Lords Of The Fallen Review: Unleashing the Darkness Analysis

The Pacing and Checkpoint Issues of Lords of the Fallen: A Challenging Adventure Marred by Frustration

The Importance of Pacing in Souls-like Games

Souls-like games are known for their unique approach to pacing. Players experience periods of growing tension as they navigate through challenging areas filled with tough enemies, accumulating valuable resources known as “souls” along the way. These souls can be spent to level up the character, but they are at risk of being lost if the player dies before reaching a safe location. The release and relief come when players reach a checkpoint, where they can replenish their health, upgrade their character, and take a moment to regroup before venturing out into danger again.

However, Lords of the Fallen, despite incorporating many elements commonly associated with Souls-like games, fails to deliver the same ebb and flow pacing that is so crucial to the genre. Several factors contribute to this disjointed pacing, including the game’s level design, enemy difficulty, and checkpoint system.

The Umbral Realm: A Unique Twist

Lords of the Fallen distinguishes itself from other Souls-like games by introducing the Umbral realm, an alternate dimension that overlays the game’s world. As a Dark Crusader on a quest to stop the return of an evil god, the player character can interact with and even enter the Umbral. The Umbral serves as a means to cheat death, offering a second chance for survival when the player takes too much damage. By entering the Umbral, players can find hidden platforms and passages that are inaccessible in the real world.

While the concept of the Umbral realm is intriguing and adds an extra layer of complexity to the game, its implementation exacerbates the pacing issues in Lords of the Fallen. One of the main problems lies in the game’s level design, which is sprawling and convoluted, making it frustrating to navigate. The checkpoint system further compounds the problem by being inconsistent and unreliable.

The Checkpoint Conundrum

In typical Souls-like fashion, Lords of the Fallen features vestiges, which serve as checkpoints where players can level up, fast travel to other locations, and rest to replenish health and healing charges. However, these vestiges are sparse throughout the game, leading to prolonged periods without a safe haven. In an attempt to address this limitation, the game introduces Umbral Seeds, which players can use to create their own temporary checkpoints in specific locations. Unfortunately, the implementation of Umbral Seeds is flawed, as they are rare and often require defeating bosses to obtain.

The scarcity of checkpoints coupled with the game’s propensity for placing tough enemies in rapid succession creates a frustrating experience for players. The game frequently rewards players for defeating a challenging enemy with yet another equally difficult encounter, with no respite in between. Additionally, extensive side paths and misleading shortcuts add to the confusion, often leading players to spend hours exploring areas that offer little in terms of progress or rewards.

Placing Umbral flower beds in inconvenient locations further exacerbates the checkpoint problem. Some flower beds are surrounded by enemies, putting players at a disadvantage when using an Umbral Seed. Choosing the right location to create a checkpoint becomes a gamble, as players risk sacrificing their old checkpoint for a potentially useless new one. While it is possible to purchase more Vestige Seeds from a vendor, they come at a high cost, creating an additional burden on the player’s resources.

The Combat Quandary

Lords of the Fallen’s combat mechanics, akin to other Souls-like games, emphasize slow, deliberate attacks, blocking with shields, and well-timed dodges. While these mechanics generally work well for the genre, they contribute to the game’s pacing issues. The combat, from encounters with regular foes to epic boss battles, tends to feel laborious and drawn-out.

One of the main culprits is the dodge mechanic, which grants players an excessive number of invincibility frames, making it easy to evade attacks. This forgiving dodge system renders blocking and parrying less necessary, overshadowing the potential depth and strategy of these mechanics. The overreliance on dodging removes much of the challenge and diminishes the sense of accomplishment that Souls-like games are known for.

Furthermore, the health pool of enemies, especially bosses, feels disproportionately massive compared to the damage players can inflict. This imbalance prolongs battles unnecessarily, transforming what could be thrilling encounters into tedious slogs. Boss fights, in particular, become tiresome as they test players’ patience rather than their skill.

The Underwhelming Rewards

Lords of the Fallen’s world is vast and visually stunning, with a captivating story that explores themes of corruption and religious zealotry. The Umbral dimension adds an eerie and unsettling atmosphere to each location, providing inventive opportunities for navigation and puzzle-solving. However, these elements alone cannot compensate for the game’s pacing and checkpoint issues.

The risk-and-reward gameplay that is central to Souls-like games fails to deliver satisfying rewards in Lords of the Fallen. The lackluster rewards, coupled with the high risk and arduous battles, create an imbalance that leaves players feeling frustrated rather than accomplished. The potential enjoyment of exploring the game’s world is undermined by the meandering level design and tedious encounters.

Conclusion: A Game of Missed Opportunities

Lords of the Fallen possesses several intriguing ideas and unique twists that set it apart from other Souls-like games. Its vast and atmospheric world, along with its imaginative bosses, offer glimpses of what could have been an exceptional gaming experience. However, the game’s disjointed pacing, checkpoint system, and underwhelming rewards overshadow its strengths.

The frustration that arises from the lack of proper pacing and checkpoints ultimately detracts from the enjoyment of playing Lords of the Fallen. While some players may find solace in the challenge it presents, others may feel that their time would be better spent elsewhere. Ultimately, the game’s potential is undermined by its failure to strike the right balance between risk and reward, leaving players with a sense of longing for a more gratifying experience.