18 Jun How do the pirate battles play out in Flint: Treasure of Oblivion?
In Flint: Treasure of Oblivion, players follow the adventures of a pirate crew through phases of exploration, comic-style narration and epic clashes. Today, we will look at the ins and outs of the combat system with Johan Spielmann, Game Director at Savage Level!
Where and when does Flint: Treasure of Oblivion take place?
In their quest for riches that will take them all the way to Central America, Captain Flint and his companions will need to fend off many enemies. As a tactical RPG, Flint: Treasure of Oblivion features turn-based combat with an overhead view. Each crew member can perform two actions on their turn, or sometimes more if they drink a tonic for example.
Among the possible actions, there are movement and attack actions. Characters can move a certain number of squares (in Flint: Treasure of Oblivion, these “squares” are actually hexagons that offer a greater number of possible combinations). They can also rush at an enemy and knock them over, or trample them if they are already on the ground. They can even interact with objects in their environment, like barrels, which can be rolled into an enemy.
“The environment plays a big role in Flint: Treasure of Oblivion, and being in the right place can make a huge difference,” commented Johan. “Finding a way to descend on an enemy, or take them by surprise, can maximize damage inflicted. On the other hand, the environment can also be used against you; be careful not to fall from a height, or, even worse, into the ocean.”
In terms of attack actions, the characters can use a diverse range of weapons, each with its own strengths and weaknesses: daggers, swords, spears, pistols, muskets… Players can also use actions to reload a firearm or protect themselves against a subsequent attack. Their degree of success will be determined by dice-throws, ranging from a critical hit to breaking their weapon for the remainder of the battle!
A combat experience that stands out from other tactical games
We asked Johan Spielmann why Savage Level opted for a tactical RPG approach with Flint: Treasure of Oblivion. “It’s the most natural game mechanic to tell the whole story of a battle”, explained the Game Director. “With an action-adventure game, we’re in a visceral relationship between a hero and an enemy. This didn’t fit so well with the adventure of our pirate crew, which stays together until death.”
In the making of this title, the studio was of course influenced by big names like X-COM and Final Fantasy Tactics, but it stands out by offering its own take. “First, what makes our combat system special is that the battles are always an extension of the story,” said Johan. “There are no gratuitous battles; they are always woven into the narrative. Next, because we want players to move forward through the story, we made sure the gameplay is intuitive – there’s nothing complex about it. We offer a very simple choice: attack or move. Behind that, however, there’s a lot of depth in terms of the actions as we’ve seen. Our game really embodies the famous maxim “easy to learn; difficult to master.”
The combat sequences in Flint: Treasure of Oblivion are designed for those who are familiar with video game rules, without having to be masters of the tactical RPG genre. It is for players who, above all, want to follow and take part in a fantastic pirate adventure around the world.
If this description fits you, then join the crew at the end of 2024 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series! Don’t forget to add the game to your wishlist on Steam, Epic Game Store, GOG and PlayStation Store to make sure you don’t miss any announcements.
