Dolmen Reviews
Dolmen is yet another Soulslike that proves this formula is almost impossible to get right. It's a flat, boring experience with none of the spark and vigor it needs to transcend its many technical flaws.
Dolmen relies too much on the Soulslike playbook to be much of anything other than a middling iteration of the formula.
Dolmen is little but an average, derivative game with some serious balance issues. Now, this can be mended in time, and apart from that, it offers enjoyable exploration, decent gunplay, and pleasant stylistics. Still, for most players, that might not be enough.
Review in Polish | Read full review
For every frustration I had for not having quite as many “Aha!” moments when opening a door or discovering some lore, it’s equalled with other ways the game is working to impress. On offer is a solid nightmarish journey from the darkest depths to the dreadfully eerie conclusion at the world’s own horrific ground zero. This is held up by clever combat implementations and a rewarding sense of experimentation and exploration.
Dolmen is an interesting Soulslike experience that is troubled by clunky combat, and an outdated UI, which hurts the game's chances of standing out in a crowded market with games that does what it does, but better.
It’s just disappointing that a lack of polish and modern sensibilities hinder the product at all turns, leaving what could have been a chunky and ambitious slice of indie action horror down a path forgotten and overshadowed.
It can't compete with the brilliance of Elden Ring (no shame in that) but it also falls short of other AA sci-fi action-RPGs like The Surge and Hellpoint. Ultimately, it seems less like an offshoot of Dark Souls and more like a proof of concept launched before From Software birthed the sub-genre.
Dolmen bites far more than it can chew, trying to merge the melee combat of any From Software game with the gunplay of Remnant from The Ashes: the result is an average game that tries to accomplish too many things at once.
Review in Italian | Read full review
As far as sci-fi Souls-likes go, Dolmen sits somewhere between Hellpoint and The Surge in terms of quality. It can offer a rewarding experience to Souls-like fans, but it falls short of the bar set by the creators of the genre. Still, for those who have patience and persistence, and like the idea of exploring a new, futuristic setting while engaging in challenging combat, it’s worth checking out.
Dolmen isn’t a terrible game, but it definitely wasn’t ready to be released yet. Perhaps it can be improved by future patches, but as it stands, there’s no way this game is worth $20 in its current state, let alone $40. Pick up Dolmen if it shows up free on PS+ or Xbox Game Pass, but otherwise, go play Hellpoint or The Surge games if you want a futuristic Souls clone.
Dolmen manages to take the Souls formula by giving it a twist and incorporating it into a space environment, with very exciting action-rpg and exploration properties.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Dolmen may not be a contender for the title of game of the year, but for soulslike fans it will provide some fun. It is a pity that it is often a bit stiff, lopsided and far too simple.
Review in Polish | Read full review
The sci-fi action RPG inspired by the Dark Souls series tries to bring players an engaging experience. But the rough hero fails.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Dolmen emerges as a good entry in the world of soulslike and has its value, mainly due to the risks taken by its developer. Even so, the title has positives and negatives points in almost the same proportion, with AI, visuals and interface falling short of what they could be.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
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.
Overall, Dolmen is a hastily assembled mess of a well-intentioned game. It is like a wannabe sports car. No matter how pretty it looks on the outside, if it’s running on a 2-cylinder engine underneath the hood, there are going to be awkward looks all around. But in the end, it’s going to depend on your millage. As much as I dislike the all-style, no substance presentation, I have to admit that some of the features are actually quite enjoyable. It may look pretty from afar. But its style over substance approach is what ultimately dulls the experience of this otherwise decent soul-like shooter.
This is going to sound harsh, but when I played this game it felt like someone just used the ARPG pre-built blueprint/template from Unreal Engine 4 and then went to the Unreal Marketplace and bought a bunch of assets instead of creating their own. This is how uninspiring this game felt. If you are trying to sell a product to people that looks like a basic ARPG template straight out of a well-known engine, then I am not sure what the developer was expecting. It comes off lazy and cheap.
Dolmen's janky combat, cheap difficulty, and grindy multiplayer mechanic make it tough to recommend to all but the most devoted 'Souls fans that'll stomach it.
During Dolmen’s preview period, gamers walked away from the experience with a sense of hope and anticipation for what the full release would deliver. Unfortunately, the final game feels vastly unfinished, and is plagued by tendrils of brilliant ideas; all of which are haphazardly executed; resulting in a frustrating title providing very little enjoyment or reward for the engagement it requires.
Apart from energy management, Dolmen does not innovate enough. The game is pretty solid, but doesn't really excel at anything. The real Souls fans will have a great time with this game, but Dolmen is not going to help the genre anywhere.
Review in Dutch | Read full review