Among the games presented by Koch Media on the occasion of its Prime Matter label at E3 2021 there were several with a Souls touch, one of them being Dolmen. The work of the Brazilians Massive Work Studio, it takes us on a journey into space to face nightmarish creatures equipped with swords and firearms.
Its launch is scheduled for well into 2022, but already we were able to play a preview of his alpha to share the feelings that he has transmitted to us and also to see his differences with respect to FromSoftware’s experiences.
Playing with the elements with futuristic weapons
It cannot be said that he is the pioneer in the use of firearms within a Souls-style RPG (there it is Remnant: From the Ashes, for example), although it does add a touch of color to the imbue them with various elements. And it is that, from the outset, here we have three clearly differentiated bars: one red for life, another green for resistance and finally a third in blue for firearms or elemental attacks. The good? That blue does not influence green.
Therefore, it proposes a different tactic compared to other exponents of the genre, by allowing us to alternate between different attacks to take advantage of those two independent resistance bars. Although not everything will be jauja, because firearms do very little damage compared to melee attacks. They’re not here shooter like the aforementioned work of the creators of Darksiders III, in short.
This does not mean, in any case, that we should neglect this aspect, far from it. Firearms are indispensable in Dolmen and we have a clear example of this in those eggs that hatch in one of the first corridors with a high enemy presence that we will go through. The reason is none other than that they explode if we are close, thereby hurting us. Better shoot first.
Must emphasize again that we are facing an alpha version, which means that neither the graphic finish is next-gen (for now) it doesn’t even work like a Swiss watch. There is a certain clumsiness of movements, a somewhat capricious camera if we do not look at the enemy and any other common aspect before a product in a state of development far from being finished. It does not come as a surprise at any time, although we must also value the fact of being before the first serious work of this Brazilian team founded in 2016 and whose only game is for mobile …
The change of registry is important and obviously there is a lot of room for improvement in Dolmen, especially because of its resemblance to Dark Souls (or rather Demon’s Souls, that we have to go to a “nexus” -it is actually a ship- to level up) and even Dead Space due to the initial armor design and their “lights”.
Yes, there is more than one armor, being able to make the others using the materials that monsters drop. Some are futuristic in appearance, others resemble the skin of the creatures that populate Revio Prime … And above all, each part of different advantages that must be taken advantage of, such as the pieces of the Caniptei armor to enhance the burns on enemies. Because If we know how to play with the elements, it does make a difference with weapons.
Dolmen has a lot of work ahead of him to shine
Starting from a sci-fi Souls is always attractive, but for now Dolmen it doesn’t take advantage of one of FromSoftware’s greatest qualities: universes with fascinating designs. It is the least thing I have liked in this Massive Work Studio work, no matter how much the hidden paths or shortcuts are replicated. The setting is still very green and offers little maneuverability.
It does not help that to change the equipment you have to travel to the ship, being the only thing that we can modify in the middle of the battle the quick-use objects. And here it is surprising that there are no facilities to obtain healing ones. Or that when we get them they will be exhausted and to top it off they will cure so little life. Because as Souls is demanding and the AI of some enemies is quite maddening (because of its hardness), especially those who hit at a distance by perfectly reading your movements.
Yes, it does not stop being one alpha and there is a lot of room for improvement, but that slight initial enthusiasm is diluted as we see their flaws. And that the idea of enhancing the elements by means of a special bar has its point, as it is not limited to firearms, but can be activated with melee weapons and thus alternate between the two types of resistance.
If your system adjusts crafteo to make it more comfortable, like the rest of the team’s efforts, the experience would win whole. But from the outset I can’t help but think that it is in a too early development phase and that a lot has to change so that I am encouraged to return to Revion Prime to investigate the crystals that give the game its name. If it ends up being delayed to 2023 I would not be surprised one iota. And being such an ambitious project it would do you very well.
Coming out on PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, and Steam
