If releasing a live service game in 2026 verges on folly, releasing a massively multiplayer game as an indie developer right now can only be called brave. Publishers with millions of dollars in their pocket routinely release multiplayer games that are basically dead on arrival. Most of them don't take 10 years to develop, and if they are in the cooker for a long time, such titles are certainly not released for free on Steam. The developers of Soul's Remnant don't care about any of that.

Soul's Remnant is a 2D platformer MMORPG with an emphasis on exploration and socialization. It's a pixel art game with a classless skill system full of randomized dungeons and bosses players can tackle with friends. Social play is king here, and the game offers mechanics like guilds, party-specific housing and player-run shops. In the Steam reviews, most players liken the experience to that of MapleStory—but with none of the annoying pay-to-win monetization.

"It always bugged me how much people tried to discourage others from making an MMO as just one person," developer Chaosmoon wrote on Reddit. "Like yes, obviously it's hard to do. Very hard. But it's not impossible, especially if you have the passion and determination needed to get this far."

Though the emphasis is on multiplayer, there's plenty for solo players to enjoy. The game, which boasts an impressive soundtrack of over 40 original songs, also launched with 10 NPC villagers with unique personalities to befriend. Reviews note that the story is built like a FromSoftware game, where players must decide how to read a cryptic narrative doled out across bits and pieces.

For eight years, Soul's Remnant was largely a solo project by developer Chaosmoon. A few years ago, Chaosmoon's partner joined the team. The game is still a passion project with a close-knit community. " Every bug I've encountered has been fixed within the same day," one Steam player wrote.

Chaosmoon knows they could have spent this entire time making something easier, or something quicker. But the developer had dreamed of making an MMO since they were a kid. As of August 13, that dream has finally come true. A day after release, Soul's Remnant has reached nearly 3,000 concurrent players on Steam. With numbers like those, the game isn't going to dethrone a giant like World of Warcraft. Since the development team is so small, it doesn't have to.

Though the game is free, the developers do maintain a modest Patreon. The game also has a cosmetics shop, but there is no way to purchase gameplay advantages or in-game conveniences, like auto loot. The base game already includes hundreds of pieces of equipment to wear, so the shop isn't built to exploit FOMO. There are zero plans to change the game's monetization model, the developer says. Server costs are a concern, but the team isn't too worried about it. They're confident that the system can scale. Plus, if server stability ever does become an issue, it'll be because the game is doing well.

Though the game is in Early Access, the long development time has ensured that it has an MMO's worth of content already. The plan is to work closely with the community to develop future updates. Based on the game's "very positive" rating on Steam, that future already seems ensured.

"One of the best MMORPGs I have played in a long time," reads the top-voted Steam review.

Another player, who has already racked up 300 hours in Soul's Remnant, praises the soundtrack as "top tier" and notes that the skill system is a "dopamine driver." Most of all, the player was struck by the "rare" dedication by the developers.

"A lot of people have been chomping at the bit for a good retro MMO experience, and this is the kind of game they've been waiting for," another review reads.