Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Xbox Series X Review

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Xbox Series X Review – A Soulslike Adventure for All

I have to admit, Soulslike games typically aren’t my thing. While I appreciate their design and ambition, I often find myself overwhelmed by the difficulty, causing me to bow out early. Thankfully, some developers make these tough mechanics more accessible, offering players like me a chance to push forward. Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, from Ashen developer A44 Games, is one such game.

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn immerses you in a Flintlock fantasy world, where you step into the role of Nor Vanek, an elite warrior of the Coalition Army. Her mission is to confront the gods and defeat the undead army that has escaped from the Great Below. She’s joined by Enki, a talking, fox-like creature, who adds some extra personality to the adventure, particularly with his interactions with Nor. I find the plot and the world the developers have built to be both ambitious and commendable.

On the game’s default difficulty, even regular enemies can take you down in just one or two hits if you’re not careful, staying true to the Soulslike formula. However, the combat remains fun and accessible, skilfully blending the use of an axe and a flintlock pistol. The axe takes centre stage, while the pistol is a great support weapon—ammo must be reloaded through melee attacks, and the pistol’s shots are also perfect for interrupting enemy moves. You can also make use of rifles, block, parry, and dodge roll, but there’s even more depth to the combat. Read on.

Enki plays a vital role in combat, offering invaluable support. He can curse enemies, allowing your attacks to fill a purple meter that, once full, stuns the enemies and opens them up to even more damage. Enki also has his own powerful abilities, which can be unleashed by charging a special meter, making him a key part of your offensive strategy.

Reputation in the game is linked to your combat performance, but it’s only earned when you choose to. You can either cash it in early or gamble for larger multiplier bonuses, creating a clever risk-versus-reward system, with one hit being enough to completely reset it. Reputation is crucial, as it’s used to upgrade both Nor and Enki through the game’s skill trees, enhance weapons and armour, and purchase new outfits for Nor. This system adds an extra layer of strategy to progression.

In terms of difficulty, I’ve already mentioned the push-your-luck reputation mechanic, which adds depth and strategy to combat. However, if you find the challenge too steep, you can always switch to the story difficulty, which is much easier. The trade-off is that playing on this mode prevents you from earning achievements, and you’ll need to restart the game from the beginning on normal difficulty or higher to earn achievements again. Additionally, the game offers an option to enable infinite health, making it highly accessible. Despite this, it still retains enough skill-based depth (as well as a tougher ‘possessed’ difficulty level) to keep things engaging enough for more seasoned players.

I absolutely love the dark fantasy world, and exploring it is a joy. Nor has the ability to double jump and dash through the air thanks to Enki’s magic, and when you activate skulls, you can quickly soar between portals, which is a blast and, in some cases, serves as a handy shortcut after being defeated. Your journey takes you through lush forests and rugged mountains, as well as towns under siege. Defeating the enemy leader in these towns (or hamlets) restores it to its citizens, reopening its coffee shop, gifting you with an extra health potion, and potentially unlocking new side missions.

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Xbox Series X Review Summary:

In conclusion, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn offers a captivating blend of accessible combat and rich world-building, striking a fine balance between challenge and approachability. With its dynamic combat mechanics, engaging risk-reward systems, and rewarding exploration, the game ensures that both casual players and Soulslike veterans will find something to enjoy across its 10-15 hour duration. Whether you’re taking down powerful enemies alongside Enki or traversing the diverse environments, Flintlock delivers an experience that feels fresh yet familiar. For those seeking a Soulslike adventure with more flexibility, this game is a worthy contender.