Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows (Steam Deck OK)
Buy it at: Amazon | Best buy | Humble Bundle
Current goal: Designing what my build will look like
Back in MayI gave Fire ring one more try. It didn’t work.
I bought a copy when it launched in 2022 and spent about 10 hours on it, with mixed results. It definitely clicked here and there, but when it got harder… I wasn’t into it anymore. Or rather, other things in life caught my attention instead. Sure, I could see the appeal of completing a difficult challenge, but I’ve already had my fair share of challenges in other hobbies and, well, Life myself. So it drifted along. I tried it now and then, including a few months ago, and just couldn’t commit to it in a sustainable way.
Read more: Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn: The My city review
And then I played, and checked, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn. Like many Soulslikes, it has some work to do as it tries to make its mark in a genre with fans who have very discerning and often developer-specific tastes. Flintlock is a much simpler version of the Souls format, and that really helped me get a little more into it, finding the joy of more focused combat and the dopamine rush that comes from steadily moving through a world, one tough fight at a time. It was a nice set of training wheels for me, and provided some enjoyment in its own right, too. And about halfway through the game, I felt a confident and excited urge to throw myself into one of FromSoftware’s masterpieces with the intention of finishing it.
The game turned out to be Fire ring. I thought of others, but the open, wandering spaces of Fire ring a little more inviting. I created a new character and have since put six hours into this fresh new attempt. Having just completed a fight that took me literally an hour and a half, and with a dear friend to help me decipher the game’s cryptic systems and give me some encouragement, I think I’ve done it. I’ve hit the ground running. I understand this genre and this game better now.
This playthrough of Fire ring comes at a time when I am facing great personal challenges, unexpected setbacks, pain and regret. Yet there are opportunities and an uncertain future full of trials and struggles from which I can well imagine emerging unscathed and stronger. As I am constantly sent to “you died” screens and have the courage to get back up and try again, I wonder if Fire ringwill offer more than just an entertaining, if not challenging, pastime. – Claire Jackson
