Lords of the Fallen is ready to rise again with a brand new next gen RPG that reinvents a franchise you’ve probably heard of, and we’ve already explored the cracks between life and death in a hands on preview.
After the 2014 Lords of the Fallen managed a modicum of success the more recent reveal of a follow up to the original was something of a surprise to us watching Gamescom 2022 ONL. However, it seems that when the dead rise what returns is changed in ways we could never have expected. Lords of the Fallen is the new Action RPG from developer Hexworks that is set to spawn onto PC, Xbox Series S|X, and PlayStation 5. This dark fantasy lands sin the land of Mournstead with an impending doom already hanging over the world. With the dark demon god Adyr deceased, a realm was left to rebuild. Things didn’t happen quite that way and all that’s left to stop this monstrous tyrant from rising once more is you, Dark Crusader.
A Dark Soul
Plunging us into a limited slice of this world, during last week’s WASD, it’s obvious that Hexworks takes at least some direction from the Soulslikes of this world. Class selection and character design is an expansive part of this hands on. A range of character choices spilled out ahead of us and looked almost indistinguishable from the first few moments Elden Ring. Players can pick form a range of archetypes. Each comes with their own balance of potential power, magics, and dexterity. Individually, they embody a different playstyle with their own complexities. This could mean picking a lowly wretch for a more traditional Souls-esque experience, or something like the Pyric Cultist or Orian provide a more unusual play through. There’s tons of variety here. While I wanted to explore the nuances of this, it benefited the limited time at WASD to pick on one of the more mailable classes, the Blackfeather Ranger, and skip straight into game. The Blackfeather Ranger, is a dexterous middle of the road character that gave us plenty of options when battling our little slice of hell on Earth. Armed with a hatchet, shield, and bow, this gave us plenty of options during duels without being utterly overwhelmed.
The World of Mournstead
As it turns out, Lords of the Fallen seems to have nailed the dark fantasy aesthetic. A mixture of dank catacombs, crumbling gothic structures, and dilapidated outhouses all peppered a winding and irregular landscape. Enclosed underground dungeons felt oppressive and bleak, without any hope of escape. Out in the open air, a miasma seemed to hang above ravaged terrain that left little room for movement between ramble shackle vestiges of civilization and odd plant life. It’s as if an infection had crept out over this oddly crooked world and it just didn’t want us there.
That oppressive force seemed to make itself known as Lords of the Fallen continued to unwind in front of this hands-on experience. Lurking just beneath the realms of reality is a twisted purgatory called the Umbral. Players who hold the Umbral Lamp can traverse to this other world, and it’s definitely not for the faint hearted. All grey ash, giant contorted skeletons, and throbbing neon pustules, the Umbral takes artistic direction from so many worlds that hang between life and death. It’s evocative of the instantly reminded me of The Medium and the Upside Down from Netflix’s’ Stranger Things. It’s a landscape that you can glimpse with the aid of this Umbral Lamp, interact with in small moments, or jump across to entirely. This builds in the option to sidestep problems in the physical realm. In one moment, I was able to work my way around a door, while just reaching into the Umbral allowed me to move platform to overcome a chasm. It creates some intriguing environmental interactions and keeps the game interesting, when dark fantasy can get very glum.
That path comes littered with a range of odd enemies, from giant knights and powerful demons to hordes of festering undead that rise out the ashes of a long dead memory. Lords of the Fallen manages to make these all threatening in their own way. My own encounter managed plenty of sword and board melee battles with a range of poison and traditional arrows. Even the Umbral Lamp winds its way into the Soulslike combat style. In certain situations, it allows players to draw out demonic forces and weaken enemies by separating their ethereal essence from bodies. This doesn’t do much to make the journey any easier if you insist on rushing in, but the traditional block, parry, dodge, and run tactics all come together with their own mild twist to make this an engaging experience.
If you’re interested in trying Lords of the Fallen, then you won’t have to be a god killer. This isn’t likely to be Lies of P difficult. In fact, death isn’t even the end. While combat is an effective Souls fest without much forgiveness, downed heroes will rise again in the Umbral. From here you’ll be able to fight your way to a region where you can force your way back into the real and continue your quest. Save points are plentiful, and death doesn’t feel overly punishing.
It’s the variety of systems and twists on the Dark Souls ideas that keep Lords of the Fallen interesting, This isn’t an Elden Ring knock off either. Unlike some expansive treks, this tale felt largely linear. While huge boss encounters, punishing traps, and cool backdrops are all regular checkboxes for the dark fantasy adventure, Lords of the Fallen is definitely out to tell a particular tale. You might find nods to the first iteration of this name lying around, but there’s a very particular story waiting, and Hexworks seems to want to scope the pace of this title to that particular narrative. While I’m told that there will be the option to replay, multiple endings and more to find in game, don’t expect to go wandering off on a 50-hour side quest to beat that one-foot soldier that sliced through you last week. Lord of the fallen isn’t likely to be quite that free form.
My overall impression of Hexworks’ latest is that it is lands somewhere between the traditional fantasy RPG and the modern wave of Soulslike chart toppers. With a gorgeous look, some interesting ideas, and just enough twists on combat to make it unique, this return to Mournstead comes back even better than before. Check out more about Lords of the Fallen at Gamespace and on the official website.
