Flintlock The Siege of Dawn is a weird one. Honestly, it’s a game that feels like it’s constantly fighting against its own shadow. Developed by A44 Games—the same crew that gave us the moody, minimalist Ashen—this title was supposed to be the "Souls-lite" that bridged the gap between hardcore masochism and God of War-style spectacle. It’s got gods. It’s got guns. It’s got a teleporting fox-god named Enki who basically acts as your magical battery pack.
But when it launched, the internet didn't quite know what to make of it. Some people called it a masterpiece of movement. Others felt it was a bit too "AA" for its own good. You've probably seen the mixed reviews by now. The truth is somewhere in the middle. It’s a game of high highs and some frustratingly jagged lows.
It’s not trying to be Dark Souls. Not really. If you go in expecting that specific brand of methodical, slow-burn misery, you’re going to be disappointed. Flintlock is fast. It’s twitchy. It’s about gunpowder and grit.
The Rhythm of Gunpowder and Steel
The core loop of Flintlock The Siege of Dawn is built on a specific tension: the balance between Nor’s axe and her pistol. It’s a rhythmic dance. You don't just mash buttons. If you do, the armored undead will turn you into paste within seconds.
The game uses a "reputation" system that acts as a score multiplier. The longer you fight without getting hit, the higher your multiplier goes. But here’s the kicker—you have to "cash out" to actually get those points. If you take a single hit before you bank them, the bonus is gone. It’s gambling. Pure and simple. It adds a layer of genuine anxiety to every encounter that most RPGs lack.
Most games let you hoard XP. Flintlock makes you earn it, then makes you sweat to keep it.
Enki, your companion, is the secret sauce here. He isn't just a pet. He’s a tactical tool. You send him out to "prime" enemies, filling a gauge that eventually lets you perform a critical strike that bypasses armor. It’s a bit like the posture system in Sekiro, but messier. More chaotic. When you’re flying through the air using gunpowder jumps to close the gap on a sniper while Enki distracts a heavy-hitter below, the game feels incredible.
But then there are the invisible walls.
Sometimes you’ll try to jump over a waist-high fence and the game just says "no." It’s these little moments where the budget shows. You’re playing a game that wants you to feel like a god-slayer, but occasionally reminds you that you’re just a character in a digital box. It’s jarring.
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What People Get Wrong About the Difficulty
There’s this weird narrative that Flintlock The Siege of Dawn is "easy" because it has difficulty sliders. That’s a fundamental misunderstanding of what A44 was trying to do. They weren't making a game for the "git gud" crowd exclusively. They were trying to capture the feeling of a Souls-like without the soul-crushing barrier to entry.
On the higher settings, the parry windows are tight. Really tight.
If you mess up a shot, you’re stuck in a reload animation that might as well be a death sentence. The bosses, especially the early ones like Rammuha, require genuine pattern recognition. You can’t just face-tank your way through. You have to learn the tell—the subtle shift in weight before a lunge, the glow of an unblockable attack.
- The pistol isn't for damage; it's for interruption.
- Enki’s magic is your primary defensive layer.
- Verticality is a weapon, not just a traversal mechanic.
A44 Games focused heavily on the concept of "flintpunk." It’s a cool aesthetic. It blends the Napoleonic era—think muskets, bayonets, and tricorn hats—with high fantasy deities. It looks unique. The world of Kian feels lived-in, but it’s a world on its last legs. The Doors to the Afterlife have been opened, and the Old Gods have marched out with their armies of the dead.
It’s a grim premise. Yet, the game is surprisingly colorful. You aren't just trekking through gray swamps. There are sprawling deserts, lush greenery, and ruined cities that look like they belong in a travel brochure for the apocalypse.
The Identity Crisis
Is it an open-world game? No. Is it linear? Not exactly.
Flintlock The Siege of Dawn lives in that "wide-linear" space. You have hubs, side quests, and coffee-shop conversations (well, campsites and Sebo games). Sebo is the in-game coin-tossing strategy game. It’s surprisingly addictive. I spent way too much time hunting down NPCs just to beat them at a fictional board game while the world was literally ending.
This brings us to the biggest critique: the writing.
