Soulframe Preludes 16: Of Hook & Hound Adds Fishing, Wolf Companions and Dynamic Weather
Digital Extremes is continuing to expand the world of Soulframe with another substantial update shaped by feedback from its growing community.
Soulframe Preludes 16: Of Hook & Hound is available now as a free update to players participating in the game's closed Alpha, bringing several highly requested features to the fantasy adventure. Fishing makes its debut, wolf pup companions can now begin forming a meaningful bond with players, a new dynamic weather system can directly influence gameplay, and the weapon customization experience has been expanded through a revamped Tempers system.
There are also new weapons, armour, quality-of-life improvements, and additional systems for players to experiment with as Digital Extremes continues developing Soulframe through its Preludes testing period.
Perhaps most importantly, Of Hook & Hound provides another look at how Digital Extremes is approaching Soulframe's development.
Rather than waiting until every idea is completely finalized, the studio is putting features into the hands of its community, watching how players interact with them, gathering feedback, and continuing to evolve those systems over time.
Fishing and wolf pup bonding are two perfect examples.
Both are available now, but Digital Extremes is already making it clear that this is only the beginning.
Soulframe Preludes 16: Of Hook & Hound Is Available Now
Preludes 16 introduces a collection of features that expand both the quieter and more dangerous sides of Soulframe.
Players can now step away from battle to fish, spend time building a relationship with their wolf pup, experience changing weather across Alca, customize weapons through an updated Tempers system, and collect several new pieces of equipment.
The update includes:
- Wolf pup bonding activities
- A new fishing system
- Six different fishing lures
- Six fish species
- Dynamic weather
- Weather-related gameplay effects
- A revamped Tempers weapon system
- New weapons
- New armour
- Additional quality-of-life improvements
These additions arrive as part of Soulframe Preludes, the closed Alpha testing version of the game.
Digital Extremes has been using Preludes as an experimental development environment where players can experience systems early and provide feedback as Soulframe continues taking shape.
Each Preludes update is free for participating players.
Wolf Pup Bonding Comes to Soulframe
One of the biggest additions in Of Hook & Hound is the ability to begin building a relationship with your wolf pup companion.
After completing The Shewolf Snared Fable and choosing a wolf pup, players can bring their new companion into the world of Alca.
But this is not simply another companion that follows the player around.
Digital Extremes is adding several activities intended to make the relationship feel more personal.
Players can:
- Play fetch with their wolf pup
- Take the pup on walks
- Feed it fish
- Fight alongside it in combat
- Spend quieter moments cuddling their companion
It is a collection of interactions that can make the wolf feel less like an equippable gameplay feature and more like an actual companion travelling alongside the player.
Digital Extremes also has bigger plans for the system.
The studio says wolf bonding will continue evolving through future updates and will eventually lead into the highly anticipated ability to use the wolf as a player mount.
That means what players are experiencing in Preludes 16 is essentially an early stage of a larger system.
Your Wolf Pup Will Eventually Become a Mount
The future of the wolf companion makes the bonding system particularly interesting.
Rather than simply giving players access to a mount immediately, Soulframe is establishing a relationship first.
You meet the wolf.
You travel together.
You feed it.
You play together.
You fight alongside one another.
Then, as the feature develops, that relationship will eventually progress into the mount system players have been waiting for.
That gradual evolution fits well with Soulframe's broader atmosphere.
Digital Extremes has positioned nature, animals, the environment, and relationships as important elements of the experience. Having players bond with an animal before simply treating it as transportation feels consistent with that philosophy.
Sarah Asselin, Senior Community Manager at Digital Extremes, said the reaction to the fishing and mount reveals following TennoCon exceeded the studio's expectations.
"The response to the fishing and mount feature reveals after TennoCon was more than we could've hoped for," Asselin said.
According to Asselin, fishing and wolf pup bonding are only beginning and will continue evolving alongside the rest of Soulframe.
That development approach makes Preludes 16 especially interesting because players are not necessarily seeing the final version of these systems.
