Title: Lords of the Fallen Review: An Astonishingly Bleak, Yet Fascinating Soulslike Experience
Subheading: Unravel the Dark Crusader’s Mission to Prevent the Resurrection of Demon God Adyr
By Pierre Herubel
Release Date: October 13, 2023
Game Info:
– Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
– Developer: HexWorks
Introduction:
In the world of Lords of the Fallen, players are thrust into the clashing realms of Axiom and Umbral, where danger lurks at every corner. With its parallel Dark World reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, this soulslike game offers a unique and intriguing experience. Developed by HexWorks, Lords of the Fallen immerses players in a world filled with challenging bosses, treacherous levels, and hidden secrets, all tied to a mission of preventing the resurrection of the Demon God Adyr. This bleak, yet fascinating world offers a fresh take on the genre.
Exploring the Twin Worlds:
As a Dark Crusader, players have the ability to traverse between the twin worlds of Axiom and Umbral. Axiom, the corporeal world, presents challenges and enemies, while Umbral, the invisible layer over Axiom, offers alternate pathways and hidden treasures. The lantern plays a crucial role in navigating the game. By holding up the lantern, players can catch a glimpse of Umbral and discover ways to progress in Axiom. However, venturing too long into Umbral comes with risks, as powerful enemies and a ticking timer await. Players must strategically balance their time between the two realms to succeed.
The Dual-World Mechanics:
One of the standout features of Lords of the Fallen is its seamless integration of the lantern’s abilities with the shift between Axiom and Umbral. The ability to switch between the lantern and ranged weapons adds depth to combat. By utilizing ranged weapons, players can pick off distant targets or combo attacks with melee strikes. The Umbral plane also introduces a unique approach to death, offering players a chance to save themselves from Vigor loss by successfully making it back to Axiom. These mechanics provide a genuine second chance and make the game more accessible for newcomers to the soulslike genre.
Challenging, Yet Rewarding Gameplay:
Lords of the Fallen offers challenging gameplay, with enemies that require careful strategy to overcome. The level design is mostly excellent, featuring winding paths, shortcuts, and hidden secrets to discover. However, some aspects could be improved. Certain weapons have delays in their windup, leading to frustrating trades in combat. Enemy placement, especially projectile-happy enemies, can sometimes be out of the player’s line of sight, resulting in unexpected setbacks. Despite these flaws, the overall experience remains sublimely challenging and packed with fresh ideas.
Accessibility:
Unfortunately, Lords of the Fallen lacks significant accessibility settings at launch. The only available option is to toggle subtitles and their size. Post-launch additions, such as colorblind settings, would greatly enhance the game’s accessibility and cater to a wider audience.
Final Thoughts:
Lords of the Fallen, alongside titles like Lies of P and Final Fantasy 16, stands out as one of the best RPGs of the year. Its unique twin-world mechanics, engaging combat system, and immersive atmosphere set it apart from other soulslike games. Although some aspects could be refined, the overall experience is a must-play for fans of the genre. Dive into the dark and intriguing world of Lords of the Fallen and uncover its hidden secrets.
Price Comparison:
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Note: This article is solely the opinion of the writer and does not reflect the views of the publication.
