Kickstarter can be a great way for players to help finance titles that catch their eye, and it can provide the video game industry with a more diverse and independent roster of releases. While the sci-fi action RPGDolmenwas first announced via a Kickstarter campaign in 2018, it didn’t quite manage to reach its goal. However, developer Massive Work Studio continued to plug away at it, and now players will soon be able to play the intriguing new title later this month.Koch Media’s gaming label Prime Matter will be publishing the title, andDolmenwill also be Massive Work Studio’s first major release after mainly working on mobile games.
Dolmenwas only confirmed in 2021, and with such a tight turnaround from its announcement to its release, players haven’t been able to learn that much about the upcoming title. However, thanks to some previews and a few comments from the development team, the cosmic horror-inspired game has started to take shape ahead of its impending launch. Players who want to learn a bit diving in should definitely take a look.
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Dolmen’s Cosmic Horror and a Sci-Fi Setting
Set in a distant future,Dolmentasks gamers with bringing back samples of the “Dolmen” crystal, which has interdimensional properties that are integral to space exploration. Players are launched into the hostile alien world known as Revion Prime to infiltrate its mining station and retrieve the vital crystals.Dolmen’s alien planetis a terrifying and cruel environment, designed to push players to their limits with its various challenges and antagonistic inhabitants. The array of gruesome monsters and formidable bosses provides plenty of chances for players to level up their characters as they earn experience after each successful takedown.
The combat inDolmenlets players dynamically switch between melee and ranged weapons to use a variety of different attacks depending on their foe. The game also features an intriguing energy system that players will need to manage in order to use ranged moves and imbue melee weapons with elemental status effects,similar to some mechanics inElden Ring. There’s an impressive array of armor and weaponry for players to choose from as well, so they can really customize their character and their approach to combat.
Players will experience the story ofDolmenprimarily through flashbacks and through reading the various computer logs dotted around the game, alsosimilar to FromSoftware’s more environmental storytelling. The design of the game is a perfect mix of futuristic sci-fi and suitably creepy atmospheres, providing a great backdrop for the game’s action. Dying causes all the monsters that players have previously slain to return, and gamers are sent back to the last respawn point to try again and attempt to collect their gear from where they fell, in a move equally reminiscent of a Soulslike title.
Serious Souls Vibes Coming From Dolmen
It seems almost a cliché at this point to say something is a Soulslike. The term describing Fromsoftware’s successful formula has become so synonymous with challenging action RPGs that the phrase Soulslike gets thrown about almost constantly.FromSoftware’s series likeDark SoulsandBloodbornehave become so iconic that they’ve helped to shape a whole generation of similar titles, and with recent mega-hits likeElden Ring,the trend isn’t showing signs of stopping.
Despite the overused descriptor,Dolmenreally does have some clear Soulslike inspirations. With its computer terminal stand-in forDark Souls' bonfires, its “Timeline Erased” death screen, and its tricky-to-master combat, the game isn’t shying away from showing its influences.Dolmenis also wholeheartedlyembracing its Lovecraftian cosmic horror roots, which is something players also saw in FromSoftware’s gothic RPGBloodborne,as well as many other video game titles.
Dolmenreleases on July 23, 2025, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox X.
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