Lost Soul Aside’s Backseat Driver Is a Bad but Necessary Fare

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The essence of “Lost Soul Aside” truly lies in its intense combat sequences. This is apparent as the game mainly consists of confrontations with powerful bosses, with minimal exploration and enemy encounters scattered between these battles. Given this focus on combat, it’s no surprise that Kaser, the protagonist, requires a significant amount of power, much of which is provided by Arena, a dragon of mysterious origins who eventually joins Kaser for his own gain.

As a devout fan, I must say that the Arena in Lost Soul Aside is as chatty as they come, constantly offering insights about the game’s narrative, battles, exploration, and even our protagonist, Kaser. The downside? Once he links with Kaser, he’s there for keeps, which might be a bit much for players who find him annoying. But on a positive note, Kaser draws a significant amount of his power from the Arena, or else there wouldn’t be much incentive to keep him around during the game’s 20-hour journey.

Lost Soul Aside’s Arena Is the Classic Overbearing Companion

It’s Been Done Before

One key factor that makes the features of the Arena in the game Lost Soul Aside stand out is often due to the fact that a similar character has been portrayed quite frequently, and more often than not, these instances have received negative feedback. In many aspects, particularly during the early stages of his bond with Kaser, Arena bears a resemblance to the Cuff from Forspoken, who swiftly gained notoriety for his incessant banter with Frey, the game’s lead character. Unlike other instances where such dialogue was perceived as amusing or endearing, however, Cuff’s conversations were generally deemed repetitive, grating, and off-putting in terms of tone.

In more modern games such as Forspoken, companions like the Cuff character have been a source of frustration for players. These characters often resemble the Cuff, causing annoyance due to their frequent interruptions or overexplanations. For example, Navi from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was sometimes perceived as annoying because of her intrusive presence and constant explanations. Claptrap from the Borderlands series is another such character that has become a source of irritation for fans of the game and those who choose to avoid it, so much so that there’s even a volume slider for his dialogue in Borderlands 4. The gaming industry didn’t need another companion like this, but Lost Soul Aside’s Arena seems to have joined their ranks.

In a similar vein to his spiritual forerunners, Arena stands out, often displaying an overbearing arrogance that is evident in his frequent boasts about his power. This is ironic as he depends on Kaser to escape prison and traverse among the living, whether walking or floating. Another notable trait is his penchant for excessive explanations. For instance, when instructing Kaser, he would say something like “There’s a console up ahead, use it to overload the energy chamber,” even though the level design already suggested this was the goal. Lastly, Arena’s attempts to aid in combat are frequently too late or misplaced, given the rapid and chaotic nature of combats in Lost Soul Aside.

Kaser’s Forced to Stay With His Arrogant Backseat Driver

In the game ‘Lost Soul Aside’, Arena is not simply a companion to Kaser, but rather an essential ally who bestows him with powers crucial for defeating upcoming enemies. This adds depth to gameplay by granting Kaser new abilities he wouldn’t have otherwise. However, this also means that players must always keep Arena by their side, unlike the Sages in ‘Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’, who can aid in combat and exploration but can be turned off when needed.

As I delve deeper into Lost Soul Aside, my connection with Arena evolves in a positive direction. Initially brimming with arrogance, he softens slightly towards me, the protagonist, as the story unfolds. However, his prideful nature persists, making him a somewhat endurable travel partner, albeit barely so. Ultimately, Arena continues to be talkative and remains oblivious to how much he depends on me, even from the moment I rescued him from his cell. Here’s hoping future games will strike a balance between characters like Arena and Cuff who contribute to gameplay but occasionally overshadow the narrative.

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2025-09-02 21:36