Lords of the Fallen Reviews
Lords of the Fallen has fun combat and a good spin on Dark Souls' skill system, but its hero is overpowered.
I just wish it wasn't so happy to sit in another game's shadow, and made more of the few fresh mechanisms that might distinguish it and move the genre forwards. Instead, it hews so closely to a proven template that it's basically a pretty good action-adventure by default. Yet as the game clock ticked towards 20 hours and beyond, I could never quite shake the feeling that I'd still rather be failing in Dark Souls than succeeding in Lords of the Fallen.
A competent action RPG with real challenge that lets you get a little too powerful—that is, if your PC is powerful enough to run it without crashing.
'Lords of the Fallen' attempts to put a fresh spin on the 'Dark Souls' system by turning down the difficulty and turning up the cutting-edge graphics.
More inspiration than perspiration, Lords of the Fallen nonetheless presents a rich fantasy world to explore. Just don't mention Dark Souls.
A combat-rich ride with excellent mechanics and interesting customization
Lords of the Fallen is a successful twist on an established formula
Satisfying combat and a darkly beautiful, interconnected kingdom make Lords of the Fallen more than just a clone.
Some parts of Lords of the Fallen are surprisingly enjoyable, but many weigh it down.
Lords of the Fallen is a little bland, but it's a perfectly good distraction with a bit more bite than most modern action/RPGs.
There is apparently a 5GB patch incoming for Lords of the Fallen, which may make a difference, but at this point I'd advise steering well clear unless you're rocking an absolutely monster rig. Even then, is it worth it? From the not-inconsiderable amount I've played of LotF it feels like a game that lacks the finesse and precision of its inspiration, lacking any kind of multiplayer element and offering only a Diablo-esque quantity of loot to keep you coming back. Presuming that the game is patched to a workable state RPS will return to take another look in a week or so's time – but until then, you'd be better-served replaying the Souls games.
A new IP from Deck 13 and City Interactive that doesn't hold your hand, but won't slap it for failure either.
Lords presents an enticing world, but staggered combat and numerous bugs leave it in the shadows of its rivals.
All told, this is a reasonably good first effort and a worthy attempt to imitate and iterate on one of the finest games of the last generation. Lords of the Fallen will hopefully be commercially successful enough to lead to a sequel or, better still, a more ambitious and more unique project from Deck 13/CI Games that builds off this game rather than simply tacks on to it.
In the end, the more straightforward design of Lords of the Fallen puts more focus on combat than building an interesting world. Players may be less likely to get lost, but the game lacks a sense of wonder and isn't helped by its dull narrative and recycled enemies. Still, the solid mechanics are a step in the right direction. Anyone looking for a diversion until Bloodborne may want to give it a try.
As blatant a clone as has ever been seen, but although it does nothing better than Dark Souls it does do some things almost as well – and is certainly more accessible.
Lords of the Fallen plays fast and loose with the established ideas of better games, but the results don't suck.
Lords of the Fallen will probably annoy just as many Dark Souls fans as it pleases.
Lords Of The Fallen has a good core that is being let down by too many other things. The combat is pretty much on point and really does provide a great challenge. If you're looking for a game that has punishing fights, but is a bit easier than Souls then this is it. However the story and lore just aren't that interesting, despite a good premise and Harkyn doesn't have much personality. There's also quite few bugs that really need addressing, like clipping through the environment and objects, or the enemies that just stop moving completely, yet can still deal damage, or suddenly develop the ability to fly. Those problems take Lords Of The Fallen from a potentially great game to something just above average.
In the end, Lords of the Fallen does manage to land in the "respectful homage" category, but only by a hair. I had fun, which is what counts, but unlike with Dark Souls, I'd be hard pressed to play a sequel that basically amounts to an evolution of the same formula. If Namco Bandai is serious about Lords of the Fallen as a franchise, its going to need to devote some serious polish and brainstorming toward a sequel. In the meantime, though, this first game is undeniably worth experiencing for its graphics and handful of unique strengths alone — just don't expect it to transport you to another world.