Is Flintlock The Siege of Dawn going to be the next big souls-like game after Lies of P?

Flintlock The Siege of Dawn has a very unique premise for a souls-like title, in terms of its narrative as well as gameplay. Developed by A44 Games, the studio behind Ashen (another unique take on the traditional souls-like genre), Flintlock is much more action-focused than the average "Souls-borne" experience in both AAA as well as AA landscapes.

While the game was revealed in 2022, it got a confirmed release date only recently, following a rather tumultuous development cycle. However, Flintlock's gameplay trailers, as well as the recently released demo, show the potential for it to be the next big souls-like title, after the likes of Elden Ring and Lies of P.

Although it's a bit too early to call Flintlock The Siege of Dawn another souls-like smash hit or even contrast it against other prominent souls-like juggernauts, the game does feature enough unique ideas to potentially become one of the classics of the genre, not only due to its combat system but also its unique setting.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author's opinions.

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Flintlock The Siege of Dawn does have the potential to become one of the souls-like classics, but how does it stack against Lies of P?

On many levels, Flintlock The Siege of Dawn feels more akin to Sekiro Shadows Die Twice than Dark Souls. This is the same sentiment that I had before getting my hands on Lies of P. However, where Lies of P seems to embody the traditional RPG progression system, Flintlock seems to have ditched that.

Instead of a linear, stat-based leveling system, Flintlock features a skill tree with distinct active and passive perks that have a more direct effect on the combat system. While Lies of P relegated active combat skills to the weapons and the Legion Arms, Flintlock gives you a fleshed-out skill tree, independent of the weapons.

Both systems have their merits and shortcomings, but as an action RPG, I feel Flintlock The Siege of Dawn does feature a more robust set of options that allows for some cool playstyles that are not possible in Lies of P. However, on the other hand, Lies of P gives players much more agency on individual stats.

What makes a souls-like engaging and worthwhile is the combat system. And judging from the game's extended gameplay trailers as well as my first-hand experience with the recently released demo, I think Flintlock The Siege of Dawn's combat is quite good, albeit with a few minor issues.

The combat, at least in the demo, feels a bit lacking in terms of variety. But I think that won't be much of an issue once we get our hands on the full game and unlock a few end-game skills. I really liked the inclusion of Enki, a god-like being that gives you access to supernatural abilities like double jump and ground slam.

The demo didn't allow for too much experimentation, but from what I played so far, Enki's skills seem to be quite in-depth and can add a lot of punch and well-needed variety to the gameplay, since they can be chained into the regular attacks you have access to. Lastly, I also found myself quite intrigued by Flintlock' The Siege of Dawn's premise.

Souls-like games are primarily known for combat and their in-depth RPG systems, but the story/lore is also a crucial aspect of these experiences. Flintlock's approach to storytelling reminded me of one of my favorite souls-like RPGs, Remnant 2, which expertly mixes traditional fantasy with steampunk elements.

The first couple of hours of Flintlock The Siege of Dawn are very story-heavy, which is rare in souls-likes. That's not a negative per se, since the story segments here are very well-paced and feature an intriguing cast of characters. I'm quite excited to get my hands on the full game when it releases on July 18, 2024, not only for the gameplay but also for the story.