They are watching them take shape.
Fishing Finally Arrives in Soulframe
Sometimes saving a fantasy world can wait.
There are fish to catch.
Preludes 16 introduces a completely new fishing mechanic, giving players another reason to explore the quieter corners of Alca.
Players can discover peaceful fishing locations scattered throughout the world and use six different lures to catch six unique fish.
Digital Extremes has already revealed some particularly memorable names, including the Emerald Prickleback and Boilhead Wumper.
Catching them is only the beginning.
The fish themselves have been affected by the Ode corruption, connecting the fishing system directly to the larger world and themes of Soulframe.
Players can cleanse that corruption from their scales before making another decision.
Do you return the fish to the water?
Or do you keep it as food for your wolf companion?
Catch, Cleanse, Release or Feed
Fishing in Soulframe is not presented purely as a collection activity.
After catching a fish, players can cleanse the Ode corruption affecting it.
From there, they are given a choice.
The fish can be released back into its environment, or players can keep it and use it to feed their wolf companion.
Digital Extremes says different rewards are associated with the available paths.
That creates an interesting connection between two of Preludes 16's biggest systems.
Fishing feeds directly into wolf bonding.
Instead of introducing each mechanic as an isolated activity, the update begins establishing relationships between the different things players can do throughout Alca.
You might leave your current objective to find a fishing spot.
A successful catch could then become food for your wolf.
Feeding your companion strengthens another part of the experience.
It is a small gameplay loop, but these interconnected systems can help make an open world feel more cohesive.
Fishing Gives Players a Reason to Slow Down
Soulframe's combat and exploration may naturally command a lot of attention, but fishing introduces a different pace.
Instead of constantly moving toward another enemy encounter, players can find one of the new serene locations and spend some time fishing.
That change in tempo could be important for the overall rhythm of Soulframe.
A world becomes easier to appreciate when players are sometimes encouraged to simply exist inside it rather than constantly rushing through it.
Fishing provides that opportunity.
It also gives environmental design more purpose.
A beautiful pond is no longer simply scenery.
It can become a destination.
Add changing weather, wildlife, your wolf companion sitting nearby, and the sounds of the surrounding environment, and something as simple as fishing can contribute significantly to Soulframe's atmosphere.
Dynamic Weather Can Actually Change Gameplay
Another major addition arriving with Preludes 16 is a new dynamic weather system.
Players can now encounter changing environmental conditions as they travel across Alca.
Digital Extremes highlighted combinations including:
- Rainy nights
- Foggy mornings
- Scenic sunsets
But these changes are not purely visual.
Weather conditions can also influence gameplay.
Digital Extremes says environmental effects can modify elements such as lightning damage and enemy perception ranges.
That distinction is important.
Plenty of games use weather to make environments look more dramatic.
Soulframe is beginning to connect those environmental changes to gameplay mechanics.
Rain Could Change the Way You Fight
Imagine heading into an encounter while a storm moves through the area.
If the current weather increases lightning damage, suddenly your approach to that encounter could change.
Abilities or equipment connected to lightning may become more attractive.
Another weather combination could reduce enemy perception.
Fog might not simply create a beautiful morning landscape. It could potentially make sneaking through an area easier.
These systems create opportunities for players to react to the world rather than experiencing every encounter under identical conditions.
It also introduces another unpredictable element to exploration.
The same location could potentially feel different depending on when you visit and what weather conditions have developed.
A clear afternoon encounter and a fog-covered morning encounter might require different approaches even if they happen in the same area.
Soulframe's World Is Becoming More Reactive
The combination of fishing, animal bonding, and dynamic weather says a lot about where Digital Extremes appears to be focusing its attention with this update.
These are systems that make the world itself matter.
Fishing encourages players to interact with bodies of water.
Wolf bonding makes wildlife more personal.
Weather changes environmental conditions.
Those systems sit alongside Soulframe's existing combat, quests, exploration, and progression.
The result is an experience gradually gaining more layers.
