SOULS

Why I Downloaded SOULS

I downloaded SOULS because my project team needed to find local beta testers for a new indie tabletop game. Posting on generic social media got us crickets. We needed people who actually cared about game mechanics, not just free swag. A friend mentioned SOULS’s interest-based communities, so I figured I’d give it a shot. My hope was to tap into a pre-built network of hobbyists instead of casting a wide, useless net. It was a targeted move, not social exploration.

Standout Features

The interest matching is the core of this app, and it’s done well. During setup, it digs past surface-level stuff. I listed “game design,” “playtesting,” and “modular synth music,” and my feed wasn’t flooded with randos. It was actually populated with developers, artists, and a surprising number of people into both board games and ambient electronica. The community forums are where this shines. I found a “Prototype Playtest” group that was shockingly active. The avatar system is also a win—it forces a focus away from profile pics and onto what you’re saying, which for my purpose was perfect.

Daily Use Experience

For the first week, it was great. Last Tuesday morning, I posted a call for playtesters in that group. By lunch, I had seven serious replies with specific questions about our game’s rulebook. We scheduled a Zoom session for Thursday night directly through the app’s chat. Here’s where the cracks showed. On Thursday, the app never sent me the reminder notifications for the chat messages confirming the time. I only knew about the meeting because I happened to open the app at 6:45 PM. The interface, while feature-rich, has some jank. Tapping between the music player and an active chat sometimes causes a slight but noticeable stutter on my iPhone 14. It’s not deal-breaking, but for a power user, it’s a clear sign of unoptimized code.

Cost Breakdown

It’s free. Honestly, for what you get, that’s impressive. There are no paywalls on chatting or joining communities, which is a breath of fresh air. The in-app purchases are purely cosmetic—goofy hats for your avatar or special chat effects. I haven’t spent a cent, and I never felt like I was missing a core feature. If you just want to connect and talk, your wallet is safe. The value proposition is straightforward and user-friendly.

Support Experience

This is the part that really soured me. After the notification failure almost made me miss the playtest, I reported the bug through the app’s help section last Friday. I included details: device model, iOS version, and the exact time it happened. The auto-reply said “24-48 hours.” I got a human response on the following Wednesday. It was a generic paragraph asking me to “try restarting the app and ensure notifications are enabled in my phone settings.” No acknowledgment of the specific bug report, no request for logs, nothing. It felt like being brushed off. For an app built on timely connections, having a support team that moves this slowly is a major flaw.

Privacy Verdict

The privacy controls are actually decent, which I appreciated. You can be very granular about what’s visible on your profile and who can message you. I locked my profile down to only be discoverable by people in my specific interest categories and communities. I didn’t get a single spammy “hey” message, which is a miracle. The app clearly explains what data it uses for matching (your interests) versus what’s public. It feels designed by people who understand that users might want to be social without being completely exposed.