In some ways, Flintlock: Siege of Daybreak lives as much as its namesake. A flintlock s a ravishing weapon but additionally an inconsistent and sometimes unreliable one, simply as probably hit the goal as it’s to overlook or fail fully. As a follow-up to the spectacular Ashen, Flintlock: Siege of Daybreak is A44 making an attempt to enter the double-A gaming market with a cinematic 10-15 hour journey that’s value enjoying due to being on Recreation Move, however struggles to justify itself outdoors of that.
Flintlock’s world and story instantly grabbed my consideration. You play as Nor, a sapper in a world of black powder and knights and trench warfare. A military is presently barely holding off a unending tide of the useless pouring out of a fortress the place a wierd portal has opened up. The world is beneath siege, and primarily based on the deep trenches, sandbags and devastation, it’s apparent this combat has been going continuous for fairly a while. Nor’s father determine has gone on a suicide mission to blow the portal up, so she persuades her commander to let her give chase.
Out there On: Xbox Sequence S/X, PS5, PC
Reviewed On: PC
Developed by: A44
Printed by: Kepler Interactive
Value: $39.99/£34.99
Actually, it’s the world and its large potential that speaks to me essentially the most strongly. Flintlock: The Siege of Daybreak’s combination of black powder weapons, swords, magic, fantasy and extra jogs my memory a bit of of Brian McClellan’s Powder Mage trilogy, a sequence of books the place folks have been in a position to make use of black powder to gas their magic. There are loads of cool components blended on this sport and whereas that may generally result in a barely muddled visible model, it’s a world I feel has oodles of potential for nice storytelling.
Sadly, Flintlock: The Siege of Daybreak’s storytelling isn’t nice. It has its moments, together with some genuinely good interactions between Nor and Enki, however general the plot is barebones and the writing usually journeys over itself. Nor’s hatred of the Gods and her motivation to kill all of them is barely explored, nor are the companions she gathers alongside the way in which, regardless of the sport repeatedly telling us she is near them. Her emotions towards Enki appear to fluctuate wildly between cutscenes and in-game banter, too, which actually doesn’t assist the event of their relationship which needs to be the central pillar of the entire story.
As for Nor, there are a couple of moments the place she shines as a personality, however largely she’s one other forgettable lead character that doesn’t have an efficient or participating arc. And it’s an actual disgrace that A44 by no means performs into her navy function as a sapper, which traditionally is somebody who focuses on issues like demolitions, breaching fortifications and clearing minefields. As a substitute, she’s only a generic soldier who hits issues together with her axe.
The builders describe Flintlock as a “souls-lite” within the sport’s official blurb. It’s straightforward to see why: your sources are misplaced upon dying and should be collected, there are bonfires the place you’ll be able to cease to relaxation (which respawns enemies) and also you actually have a therapeutic flask with restricted makes use of. I admit that once I realised it was taking inspiration from the Souls style, I let loose a sigh and exclaimed “Oh God, not one other one.” In truth although, Flintlock is just a Souls-like within the vaguest of phrases, barely grazing the concept, nearly as if it simply desires to have the ability to lay declare to the time period for advertising causes. The larger hallmarks of the Souls style, akin to problem and depth of builds are lacking fully.
I’d argue Flintlock takes extra inspiration from one thing like the fashionable God of Conflict video games. The over-the-shoulder digital camera, the semi-open environments, the fight and much more remind me of Kratos’ journeys than Darkish Souls or Elden Ring. One other helpful level of comparability is the current Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden which was additionally a double-A sport attempting to punch above its weight.
Nor’s predominant weapon is her axe which she swings with a faucet of the shoulder button, however she will additionally unload her black powder pistol which is the one approach of interrupting enemy assaults once they flash crimson. Getting black powder costs again can solely be finished by smacking the enemy with the axe, for some inexplicable motive, whereas common assaults may be dodged, blocked or parried for those who’re feeling fancy. Enki additionally performs a job in fight by dashing in for fast assaults at your command which builds up a particular meter that stuns foes, leaving them open to an arse-kicking. He can even unleash some God powers to assist flip the tide of battle.
In fact, there’s a bit extra to the fight than what I’m describing, however general it’s a easy preventing system that feels fairly respectable, particularly if you get the dangle of the marginally odd parry timing, however doesn’t develop a lot throughout the sport brief runtime. The final tempo of fights does communicate to that complete Souls-lite factor, encouraging you to wade in for a success or two earlier than backing out once more, and I discovered the concept of interrupting opponents with a black powder blast to the face satisfying. That mentioned, I want the digital camera would pull again a bit of when the sport decides to throw loads of enemies on the display directly, particularly because the fight system doesn’t really feel nice when preventing loads of foes.
There’s an inexpensive quantity of platforming in Flintlock, and to the developer’s credit score, they actually allow you to use Nor’s double-jump and air-dash to get across the environments. However its through the leaps and bounds that Nor’s floaty physics comes into play, giving it a way of weightlessness. It doesn’t assist that generally she’ll bump right into a ledge and switch sideways as a substitute of instantly grabbing on, which does admittedly look hilarious. Typically although, she doesn’t seize on in any respect, which is significantly much less hilarious.
Enki helps out with the platforming by often with the ability to open purple portals within the air which he and Nor can traverse. It’s a cool concept however its main perform is to kind shortcuts and is in any other case hardly ever ever used.
There are loads of hints that Flintlock was meant to be much more formidable than it’s. For instance, there are random villages you’ll be able to enter the place the aim turns into to combat and defeat the chief, at which level the village is freed and all of the folks will magically transfer again in like nothing ever occurred. A espresso store opens up as a reward, supplying you with an additional use of your therapeutic flask, some good new cosmetics and possibly a aspect quest or two. Liberating these cities is form of enjoyable, nevertheless it’s a gameplay mechanic that additionally feels fully separate from the remainder of the sport. It doesn’t actually slot in with anything.
Then there’s Sebo, a coin-based mini-game that Nor can play with random folks she encounters. And I actually do imply random folks – you’ll discover Sebo gamers within the strangest areas, together with in rooms the place you simply worn out a bunch of enemies. I suppose the concept was to imitate the success of Gwent in The Witcher 3 however as a substitute of placing Sebo gamers in smart areas they simply put them wherever. These Sebo gamers are additionally the one NPCs who will truly react to your presence as a result of all the remaining will ignore you and your antics. Even for those who swing your axe in a village, you’ll be able to’t smash something and no one will remark in your poor manners.
In Conclusion…
Like a flintlock pistol, the photographs that Siege of Daybreak fires don’t all the time hit the mark. Its fight is enjoyable however simplistic, its world is gorgeous and huge however has little or no in and is basically static, its story is brimming with potential that it by no means absolutely faucets into, and its platforming is simply too floaty. Every ingredient it brings to the desk wants a extra nice tuning.
Flintlock: The Siege of Daybreak isn’t a nasty sport, nevertheless it does really feel extra like a proof-of-concept for a significantly better concept, which is why I’d like to see a sequel, though the early participant numbers make me anxious that it’ll by no means occur. Given the ending, it looks like A44 are intending on there being extra to this world.
If in case you have Recreation Move it’s completely value checking it out. On a private degree, I truly had loads of enjoyable with it, however on a extra important degree, the entire sport wanted extra time within the oven.
