Lords of the Fallen

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September 2016

Lords of the Fallen is basically the "B" version of Dark Souls. That's probably a bit of a disservice to the game creators, but it's also the easiest way to convey what the game is. The combat isn't quite as tight as Dark Souls, but it's more a matter of style than a matter of game mechanic perfection. There are not bonfires, but there is something very similar - crystals. When you go to a crystal you can spend your experience to upgrade stats, and all of the creatures in the world are reset. One cool twist in Lords of the Fallen is that you can activate a crystal to set a checkpoint, but not to reset the enemies, refill your health, or refill your health flasks. The reason a person might choose to do this is because you get slightly more experience for each enemy you've killed, but if you rest at a crystal then this is reset as well. It allows the player to increase the tension of their play but doesn't force it. I thought it was a good gameplay mechanic that could be implemented into the Souls games at some point.

There are tough boss enemies and a sense of triumph upon defeating them, just like in Dark Souls. There isn't as much variety to the boss characters as in the Souls games, but there wouldn't be anything to criticize unless making a direct comparison between the two. One of the bosses early on was so tough I figured I must be way under-leveled, but nope! He's just super tough.

If you like the Souls games then you will probably like Lords of the Fallen, but you will notice the differences between the two - with the Souls game being superior in almost every way. However, the Souls games set a very high bar and Lords of the Fallen is a welcome addition to this type of gameplay.

I don't remember much of the story, but I think the protagonist makes a pilgrimage to this sacred site and basically flips the bird to his god.
		Classic objectification of men in video games.
	Like the Souls games, you can get new equipment that changes your appearance.
	The first boss.
As you progress you can unlock new moves.	One design issue that could be improved upon in the future is that a lot of the environments lack distinct coloration.



This part is void of enemies but I thought it was one of the most atmospheric.


That's a pretty bad-A shield.	One of the more stylized and impressive bosses.





	Another pretty cool environmental shot.	Sadly you don't get to fight this giant demon.

		You don't fight it, no. An NPC bargains with it.


		He seems nice. . .