Dolmen is the latest hardcore roguelike trying to take over the big boy’s table. The game has a lot in common with Dark Souls, for example; it has corpse runs, checkpoints like bonfires, and so on. The narrative revolves around a space colony researching precious material on the planet Revion Prime.
This material is known as the titular Dolmen. These crystals hold many secrets which could help save the galaxy from its energy crisis; however, some would abuse that power as well. Besides humans, there are also creepy aliens trying to protect the crystals. That’s the basic plot but what else should players know before starting the campaign? Here are some handy Dolmen tips.
7 Choose The Sharpshooter Class First
There are five classes to choose from at the start of Dolmen, and one of the coolest-looking classes is the Bounty Hunter. The dual-energy blades seem fun to use, and fans can color the armor so that they look like Samus Aran from the Metroid series. While new players might be tempted to go with the Bounty Hunter, the class is tricky to use as a melee fighter.
The best class for beginners is the Sharpshooter. It comes with a powerful rifle that can freeze enemies, which is going to help a lot. Keeping the distance is a good strategy in any Soulslike game.
6 Make Armor ASAP
Some people might not even notice this but the starting armor in Dolmen is garbage. They will not give players any sort of defensive physical stats, which is why enemies can take them down so easily. Consequently, start crafting armor as soon as possible. That’s the easy part of the tip.
To do that, players need to get back to the ship as soon as possible. The path to the portal home is fairly linear. Ignore enemies for now and get home. On the ship, which is like the hub world, players can craft weapons, armor, and even level up stats like in a typical RPG.
5 What To Level Up First
Once players get back to the ship, it’s important to be aware that weapons and armor have stat restrictions. Before using this game’s version of experience points to boost stats, players should study the crafting options. See a piece of armor that looks good? Level up your character in that direction. This is RPGs 101 but the sentiment still needs to be said.
Also, be aware that some pieces of gear can be boosted with items in the crafting process. Experimentation can lead to success and making multiple versions of the same gear can be lucrative as well.
4 Planning Out Potions
One of the most unique features about Dolmen is that the energy meter dictates healing and ammo. This is different from most other Soulslike games. If players use the Sharpshooter rifle’s standard shot, for example, it will drain the energy meter. However, every drop of it used will refill given time. If the secondary shot is used then the meter will actually drain.
The same goes for healing. The energy meter can be replenished with a potion, four at the start, but using them takes consumption time that will leave players vulnerable. So, make sure to plan this process out before using one.
3 Destroy Ranged Enemies First
This is an obvious tip that can be used across multiple genres whether they are action games or strategy RPGs: make sure to take out ranged enemies first. Sometimes it might not even be obvious that an enemy has a ranged attack until they use it. That’s why studying enemies is just as important as destroying them.
For an early example, the beginning insect creatures can shoot poison blobs at players. The next area will have humanoid-like zombies that are on fire and can also throw said fire. The overall tip here is to be aware of one’s surroundings. Don’t get caught off guard by a bunch of ranged fighters.
2 Connecting With Multiplayer
Although it is not an option on the title screen, Dolmen does have multiplayer co-op, although its implementation is very limited. To gain access to this feature, players will have to progress into the second area of the game, just past the portal back to the ship.
This new lab area will eventually lead players to a kiosk right before a boss room. These kiosks will always appear outside a boss area and multiplayer can only be connected for these battles. Again, it’s very limited for a Soulslike but fighting bosses on an infinite loop can help level up players quickly. Best of all, if a player dies, they won’t lose progress like experience points.
1 Testing Out Elements
This is said in the tutorials in Dolmen, but enemies have weaknesses. Most guns in the game have an elemental side to them; for instance, the Sharpshooter class has a starting rifle that is enhanced with ice powers. Also, the handgun for the Bounty Hunter has fire powers.
If a certain boss is giving players trouble then it might be time to switch to a weapon with a different element. That’s why experimentation with crafting is so important. Also, players may not realize that they can equip two melee, two ranged, and two shields at a time. Switching between them in battle can help create some dynamic situations during combat. Again, this can be particularly effective in a boss fight, especially during multiplayer.
Dolmen was released on May 20, 2022 and is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.