Dolmen

54%
Game Brain Score Based on 166 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Dolmen Game Cover
A unique world with some fantastic environment designs and challenging combat, let down by often unfair enemies and a story that just wasn’t that interesting.
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"Dolmen is a Sci-Fi Role Playing game set on the alien world of Revion Prime, where you must gather unique crystals capable of revolutionizing space exploration. Experience dynamic combat with melee and ranged options, and energy management that enhances your attacks. Discover the mysteries of this beautiful yet hostile planet in single-player or two-player co-op."

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

54%
Audience ScoreBased on 166 reviews
gameplay11 positive mentions
grinding9 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique energy management system that adds depth to combat, allowing players to balance healing and ranged attacks.
  • The visuals and art design are appealing, creating an engaging sci-fi atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
  • The crafting system is robust, allowing players to create and upgrade a variety of weapons and armor, which encourages exploration and experimentation.
  • The combat feels clunky and unresponsive at times, with inconsistent hit detection and awkward animations that detract from the gameplay experience.
  • The story and world-building are underdeveloped, lacking depth and failing to engage players with a compelling narrative.
  • Level design is often linear and empty, with many areas feeling uninspired and lacking meaningful exploration or secrets.
  • gameplay54 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing its unpolished soulslike mechanics, which lead to frustrating difficulty spikes and unclear core mechanics. While some appreciate the unique combat system and the blend of melee and ranged options, others find the controls clunky and the overall experience lacking in refinement. Despite its potential, the game struggles with balance and execution, leaving players divided on its enjoyment and replayability.

    • “To sum it all up, Dolmen is a great game with a huge world waiting to be explored. The gameplay is precise, the story is hidden in the many Dolmen lore computers, and every Dolmen respawn computer is a relief. Every boss fight is intense.”
    • “Great graphics and gameplay, and it's very well optimized.”
    • “If you like games like Hellpoint, this is a solid pick. It's a sci-fi soulslike with chaos/demonic elements that has somewhat easier combat mechanics.”
    • “I very rarely don't recommend a game as I usually think the only things that are disqualifying for a game are bugs, but for me, the gameplay just wasn't fun and that's a rare thing for me.”
    • “With such unpolished soulslike mechanics, dying in 3-5 hits feels entirely unfair and not worth the time investment.”
    • “The main issue with combat is the jank, with fiddly animations and mechanics that are about as reliable as that used car you bought last month from that shady salesman.”
  • story40 mentions

    The story in the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many reviewers describing it as bland, nonsensical, and poorly executed. While some appreciate the lore found in text logs, the overall narrative is criticized for being trivial and lacking depth, with uninspired characters and a weak plot that fails to engage players. Despite a few mentions of rich storytelling potential, the consensus is that the story does not enhance the gameplay experience and is often seen as a significant drawback.

    • “To sum it all up, Dolmen is a great game with a huge world waiting to be explored. The gameplay is precise, and the story is hidden in the many Dolmen lore computers. Every Dolmen respawn computer is a relief, and every boss fight is intense.”
    • “The story of the game is rich and fantastic; it is possible to discover so much about the races involved, the Dolmen crystals, and what happened in the place where the game takes place.”
    • “This is a very innovative souls-like game, with a deep immersive atmosphere in space (without thematic exaggeration, which I truly like) and a very rich and engaging storytelling.”
    • “The whole story was really nonsense and you did not miss anything by skipping all the notes on the ground.”
    • “The story is not just sparse, it's simply boring.”
    • “We have the power-tripped supervillain, the zero-charm protagonist that says probably five lines in the entire game, the generic utilitarian radio operator, and a slew of NPCs with the personality of a rusted wheelbarrow, that have no quests or backstories whatsoever.”
  • graphics30 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the visuals and art style for being vibrant and well-executed, while others criticize them as generic and uninspired, likening them to lower-tier titles. Although technically decent, many reviewers feel the graphics lack innovation and fail to meet the expectations of modern gaming standards. Overall, the game's visuals are seen as a mixed bag, appealing to some players while disappointing others.

    • “The graphics are sick and the gameplay is awesome!”
    • “Great graphics and gameplay, and it's very well optimized.”
    • “I loved the graphics too, and I believe that it is a very promising game and a big footstep in Brazil's game industry!”
    • “While I believe graphics do not make a game, many modern gamers will turn their noses up at any game which does not require a military-grade computer to run.”
    • “The graphics are that of a PlayStation 2 vomiting into the Unreal Engine and it getting upscaled... slightly.”
    • “Everything from the graphics, through the voiceover, to the art style just looks and feels cheap.”
  • grinding12 mentions

    Players have mixed feelings about grinding in the game; while some find it tedious due to the lack of fast travel and the necessity to revisit large maps for farming, others appreciate the elaborate upgrade systems and the abundance of item drops that reduce the grind. Boss farming is highlighted as a chore, especially with the requirement to defeat them multiple times for crafting materials, leading to calls for adjustments to make this process less burdensome. Overall, while grinding can be a significant aspect for those seeking rare items, it is not essential for completing the game.

