“A Deeper Dive into the Epic World of Lords of the Fallen”

Review in Progress: Lords of the Fallen

A Brutal Reboot of a Soulslike Classic

By | October 12, 2023

Lords of the Fallen, the reboot to one of the oldest Soulslike titles, has arrived, promising a brutal and unforgiving experience for players. In this review in progress, we will delve into the challenging world of the game, exploring its bosses, mechanics, and overall experience. As a seasoned player of the Souls series, I embarked on this journey with high expectations, and so far, the game has provided a mix of frustration and excitement.

Varied Boss Encounters

The bosses in Lords of the Fallen provide a range of experiences, from incredibly fun and well-thought-out battles to encounters that feel repetitive and lacking in challenge. As a player who has Platinumed most games in the Souls series, I expected to be adept at handling the difficulties presented by Lords of the Fallen. However, some bosses have proven to be so incredibly frustrating that the skill and experience I had accumulated seemed insufficient.

One notable challenging encounter is with the boss known as The Congregator of Flesh. This colossal abomination inflicts poison damage, a weakness that I struggle to overcome. The battle takes place in a confined area, which poses further challenges due to the creature’s massive size. The Congregator of Flesh unleashes a flurry of attacks from various angles, including claw swipes, backhanded swipes, ground slams, body slams, and head slaps. Additionally, the creature charges and leaps on top of you, making the fight even more chaotic. These relentless attacks, combined with the poisonous damage they inflict, create a challenging battle that often feels like brute force is the only way to overcome the chaos. After finally managing to defeat The Congregator of Flesh, however, I experienced a sense of accomplishment and excitement to push forward, a feeling familiar to fans of the genre.

A Proper Reboot with Visual Enhancements

Lords of the Fallen, originally released in 2014, was the first Soulslike game I completed in its entirety. The game’s direct storytelling resonated with me at the time, making it easier for me to immerse myself in the world. The reboot maintains the essence of the original while incorporating visual enhancements that take advantage of current-generation hardware. The world of Axiom, where the game is set, is visually stunning, with realistic lighting effects that create breathtaking landscapes. From a detailed castle to the way sunlight filters through cracks in crumbling walls, the visuals in Lords of the Fallen are truly works of art.

The game embraces the tried-and-true mechanics of the Soulslike genre, including dodging, blocking, and Vestiges (bonfires) to rest and upgrade stats using Vigor (souls). However, Lords of the Fallen feels faster overall, both in movement and combat. Dodging becomes the primary defensive strategy, while parrying takes a backseat. While this change alters the gameplay slightly, it does not detract significantly from the overall experience.

One aspect missing from the original game that I find disappointing is the absence of special weapons obtained by defeating bosses while completing specific challenges during the fight. The sense of reward and accomplishment that came from obtaining these unique weapons added depth and replayability to the game. Its omission in the reboot leaves a void that could have been filled with additional gameplay elements.

Intertwining Life and Death

Lords of the Fallen introduces a new system that intertwines death with the world. Within the game, there are two realms: Axiom, the realm of the living, and Umbral, the realm of the dead. Players possess a magical lantern that grants them access to Umbral, enabling them to reach inaccessible areas and find Vestiges, locations where previous Lamp Holders have died. Activating a Vestige turns it into a checkpoint where players can rest and allocate their Vigor.

Dying in Lords of the Fallen takes players to the Umbral realm, with their dropped Vigor remaining in Axiom. To reclaim their lost Vigor, players must navigate the Umbral realm and find a Vestige to return to Axiom. If they die again in the Umbral realm, all dropped Vigor is permanently lost, and players respawn at the most recent Vestige. While this death and retrieval system offers a fresh approach to the genre, I remain undecided on whether it enhances the gameplay or adds unnecessary complexity.

Technical Issues and Audio Discrepancies

During my time with Lords of the Fallen, I have encountered a few bugs, although none have been game-breaking. It is worth noting that Hexworks, the game’s developer, has released several patches during the pre-release period, which have notably improved performance and addressed some of the bugs I personally encountered. It is a positive sign of a committed development team dedicated to refining the player experience.

The audio in Lords of the Fallen has been hit-or-miss. Audio cues are crucial in understanding certain boss mechanics, but often, there is an overwhelming amount of sound simultaneously, making it difficult to discern specific cues. This can lead to unexpected deaths and frustration. Additionally, some audio effects, such as the sound of executing a parry, feel underwhelming and out of place, diminishing the overall impact of these actions.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, my time with Lords of the Fallen has been a mix of positive and negative experiences. The game succeeds in providing a polished Soulslike experience, showcasing the beauty of its world and embracing the challenge associated with the genre. However, certain mechanics, unfair boss encounters, and the absence of certain elements from the original game have hampered my overall enjoyment. As I continue my playthrough, I look forward to the potential for a shift in the balance and a deeper immersion into this dark and punishing world.

This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.

Keywords: Fantasy, Lords of the Fallen, Action RPG, Video Games, Gaming, Fantasy Role-playing Games, Dark Fantasy, Epic Games, Game Reviews, Game Analysis