SOULSLIKES are the hottest genre at the moment, and a number of developers are trying out games in this style.

Alongside the popularity of the genre, there has always been discussion about adding easier difficulty modes to the games.

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Some games like Stellar Blade have done this pretty successfully, while others, like Another Crab’s Treasure, have been criticised for a lack of balance.

Few games have received as much criticism for their decisions surrounding difficulty as the recently released Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn.

However, it’s not the choice to give players different difficulty options that has upset fans, but that players feel punished for using them.

Those who choose to play Flintlock on Story difficulty are locked out of all trophies and achievements, even ones that don’t require skill to complete.

There are a number of basic trophies that you don’t need to be good at the game to unlock, such as “change your trousers and jacket” or “slide down a hill for five seconds”.

It’s not uncommon for a game to lock achievements behind difficulty settings, for example you cannot earn trophies or achievements in Shovel Knight if you use cheat codes.

However, these are often pointing you towards an intended experience, or only locking a few trophies or achievements behind certain difficulty settings to add an extra layer of challenge.

It appears that Flintlock is trying to have its cake and eat it too, claiming to be a more approachable soulslike and also that if you’re playing on Story difficulty, you are doing it wrong.

As such it’s received a lot of negative feedback for the decision.

While a number of studios are experimenting with adding difficulty options in soulikes, it seems it will be some time before a good balance is struck.

If you want to read more about the game, check out our Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn review.

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