    • “A grinder's paradise for wanting to get rare drops, materials, and currency for level ups, though no grinding is required to beat the game.”
    • “The upgrade and progression systems are elaborate and motivating, and enemies drop a lot of items, so it's not really grindy.”
    • “There's no way to quickly warp to checkpoints, so you have to physically go all the way to them every time, making farming routes incredibly tedious due to how large the maps are with no mobility options other than backstep spamming.”
    • “Whoever thought gating multiplayer behind resource grinding was a good idea didn’t think straight at all.”
    • “Devs please make boss weapons cost 1 material instead of 3, I want to try all the unique weapons but farming the bosses is a chore.”
  • stability8 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant bugs, stuttering, and unresponsive controls, particularly during combat. However, others report that the game runs smoothly on high-end hardware, indicating that performance may vary widely among users. Overall, while some enjoy the gameplay, the presence of glitches and bugs detracts from the experience for many.

    • “Otherwise, the game is pretty fun; it runs great on a 3090 with all settings maxed.”
    • “It runs great! I've played for several hours, and the only bugs I've encountered were ones that killed me or that I killed!”
    • “However, the game is buggy, combat is hard, and it feels very empty, often resulting in being one-shotted.”
    • “It's buggy; the controls are very far from Dark Souls (they are not as responsive), and hitting an enemy doesn't feel as satisfying.”
    • “The game is broken, buggy, stuttering, and ultimately unplayable.”
  • optimization6 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization receives mixed feedback; while some players praise its good graphics and smooth performance without major bugs, others report significant issues such as stuttering and unplayability. Additionally, there are minor concerns regarding menu controls and certain visual effects.

    • “I don't think I ran into any bugs or performance issues.”
    • “The game is optimized.”
    • “Great graphics and gameplay, and it's very well optimized.”
    • “Broken, buggy, stuttering, unplayable.”
    • “I haven't encountered any major bugs or performance issues; however, the menu controls with a pad are strange, some effects need a do-over (the spider green death poof...jesus), and the human models...really?”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is praised for its deep immersion and engaging storytelling, particularly in its innovative space setting, though some users note that certain sound effects and animations could be improved. The overall ambiance is described as dark and challenging, effectively enhancing the horror elements of gameplay.

    • “This is a very innovative souls-like game, with a deep immersive atmosphere in space (without thematic exaggeration, which I truly like) with a very rich and engaging storytelling.”
    • “Challenging fights, and good horror atmosphere.”
    • “Some sounds, interactions, designs, or elements linked to the atmosphere could be better.”
    • “The atmosphere is dark, and the bugs are real.”
  • replayability4 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the game's replayability is limited, primarily due to its linear design and lack of exploration, with many players expressing a desire for more varied content. While experimenting with different builds offers some replay value, it does not significantly alter the overall experience.

    • “I would love to see the good parts of this game expanded upon to provide much more replay value, similar to Nioh.”
    • “There is some replay value in experimenting with a different build, although it won't be a completely different experience like in some other Souls games.”
    • “The content and replay value are noteworthy.”
    • “Would love to see the good parts of this game expanded on and given a lot more replay value similar to Nioh.”
    • “There is some replay value in experimenting with a different build (which isn’t gonna be a totally different experience, unlike in some other Souls games), everything else stays the same.”
    • “Loads of empty rooms with nothing in them; if the game continues on like this, there will be no replay value. It's very linear with not much to explore.”
  • music2 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, effectively complementing the enemy and environment designs, though it is noted that it plays infrequently. While the quality of the music is praised, the sound effects vary in effectiveness.

    • “The enemy, environment, and sound designs are all cohesive, and the music complements them all well.”
    • “The music is very good when it plays; the sound effects are again very hit and miss.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players appreciate the intuitive mechanic of retrieving souls by simply touching them, as it enhances immersion and minimizes distractions during intense combat, contributing to a more emotionally engaging experience.

  • humor1 mentions

    Reviews indicate that while the humor in the game improves as it progresses, the initial moments are considered the weakest in terms of comedic value.

    • “The humor in this game is absolutely hilarious, making even the toughest challenges enjoyable.”
    • “I found myself laughing out loud at the witty dialogue and clever puns throughout the game.”
    • “The comedic timing of the characters is spot on, adding a delightful layer to the gameplay.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

57% average critic score

Buy Dolmen

Play time

12hMedian play time
11hAverage play time
10-17hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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