Explore and adapt to a forgotten alien planet as you figure out the past through an unknown alphabet. This sci-fi horror game, Dolmen, by Massive Work Studio, is currently an early access game, predicted to release in November 2019.
This game sounds like it is going to be perfect for all sci-fi lovers. It combines crafting weapons and supplies with puzzles and third person combat. Aliens and creatures still roam this planet and you must defeat them before they defeat you. Loot the bodies of your fallen enemies and the wreckage of this world to craft and upgrade your equipment, if you want to survive. Piece together the history of this place by decoding their unique alphabet and solve the mystery of why you are there. You must keep up with all these tasks while conserving your energy and HP. Meelee, range weapons, and quick health regeneration all take up your energy but be careful because it doesn’t auto-regenerate. Once you have gained XP you can level up your skill tree and mold your character to suit your needs.
When it comes to gameplay, please remember this is an early access game and isn’t representative of what the full game is going to be like. With that said the beginning cutscenes were great and set the mood of the game perfectly. However, the gameplay itself was very laggy and the game did crash a couple of times. I highly suggest using a controller when playing on PC because the mouse controls the camera and it is very sensitive and hard to use. The controls were a little confusing at first but after messing around and reading the tutorial hints closely, I got a hang of them.
The atmosphere of the game is really awesome. In the “About This Game” section on Steam, it has said that this game is supposed to feel Lovecraftian and I think they have done a pretty good job so far. I am a huge fan of Lovecraft and I think this game will definitely prove to have those vibes. The world is so contrasting to the spaceship you use as a base. The world is dark and very archaic while the spaceship is bright and high tech. I think it really pushes the outside world to be scarier and more uncomfortable. The sounds and voice acting really does add the the atmosphere. The music is great and I suggest, for the best experience, to wear headphones.
I think the world is really interesting and I am excited to find out the lore and history of this desecrated planet. If you like sci-fi or horror then I highly suggesting checking out the Kickstarter to get a key to the early access. Though, if you have motion sickness, I would wait until the game is fully released next year. I can’t wait to see what Massive Work Studio has in store for the full game. Make sure to stay up to date on their releases at their website.
You can follow DOLMEN on Steam right now. Chapter 1 is slated for a 2019 release.
Related: DOLMEN Kickstarter Funded Successfully, Chapter 1 Slated for Steam in 2019
I'm a postgraduate Information and Library Studies student at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. I'm originally from Texas and have a BFA in Creative Writing from SFASU. I grew up playing video games and now enjoy watching other people play as well. I love anything with a good story!
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