It’s only inevitable for theSouls-likegenre to become busy as a bazaar once more following the success of yet again anotherSoulsbornegame. So hot on the heels ofElden Ring’s release comesDolmen. It’s a fresh addition to theSouls-likegenre, but it promises to deliver something different, as is customary forSoulsbornederivatives.
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So what makesDolmenmakes it stand out in a sea ofSouls-likegames— a genre that keeps getting wider and deeper? It has some stuff to offer, but players shouldn’t expect anything as groundbreaking asElden Ring, of course. Still,Dolmenis not justDark Soulsin space with guns and aliens. Here’s how it sets itself apart.
8Sci-Fi Setting
Players don’t really have to delve deep into the game in order to discern the thematic difference compared to otherSouls-likegames.Dolmenis proudly one of the most unique titles in its genre. The only other prominent sci-fiSouls-likeisThe SurgeandevenDolmenfeels vastly different compared to that one.
In fact,Dolmencan often feel more likeWarframeorDestinythanks to its aesthetics. It does incorporate Lovecraftian elements in its lore but at its core,Dolmen’ssci-fi settingallows for more flexible gameplay mechanics such as guns.
7Storytelling
Whereas otherSouls-likegames love to apeSoulsbornegames' exposition (or lack thereof),Dolmendoesn’t leave its players in the dark too much. In the opening cinematic alone, the game goes out of its way to explain everything about the lore and why the players need to persevere or suffer.
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It’s a lot more straightforward compared toSoulsorSouls-liketitles. Some players might even get easily lost in the intro lore dump. The whole narration can be rather quick or rushed, depending on what players are used to for theirSouls-likegames. In any case, there’s not a lot of mystery to uncover here.
6Healing System
Gameplay-wise,Dolmentries to differentiate itself from the competition and from its grandaddy franchise by building its own healing system. There are no flasks or potions inDolmen. Players can heal anytime as long as they have a resource called Energy (basically Mana). It’s thus similar to FP inSoulsgames, making healing sources rather limited.
Energy inDolmencan then be replenished only through Batteries (basically Mana potions). Energy also has other uses such as infusing attacks or weapons with elemental effects. This compels players to balance their playstyle between offense and defense where those hinge on scarcity since Batteries also determine how much players can heal.
5Ranged Combat
Sure enough, ranged combat is an entirely alien aspect in thiskind ofSouls-likegame. It embraces its sci-fi setting and introduces fully-functioning guns, similar toRemnant: From the Ashes. Gunplay will be somewhat familiar for those who have played third-person cover shooters. Aiming is also an important part of the action combat here for guns, although there is also a lock-on function.
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By contrast, this kind of ranged combat is more accessible compared to otherSouls-likegames (save forRemnant). Sadly,Dolmentook two steps back in this department despite the step forward; the gun variety is lackluster and doesn’t allow for much build variance or experimentation. It’s a missed opportunity if anything.
4General Boss Mechanics
Bosses inmostSoulsgamesandSouls-likegames are typically a one-and-done affair. Players fight them once in the current playthrough, and they don’t have to worry about the very same boss in the very same arena.Dolmendeviates from this as it treats its bosses similar to howMonster Huntertreats its monsters.
Each boss in the game can drop several boss weapons or crafting materials. If players want to obtain all of them, then they will have to kill the bosses over and over again. Outside the boss arena, players will find special terminals that allow them to respawn the boss using finite resources. This means players will have to kill all the bosses at least three times if they want all the weapons.
3Multiplayer
Dolmenalso introduces a different take on multiplayer. Co-op here can be initiated through a finite resource called Dolmen fragments. These are similar to multiplayer tokens inSoulsbornegames except those can later be replaced by reusable, infinite items. InDolmen, that convenience is not present (at the time of writing).
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Dolmen fragments are finite and will remain so until the developers change it up with an update. If players run out of Dolmen fragments, they will have to farm these tokens from regular enemies. The drop chance is random or based on a percentage. This kind of implementation makes multiplayer a privilege or a chore, as is the common complaint among the playerbase.
2Elemental Damage
InSoulsborneandSouls-likegames, there are different executions of elemental or infusion damage. The most popular, of course, is by applying upgrades or finite “oils/greases” to weapons.Dolmendoes it differently. The game makes it so that elemental damage can be applied more easily using Energy.
The reason for this is that elemental damage plays a huge part in the game’s combat. There’s a rock-paper-scissors structure at play here where some enemies are weak to certain elements. Players will have to match their enemies' weaknesses with the element of their choice. Being able to switch to different kinds of elements or firing ranged weapons using Energy is thusDolmen’s shtick.
1Graphical Features
Depending on the eye of the beholder,Dolmenmight be ahead or backward when it comes to graphics. While it has some rough edges on the technical scaleDolmenalso incorporates Ray Tracing into its graphical arsenal. This is most noticeable in the reflections.
Even otherSouls-likegames don’t have that bell or whistle. Moreover,Dolmencomes ready with DLSS or AMD’s equivalent smart downscaling tech.Dolmen’s performance can also be noticeably smoother compared to the most recentSoulsbornegame, but that’s a given since it’s a smaller and more cramped game world.
Dolmenis out now and is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, and Microsoft Windows.