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Nor and Enki have a "buddy cop" dynamic that sometimes hits and sometimes misses. Enki is ancient, cynical, and arrogant. Nor is a soldier—pragmatic and weary. Their banter is meant to ground the stakes, but occasionally it feels like they’re talking past each other. You don't get the deep environmental storytelling of a FromSoftware title where a single item description tells a thousand-year history. Here, the lore is often delivered via dialogue. It's more direct. Some people prefer that. Others find it a bit too "Marvel-fied."
The combat remains the star.
When you unlock the higher-tier powder skills, you can chain together movements that feel like something out of an anime. You can dodge in mid-air, blast a hole through a shield, and then use Enki to teleport behind the enemy for a finishing blow. It’s fast. It’s kinetic. It’s why people keep playing despite the occasional technical hiccup.
Technical Realities and the AA Space
Let’s be real for a second. Flintlock was a Day One Game Pass title. That shaped its reception significantly. For many, it was a "free" game to try, which led to a massive influx of players who might never have touched a Souls-lite otherwise. This is both a blessing and a curse.
The budget limitations are most obvious in the NPC animations. Faces can look a bit stiff. Sometimes the lip-syncing is a suggestion rather than a rule. In a post-Cyberpunk or Last of Us world, players have been conditioned to expect cinematic perfection. Flintlock doesn't have that. It has heart, and it has great mechanics, but it doesn't have the $200 million polish of a Sony first-party title.
Does that matter?
If you’re someone who cares about the "feel" of a parry and the satisfaction of a well-timed dodge, then no. If you’re looking for a 60-hour cinematic epic with motion-captured tears, you’re in the wrong place. Flintlock is a 15-to-20-hour experience. It’s tight. It doesn't overstay its welcome.
Navigating the World of Kian
The game is divided into several major zones. Each one introduces new traversal mechanics that utilize Enki’s powers. You’ll find these "rifts" in the air that allow you to sling yourself across chasms. It’s essentially a grappling hook but cooler because it involves a shadow god.
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- Dawn: The opening area, sets the tone and introduces the basics of flintlock combat.
- Wanderer's Rest: A massive desert hub where the scale of the game really opens up.
- The City of Sibylla: This is where the verticality shines, forcing you to fight on rooftops and narrow bridges.
The level design is clever. It often loops back on itself, rewarding you for exploring with shortcuts or hidden "ancestor shrines" that buff your health. It encourages you to poke around the corners. Usually, there’s a mini-boss or a unique piece of gear waiting for you.
The gear system is also surprisingly deep. You aren't just finding "Sword +1." You’re finding axes that ignite enemies on the third hit or helmets that increase your powder charge when you perform a perfect parry. You can build Nor to be a glass cannon who relies on explosives, or a tanky brawler who focuses on Enki’s magic.
Actionable Tips for New Players
If you’re just starting your run in Flintlock The Siege of Dawn, don't play it like a traditional RPG. You need to be aggressive. This isn't a game for turtles.
Prioritize the "Poised Shot." This skill allows you to interrupt almost any enemy attack with a well-timed bullet. It’s the single most important tool in your arsenal for handling bosses.
Don't ignore Sebo. Winning games of Sebo gives you reputation, but more importantly, it unlocks tokens that can make future games easier. It’s a great way to decompress between stressful combat encounters.
Bank your reputation early. It’s tempting to try and hit a 100% bonus, but losing 5,000 reputation points because a stray dog bit you is soul-crushing. Bank it when you have enough for your next upgrade.
Exploit Enki’s "Curse." When an enemy is fully cursed by Enki, your next physical attack does massive armor damage. Use this on the "Knights" specifically. Their armor is annoying, but Enki makes it paper-thin.
Ultimately, Flintlock The Siege of Dawn is a game that rewards curiosity and aggression. It has flaws—the platforming can be finicky and the story is somewhat predictable—but the combat system is a genuine breath of fresh air in a genre that often feels stagnant. It’s a bold attempt at something different.
To get the most out of your time in Kian, focus on mastering the air-dash mechanics early. The game changes completely once you realize that the ground is optional. Look for the purple glowing rifts in the environment; they often lead to the best gear upgrades. Stop trying to play it like a slow-paced dungeon crawler and start playing it like a high-speed action game. That’s when Flintlock finally clicks.