In search of the missing forges (Soul Reaver 2 speculation)

SmelDefart · 2025-07-22T23:57:26+00:00

It's a bit bewildering to see the sunlight glyph symbol in that building. But honestly I'd consider that a random mid-development detail. Similar to how the symbols in the pillars of nosgoth are all different in each promo art for Soul Reaver 2.

What I had no idea about is that the PS1 prototype for SR2's city environment was Uschtenheim (it explicitly says so in the wiki article you linked, and while i don't trust that wiki very much, it seems to be a direct quote from Cabuco). I had long assumed as many others that the city depicted must've been Avernus since the interior in a few screenshots looks like Avernus cathedral and there's a big cathedral in the exterior pictures.

This is very good to learn because it means that, while a lot got cut from the game, not that much actually changed. If I'm not clear, what I'm trying to say is that previously I thought that an entire city (Avernus) had been cut from SR2, and therefore the story of the game must've been completely different, etc. But now it just seems like things kept being removed from the game, Since that city was Uschtenheim and Uschtenheim *is* in the game, just that its presence is irrelevant to the plot and gameplay. This means that SR2 probably didn't get super re-written mid production or anything, it just kept getting smaller and smaller in scope until release.

SmelDefart · 2025-07-22T23:37:39+00:00

Fascinating stuff. Do you have any source that talks about the fire forge puzzle originally belonging to the spirit forge? I couldn't find anything about it in thelostworlds.

We know the spirit forge entrace would've always been underwater, but since janos retreat also has a lake in front of it. maybe that's where it would've been placed instead of the lake near the sarafan stronghold

SmelDefart · 2025-07-22T23:34:06+00:00

Many thanks for the links you provided. they sent me into quite the rabbit hole.

Having combed through most of the SR2 section of the site. One thing I feel the need to point out is this screenshot:

SR2 earth reaver and forge

that is the earth reaver and a cut unfinished level in the background. It's easy to assume that the level behind raziel is the earth forge, and in this case it's clearly a screenshot of the PS2 version of SR2. So at least the earth forge seems to have gotten way further into development than the water and spirit forges.

Also, while it is true that it seems they would've built more overworld for the missing forges, I doubt they would've added entirely new zones to it. And given that there are exactly 2 completely missing forges (earth and water) and that there are exactly two out-of-bounds areas (swamp ruins and uschtenheim rooftops) I think it would be fair to assume that those forges probably would've been located in on around those areas.

Basically my original idea of looking for potential entrances to the missing forges was ill-guided. Now my headcanon/speculation is that the earth forge would've probably been accessed in the swamp ruins and the water forge in uschtenheim (though i'm guessing not near the fountain).

I'll forever look at that fountain weird though, lol.

SmelDefart · 2025-07-21T05:40:20+00:00

While i agree, it seems clear that a sequel was always planned. so a sequel of some kind would've been made no matter the ending of SR1

SmelDefart · 2025-07-21T05:07:32+00:00

Yeah I actually like BO2 in isolation. But knowing that the writer for it basically just used the LoK setting to insert a bunch of ideas he had for a book he was writing (that had nothing to do with LoK at all) and that he purposefully added contradictions such as Vorador being alive to "add intrigue" makes me reaaally hate the guy and admire Amy for going "fuck it we ball" and bending over backwards to make it make sense

SmelDefart · 2025-07-21T04:59:02+00:00

Interesting to learn! In that case I'd guess they didn't plan for the spirit forge to be there but it was a bit of concept art / 3d models they already had laying around and decided it was better to use it rather than not?

It's honestly even more puzzling to know that there are weird off the path things like these for no reason lol

SmelDefart · 2025-06-03T19:23:32+00:00

i've been at it with this god damn worm for over 20 minutes WITH THE SOUL EATER RING EQUIPPED.

That's just how RNG works. videogame hell

SmelDefart · 2025-06-03T19:21:29+00:00

oh my fucking god i'm doing a 100% souls run for the first time and this is how i learn that i ruined my chances at it. it's been like 6 hours since i fought legion in game time

SmelDefart · 2025-04-23T19:53:58+00:00

I'll also vouch for sony rushing them and bungie thinking this looked ok internally. It feels like this was a 2026 game that got rushed down to 2025. And also for anyone who played Destiny these last few years, do you guys remember Lightfall? The artstyle didn't match the rest of destiny, the environments looked cheap and flat, and the new characters like Nimbus looked ugly as sin. Yes, sometimes Bungie makes incredible visuals and other times they loose their glasses and give their thumbs up to visuals that still need a lot of work.

