Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn

Despite introducing some new ideas when it comes to combat, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn ultimately fails to leave an impression, merely offering a perfectly serviceable Souls-like experience for those with that particular itch.

Apart from camera issues, the main problem with Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is that the combat just feels a little bit numb; death quite often comes as an unpleasant surprise, as you’d swear you hadn’t been hit and yet you drop dead. Other than these, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn has a lot of heart, and is more than capable of providing an enjoyable playthrough. There is a challenge there, and a good story, but it could have done with that final bit of polish to make it a classic must play game.

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is an ambitious blend of gunpowder and mythical elements set in a world where gods and undead armies threaten humanity. While the game introduces intriguing concepts and features a well-designed companion in Enki, it ultimately falls short due to disjointed combat mechanics, inconsistent dialogue, and frustrating level design.

When looking for reasons to continue in Flintlock, most of them have to do with seeing another gorgeous vista, going off the beaten path for resources, and finding more fights to play around with new magic skills and combinations. More of that could and should come from the narrative, but what Flintlock does right, it does well, and in a way that welcomes more players into the fold. That, apparently, is something A44 can do that FromSoftware won’t.

In the end, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn has a lot of good ideas and the potential to be a standout ARPG. The problem is, that all those strengths are counterbalanced by issues that chip away at its quality. Good writing and acting, some interesting character dynamics, and fluid movement compete with bad sound mixing, janky combat, and inelegant level design. I think that in the end, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is worth playing, especially for casual RPG fans. Hardcore Soulslike players will find it harder to ignore the game’s missteps and flaws.

Everything together creates a package that at first feels hopeful and intriguing, ending in a chamber full of wet gunpowder. In other words… a dud.