Heading off into space in video games doesn’t seem to have the same joy as it does when we pull it off in real life. Once again, our space journey brings us head on to various space creatures that are ready to put up a fight the moment we are in sight. This time, the game that brings us into battle with these creatures is called Dolmen by Massive Work Studio and Prime Matter. After trying out an exclusive first look of the game, the gameplay of which can be found in the video above, I have to say it is definitely looking to be a challenging title for those looking to get into a new space-action RPG.
Gameplay
PC Preview Code Provided by Prime Matter
Starting off, this game will have you run into little red circles that will provide tutorial tips on how to play. Essentially, you can heal yourself by consuming some of your energy bar, refill your energy bar by consuming a battery, hold up a plasma shield to block, fight with a melee weapon, and fight with a shooting weapon. This demo gave access to the standard ax weapon and an ice-based elemental gun. There is going to be more elements available at a later point in the game so you can switch it up to fight specific enemies.
In the demo, I faced off with a few different enemies, each having their own attacks. Enemies will have a mix of ranged and close-ranged attacks, so being careful is a must. It is easy to get overrun and ambushed, so make sure you take it slow through new areas as well.
When it came to fighting, I liked to start with my ice gun as it would slow enemies down and lower their health before getting close. You can use either small or large shots to take off damage, but your melee attacks will do the most. After I got the health down to about half and they were slowed by the ice effect, I would finish them off with melee. Sometimes it took more than half health damage with the ranged weapon before it was safe to move in though, so you’ll need to consider your approach, especially with new enemies.
If you come across a stronger enemy or get ambushed, you can activate your armor reactor which would put a shield around your body to help absorb some of the damage you are going to take. It is the best time to spam the melee attacks and do as much damage as possible because you will take the least amount yourself. Good thing is, you can heal yourself with your energy bar even while fighting, so pulling off clutch moments.
Other than the action in the field, you will find beacons that can be used to teleport back to the main hub. Here you are safe and all of your energy, health, and battery stash restock automatically. This is where you will find access to aspects such as customization, level-up system, and many other interactions or menu-type items. One of which I look forward to trying out and that is the multiplayer that this game will eventually offer.
Expectations
The tutorial for this game is pretty well designed and gives the proper amount of information for players to understand the controls. So, it is weird that immediately following a solid tutorial setup, the game would have a fairly poor guidance system to help players move forward in the right direction. Despite my efforts and going everywhere I could see or think of, I couldn’t figure out where to go after clearing the amount of the game I did in my First Look video at the top of this write-up. It seemed like there was more to do, but I couldn’t find where to go after clearing out the initial section the game guided me to. I hope that there will be a better guidance system with the finished game, even if it is as simple as a marking on a map I can pull up.
There is a note that mentions the use of other elements, but it didn’t properly explain how to use them. Same with the crafting station back at the hub. Perhaps these weren’t features meant to be focused on during this first experience with the game, but it would still be nice to have these systems explained to the point that they are easy to use when the game is released.
Lastly, a small issue to bring up, the customization seems to be missing a few aspects to make it fully diverse. A few colors were missing from the palette to choose from and it would be nice to also customize our gear or weapons as well. Adding this extra bit of freedom would just be a bonus for the players.
Verdict
Dolmen is a challenging space-action RPG that is definitely on the heels of being a great game! There are a few issues here and there, such as the level guidance, but overall it is fun once you get the hang of the cautionary fighting style needed in each threatening encounter. I am interested to see what updates are to come for this game as it gears itself up to become playable to a variety of players on PC via Steam, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S in 2022.
