8Bit/Digi

A World of Gods and Dragons

The Soulslike community has always been unique, bringing together some of the most passionate gamers. It’s a community driven by players who want their skills tested and developers eager to put their own spin on the genre. Countless titles have emerged, each offering a creator’s unique take on the genre, whether through world design, story, or the overall experience.

Rise of Rebellion is the latest Soulslike game to build on a familiar foundation while offering its own unique experience. It’s a game developed by fans of the genre who are also deeply passionate about their work. Unfortunately, it’s also a game that needed more time to develop and polish the bugs.

A World in Ruin

Jilla was once a peaceful world that was protected by dragons. Out of nowhere, the Invaders arrived and ravaged the land. Players take on the role of a Tella—warriors with a special bond to the Earth. They must battle the invaders and take back their homeland. That’s all there is to the story. It feels not only shallow but also disjointed. There’s little to draw you into the world or make you care about your character’s journey. Even with the lore being drip-fed, it feels scattered and unfocused.

That said, I’ll admit the fantasy aesthetics and setting initially drew me in. While the story feels underwhelming, the world’s design and the foes encountered will appeal to those craving a fantasy experience. With its linear progression and relatively modest playtime, it’s ideal for gamers who aren’t looking to invest in another sprawling open world.

Master Your Skills

On the surface, Rise of Rebellion plays like a traditional Soulslike, promising a tough, unforgiving experience. Players must quickly adopt a strategy and refine their playstyle if they hope to advance. The combat and gameplay mechanics are familiar to genre fans, blending hack-and-slash action with RPG elements. Low-level enemies are manageable on their own but become far more threatening in numbers. Mid-tier foes challenge your reflexes, while bosses push your skills to their absolute limit. If you enjoy Soulslike games, then you will have a good idea about the gameplay from the start.

This is all surface level, because while it plays like a Soulslike, it breaks the mold in several ways. First, it’s not nearly as punishing when it comes to difficulty. Low-tier enemies are easy to handle, and mid-tier foes offer only a moderate challenge. As expected, the bosses deliver the toughest fights and serve as the game’s true test of skill. Second, this isn’t a dark fantasy, nor is the world particularly gloomy. If anything, it feels more like a standard fantasy adventure.

Return to the Watch Tower

Rise of Rebellion got me excited because of how it looked but after playing it, I was not all too impressed. It feels more like a project still stuck in its beta stage. The controls are awkward and unrefined, making basic movement feel clunky and frustrating. It features the same lighting and animation quirks often seen in rushed asset flips. Meanwhile, the font and text styling look hastily applied, as if no thought went into their design.

It also suffers from a common Soulslike pitfall: flaws being treated as features. Like many in the genre, Rise of Rebellion relies on gameplay mechanics that demand near-perfect timing to work correctly. Miss a dodge or jump by mere milliseconds, and you’ll pay the price. Occasional failure isn’t an issue—but when it happens repeatedly, frustration sets in. Worse still, the lack of polish undermines those precise mechanics, making even well-timed inputs feel unreliable or pointless. So while the foes may feel easy, they are only a challenge because the game lacks any real polish.

Overall, it’s clear this game was made with passion, but it needed more time in development.

Reclaim the Land

Rise of Rebellion tries to capture the thrill of a Soulslike experience but it clearly needed more time in development. It introduces several strong concepts, and the passion behind it is evident throughout. It has a solid foundation, and the passion and dedication behind it are clearly evident. The problem is that the story needs more depth, and the gameplay mechanics require additional polish.

Disclaimer: The publisher through a PR representative provided the game used for this review.

This review is the critique and thoughts of one writer. If you want to see how other critics felt, then check it out on OpenCritic.

8Bit/Digi is an independent media outlet that provides insight into the gamer community of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Rise of Rebellion (PC)

5

Ok

5.0/10

Pros

• Gameplay is easy to learn for those who enjoy Soulslike games.
• High fantasy aesthetics and design.
• Linear progression and modest playtime.

Cons

• Story is underwhelming and all over the place.
• Lacks polish and feels like a game that is still in its beta stage.
• Issues that are treated as features rather than flaws.