The cooperative action RPG genre has seen a significant rise in popularity over the past few years, with games like Monster Hunter taking center stage.

Phoenix Labs’ entry into this genre, Dauntless, takes inspiration from these creature-hunting giants but also brings its unique flavor to the table.

The game positions you as a Slayer, a fearless hunter tasked with protecting humanity from Behemoths, giant monstrous creatures threatening to tear the world asunder. In this review, we dissect this beast of a game in an effort to gauge its overall quality.

Gameplay

If there’s one word to describe Dauntless’s gameplay, it’s “exhilarating. The game’s heart lies in its combat system, a deeply engaging experience that requires both strategy and skill. As a Slayer, you’ll face off against various Behemoths, each with their unique behaviors, abilities, and weaknesses. This necessitates a constant shift in strategy and adaptation, which keeps the game from feeling stale.

Equipped with a wide variety of weapons, ranging from the fast-paced Chain Blades to the heavy-hitting Hammer, you can choose your preferred style of play. Each weapon brings a distinct dynamic to the combat, influencing both your movement and attack patterns. Mastery over a weapon, understanding its strengths, and knowing when to deploy its special abilities adds a layer of depth to the combat.

However, Dauntless’s combat system isn’t without its flaws. The hitboxes often feel inconsistent, causing some attacks to miss even when they seem like they should connect. Additionally, the repetitive nature of the game, primarily focusing on hunting Behemoths, can feel monotonous after prolonged gameplay.

Graphics

In terms of visuals, Dauntless embraces a stylized aesthetic reminiscent of animated films, a departure from the hyper-realistic graphics prevalent in most modern games. The game’s vibrant color palette brings the Shattered Isles to life, creating a visually engaging environment that’s as much a joy to explore as it is to fight in.

The game’s character and Behemoth designs deserve particular praise. Each Behemoth is uniquely designed, with visual cues hinting at their abilities and behaviors, lending more than just a cosmetic feel to their design. Similarly, the character customization options are vast, allowing players to create a unique Slayer that truly represents them.

Performance-wise, the game runs smoothly on most modern systems, though it can suffer from occasional frame rate drops during intense combat situations, particularly on lower-end systems.

Community & Population

Dauntless shines when it comes to its cooperative multiplayer experience. The game encourages forming parties with other players to take on tougher Behemoths, promoting teamwork and cooperation. The community, for the most part, is supportive and welcoming, making it easy for new players to find a footing.

The cross-platform feature is a significant boon, allowing you to play with friends regardless of the platform they’re on. This, coupled with the game’s free-to-play model, has cultivated a healthy player population.

Is It Free-to-Play or Pay-To-Win

Dauntless employs a free-to-play model, with the core game being entirely free to play. The game offers a premium currency, Platinum, which can be used to purchase cosmetic items, emotes, and dyes. However, none of these impact gameplay, ensuring a level playing field for all players, regardless of how much they spend.

The game also offers a seasonal Hunt Pass, which rewards players with both free and premium cosmetic items for completing in-game objectives. While this system provides an incentive to keep playing, it can sometimes feel grindy.

Conclusion

Dauntless is an exciting take on the cooperative action RPG genre. Its engaging combat system, vibrant world, and cooperative focus make it a worthwhile experience for both solo players and groups alike.

While the game has its shortcomings, such as inconsistent hitboxes and a repetitive gameplay loop, it offers enough depth and enjoyment to keep players coming back for more.

Dauntless is marking its fourth anniversary with the introduction of Patch 1.14.1, featuring exciting new content, gameplay improvements, and bug fixes.

Celebrating the Journey

Four years ago, Dauntless Slayers across various platforms joined hands to battle the monstrous Behemoth threat. Since then, players have witnessed the evolution of the game with 42 different Behemoths emerging in the Shattered Isles, each possessing unique attacks and abilities. To combat this, Slayers have developed an impressive arsenal of over 230 unique weapons. The developers teased that they are working on exciting surprises that will add more excitement to the Shattered Isles.

Anniversary: The Last Slayer’s Hope

In honour of the First Slayer, Patch 1.14.1 presents a unique questline that involves confronting the original eight Behemoth species and reliving the legendary battle against both Shrowd and Rezakiri in the First Slayer’s Legacy event hunt. Completing all these missions will unlock an even more challenging encounter: Last Slayer’s Hope.

Brave Slayers can earn the fiery Firelight sword skin and the new Firelight crown, which is only available to the most formidable players from the Last Slayer’s Hope encounter. This event, however, requires unlocking the Slayer’s Path Milestone V: Light the Way and is available from May 18 – June 1.

Anniversary Sales, Double XP and Bonus Bounties

The anniversary event also brings an enticing sale, offering 30% off on featured weapon transmogs until June 1. Slayers can also benefit from back-to-back bonus weekends, with double XP offered from May 18 – May 21 and an extra bounty token for each bounty completed from May 25 – May 28.

Moreover, five repeatable event quests are available during the anniversary event, with rewards ranging from combat merits to bounty tokens.

Balance and Bug Fixes

Patch 1.14.1 also brings balance changes to the Aether Strikers, adjusting the bonus attack speed granted by The Golden Claws at 25% health, down from 30% health. The patch also resolves a bug related to the Golden Claws’ attack speed buff.

In Ramsgate, the Bosun’s position has been changed for better accessibility. The user interface has also been tweaked, correcting some scaling issues on various screens.

Overall, Dauntless’ anniversary and Patch 1.14.1 promise exciting gameplay experiences, rewarding encounters, and enticing offers, all part of the game’s commitment to keep evolving and delivering content that satisfies its dedicated Slayer community.