Why Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is a Semi-Open World Game

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Why Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is a Semi-Open World Game

As a big fan of immersive and well-designed action RPGs, I’m absolutely thrilled about A44’s upcoming release, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn. Having played and appreciated their previous work in Ashen, I’m intrigued by how they’ve built upon the foundations of that game while distinguishing themselves with a more focused, semi-open world experience.

After releasing “Ashen,” A44’s open-world soulslike game in 2019, they have come up with a successor titled “Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn” that carries forward some initial concepts while introducing several differences. This new title falls under the category of “souls-lite” instead of full soulslike games. It retains elements such as rhythmic combat and “bonfires,” but offers a more dynamic action RPG experience with enhanced mobility and quicker pacing. Players no longer need to fret about stamina bars, allowing them to roam and jump using gunpowder at their own pace throughout the game world.

As a gamer, I’m always excited to dive into new worlds, and Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is no exception. In an interview with Game Rant, the creative director Simon Dasan from A44 shared some insights about designing Kian, the game’s captivating world.

Flintlock’s World Is Built Around Nor’s Movement Abilities

In the realm of game development, level design plays a significant role in titles such as “Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn,” especially within the genre of soulslike and soulslite games. Discussions surrounding this aspect are common among players and critics. For instance, games like “Dark Souls” are recognized for their meticulously designed levels, while “Elden Ring” receives critiques for its expansive but potentially monotonous landscapes. Given that “Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn” prioritizes its powder and magical movement mechanics in both combat and exploration, the development team aimed to create a more compact, finely tuned world that offers an enjoyable traversal experience.

The ability to move freely was our primary motivation. We granted the player enhanced mobility with powder-infused jumps right from the start of the game. Consequently, we designed the entire game world based on this capability. These skills enabled Nor to perform double jumps or dodge in midair, significantly expanding the vertical aspects of the environment.

In some respects, Nor shares characteristics with Cal Kestis from “Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.” Both are proficient in combat whether at a distance or up close. Additionally, Nor is able to jump and dash using gunpowder, allowing for vertical mobility in battles. Stomp attacks and other skills enable Nor to navigate vertically not only for added excitement but also as a crucial tactic during combat encounters.

Flintlock’s Semi-Open World Is Quality Over Quantity

Dasan finds it more appealing to explore a sensibly sized landmass in Kian, instead of trudging through an endless, empty wasteland. With gamers expressing exhaustion over large open worlds with insufficient content, this approach is refreshing. There are still numerous side quests and a new turn-based minigame called “Sebo” to engage with.

To achieve a balanced experience, we aimed to build a sizable yet densely packed world where the influence of the Gods would be palpable and the depth of the lore would resonate with you. However, we didn’t want the world to be so expansive that it felt barren or empty. Our focus was on creating a richly detailed environment rather than just increasing the overall land area. Given our team size, this approach ensures an optimal gameplay experience for our players without overextending our resources.

An independent game studio like A44, as noted by Dasan, would benefit greatly from this method of development. Numerous games have unfortunately overreached and taken on too many features, resulting in a final product that fails to deliver in several aspects instead of excelling in key areas. Through careful planning and experience gained, Flintlock is poised to surpass A44’s previous game, Ashen.

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2024-07-16 19:06