Xbox Games Showcase featured over 30 games during its nearly two-hour-long presentation. Among heavyweights like the new Dragon Age game or Black Ops 6, viewers also witness the latest offering from the developer, A44 Games. Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn found its way to screen in a plethora of titles, and it looks like a unique blend of familiar elements from Forspoken and Banishers.
This isn’t A44 Games’s first soulslike, following their previous title Ashen, but unlike the previous title, this one is a promising mix of spellcasting combat, a vivid world, and a protagonist with a rifle.
Xbox Games Showcase Reveals A New Soulslike With Forspoken’s Magic and Banishers’ Guns
The Siege of Dawn is not your average soulslike. Instead of grim, atmospheric, doomy landscapes of familiar souls-like titles such as Lies of P or Elden Ring, the latest game from A44 Games comes with a vibrant, colorful world. Players will traverse environments reminiscent of New Zealand’s South Island, bazaars with a Turshish flair, and even deserts with strange, magical crystals.
What is grim is the lore. The once-peaceful world of Kian is under siege by old gods who have sent undead armies to the world. The player takes on the role of Nor Vanek, a skilled firearm user whose mission is to reclaim peace on Kian, and on her journey is joined by a mysterious fox companion named Enki. Enki has magical abilities that help players on their journey.
The game trailer showed that the combat is rather complex and depends on combos just like in other soulslike games. However, instead of focusing on just one weapon, Nor can use firearms, magic, and melee weapons. This sets the game apart from other similar titles, but it will certainly draw both delight and frustration in players.
The Showcase trailer revealed the game is set for release on July 18. It will be available on all current-gen consoles and PC and will be available on Game Pass on day one.
Flintlock Takes Worldbuilding to a New Level
The game isn’t afraid to forge its own path, though it takes inspiration from other games but its worldbuilding is at a whole new level. The developers at A44 Games wanted to venture into a less explored concept in video games, known as flintlock fantasy, which is more seen in books.
The developers recognized this as an opportunity, something art director Robert Bruce called an “untapped subgenre of fantasy.” For inspiration, they looked to the aesthetics of the Napoleonic era and mixed it with the landscapes and wildlife of New Zealand.
Even the gods that plague Kian are an homage to the deities of Mesopotamia. Just because of this bold and brave approach to the soulslike genre, this game deserves a chance.
The game had a bumpy road since announced in 2022, but with the release date a month away, the hype is strong. Will you be using a firearm and casting spells in Kian? Let us know in the comments.
