I Tested SoulLink for a Day: A Subjective Review

A friend asked me to test this app, so here it is. It seems to have just been updated to 2.0 recently, so this is a very subjective review. I tested it on iOS 18, on October 8, and I have only used it for one day so far. If I keep using it after this, there will be a follow up.

Getting started

First, you do need to log in to use it. I used my Apple account. You also need to be 18 or older.

It starts with something like an intro video. The view is in first person, which felt quite immersive.
There is a blinking effect at the start. When you open your eyes, it is the main character 4D introducing herself. The world of the game is set in the future, in 2099, which gives it a bit of a cyberpunk science fiction feeling.

(Left) *The first screen, which asks you to confirm that you are 18 or older.*
(Middle) *Right at the start, she is standing by the window, looking out at the city.*
(Right) *4D sitting on the couch in her apartment.*

Talking to her

When you talk to her, if you do not know what to reply, there are suggestions you can refer to. I thought that was quite good, because real conversations get stuck sometimes too.

The long first stretch of talking to her is mostly about getting to know the background of this game like companion setup. It is a little long, and you need a bit of patience to get through all of it.

There is no list of characters to choose from in this app, and nothing to set up about her first. It is just 4D, already living in her own apartment. Her job is fairly unusual too. She is a field operative for a tactical unit called S-9, and she has her own work, her own past, and things she does not tell you straight away. She talked a lot at the beginning, kept finding topics and asking questions, probably to keep people around. When she speaks, she moves her hands quite a lot, and it looks fairly natural.

(Left) *An Echo unlocks in the middle of the conversation.* (Right) *The Echo page, with the story so far and the rewards it gives.*

When the conversation reaches certain topics, an Echo unlocks, and you also get rewards and things like that. Further on there should be levels you can raise, and Creds should be usable for shopping and things like that.

Her replies to what I said felt a little slow. I waited about 5-10 seconds. Other AI replies can be slow too, but a normal chat is much faster.

Oh, and an unlocked Echo only gives its reward once you meet the requirements. For example, you may need to finish a certain number of conversations first. Each Echo tracks how far you got with a progress display, and finishing them earns EXP, the same as chatting and going through Adventures. Everything feeds into your level.

*The counter at the top shows how many exchanges this Echo needs.*

When she speaks, there is tone in her voice and you can also hear her breathing, which felt quite real. I still felt the replies were a bit slow, and having to wait a moment made me impatient. But the content of her replies was very relevant, and her face has expressions and things like that too.

It took more than twenty minutes before I got to the main page. That felt a little long, but the sense of taking part in it was quite strong. Once I was on the main page, there were all kinds of options and it felt much freer. Every option has an introduction, and it seemed like there was quite a lot to play with. One of them is a Journal, which keeps what she learns about you, her own story, and the things the two of you have done together in separate sections. Much further along, at Level 6, she can apparently even write you a letter. I am nowhere near that yet.

*The level screen, with the rewards for leveling up listed out.*

Adventures

There is a story part that feels like cards, and it feels like you go through it episode by episode. Each one shows an estimated duration, which I thought was good, because every one of them takes a fair amount of time. The introduction said each Adventure has several chapters, and you can stop at the end of a chapter and continue later, because your progress is saved. Inside, you make choices and talk to her directly, and what you do can change how the story goes. Finished Adventures also leave reward photos, which are collected in a Memory Deck. The first card, Hold On Tonight, gives extra Creds and EXP the first time you play it, and finishing it unlocks Text Chat and Memory Snapshots.

(Left) *The introduction screen that explains how Adventure Cards work.*
(Right) *The first Adventure, Hold On Tonight, and its chapters.*

The Shop and the subscription

Counting clothes, hairstyles, and accessories, there are more than 100 items in her closet in total. In the Shop you can buy clothes, decorations, and things like that. Lumen is what you spend there, and Lumen itself is bought with money. The cheapest piece of clothing is 59 Lumen, which is about $6. But it does seem like you start with a hundred or so Lumen, and finishing parts of the game may give you more as rewards.
There is also a subscription, $99.99 a year or $14.99 a month. The Plus page lists what it includes: all Adventure Cards, unlimited chats, Echo topic chats, exclusive looks, future content, and an adults only section called After Dark. I will spend the next two days trying the free features first and see whether it is worth paying for.

(Left) *The Shop, with the outfits and their prices in Lumen.*
(Middle) *Lumen is sold in packs.*
(Right) *The SoulLink Plus subscription page.*

Coming back in the evening

I came back to game again in the evening, and I found that it had turned dark on her side too. It is probably based on the time of day. I thought that was pretty cool, like she had also lived through her own day.

*Back in the evening, and it is dark outside her window as well.*

Touching different parts of her body gets different reactions. This is probably the First Contact reward I saw on the Level 2 list, which said it unlocks her touch reactions. Touch her leg and she says that people who have just met do not usually touch there. Touch her arm and she pulls her arm back. I thought that was a really interesting little design. Touch her face and she says “u pet everyone like this or im special”, which is quite flirty. But the same part gives the same line every time, so the first time is the most surprising.