Dolmen Is A Dull Sci-Fi Soulslike That Needs Massive Work
Soulslike games are probably one of the most popular genres right now, but From Software titles (like this year's Elden Ring) are clearly still AAA kings. It's not easy to balance a soulslike game, or make it challenging yet fair to play for those willing to get good. Of course, along comes indie developers' attempts at replicating the soulslike magic, such as Massive Work Studio's Dolmen.
Dark Souls In Space?
What sets Dolmen apart from most other soulslike games is its sci-fi setting. Most soulslikes tend to skewer towards fantasy swords and magic sort of stuff, but Dolmen is closer to other soulslikes games like The Surge or Hellpoint. The one and only highlight of the game is its sci-fi setting, which reminds me of Dead Space or Aliens with an atmosphere of dread. Unfortunately, the level design can be simplistic and leaves a lot to be desired.
This translates to exploration that's not that rewarding either. There's also no map or mini-map, so good luck trying to remember which metal corridor is the way to progress. In addition, while I know that the story isn't usually the strong suit of many soulslike games, Dolmen features bland and non-existent story that doesn't really motivate you to push forward. Cutscenes don't really do anything besides introducing bosses and new enemies, while most of the lore exposition is accomplished via terminals you have to access, which rewards you with a text you have to read (that's not particularly interesting). Yay, how fun.
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It's going to take massive work (pun intended) for them to improve in the future. Looking at Steam reviews (which, at the time of writing, sits at a Mixed rating), many players have complained how Dolmen feels like an Early Access game, and they're not wrong, I can attest to that. You're better off playing other, better, soulslikes out there rather than trying out Dolmen, unless you're really hankering for a sci-fi soulslike.
Score:50/100
