Dolmen Reviews

Dolmen is ranked in the 14th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
70 / 100
Aug 11, 2022

Dolmen provides fans of SciFi and Souls games with another daunting adventure full of defeat and satisfaction. The game isn’t without faults, having a few bugs as well as some inconsistencies with some combat mechanics, but the team at Massive Work Studio have laid a solid foundation. The game provides just enough reward to make the challenge worth it.

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Avoid
Jul 21, 2022

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.

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6.5 / 10.0
Jun 22, 2022

The sci-fi action RPG inspired by the Dark Souls series tries to bring players an engaging experience. But the rough hero fails.

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55%
Jun 16, 2022

Dolmen has tried to combine the best parts of Dark Souls and Dead Space, however the relative inexperience and low budget has doomed this soulslike to failure. There are things to like here, but the game doesn't have wide appeal.

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Jun 11, 2022

Earlier I asked, “Will the game be filled with wonder and treasures, or will it be empty and nothing but bare-bones?”. Well, it is unfortunately the latter. That’s not to say it’s a bad game, because there is some enjoyment to be had. Part of the problem is the developers of Soulslike games have set the bar very high. With all its clunkiness, it would have been ok 10 years ago while the genre was still in its infancy. But Dolmen did just release in the wake of Elden Ring, and that’s a very big shadow to try and shine in. Is it good? No. Is it bad? Also no. It’s just sort of OK which is why I award Dolmen the Thumb Culture Silver Award.

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Ken McKown
Top Critic
5.5 / 10.0
Jun 8, 2022

There is multiplayer for those finding the game too hard, but I found it harder to find a partner to play with than the game itself so that is likely off the table for most players. Dolmen just feels like scraps when a four course meal is literally right there. It was a bad time to release a game of this type when it falls so short of the mark set by the best in the genre and even falls below the current imitators. I am all for expanding on a game idea, but there has to be something there to make it feel special and unique and Dolmen just doesn’t have anything setting it apart on any level.

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JVL
Kikitoès
Top Critic
13 / 20
Jun 4, 2022

Dolmen is an honest game and a good souls-like. However, its rigidity, capricious camera and great difficulty (sometimes poorly dosed) sometimes have a hard time letting us enjoy the experience properly.

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INDIANTVCZ
Lukáš Andrys
5 / 10
Jun 4, 2022

Dolmen tried to be another big hit, but many problems stopped it from being great. Like the feeling of the whole game, overly tricky enemies, and boring bosses. Dolmen is not an unplayable game, but it feels like it doesn't want you to keep playing.

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6 / 10.0
Jun 2, 2022

Dolmen relies too much on the Soulslike playbook to be much of anything other than a middling iteration of the formula.

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Jake Su
Top Critic
1 / 5.0
Jun 1, 2022

For a genre that is now getting even more popular and perhaps even saturated, getting the basics right is the least we can expect if a game hopes to make an impression. However, with all these issues plaguing the game, plus visuals that hardly scream 2022, Dolmen is not living up to expectations at all. The game tries to include many of the hallmarks of the genre, but muddles it all up with poor systems and execution. For a fan that has grown used to the genre’s often challenging requirements, recommending Dolmen is something that will only happen in an alternate dimension.

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5.5 / 10.0
May 30, 2022

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.

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7.5 / 10.0
May 30, 2022

I had more fun than expected playing Dolmen and everyone who enjoys a good soulslike game should check it out. The environments are varied and look nice, the level design was appealing, it has great character and gear upgrades systems, and multiplayer was a nice touch. The real downside is the poor enemy A.I., so while combat was satisfying, aside from a few well-designed bosses don't expect a stiff challenge. Overall though, it's still a solid recommend.

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XGN.nl
Top Critic
6.5 / 10.0
May 28, 2022

‎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.‎

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6 / 10.0
May 27, 2022

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.

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50 / 100
May 27, 2022

Dolmen really has lots of potential. It could have been a decent first effort from Massive Work Studio, if not for the jankiness and bugs. Some of the progression system and mechanics (like the crafting system) might be worth looking into, but as of right now, they’re underdeveloped and not well explained.

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6.8 / 10.0
May 25, 2022

So overall, Dolmen is sitting somewhere in the middle for me. On one hand, you have some really great ideas, but on the other, there’s still some refinement to be made to the overall experience. A lot of these issues I could see being fixed down the line through a few balancing and adjustment patches, but I think Massive Work Studio and Prime Matter have done a good job. I hope to both see some refinement as well as a potential sequel down the line.

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5.7 / 10.0
May 25, 2022

For a developer’s maiden title, Dolmen is a really ambitious project. In some places, it works. The boss encounters are the high point and for Soulslike addicts, they alone are probably enough reason to check the game out. There are, however, some glaring issues that prevent this game from getting anywhere near the heights of a Dark Souls, or even a Nioh. Poor enemy and level design, lack of visual or audial atmosphere, and a story that doesn’t engage the player. The list goes on. On balance, the bad probably slightly outweighs the good. Too much emphasis was placed on difficulty, without ensuring there was enough meat on the bone in other areas of the game. However, for Soulslike fans, there is certainly enough here to warrant a look, especially at its launch price point. The raw difficulty, and the tough, engaging boss encounters, provide more than an ample challenge for those looking for their next fix in this post-Elden Ring world.

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6 / 10.0
May 24, 2022

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.

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May 23, 2022

Dolmen is a brutal but ok action RPG that feels part space opera part action movie. The challenging gameplay and detailed customisation are fully welcome allowing for a lot of strategic thinking.

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6 / 10.0
May 23, 2022

You probably could have guessed this by now, but Dolmen should have released before Elden Ring. All Soulslike games from here on out will constantly be in that game’s gigantic shadow. It’s not that there’s not enough room in this genre for more entries, especially ones that are in such a wildly different setting. It’s just that whatever games release in this space must now meet such incredibly high standards or face intense criticism and likely faltering sales. Dolmen will surely appeal to those who want a Soulslike adventure in a sci-fi setting, and perhaps were disappointed by 2020’s Hellpoint release. Just go in with lowered expectations owing to a smaller dev team, and perhaps you’ll have some fun smashing enemies to bits.

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