A new dev diary for upcoming souls-lite Flintlock reveals it's not just a god-killing RPG - but a rhythm game too!
Mar. 21, 2024Cut down undead - to the beat
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Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, the new “souls-lite” RPG out this summer, has a new dev diary video teasing the systems and mechanics behind the game’s frenetic combat and fluid animation, released as part of theFuture Games Show.
In this video from developer A44, “Igniting Combat: Behind the Scenes,” Animation Director Matthew Wood takes us through special details of Flintlock’s combat, and how our protagonist’s moveset and animation informs the way audiences will play the game. Gun-wielding, axe-swinging protagonist Nor Vanek has a big emphasis on mobility - we see her soaring through the air more than once, which wood explains will make it both more dynamic and accessible. Perhaps more surprising is the emphasis on rhythm - a rare thing in soulsy games, but certainly not an unwelcome change after some great rhythm action games in recent years like Hi-fi Rush. Wood explains the logic thusly:
“The combat in Flintlock is all rhythm-based, which means you’ll actually be able to feel the rhythm through the animation - so every nine frames is, like, a beat. So you’ll be able to make sure that the player can understand when the next attack’s going to come and react accordingly.”
It’s a cool idea that evokes a sense of flow, similar to games like those the Batman Arkham series. Wood speaks about a lot of factors that have gone into the game that’ll interest anybody excited for Flintlock or just who’s interested in animation generally, including the nuance of animation Nor’s fox-like little companion, Enki, who constantly follows you around and informs a lot of your abilities.
If you’re looking for more excellent games from today’s Future Games Show, have a look atour official Steam page.
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Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and raconteur with a Masters from Sussex University, none of which has actually equipped him for anything in real life. As a result he chooses to spend most of his time playing video games, reading old books and ingesting chemically-risky levels of caffeine. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at USgamer, Gfinity, Eurogamer and more besides.
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