Some video games can be very difficult and can be very nerve-wracking. Many people love “Soulslike” games, but many quickly lose patience and interest. With “Flintlock – The Siege of Dawn” a title could provide the perfect introduction to the genre.
Anyone who feels comfortable in “Soulslike” games knows that suffering is part of it, so that success feels all the sweeter. The video game genre, which is known for a particularly high level of difficulty and merciless gameplay as well as epic boss battles, is not for everyone – especially not for people who get frustrated quickly. With “Flintlock – The Siege of Dawn”, A44 Games has released a title that offers a gentle introduction to the genre, plays it safe with the story, but knows how to inspire with divinely good boss battles. ntv.de tested the game.
The game is set in a fantasy world in which the gods oppress humanity. Due to a crack in the gate to the underworld, the city of “Dawn” is struggling to push back hordes of undead. As soldier Nor Vanek, the players are now tasked with blowing up the gate with tons of gunpowder – and closing it forever. The attempt fails because the gods intervene. Instead of closing the gate, the explosion paves the way for many creatures of the underworld. Nor is thrown into an abyss and wakes up next to a fox-like creature named Enki, who wants to help her in her campaign of revenge against the gods.
Nor has sworn vengeance on the gods.
(Photo: A44 Games)
While the partnership between Nor and Enki is well told and has its ups and downs, almost all of the other characters are ignored. The narrative lacks the anchor points that are needed in such a dynamic adventure. The tasks are also not very varied: you move from village to village and rid the area of the undead. This is where the game could have set itself apart from many other titles in the genre. The cryptic and convoluted narratives from games like “Dark Souls” and “Elden Ring” are not for everyone.
Beads of sweat on the forehead
The developers focus more on the gameplay in the semi-open world, which is wonderfully designed. But you don't have to keep exploring, there are numerous shortcuts and fast travel options in “Flintlock”. The difficulty level of the genre is a thing of its own, but in “Flintlock” you can at least determine it in advance. The three levels are “story mode”, “normal” and “particularly difficult”. But “normal” should make some gamers break out in a sweat. Because as soon as Nor passes away, you have to start from the last stopover and collect the experience you have gained (called reputation here) at the place of death – a classic Soulslike element.
The revolver is always at the ready.
(Photo: A44 Games)
The multiplier option is interesting: the longer the player slaughters his way through the world of “Flintlock” without making any mistakes, the more the multiplier on the reputation he has collected grows. You can use it at any time by pressing a button; if you get hit by an opponent, the multiplier is gone.
And unfortunately, taking hits is part of it. Nor is armed with an axe, musket and pistol. In close combat, a balance of attack and parry is necessary to defeat the normal undead enemies and later the tricky bosses. Some enemies have a stance bar that you first have to break through before you can do any damage. This is where Enki comes into play, as you can set the flying fox on zombies and other creatures. He also has a special attack that you can use to attack multiple enemies across an area.
The fights are fast and fluid. Attacks are easily linked together and you can literally feel the effects of every hit with an axe, hammer, gun and magical abilities. When it comes to fighting the gods, drama and action are in order. Combined with the high level of difficulty, epic battles are created here – which are sometimes lost.
While a large focus is placed on the combat system, looting and crafting are more of a secondary focus in “Flintlock”. The few resources that can be found can be used for various pieces of armor to gain unique abilities, such as increasing attack range.
Even though it's a little rocky to get started, “Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn” is one of those Soulslikes that gets better as you get deeper into the game and unlock more of the interesting skills that allow you to take full advantage of the attack chains and XP multipliers. To get the most out of the game, however, you have to leave the beaten track to solve side quests and find optional battles. These are challenging enough to excite even Soulslike fans. Of course, the game also has the necessary potential for frustration – but it remains more of a battle of nerves for beginners.
“Flintlock – The Siege of Dawn” is available for Playstation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
