Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn wants to be a more approachable, cinematic soulslike

Despite being enamoured by what Souls games offer, I’ve never been one to dedicate the time and effort required to learn their intricacies. For Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn’s development team over at A44, they want to capture the fun and grit of a Soulslike while also trying to make it approachable for people like me.

During my brief look at the game, I’m told that it lies somewhere between the Souls series and modern-day God of War and while that wasn’t immediately obvious to me, I start to see it. Flintlock blends theatrical, twirling attacks and grand cinematics with strategic fights that require spacial awareness and trial-and-error to nail. The team has come a long way since its predecessor Ashen—I watch as protagonist Nor and her furry companion Enki scramble across platforms scattered across pretty environments, a blend of the medieval and magical. Nor brandishes her axe, swinging with weighty force, weaving in her gun attack as she whips it off her back to shoot the stumbling enemy. It looks like it flows lovely, and A44 says that the way you go about tackling each enemy matters. Getting an axe kill will net you bullets for your gun, which you can then use to kill baddies for extra armor.