Flintlock The Siege of Dawn Review "Buy, Wait for Sale, Deep Sale, Never Touch?"

Flintlock The Siege of Dawn Review: "Buy, Wait for Sale, Deep Sale, Never Touch?"

Flintlock is an upcoming third-person adventure game by A44, the developers behind Ashen. It features a blend of various gaming elements similar to God of War, Atlas Fallen, and Outcast. However, just like its namesake, the game's performance is as reliable as a flintlock gun, which reflects its mix of convoluted Napoleonic mythology and history. Here's an in-depth look into what Flintlock offers and its overall execution.

Gameplay Overview

Flintlock centers around Nor, a warrior fighting back against gods who have returned to the world with their undead legions. Much of the exploration takes place in hub-like locations and includes elements of Dark Souls, such as rest stops for leveling up skills and items. Combat is incentivized with points gained from actions like sliding and hitting enemies, adding to a damage multiplier that can either be banked or risked for greater rewards.

Each location you battle through is unique, spanning grasslands, mountains, deserts, and more. The game also offers fast travel between these locations. Despite this, movement and verticality play a significant role, with platforming sections and various enemies to defeat, including those in sniper spots or leaping from the ground.

Weapons and Skills

Nor wields axes and flintlock guns, the latter useful for stunning enemies in the middle of their moves. These weapons can be upgraded throughout the game. Additionally, Enky, a god-like character who assists you, offers various moves to support you in combat. The game's lock-on mechanic and black powder weapons add layers to the combat, including timed reloads and a parry mechanic.

Economy and Progression

The game's economy involves collecting armor and upgrading it, as well as a clothing system for altering Nor's appearance. Skills for Nor and Enky can be leveled up, and various shops in liberated locations offer new equipment. However, this system can feel somewhat disjointed, with multiple places to handle different upgrades.

Performance and Audio Issues

Performance-wise, Flintlock struggles significantly. It barely hits 50-60 FPS at 4K on a high-end machine without DLSS, and even then, it feels underwhelming graphically for the performance cost. Audio mixing is another glaring issue; the game's sound is poorly balanced, making it hard to determine the direction or distance of sounds.

Voice Acting and Writing

Enky stands out as one of the more interesting characters with calming dialogue in a chaotic world. In contrast, Nor and other traveling companions' voice acting is subpar, further dampened by the audio issues. Unfortunately, the writing and quests are not particularly compelling, often feeling like old MMORPG tasks with little narrative weight.

Fun Factor

Despite its shortcomings, Flintlock has moments of satisfying gameplay, like combo attacks and Enky's special abilities. However, these moments are overshadowed by poor level design and a disjointed world that feels more like random platforming challenges rather than a coherent environment.

Final Verdict

Flintlock tries to blend various successful game elements but ultimately falls short in almost every category. From performance issues to lackluster writing and poor level design, the game doesn't come together as expected. While there are some enjoyable aspects, they are not enough to justify a purchase at full price.

For those considering playing Flintlock, it is advised to wait for a deep sale. The game currently does not justify its price with its present state.

Keywords

• Flintlock
• A44
• Third-Person Adventure
• God of War
• Atlas Fallen
• Dark Souls
• Napoleonic History
• Undead Legions
• Audio Issues
• Performance Problems

FAQ

Q: What is Flintlock about? A: Flintlock is a third-person adventure game where you play as Nor, a warrior fighting against gods who have returned with undead legions.

Q: How is the combat in Flintlock? A: The combat involves axes and flintlock guns with a mix of melee and ranged attacks, leveraging a damage multiplier system. Enky, a god-like character, provides support through special abilities.

Q: Are there any performance issues in Flintlock? A: Yes, the game struggles to maintain a steady framerate, even on high-end systems, and suffers from poorly mixed audio.

Q: How does Flintlock handle progression and skills? A: The game uses an economy of collecting and upgrading armor, clothing systems, and skill points for both Nor and Enky, although the progression systems feel somewhat disjointed.

Q: Should I buy Flintlock now? A: It is recommended to wait for a deep sale due to the game’s numerous performance issues, lackluster writing, and poor level design.