Dauntless is an action game developed by an Independent game studio, Phoenix Labs. It is a free-to-play, online game. In it, you play a slayer that hunts monsters called Behemoths. The plot forgoes any depth beyond its title cards, fostering little empathy from the player. The game’s lack of lore-heavy dialogue gives you more time to slay massive beasts, chopping tails and dodging fireballs. By focusing on constant progression, every monster you kill will yield important sources. This will come in fast as your enemies are straightforward with their strengths and weakness, giving you the advantage to craft the right equipment for any situation

Life of a hunter  

Dauntless delivers moment-by-moment gameplay perfectly; your games will tend to follow a pattern of the hunt, craft, and repeat. Asides from crafting better equipment, you will have progress in the Mastery levels. The key to each level is to use a type of weapon or slay a kind of Behemoth repeatedly. The higher your Mastery rank, the better your gear will be. You will still have to forge them yourself, but the quality and usefulness of your weapons will increase. 

This system ultimately rewards commitment, and will not berate players that are not paying to win or pay for items. You are limited to six weapon types, but each of them serves a unique purpose. The sword will be your first weapon. This intuitive weapon offers more than your standard sword. Its war pike serves both an aesthetic purpose and function. It looks good as you’re wielding it around, but it also balances the weight of the sword. 

Another interesting weapon is the chain blades. This is the only dual-wielding melee option. It's will help you efficiently capture your monsters and, in effect, end the fights faster. The weapon that yields the most damage is the hammer. This can also end fights faster given that each throw is precise and powerful. 

A lighthearted approach to gameplay 

Dauntless is often compared to Monster Hunter: World. When it comes down to the objective, both games want you to hunt down monsters. Monster Hunter: World offers more challenging gameplay and more dynamic skillsets. The difficulty level of Monster Hunter will be frustrating. So, winning is ultimately more rewarding. 

Dauntless dials down on the features of Monster Hunter. The behemoths follow an attack pattern, making the experience less believable. This is not just true for one monster, but all monsters follow a single strategy. In the end, you can counter every monster’s dodge and attack. 

Completely different hunter