Dolmen was only confirmed in 2021, and with such a tight turnaround from its announcement to its release, players haven’t been able to learn that much about the upcoming title. However, thanks to some previews and a few comments from the development team, the cosmic horror-inspired game has started to take shape ahead of its impending launch. Players who want to learn a bit more about Dolmen before diving in should definitely take a look.
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Dolmen’s Cosmic Horror and a Sci-Fi Setting
Set in a distant future, Dolmen tasks gamers with bringing back samples of the “Dolmen” crystal, which has interdimensional properties that are integral to space exploration. Players are launched into the hostile alien world known as Revion Prime to infiltrate its mining station and retrieve the vital crystals. Dolmen’s alien planet is a terrifying and cruel environment, designed to push players to their limits with its various challenges and antagonistic inhabitants. The array of gruesome monsters and formidable bosses provides plenty of chances for players to level up their characters as they earn experience after each successful takedown.
The combat in Dolmen lets players dynamically switch between melee and ranged weapons to use a variety of different attacks depending on their foe. The game also features an intriguing energy system that players will need to manage in order to use ranged moves and imbue melee weapons with elemental status effects, similar to some mechanics in Elden Ring. There’s an impressive array of armor and weaponry for players to choose from as well, so they can really customize their character and their approach to combat.
Players will experience the story of Dolmen primarily through flashbacks and through reading the various computer logs dotted around the game, also similar to FromSoftware’s more environmental storytelling. The design of the game is a perfect mix of futuristic sci-fi and suitably creepy atmospheres, providing a great backdrop for the game’s action. Dying causes all the monsters that players have previously slain to return, and gamers are sent back to the last respawn point to try again and attempt to collect their gear from where they fell, in a move equally reminiscent of a Soulslike title.
Serious Souls Vibes Coming From Dolmen
It seems almost a cliché at this point to say something is a Soulslike. The term describing Fromsoftware’s successful formula has become so synonymous with challenging action RPGs that the phrase Soulslike gets thrown about almost constantly. FromSoftware’s series like Dark Souls and Bloodborne have become so iconic that they’ve helped to shape a whole generation of similar titles, and with recent mega-hits like Elden Ring, the trend isn’t showing signs of stopping.
Despite the overused descriptor, Dolmen really does have some clear Soulslike inspirations. With its computer terminal stand-in for Dark Souls’ bonfires, its “Timeline Erased” death screen, and its tricky-to-master combat, the game isn’t shying away from showing its influences. Dolmen is also wholeheartedly embracing its Lovecraftian cosmic horror roots, which is something players also saw in FromSoftware’s gothic RPG Bloodborne, as well as many other video game titles.
Dolmen releases on May 20, 2022, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox X.
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