In some ways, Flintlock: Siege of Daybreak lives as much as its namesake. A flintlock s a phenomenal weapon but in addition 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 trying to enter the double-A gaming market with a cinematic 10-15 hour journey that’s price enjoying due to being on Sport Cross, however struggles to justify itself exterior 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 at the moment barely holding off a endless tide of the lifeless pouring out of a fortress the place an odd portal has opened up. The world is beneath siege, and primarily based on the deep trenches, sandbags and devastation, it’s apparent this struggle 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.
Accessible On: Xbox Collection 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 huge potential that speaks to me probably the most strongly. Flintlock: The Siege of Daybreak’s combination of black powder weapons, swords, magic, fantasy and extra jogs my memory slightly of Brian McClellan’s Powder Mage trilogy, a sequence of books the place individuals have been ready to make use of black powder to gas their magic. There are loads of cool parts combined on this sport and whereas that may typically result in a barely muddled visible type, 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 just a few moments the place she shines as a personality, however largely she’s one other forgettable lead character that doesn’t have an efficient or partaking arc. And it’s an actual disgrace that A44 by no means performs into her navy position as a sapper, which traditionally is somebody who focuses on issues like demolitions, breaching fortifications and clearing minefields. As an alternative, she’s only a generic soldier who hits issues along with her axe.
The builders describe Flintlock as a “souls-lite” within the sport’s official blurb. It’s straightforward to see why: your assets are misplaced upon dying and have to be collected, there are bonfires the place you may cease to relaxation (which respawns enemies) and also you actually have a therapeutic flask with restricted makes use of. I admit that after I realised it was taking inspiration from the Souls style, I let loose a sigh and exclaimed “Oh God, not one other one.” Honestly although, Flintlock is simply a Souls-like within the vaguest of phrases, barely grazing the thought, nearly as if it simply needs to have the ability to lay declare to the time period for advertising causes. The larger hallmarks of the Souls style, resembling issue and depth of builds are lacking totally.
I’d argue Flintlock takes extra inspiration from one thing like the trendy God of Struggle 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 making an attempt to punch above its weight.
Nor’s primary weapon is her axe which she swings with a faucet of the shoulder button, however she will be able to additionally unload her black powder pistol which is the one approach of interrupting enemy assaults once they flash crimson. Getting black powder prices again can solely be achieved by smacking the enemy with the axe, for some inexplicable purpose, whereas common assaults could be dodged, blocked or parried when you’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 may 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 combating system that feels fairly respectable, particularly whenever you get the grasp of the marginally odd parry timing, however doesn’t develop a lot throughout the sport quick runtime. The overall tempo of fights does communicate to that entire Souls-lite factor, encouraging you to wade in for successful or two earlier than backing out once more, and I discovered the thought of interrupting opponents with a black powder blast to the face satisfying. That stated, I want the digital camera would pull again slightly when the sport decides to throw loads of enemies on the display screen directly, particularly for the reason that fight system doesn’t really feel nice when combating 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 typically she’ll bump right into a ledge and switch sideways as a substitute of instantly grabbing on, which does admittedly look hilarious. Generally although, she doesn’t seize on in any respect, which is significantly much less hilarious.
Enki helps out with the platforming by often having 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 type shortcuts and is in any other case hardly ever ever used.
There are loads of hints that Flintlock was supposed to be much more bold than it’s. For instance, there are random villages you may enter the place the aim turns into to struggle and defeat the chief, at which level the village is freed and all of the individuals 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 sort of enjoyable, but it surely’s a gameplay mechanic that additionally feels totally 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 individuals she encounters. And I actually do imply random individuals – you’ll discover Sebo gamers within the strangest places, together with in rooms the place you simply worn out a bunch of enemies. I assume the thought was to imitate the success of Gwent in The Witcher 3 however as a substitute of placing Sebo gamers in wise places 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 remainder will ignore you and your antics. Even when you swing your axe in a village, you may’t smash something and no person will remark in your poor manners.
In Conclusion…
Like a flintlock pistol, the pictures that Siege of Daybreak fires don’t at all times 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 totally faucets into, and its platforming is simply too floaty. Every component it brings to the desk wants a extra fantastic tuning.
Flintlock: The Siege of Daybreak isn’t a nasty sport, but it surely 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’s going to by no means occur. Given the ending, it looks like A44 are intending on there being extra to this world.
In case you have Sport Cross it’s completely price 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.
