It’s the way A44 treats its world and population, though, that could truly mark new ground for a Soulslike. Nor navigates the open world on foot but can also jump up high, 3D platformer-style, using grenade blasts to reach ledges and hidden items or, with specific unlocks, can have Enki teleport her over huge distances. Outside the heat of battle, Flintlock’s demo shows a similar rethinking of Soulslike principles. Divorcing the die-and-drop mechanic from character development is a huge deviation from the FromSoft formula, and could well be one of Flintlock’s key weapons in bringing the joy of Soulslike combat and worlds to a wider audience. Further progression comes through victories each defeated boss rewards you with its special ability, and so with each major kill comes a significant expansion of your power arsenal. That XP is used to unlock upgrades on what A44 describes as an “intentionally overwhelming” skill tree, with far more options than is possible to unlock in a single playthrough. Character progression is not tied to this temporary score instead Nor and Enki evolve through the use of XP points, which when earned stay with you permanently. Thankfully it can be restored if you pick it up from the location you died.ĭon’t mistake Reputation for Souls, though. Dying reduces your score to zero, locking you out of the black market’s inventory. But, as in the real world, Reputation can be lost. This score, known as your Reputation, doubles as a currency which can be used to buy new weapons and items at the black market. Each attack, skill, and combo performed by Nor and Enki is awarded points, which rack up in their thousands over time. But the signs are good, and A44 clearly believes in its combat so much that it even has a Devil May Cry-like Stylish Rank system. Since I’ve not yet played Flintlock, it’s impossible for me to know right now if that blend of challenge and cinema results in a tight, responsive combat system. Think of him as a little like God of War’s Atreus, just infinitely old and with the ability to channel dark magic. She’s also accompanied by Enki, a fox-like creature who can, among other skills, freeze an enemy in mid-air and absorb their health. Nor has a range of abilities that make her much more dynamic than a Souls character, including acrobatic jump strikes and being able to quickly switch between her guns and axe. It may use the FromSoft ruleset, but Flintlock’s combat looks flashier - more fantastical, even - than any Souls game has ever been.īut it goes further than just glossy animations and cool camera angles. The camera swoops around the action, triggering bursts of slow motion to truly emphasise spectacle. Nor might unleash a roundhouse kick that sends a foe flying, or tackle an enemy to the ground before firing her pistol into their face. But it’s in the parry that Flintlock’s God of War influences begin to show through Nor knocks the God to its knees and the camera flies in close to perfectly capture a brutal blow to the side of its head. The initial steps to overcome all this follows the Dark Souls playbook a well-timed dodge roll is followed by a few aggressive axe strikes, and then a patient wait for an attack that can be parried. As the Soulslike genre dictates, the boss has an inflated health bar, deals huge damage with telegraphed attacks, and becomes more fearsome in its second phase. This approach is clear to see in the demo’s boss battle, which sees protagonist Nor Vanek face off against the imposing God of Knowledge, a towering spirit encased in golden plates of triangular armour.