Of all the demos available at Steam Next Fest 2024, one captured my attention long after I’d put the controller down. Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn immediately grabbed my attention, and now, 40 hours into my playthrough, it’s one I’ll be thinking about for months to come.

In Flintlock you play as Nor, a soldier with a pistol and an axe, accompanied by Enki, a fox-like creature who fights with magical attacks. You explore the world of Kian, a 'flintlock fantasy' realm where gods rule, but humans fight back with the power of gunpowder. In this world, humanity has been at war with the dead for 10 years, and now the gods have burst out of the Great Below to wreak havoc upon the world.

Together, Enki and Nor battle undead enemies and divine bosses through “rhythmic combat,” as developer A44 Games describes it, in an experience that blends action-adventure, Soulslike, and even 3D platforming elements. Flintlock, while far from perfect, pulls it all off with fluid movement, customizable combat, and beautiful environments filled with secrets to discover.

A big selling point for Flintlock is its movement mechanics. Powder jumping, the game’s double-jump system that launches you upward or forward, can be used to dodge in combat or reach hard-to-reach places to find hidden items. There’s also Rift traveling, a way to quickly maneuver through areas that see Nor and Enki racing through the air, often against awe-inspiring backdrops.