Not every new addition needs to be another massive boss or combat ability.
Sometimes the systems surrounding those battles are what make a fantasy world memorable.
Being caught in unexpected rain.
Stopping beside a pond.
Catching a strange fish.
Feeding it to your wolf.
Then heading back into danger together.
Those smaller experiences can become just as important to a player's connection with a world as scripted missions.
Weapon Customization Gets a Revamped Tempers System
Players who prefer spending their time refining combat builds have not been forgotten.
Preludes 16 also introduces a major revision to the Tempers system.
The revamped system gives players more control over weapon modifiers when building and customizing loadouts.
Players can dismantle older weapons and reclaim their Tempers instead of simply leaving previously used equipment behind.
Those recovered Tempers can then be retuned with the blacksmith Tuvalkane.
The goal is greater player agency.
Instead of weapon progression relying entirely on finding a new piece of equipment that perfectly matches your desired build, players have more opportunities to shape their weapons around the way they want to play.
Old Weapons Can Become Useful Again
Being able to dismantle weapons and recover their Tempers is an important quality-of-life improvement for anyone who spends significant time experimenting with equipment.
Loot-driven progression often creates a familiar problem.
You acquire a weapon.
You invest resources into it.
Eventually, you find something stronger.
The original weapon becomes obsolete, along with some of the work invested into building it.
Soulframe's revamped system gives some of that value back.
Dismantling old weapons allows players to reclaim Tempers and potentially use them elsewhere.
For a game still undergoing significant development, increasing build experimentation is especially valuable.
Digital Extremes wants players testing systems.
Giving the community more freedom to modify their equipment makes that easier.
New Weapons Join Soulframe
Of Hook & Hound also adds several new pieces of equipment for players to experiment with.
The new weapons include:
Wreath
A new two-handed mace for players interested in heavier weaponry.
Gystalt
A caster staff provides another option for players building around a different style of combat.
Grimana
A sidearm rapier joining Soulframe's growing arsenal.
Each weapon expands the selection available to players while giving the updated Tempers system additional equipment to experiment with.
Different weapon types also encourage players to reconsider their preferred approach to combat.
Do you want the impact of a two-handed mace?
Would you rather lean toward a caster-focused playstyle?
Or does the speed and precision associated with a rapier sound more appealing?
With Tempers giving players additional control over modifiers, experimenting with each weapon becomes even more interesting.
The Suit of The Sleeve Adds New Armour
Weapons are not the only equipment arriving in the update.
Players can also acquire the new Suit of The Sleeve armour set.
New armour gives players another opportunity to develop both the visual identity and functionality of their Envoy while continuing through Preludes.
As with many of Soulframe's systems, equipment continues to evolve alongside the larger testing environment.
Players participating in the Alpha have another set to find while giving Digital Extremes additional information about progression, balance, customization, and how new gear fits alongside existing equipment.
Community Feedback Remains Central to Soulframe
Preludes exists because Digital Extremes is approaching Soulframe differently from a traditional development cycle.
The current version is a closed Alpha.
It is experimental.
Features can change.
Systems can expand.
Ideas can be introduced before reaching their eventual final form.
Players are essentially invited into part of that process.
Digital Extremes encourages the community to test features and provide critical feedback that can influence how Soulframe evolves.
That philosophy is particularly visible in Preludes 16.
The response to fishing and mounts after TennoCon directly demonstrated community interest in those features.
Now players are getting their hands on early versions of them.
Then the conversation begins again.
How does fishing feel?
Does wolf bonding need additional activities?
How should the future mount system work?
How often should weather affect combat?
Does the revamped Tempers system provide enough flexibility?
Those are the kinds of questions that can be explored while the game remains in active development.
Of Hook & Hound Feels Like an Important World-Building Update
Preludes 16 may not be defined by one enormous headline feature.
Instead, its importance comes from how its different systems begin interacting.
Catch a fish.
Cleanse it.
Use it to strengthen your relationship with your wolf.
Watch the weather change.
Take advantage of those conditions during an encounter.
