Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Reviews
With a ton of superior Soulslikes out there, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn simply feels unnecessary. It's the sort of game that seems like it was made to be Game Pass filler but even then, there are dozens upon dozens of better games available for the service. đź’Ą
Killing Gods in the magical world of Kian sounds appealing on paper, but the needless Soulslike elements and uninspired gameplay drain the life out of an otherwise promising premise.
By the time we rolled credits, that was the prevailing feeling we were left with. While we found more enjoyment in the latter two thirds of Flintlock than in the initial intro and opening area, we couldn't help but feel let down by Flintlock in almost every way.
Despite a dazzling art direction and one killer new hook for the Souls-adjacent combat loop, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn struggles under the weight of unnecessary RPG systems and an overarching lack of refinement to its many ideas.
Flintlock comes along with good ideas and an exciting premise, but in the end it turns out to be a half-baked Soulslite attempt.
Review in German | Read full review
After a thorough 25 hours with Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, I’m left torn on what winds up landing as a run-of-the-mill Soulslike. Ideas like its combo system make for a fresh spin on a well-trodden genre, showing a spark of creativity in design. Those are just held back by other underdeveloped ideas that don’t necessarily excel in a particular facet. An added layer of jank certainly doesn’t help matters either. Whether you think of Flintlock as a true Soulslike or a Soulslite, as its developer calls it, it’s still lacking in both departments.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is by no means a bad game, but in a sea of other Souls copycats, this one does very little to stand out. Put into the perspective of its multiple delays and overall unpolish, it's clear that this is an easy skip to play better options out there. Or at least wait until it's heavily discounted…
A game that lacks sense of direction, with an exposition as bland as its gameplay. On paper, some things could have been interesting but when you actual play the game they feel disconnected.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A serviceable slice of Soulslike fantasy that doesn't do enough to stand out from an overcrowded genre.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is a fun and well-put together action-RPG, with a trope filled story. It isn't going to blow anyone's socks off, but this small adventure has just enough going for it and a short enough runtime that makes it worth diving into, especially for people that love focused and methodical combat.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is an excellent start to what could be a very popular franchise for A44 Games. While the narrative is lackluster and borderline dull, the combat, exploration, and art direction are all top-notch and help to make what could have been another Dark Souls imitator stand out from the crowd. There's a lot to love about it, especially for those who've been put off the Soulslike genre and want to finally dip their toes in with an accessible, fun starting point - though veterans of the genre may want to be wary of what could be another Steelrising difficulty level experience.
It’s still a serviceable enough story to keep you invested until the credits roll though, and while some twists and turns may not be as impactful as you’d like them to be, Flintlock is still definitely worth playing for its combat and focus on exploration. I had a blast, and while it’s not as polished as other soulslikes, it deserves to sit up there with the likes of Nioh and Lies of P as valiant attempts that just fall short of FromSoftware’s masterpieces.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn ends up getting lost in its concepts. The more agile vertical movement and combat alternatives are a positive point, but the lack of a more robust upgrade system and, mainly, bosses that reward the player make the game a confusing mix of ideas.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Setting an invasion of the undead, led by a ruthless pantheon, in an American Civil War context could be a good enough reason on its own to give Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn a chance. But if you add to this a gameplay that, although clearly inspired by its more famous counterparts, manages to present a handful of truly interesting ideas, then there are no real reasons not to try A44 Games' production at least once.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is a more "layered" experience with a clear beginning, middle and end, no endgame and very limited grind. And ultimately, for that very reason - despite its missteps - it achieves what it sets out to do.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is a rough but original take on Souls-like ARPGs.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is an approachable action RPG with satisfying combat but a narrative that unfortunately left little impression on me. While combat itself is enjoyable, battle variety is somewhat lacking, quests feel typical, and the narrative is forgettable.
A well designed game with satisfying mechanics that is brought down by performance issues and some lack in enemy variety.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is a sublime semi-open world that champions quality over quantity, but unrefined combat puts a damper on A44's original gunpowder fantasy.
Flintlock is an explosive Soulslite that throws lots of weapons your way. The pacing may not be great, but that can be looked over thanks to the gameplay itself.