The original Lords of Fallen was one of the first souls-like games and Lords of The Fallen experimented with the same idea in hopes of delivering something better. The original was not on par with other games of the same genre. From Software was the only one with the experience of soul-like because the sub-genre genre was not established at that time. It is another do-over that was originally planned as a sequel. It acts as a reboot of the franchise that changes all that was wrong with the original.
The development cycle of the game was rocky and a lot of developers were changed before the game came to fruition. A lot of things were scaled down and then up. The developers of the original game, Deck 13 didn’t come back. They made a name for themselves with another souls-like series The Surge. The new studio has taken the rain which turns out great. The gameplay mechanics and the combat it employs make it a pleasant experience. All this makes you wonder, is Lords of The Fallen worth it? Let’s find out.
The Setup
There is a story but I don’t know how much it matters as it is nothing more than an explanation for the game’s existence. You don’t have to play the original to know what is happening here as Lords of The Fallen is a complete reboot. The gameplay is similar to Dark Souls which is pretty common for a souls-like game.
There are multiple classes to pick from with the option to customize your character as well. Once you select a character you can then cleanse five corrupted spots and go on your way to save the kingdom. Along the way, you will meet different characters who will have their own motives. Everything is falling apart and things are getting out of hand.
The World of the Dead
Some good innovations make the gameplay fun. Lantern is one such innovation that will let you see the magical objects and world of the dead. World of the Dead looks good in general and lantern is the most immersive trick that makes the experience better. Turning on the lantern will reveal the grotesque reality that will open up new paths. You can use it to solve puzzles and find hidden items. So it is not just a place to look and use for teleportation.
When you die, you will go to the land of the dead. Such mechanics add another layer of complexity to the gameplay. The world of the dead not only looks different but is more dangerous by default as well. There is a risk and reward situation in the land of the dead. You will get more souls the longer you stay in the land of the dead in Lords of The Fallen.
Normal enemies will spawn that you can defeat and eventually an unkillable hunter will start stalking you and it will drain your life. When the Hunter arrives then that is your clue to escape. There are multiple ways to get to escape and get out of the world of the dead.
You can save the game at save points or Flower Beds that also act as mini save points. The difference between a normal save point and a Floor Bed is that the Floor Bed needs resources to be accessed. You have to be careful while using resources to access the Flower Bed in Lords of The Fallen. The use of resources adds another layer of risk-reward scenarios. You can plant seed now or risk it and plant it later. It is a good idea and it works for the most part.
General Gameplay
Lords of The Fallen embraces the player’s choice and gives you tons of weapons, armor, and spells. It lets you do as you please so that you can take it at your own pace. The music is really good and it has went full orchestra which absolutely shines. It is more bombast over melodic tone. The music is done well and comes back well in terms of how it matches with what’s happening on the screen. There is even an option to play online so you can team up with your friends.
The Map
Lords of The Fallen is not an open-world game but it feels good. In a sense, it feels like a successor of Dark Souls though it is a lot bigger. There are places to explore which range from huge complexes to mazes. You can interact with each of these locations in surprising ways.
Despite having different types of levels these are not new and you might have seen them in other soul-like games. Wooden shafts on cliffs, dark castles, haunted forests, murky swamps, snow-covered mountains, and war-torn areas are some of the settings that are part of the game. These areas are a common sight in other souls-like games. There is a good amount of detail in the area, they look good and that’s what makes them shine.
Exploration-wise, Lords of The Fallen is one of the best soul-like games. Souls-like games usually have limited exploration well, unless they are Elden Ring. You would need a good memory during exploration or the map can become worthless. For instance, you can get a key but won’t know where to use it if you don’t remember details about it.
At a certain point, you will have five different directions and each one of them will lead to a new direction. Going through all these areas might not be compelling since the game gives directions towards the main objective.
If you are stuck at a boss or an area is too difficult, you can go to these areas to come back stronger. It is better than hitting a wall and does not feel like a grind since you are going to a new location. Normally, in a soul-like game, you have to backtrack or grind till you master that fight. It is as much non-linear as this type of game can be.
Combat
Controls feel really good and will not get in the way of combat. Combat is fast and fluid. You can block, parry, and dodge. All three of these options feel viable. Parry is forgiving as it gives you more time to react, at least for a souls-like game. Dodging will give you a decent amount of invincibility frame in Lords of The Fallen. However, none of the choices give you 100 protection because all of it comes down to your skills. There is a Bloodborne type health recovery system that lets you gain health just by doing damage. As long as you don’t get hit the second time, you can get your health back.
One of the main changes is the introduction of ammo for ranged weapons. Instead of buying, you always have a set number of ammos that will reset when you rest at a checkpoint. Ranged weapons are a major part of combat since they let you defeat enemies from a distance or in hard-to-reach places. There is an item that can refill arrows and bolts in your ammo pouches. Ammo acts more like a mana meter and adds a little more balance to the game.
Combat is great but it is not the strongest aspect of Lords of The Fallen. Bosses might seem normal but they are varied. There are tricks that spice up the things from time to time, unlike other souls-like games. It is good to fight bosses in unusual areas or ads surrounding you as you take down the boss. The basic idea of combat works and makes it interesting even though it is old school and traditional.
Enemy Verity
Enemy verity is shallow and even later in the game, you will encounter enemies that you faced at the start of the game. There will just be more hit points added to them. A lot of these enemies are varied zombies and knights. Lords of The Fallen does mix up enemies with something weird from time to time.
The world of the dead does give some bizarre enemies. The bulk of enemies is made up of different zombies, knights, reapers, and butterfly-type monsters. The shallow enemy verity is more noticeable depending on the number of hours you put in the game. More enemy verity could have been better.
Verdict
The tone of the stuff and the way combat is handled is pretty satisfying. Exploration is excellent because it adds more variety to the gameplay making it more interesting. The visuals are really impressive as the environment is detailed. It is a good souls-like experience and is a good game if you are approaching it as a souls-like experience. If you liked the original Dark Souls games then Lords of The Fallen will quench that thirst.
At times, it can be exhausting how dense the world is. Exploration and world design are the key ingredients and for such a complex game, the lack of a map can be daunting. Lords of The Fallen is not your general souls-like game as there are multiple layers to it. It is not just combat but all other forms of gameplay options that make up the experience that the game offers. At its core, it is a souls-like game but the option it presents makes it way more than that. So what are your thoughts on the question “Is Lords of the Fallen Worth it? Let us know in the comment section.
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