We love a good action-adventure game here at GameSpew, and so Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is firmly on our radar.
Especially so after after being privy to a recent hands-off preview where we were able to see more of the game in action. We witnessed protagonist Nor and her strange fox-like pet Enki lay waste to a variety of enemies while exploring environments with a surprising amount of verticality. Their goal: to take down the Gods. But to get to them they’re going to have to battle their way through their undead armies.
It’s safe to say that combat is the core ingredient of Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn. A44 Games and Kepler Interactive liken it to a Soulslike, in fact. That means that the action here is weighty, tense and impactful: make one mistake, and chances are you could meet your demise. To survive, you’re going to have to make effective use of Nor’s vicious axe, as well as her flintlock weapons. To provide further depth, Enki can be commanded to assist, too, utilising a range of magical abilities to distract and harm enemies.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is fleshed out with the features you’d expect. There are snazzy finishers, combos, and you lose valuable currency when you die, for example. But it also has some rather unique elements, too. Enemies get more aggressive as their armour is depleted, for instance, perhaps displaying their desperation. And Nor can make use of black powder to catapult herself around. Throw in a potion crafting system that allows for more than just the replenishment of health, and you have a game that seems very intriguing indeed.
An open world game at heart, players are pretty much free to explore at their leisure. If they’re not careful though, they could wander into areas where they seem vastly outmatched. Still, any encounter can be overcome with skill. This will mostly be in demand when facing off against the game’s towering bosses. These will challenge players to take their opponents apart, breaking down their armour while avoiding their attacks to make them more susceptible to damage. There’s also an element of strategy involved, with flintlock weapons being able to disrupt some of their most powerful attacks.
Don’t worry if this all sounds like a little too much for you, though. While Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is meant to be challenging, a Story Mode difficulty setting will be available that tones things down for those who want a more stress-free experience. In any case, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn has certainly captured our attention.
Launching early 2023 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC, we’re eager to learn more about Nor, her pet, Enki, who communicates telepathically with her, and the world they inhabit. It will be available via Game Pass on day one too.