wait five minutes for Limbo to load.
The Story Actually Matters (Surprisingly)
Usually, in a roguelike, the story is just an excuse to kill things. Here, the writing is surprisingly tight. You play as a man named Soulslinger who is obsessed with his own grief.
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You’ll see flashbacks. Poignant moments of his life before he became Death’s errand boy. It adds a layer of "why am I doing this?" that keeps you pushing through the harder boss fights. Death himself is a great character—blunt, kind of funny in a dark way, and clearly hiding his own motives.
How to Actually Win Your First Run
If you’re just starting out, stop trying to use every gun you find. Pick one and lean into its specific synergies.
- The Lightning Build: If you find the Lightning Strike essence, pair it with a fast-firing weapon. The sheer amount of crowd control it provides is essential for the later rooms in the Outskirts.
- Dash is Life: Your dash isn't just for movement; it's your only invulnerability window. There’s a passive upgrade that reduces damage while dashing—get it. Every. Single. Time.
- Gold Management: Don't let coins disappear. The game rewards "Greed is Eternal" for a reason. You need that gold for the merchant, Dead Eye, who shows up when you're at your lowest.
Is It Worth It?
Honestly? Yes, especially if you catch it on a sale. It’s a focused experience. You aren't going to get 500 hours out of it like you might with The Binding of Isaac, but for a solid 15-20 hour supernatural journey, it hits the spot. It's a "AA" game with "AAA" ambitions, and while it has some rough edges—like some slightly repetitive level layouts—the gunplay is addictive enough to overlook them.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your hardware: Ensure you have an SSD and at least 16GB of RAM to avoid the stuttering issues mentioned by early reviewers.
- Focus on the Fast Reload: Spend your first three runs practicing the reload timing rather than trying to clear the zone; it is the most important skill in the game.
- Prioritize Haven Upgrades: Focus your first batch of soul essence on permanent health and dash cooldowns before worrying about unlocking new weapon schematics.