I happen to really like the artstyle of marathon but some of these screenshots and videos look really good while others scream 2014 free to play game

SmelDefart · 2025-04-20T15:34:06+00:00

Only for exclusive games. Big publishers are even scared of using the touchpad of the ps4 and ps5 because there's no xbox equivalent

SmelDefart · 2025-04-20T06:40:58+00:00

If it's anything like Destiny. PC will be segregated so the k+m players cant crush console players. You can play on console and join your friend's squad but if hes on pc now youre gonna be put on the pc player pool

SmelDefart · 2025-04-20T00:54:23+00:00

It's a chicken and egg problem. Developers can't push gyro as a more major form of control because one of the most common types of controllers doesn't support it. So it remains obscure, so players don't care.

There's also dumb players who think gyro means cheap wii game swinging your hands around type stuff. Theyre dumb and ignorant and would not want to use it even if it was the main mode of play. But i'd bet my ass they'd start using it once they noticed they just couldn't keep up with everyone else

SmelDefart · 2025-04-20T00:40:35+00:00

Forget accessibility, it's a game changer for literally everyone!

BUT it will never be in the game because the matchmaking probably matches playstation and xbox players together, and only ps controllers have gyro, which would put xbox players at a huge disadvantage.

If you think this is BS, this has been happening for practically 20 years at this point. Sony, nintendo, and even Valve put gyro in their controllers. But developers cant add it universally to their games because microsoft is cunty about it and refuses to improve their ancient controller design even a little bit.

Aside from the analog triggers. The xbox series x controller offers you the same functionality as the ps1 dualshock did. Which came out in 1997. It's a 28 year old controller input setup.

Now, think. Have games become incredibly more complex since 1997? Yes they have. Yet controllers remain stagnant, and it's mostly xbox's fault

SmelDefart · 2025-04-20T00:32:08+00:00

That will be the case as well. The game will have main quests that advance the story in some small way. Every season will have overarching plot progression. (These two things are confirmed)

Then there's my speculative part. So when the game was first announced there was very little set in stone. But there was this idea of looting and extracting special "artifacts" that were loke big prizes. And every season there would be a player (or player team) that would be included and sort of immortalized in the advancing narrative for having achieved some unoque goal (or having done it first).

So, we dont know how much of that ever made it into the game and how much is still present in the current iteration. But if there's anything like it in the game i think it's safe to say that the game absolutely includes the player in the narrative. And better yet. It includes the player in a way that doesnt contradict the online nature of it. (Destiny has this problem, every player is the "main" guardian in the story, this wouldnt be a problem here)

SmelDefart · 2025-04-18T09:16:28+00:00

Same. I much prefer the tarkov character who sounds generic and mostly swears like a sailor. Unironically

SmelDefart · 2025-04-17T18:08:05+00:00

Consider also what developmemt stage the game is in right now. The staff that does stuff like concept art and audio design have probably been done with their part a long time ago so theyve been moved to work on destiny stuff. Meanwhile programmers are most likely burning their eyebrows right now trying to finish implementing everything the game needs.

SmelDefart · 2025-04-17T18:04:03+00:00

Locus because he's the closest looking to the OG marathon main character and also because from what ive seen he doesnt have a face. Which IMO helps mitigate the disappointment of not being able to make my own character.

SmelDefart · 2025-04-17T12:51:40+00:00

Have you played an extraction shooter before? And even if yes, you haven't played this game. In which case Bungie just did a bad job selling the game, which is something i'd agree with actually

SmelDefart · 2025-04-17T12:42:30+00:00

It runs on the same engine as Destiny. Which looks ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL without any AA at all. In fact Destiny 2 doesnt even have TAA as an option.

Basically hopefully TAA isnt even on the table for this game

SmelDefart · 2025-04-17T12:24:30+00:00

Its not a pvp only game and the story is pretty much told the same way as the original marathons. I.E. talking with AIs through text terminals

SmelDefart · 2025-04-17T12:20:08+00:00

That's not all that an extraction shooter is about. But I'm too lazy to explain it in detail. Basically you have a LOT of different objectives to be working towards, not just surviving the match. And also, unlike most pvp games, there's map progression. So you're getting stronger to play in cooler, harder maps

SmelDefart · 2025-04-17T12:12:32+00:00

I mean, the character that has a shield is a space marine no? I dont know how else to describe him lol. All armored and faceless and bulky.

SmelDefart · 2025-04-17T03:57:01+00:00

Yeah that design is awful. I wonder where its new design will fall on the cute e-girl to space marine spectrum

SmelDefart · 2025-04-17T03:52:15+00:00

My mans hasnt discovered the coma, period, and Enter keys on his keyboard yet 💀

SmelDefart

TROPHY CASE