Dismantle an old weapon.
Recover its Tempers.
Retune your equipment.
Try a completely different weapon.
Continue exploring.
These systems give players more things to think about between the game's major story moments and battles.
More importantly, they provide reasons to interact with Alca itself.
That could become increasingly important as Soulframe continues growing.
A Different Pace From Digital Extremes
Digital Extremes is best known for Warframe, but Soulframe has been establishing an identity of its own.
Of Hook & Hound reinforces that distinction.
Fishing and animal bonding introduce quieter moments.
Dynamic weather encourages players to notice their surroundings.
The developing wolf relationship creates a sense of companionship.
Weapon customization still gives players something mechanical to dig into, but this update does not revolve exclusively around combat power.
It is equally interested in atmosphere.
That balance could help define Soulframe as development continues.
Preludes Gives Players a Look Behind the Curtain
There is something particularly interesting about watching mechanics evolve through updates like this.
Players are not simply being told what Soulframe will eventually become.
They can participate in the process.
The wolf companion is a great example.
In another game, the mount feature might simply appear in a launch trailer.
Here, players can experience an earlier stage of that mechanic.
They can meet their pup.
Bond with it.
Interact with it.
Watch the relationship system develop.
Eventually, that companion will evolve into the mount players first saw revealed.
The final system may change significantly along the way, but that is part of what makes the Preludes format interesting.
Players can see development happening in front of them.
What Is Soulframe Preludes?
For players who have been following Soulframe but are unfamiliar with Preludes, it is important to remember that this is not the final version of Soulframe.
Soulframe Preludes is the game's closed alpha playtest.
Digital Extremes uses it to experiment with gameplay systems, gather feedback from players, make changes, and gradually expand the experience.
That means features available today can continue to evolve.
Wolf bonding is explicitly being expanded.
Fishing can grow.
Weather systems can become more complex.
Weapon progression can continue changing.
The version players experience during Preludes represents an active development environment rather than a finished product.
That makes community feedback particularly important.
Soulframe Preludes 16: Of Hook & Hound Features
For anyone jumping back into Soulframe, here are some of the biggest additions included with the update:
Wolf Pup Bonding
Complete The Shewolf Snared Fable, choose your wolf pup, and begin participating in bonding activities together.
Fishing
Use six different lures to catch six unique fish throughout Alca.
Fish Cleansing
Remove Ode corruption from caught fish before deciding whether to release them or keep them for your wolf.
Dynamic Weather
Experience changing environmental combinations, including rainy nights, foggy mornings, and sunsets.
Weather Gameplay Effects
Environmental conditions can influence gameplay elements such as lightning damage and enemy perception.
Revamped Tempers
Gain more control over weapon modifiers and reclaim Tempers by dismantling older weapons.
New Weapons
Wield Wreath, Gystalt, and Grimana.
New Armour
Collect the Suit of the Sleeve armour set.
Quality-of-Life Improvements
Additional improvements based on feedback from the Soulframe community are included throughout the update.
Soulframe Continues to Take Shape
Preludes 16: Of Hook & Hound feels like another step toward making Soulframe's world more than a backdrop for combat.
Digital Extremes is giving players additional opportunities to interact with the environment, build relationships, experiment with equipment, and experience conditions that can influence the way they play.
Fishing gives players somewhere to slow down.
Dynamic weather makes the world less predictable.
The Tempers overhaul provides more freedom when building weapons.
And perhaps most interestingly, wolf pup bonding creates the beginning of a relationship that will eventually transform into the game's mount system.
Soulframe is still evolving.
That is exactly what Preludes is designed to allow.
Digital Extremes is letting its community see features at an early stage, interact with them, talk about them, and potentially influence where they go next.
Of Hook & Hound, we may introduce fishing, weather, weapons, and adorable wolf pups today, but the larger story is how each of those systems could evolve by the time players see the finished Soulframe experience.
For now, there are fish to catch, storms to watch, weapons to forge, and a wolf pup waiting for some attention.