Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn
Verdict: Breezy and fluid fun
What is it?
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is an action role-playing video game played from a third-person perspective. In the game, the player assumes control of Nor Vanek, a member of a coalition who must save mankind from extinction by fighting against the old Gods. In Flintlock, the player can use melee weapons and flintlock firearms to attack enemies, though ammunition is scarce in the game. As the player character attacks or parries incoming attacks, they will gradually fill an enemy’s armour bar. Once it is completely filled, players can deliver a devastating attack that kills normal enemies instantly, or significantly weakens a boss character.
Gameplay
A direct follow-up to the storyline of two excellent turn-based RPGs, this cooperative 3D hack-and-slash admirably tries a lot of new things but gets none of them right, leaving us with a monotonous, slipshod mess. The controls are awkward and clumsy, the weapons and abilities are limp and uninteresting, and even with only five levels that can be completed in as many hours, it still feels like it drags on for far too long.
The open world of Flintlock is divided into three different regions. Players can partake in different side activities, which may change the state of the game’s world and its population. For instance, killing the enemies in a village will prompt its original community to return, thus unlocking new quests and side content.
ZENLESS ZONE ZERO
Zenless Zone Zero is an urban fantasy action role-playing game with roguelike mechanics. The player assumes the role of a Proxy, a character who helps others explore the hostile alternate dimensions called Hollows. As they advance, the Proxy will recruit new members to their party as they continue to fight the Ethereal and other enemies. By combining the abilities of different members, players can deploy greater damage and combos onto enemies.
FINAL FANTASY XIV DAWNTRAIL
The fifth expansion pack of the hugely popular MMORPG. Following the conclusion of the Hydaelyn–Zodiark arc, Dawntrail is set to begin a new story, taking players to the distant western continent of Tural, more commonly known as the New World. Two new jobs will debut including Viper, a melee DPS that wields two swords in combat, and Pictomancer, a magical ranged DPS that fights using a brush and easel. The level cap will also reach 100. Beastmaster is also set to be added as a second ‘Limited Job’ some time into the expansion’s patch cycle.
FROSTPUNK 2
Frostpunk 2 is a city-building survival video game set in New London 30 years after the ‘Great Storm’ of the original game, the game explores the consequences of the advent of the petroleum industry and players assume the role of the city’s new leader, called the Steward, replacing the now deceased Captain, who was the player character of the original game. The city is struggling with overpopulation, food and coal shortages, among other issues. Unlike the original game, Frostpunk 2 allows players to build a much larger city. Players can now construct districts instead of individual buildings. Each district serves a particular function, such as providing food, energy or shelter.
