Kepler Interactive
If you follow video game , you in all likelihood know what a “ Soulslike ” is at this point . The condition , used to describe military action RPGs that pull in big inspiration from punishing titles like Dark Souls , has spawn a democratic subgenre whose influence can be seen in secret plan large and small . Now , we may be experience a young sport of that writing style thanks toFlintlock : The Siege of Dawn .
Get ready for the Soulslite .
Kepler Interactive
The term popped up at GDC 2024 , where developer A44 Games gave me a deep look atFlintlock : The Siege of Dawn . The hands - off demonstration featured many panorama you ’d expect to see in any FromSoftware - inspired game . I saw challenging scrap , scores of parrying , and a multi - armed boss wielding a few too many brand at once . But A44 Games is n’t trying to frighten away off players who get hold the challenging music genre too intimidating . That ’s where the Soulslite stigmatisation derive in .
The birth of the Soulslite
firelock : The Siege of Dawnis an wide - elongate action RPG in which hero Nor Vanek is on a seeking to take down an regular army of the dead and some Gods . She set out on that quest with an axe in one mitt and a shooting iron in the other . Bloodbornecomes to mind as I start to see the combat in action , as Nor use her pistol to disrupt winding attacks in between heavy axe slices . But the difference start to add up fast .
What forthwith stands out is that I ’m not attend at a dour and dreary world like I ’ve come to expect in titles likeThe Lords of the Fallen . Instead , I ’m often looking at Lord’s Day - hit it up comeuppance and lively towns . Even armed combat is meretricious and colorful , with splashes of vibrant magic paint the surround . A developer on mitt noted that the New Zealand - inspired art style was a conscious selection to helpFlintlockbetter resist out in a grim and crowded genre .
That lightness is n’t just present in the art , but in scrap too . WhileFlintlockstill has all the basics of the Soulslike genre , its tempo seems much close to a traditional action RPG . Fights are truehearted and more furious . That ’s largely thanks to its most eye - catching feature : its cinematic glorification kill .
As players combat , they build up energy on a bar . When that ’s filled , it can be pass to ransack a number of armor off an enemy . If they have no armor left , that action at law becomes a brutal finishing maneuver that almost seems indebted to those in the Batman Arkham serial . I ’d see lots of those during my demo as Nor flung enemies to the ground and blasted them to pieces or stylishly cut them down with her axe . The camera moves a chip to emphasize that legal action , momently swooping to catch it at a originative angle before returning to its standard third - individual side . That have fights feel more smooth and dynamical than your typical Souls game .
That ’s further emphasise by a combo system , something that really makesFlintlockfeel like a quicker legal action game . Reputation is the main currency here and it is earned by defeating enemies — and dropped when Nor dies . Rather than just give players a chunk of repute when they pop an enemy , a greater amount is doled out through a combo meter . Using more singular moves will raise that multiplier , encouraging players to use their entire toolset rather than spamming one attack . It ’s a voguish bit of risk - reward pattern that seems like it ’ll keep players push the advantage rather than cowering from foe .
When discussing how its combat differs from other Soulslike games , a developer from A44 Games uses a saltation doctrine of analogy . He note that enemies be given to “ lead the dance ” in agame likeDark Souls . They set the pace , and musician have to react to their attack . Flintlockreverses that , lay player in the lead side . Between slashing , shooting , and command Nor ’s mystical brother Enki , who can help out in conflict , players have a batch of shipway to take charge .
That theme has me far more intrigued byFlintlockthan many of its contemporary . Based on what I ’ve seen , it ’s looking like an action RPG for those who desire the challenge ofDark Soulsbut the fast pace of something likeFinal Fantasy VII Rebirth . It does n’t depend like it ’s pull any punches either ; I see a massive boss slash the demoist into pieces with a grim onrush of strikes . It may be a “ Soulslite , ” but it ’ll still wipe the trading floor with you if you ’re not careful .
firelock : The Siege of Dawnis set to establish this summertime on PS5 , Xbox Series X / S , and PC .
