Soulframe Open Preludes alpha begins November 7 on PC

Digital Extremes will open Soulframe's free alpha test, Open Preludes, on November 7 (Korea time) on Windows PC through the game's official website, with no invitation required. The studio announced the date and the next update, 'Prelude 17: Verse of the Veilands', at an online media preview on the 28th, according to inven.co.kr.

Prelude 17 ties pollution and purification to world progression. The invading Ode drains Alca's energy through siphons placed across regions, and players must reclaim polluted areas one at a time: completing regional votive missions to gather energy, learning the region's sacred song, then purifying the siphon.

Polluted regions lose their animals and see resources and activities affected. Restoring a region brings back fishing and events, changes loot and resources, and the changes to a healed region persist. Votive missions are being restructured so players meet a regional hub representative, accept votives and track progress on the world map, with characters including Avakot serving as guides with added dialogue and voice.

The wolf mount arrives by raising the wolf cub trained in Prelude 16 to adulthood. Players must purify two regions under the new progression system and craft and feed growth biscuits, using a recipe obtained and prepared through Ancestor Verminia's brewing.

A new pact, 'Ode Shrike', is themed on Ode hunters and poachers and turns enemies' tools against them: a deployable spike trap, a balloon dart that lifts enemies into the air, a bola chain that links enemies' damage, and a throwing bomb for evasion. A new dagger was also teased. The seasonal event 'Bita's Eve' returns with unusual pumpkin patches and a headless rider mini-boss offering limited-time rewards including masks, a scythe, charms and a special fish.

Prelude 17 is scheduled to be applied during November. Steam and console launches were not part of the announcement. The open alpha will collect feedback through in-game surveys and questions plus player progression data, alongside the existing Discord and official forum channels. Soulframe is a free open-world fantasy game themed on nature and recovery from Warframe studio Digital Extremes.