Summary
The Soulslike genre has developed a plethora of traditions and staples over the last decade or so. Many of these staple features can trace their roots back to genre pioneers likeDemon’s SoulsandDark Souls, and many have stayed largely the same over the years, albeit with a few tweaks and improvements made along the way.Flintlock: The Siege of Dawnembraces many of these Soulslike traditions and staples, but it isn’t afraid of adding its own unique flair to them.
From combat to bosses to level design,Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn’s Soulslike inspirations are clear, but at every turn, it leaves its mark on the quickly-evolving genre. This is particularly evident inFlintlock’s Reputation system. Although it may look and feel like a typical Soulslike currency system, there’s one big twist that setsFlintlock’s Reputation mechanic apart from the crowd.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Puts a Fun Twist on Soulslike Currency
Soulslikes Usually Feature The Same Currency System
Introduced inDemon’s Soulsand then carried through toDark Souls, the vast majority of Soulslikes have used the same currency system for over a decade now. This currency system sees the player collect “Souls” from their fallen foes. The amount of Souls gained from a kill depends on the strength and difficulty of the enemy defeated. These Souls are then used by the player to level up, buy resources and equipment, and upgrade armor and weapons. Upon death,the player’s Souls are left behind, and the player is required to return to the location of their death to pick them back up. If the player dies again before reaching their dropped Souls, they’ll lose them for good.
This classic Soulslike currency system has become a staple of the genre, and for good reason. The notion that the player could lose all of their hard-earned Souls upon death gives the game some high stakes right off the bat, and it encourages a more methodical, careful playstyle that usually goes hand-in-hand with mostSoulslikes' combat mechanics.
This mechanic has stayed largely the same sinceDemon’s Souls' release in 2009, with most Soulslikes simply renaming their currency but keeping the general system the same. Occasionally, there have been slight variations on this mechanic, such asSekiro’s currency systemthat sees the player lose 50% of their XP and cash upon death, but these variations don’t tend to change too much.
Flintlock’s Reputation System Adds Another Layer of Risk
Just like the vastmajority of Soulslikesbefore it,Flintlock: The Siege of Dawnadopts a very similar currency system to the one found inDemon’s SoulsandDark Souls. InFlintlock, players earn Reputation for killing their opponents, which appears as a numerical value at the top of the screen. This Reputation can then be used to buy resources, upgrade weapons, and unlock new abilities in the game’s skill tree. Reputation is also dropped upon death, requiring the player to return to their last location to retrieve it.
But there’s one pretty big twist that setsFlintlock: The Siege of Dawn’s Reputation systemapart from other Soulslikes, and that’s its multiplier system. As players continue to strike an enemy, block their attacks, or perform a special ability, a multiplier on the left side of the screen will continue to build. This multiplier will affect all of the Reputation that the player has earned up to that point, but if the player is hit once, this multiplier is knocked down to zero.
But the key catch here is that the player manually decides when to cash in this multiplier. This adds a nice layer of risk and reward toFlintlock’s Reputation system, as players are encouraged to play skillfully in order to earn a higher multiplier, but also play more strategically so that they earn high payouts consistently.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn
WHERE TO PLAY
From games studio A44, makers of Ashen, comes an explosive Souls-lite, where Gods and guns collide in a battle for the future of humanity.The Door to the Great Below has been opened unleashing the Gods and their armies of the Dead. The lands of Kian are besieged, the city of Dawn is on the brink of destruction. It’s time for the Coalition army to fight back. Embrace vengeance, gunpowder and magic as you embark on an epic journey to defeat the Gods, close the door and retake the world.Kill all gods.Your battle begins now.
