Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn review: Keep your powder dry

It’s difficult for a game inspired by Dark Souls to be original and separate itself from the pack, but Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn manages to find its own lane. This may not be too surprising, since this isn’t the first time A44 Games has developed a Souls-lite, with its critically-acclaimed Ashen released back in December 2019. But for this indie studio from New Zealand, Flintlock is a far riskier endeavor as an expansive action RPG that tries to hit above its weight class. Fortunately, though the story and the world lore could have been more grounded, the game introduces enough elements to create an approachable Souls-lite with challenging combat and intriguing environments.

Jumping the gun

At its root, Flintlock is about a last-ditch effort that goes horribly wrong. Nor Vanek, an elite soldier who wields a sturdy axe in one hand and a black powder pistol in the other, has been killing the seemingly unending hordes of undead that have spread throughout the city of Dawn for the last ten years. In the prologue, she and the other Sappers in the Coalition army reach and destroy the Door to the Great Below after a battle against a gigantic guardian beast. However, the concussive blast knocks her unconscious into a river, and unbeknownst to her, the door’s destruction has only allowed other gods to escape, bringing the undead with them to the surface. Nor’s only hope, against her better judgment, is to join forces with a strange, fox-like entity called Enki who can aid her in destroying the gods once and for all.

Combining flintlock fantasy with otherworldly gods, the game’s world is creative and out of the ordinary, though the story misses a few opportunities to build off its lore. Much of this is due to a rushed opening that puts players right into the action without much breathing room to understand the world of Kian. There’s the city of Dawn, a Door to the Great Below, the Coalition, black powder firearms, a pantheon of gods, and a squad of five Sappers who are introduced as quickly as they are left behind. And that’s all in the first twenty minutes. A codex or journal of the major characters, creatures, and environments would have been helpful here. Also, several scenes that show what Dawn looked like before the undead apocalypse or the extent of what Nor lost during a decade of war would have grounded her motivations and made her more relatable.

On a better note, the narrative wisely focuses on the relationship between Nor and Enki, who is predictably more than just a magical fox. Where Nor pretty much remains a badass warrior from start to finish, much of the character development comes from Enki and his redemptive arc. The tension between the pair helps the story hit its stride by the second act, particularly after Nor is able to find some of the missing Sappers and complete a few personal quests for them. While the story could have leaned more into the conflict between man's black-powder technology and the divine power of the gods, the build toward the climax is satisfying. However, the open-ended finale is needlessly abrupt and unfinished, as if it desperately calls out for some expansion or sequel to fill in the gaps.

Outfoxed

As for combat, Flintlock is a more accessible version of Dark Souls with a couple of notable twists. In general, players who are able to complete any of the games in the FromSoftware series should feel comfortable here on the Normal or Possessed difficulty setting. Many of the core fundamentals from Dark Souls apply in Flintlock, like pulling enemies from a distance, knowing when to drink a health potion, and circle-strafing around opponents while dodging or parrying attacks. Saving at a campfire or lodestone respawns enemies on the map while restoring health and resources. While the over-the-shoulder camera angle may be an adjustment, not needing to worry about stamina and having unblockable attacks marked red make fights simpler by comparison.

On top of that, Nor has a wide arsenal of techniques and weapons that turn her into a one-woman wrecking crew. Her standard pistol is great for long-range attacks and uses a resource called powder charges, which refill with successful melee attacks. Later, she gains access to secondary firearms with limited ammo, various elemental grenades, and armor pieces that provide special enhancements. Nor can also fire at any loose explosive barrels in the environment for extra damage, though this occasionally makes it tough to lock on the right target.

More importantly, Enki gives Nor the ability to double jump, granting her mobility over most enemies, and access to powerful Withering spells that act as ultimates that can clear groups in an instant. The fox god can also inflict priming damage on foes, marking them for death. This fills a gauge that, when complete, makes enemies open to a critical attack that either strips away its armor or injures them greatly.

Staking your reputation

Similar to souls as a currency, Nor collects reputation in an interesting way as she kills enemies and completes quests. A reputation multiplier builds as Nor performs a string of cool moves without getting hit, and this multiplier can be banked when the player believes the risk isn't worth the reward. Effectively, this mechanic makes grinding faster and rewards strategic combat. Reputation is spent mainly on purchasing skills and equipment upgrades, so it’s best to spend reputation instead of potentially losing it all by dying and not being able to retrieve Nor’s fallen body. That said, gaining skills is a higher priority since they improve Nor’s overall damage and some skills improve every build no matter the equipment you choose, like being able to perform charged attacks and increasing resource regeneration.

By the end of the 20-hour campaign, I created a keepaway build that focused on Nor dodging and maintaining distance, using firearms and Enki’s priming ability for damage. I fully upgraded an axe with burning effects and used a helmet that restored powder charges every time I used Enki’s regular attack. Some bosses and enemy clusters took a handful of attempts to defeat, but after learning their tricks and attack patterns, they all fell in due time.

Making a clean sweep

In addition to the city of Dawn in the prologue, Flintlock features two main areas, Three Peaks and Wanderer’s Rest, that provide a fair amount of side activities. While the main path through each map is fairly linear, there are many alternate paths worth the investigation. Exploring the nooks and crannies of the environment typically leads to resources for upgrades, treasure chests, health-boosting Inaya shrines, and lost feathers that increase Enki’s level. Both areas feature a lot of verticality too, inviting Nor to reach ridges off in the distance with a double jump and climb rooftops to gain a height advantage. In particular, finding a magic skull gives Enki the ability to send Nor through triangular rifts that help her traverse large gaps with ease and open shortcuts to prior areas. 

After rescuing a hamlet or camp by defeating an enemy leader, a coffee shop is unlocked with a host inside who provides several benefits. In addition to giving an additional health flask, the host shares rumors of side quests that Nor has yet to stumble upon. The shop offers options for cosmetics too, but since these items cost reputation, it’s difficult to choose them over skills and equipment upgrades. There’s also Sabo, an interesting coin-based mini-game that Nor can play to earn reputation, though it’s not integrated into the game well. Many Sabo players are found in random places, and the rewards for completing the mini-game are paltry when it’s faster to grind out reputation through combat instead.

No rest till Dawn

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is a breath of fresh air when it comes to the Souls-lite genre. The challenging combat, unusual lore, and well-crafted environments blend the new with the old in an original way. While the gameplay could be more refined, the game succeeds in making the genre more accessible. The story is rather quick on the draw at the start and the ending trails off suddenly, but the relationship between Nor and Enki is enough to carry the bulk of the narrative. As a first entry, Flintlock is off to a solid start, and I look forward to having more adventures with this unlikely pair.

This review is based on a PC code provided by the publisher. The game is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Windows Store.

Nick Tan

Contributing Editor

Once upon a time, Nick's parents confiscated his Super Nintendo because he was "playing it too much." He has secretly sworn revenge ever since. Nick is now a freelance writer for various video game sites. Powered by iced green tea, he typically plays RPGs of all kinds like Shin Megami Tensei, Elder Scrolls, and Fallout. In his spare time, he follows the latest season of Critical Role.