Publisher(s): Microïds
Platform(s): PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X, PC
Release Date: Q4 2024
During my hands-off showcase of Flint – Treasure of Oblivion, the part that stuck with me the most was how unique the Savage Level development team tells the game’s story of searching for a legendary treasure that promises freedom and fortune for Captain Flint, his second-in-command Billy Bones, and his crew. Inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel Treasure Island and set during the golden age of piracy, Flint – Treasure of Oblivion tells its story through comic book panels that will pop on and off the screen in the Franco-Belgian bande dessinée style. These comic book panels help to bring life and attitude to the different characters in a way that mere pixels on the screen cannot, and they are used for everything from opening a treasure chest to major story beats. If there is one thing that separates Flint – Treasure of Oblivion from every other tactical RPG game on the market, it is that story telling mechanic because it truly is that stunning.
The gameplay for Flint – Treasure of Oblivion was fun to watch as well. You can have up to 15-on-15 pirate battles, and there are over 50 different weapons that all have different effects on the battle and have their own durability. The battle system itself reminded me a lot of Dungeons & Dragons. When you take an action in battle, you spend points. When you attack, you will then roll in-game dice that determine the amount of damage you can do – and it can be influenced by weapon effects and other things. Additionally, you can have multiple weapon attacks to use at once – meaning you don’t fall into the ‘one weapon’ archetype, but instead can make each of your pirates more flexible for combat. Additionally, each pirate has their own attribute cards that allow them to affect combat and gain an advantage over opponents. If all of that complexity already wasn’t enough, there are environmental factors such as being able to roll a barrel across the ground to damage whatever is in your pirate’s way. All of these elements, including the sheer number of potential fighters, really makes the gameplay more than just a one-tone effort with a high degree of customization.
I know that I’ve talked about the story telling mechanics already, but what I glimpsed of the story was enjoyable. During my demo, the story was set up that I needed to build my own pirate crew and there were multiple goals gradually set for me to accomplish it. The writing was both enjoyable and witty – especially with the accompanying comic panels. From what I saw, I was drawn into the world of Flint – Treasure of Oblivion, and I wanted to see where this story was going to go over the 15 to 20 hour gameplay time.
It says something about an off-hands presentation of a video game that it makes me want to pick it up and try it for myself as soon as the developer was finished. And with Flint – Treasure of Oblivion, that is absolutely true. I wanted to build out the pirate crew, and I wanted to try out a variety of weapons and try out the isometric battle mechanics itself. Personally, I cannot wait until Flint – Treasure of Oblivion is released later on this year.
Are you excited for Flint- Treasure of Oblivion?
What kind of pirates would you want on your crew?
Let us know in the comments below!
