Guns of Eschaton, an upcoming title from developer Eschatology Entertainment, aims to redefine the soulslike genre by shifting the perspective to first-person and focusing on firearms in an apocalyptic weird west setting. This departure from the traditional third-person melee combat introduces a steep learning curve, forcing players to unlearn established soulslike strategies.
The core soulslike tenets remain: players earn experience from defeating enemies, which is lost upon death and must be recovered. Bonfire-like checkpoints serve as crucial respite points, and co-op play is available. However, Guns of Eschaton introduces a host of new mechanics that differentiate it significantly. A primary challenge is that most enemies are armed with ranged weapons, creating a combat environment that echoes the difficulty of facing archers in games like Dark Souls' Anor Londo, but from a first-person viewpoint.
During a recent two-hour demo, the intricate reloading system for the game's 19th-century firearms proved to be a significant hurdle. Players must manually cock the hammer for each shot and eject spent casings before reloading. This painstaking process means that being caught in the open with an empty cylinder is often a death sentence. The game also allows for tactical cylinder management, enabling players to pre-load special ammunition types, such as armor-piercing or cursed rounds, offering potential for complex combat sequences.
Beyond weapon management, Guns of Eschaton features a unique shot sequence system. Certain enemies can be dispatched more efficiently by targeting specific body parts in a particular order. For instance, the Serviteur requires hits to its left and right legs sequentially, while the Severed Lawman needs its left leg, left arm, and then head shot. A in-game book provides visual cues for these sequences, turning each encounter into a puzzle that must be solved under fire. This system, while potentially complex, imbues every standoff with purpose, making even basic enemies feel like a distinct combat challenge.
The game also incorporates a parry mechanic, essential for survival. Enemies telegraph their attacks with a visual flash and a distinct sound, signaling an opportunity to parry with spectral arms. A successful parry triggers a brief slow-motion window for a counter-attack. However, managing parries against multiple on-screen enemies or unseen snipers presents a significant challenge, sometimes leading to frustrating deaths that can feel less fair than traditional soulslike ambushes.
Eschatology Entertainment is also implementing a variety of other systems, including an ability library acquired from NPCs and a magic system featuring prayers and curses. A key feature highlighted is the protagonist's bandolier, which can be equipped with multiple handguns, each with its own custom cylinder of special bullets. This allows for uninterrupted combat by quickly switching between loaded weapons.
The art direction for Guns of Eschaton is led by the late Viktor Antonov, known for his work on Dishonored and Half-Life 2. His distinctive brutalist style is evident in the game's environments, though the demo's sparse desert setting did not fully showcase the atmospheric depth seen in trailers and his previous projects. Antonov's passing last year has become a notable part of the game's promotional narrative, emphasizing this as one of his final projects.
Despite the demanding nature of its mechanics and the frequent deaths encountered during the demo, the intricate systems and unique world of Guns of Eschaton have the potential to be deeply rewarding for players willing to endure its challenges, evoking a similar draw to the "gitting gud" mantra found in other soulslike titles.