Of the many games that were given new trailers at The Game Awards 2022, one of the most intriguing ones wasThe Lords of the Fallen. Fans were given a closer look at the game, including the first glimpse of some gameplay as well as getting to see some of the world and its grim locations. Judging by what was displayed, developer Hexwork’sThe Lords of the Fallenis really putting the ‘Souls’ into Soulslike, with a setting and premise that could’ve easily been taken from a hypothetical FromSoftware trailer unveilingDark Souls 4.
The future of theDark Soulsseries is in doubt. Lots of gamers view it as a trilogy, which was completed with the release ofDark Souls 3, and while FromSoftware has stopped short of fully ruling out aDark Souls 4, it certainly doesn’t appear to be on the horizon anytime soon, if it ever happens.Armored Core 6has just been announced, and many feel thatElden Ring DLCnews is imminent, while some are still clamoring for news of a long-awaitedBloodbornesequel. With FromSoftware’s hands full for the foreseeable future then, fans will be looking to the slew of upcoming Soulslikes to fill theDark Soulsvoid, and of all the ones in development,The Lords of the Fallencould be the one closest in tone and style.
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Dark Souls is Often Copied
Many consider the originalLords of the Fallento be one of the very first true Soulslikes. Released in 2014, it bore astriking resemblance toDark Souls, with interconnecting maps, checkpoints respawning enemies, and tactical, deliberate real-time combat that utilized a stamina meter. The game had mixed reviews, with some finding its combat to be slow and labored, and others claiming the narrative lacked any engaging characters or memorable events. It had its fans though, and a sequel was quickly announced that same year, but nothing more was heard of it until earlier this year whenThe Lords of the Fallenemerged.
This new trailer and gameplay footage all but confirm that the game will look to emulateFromSoftware’s themes and stylemuch more closely this time around. The Japanese developer is the undisputed master of its craft, to the point where an entire sub-genre was named after its ownDark Soulstrilogy. Try as they may though, nobody does monster or world design quite as well as Hidetaka Miyazaki and his team, with titles such asBloodborneandElden Ringwidely recognized as having some of the finest art design in video game history.
Close inspection of this new trailer reveals several designs that look eerily similar to those found within the Soulsborne games, a fact that immediately becomes apparent as soon as the trailer’s narration begins, revealing a cold, desolate voice speaking dialogue that could’ve come straight out ofDark Souls. From what looks to be a giant human/ animal hybrid reminiscent of some ofBloodborne’s late-game bosses, to the assortment of scary-looking humanoid enemies, and a huge priest-style boss using a staff to perform some dangerous-looking spell attacks, it certainly appears that Hexworks has absolutely nailed the tone and style it seems to be going for.
In fact, the game arguably looks even darker than FromSoftware’s catalog of titles, and some of the imagery on display in the trailer could easily see the game labeled as more of anaction-horror gamethan an action RPG. Those two genres don’t always blend very well, andBloodborneprobably treads this unusual line better than any other, but ifThe Lords of the Fallencan get the balance right, it may well strike gold.
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The Lords of the Fallen Needs to Exorcise Some Ghosts
The trailer confirms that this sequel wants to really stand on its own two feet and perhaps even distance itself from the original 2014 game.The Lords of the Falleneven dropped the number from the title, somewhat confirming that this would be a reboot rather than a direct sequel. The first game had more of a high-fantasy, medieval-type setting, complete with a set, named protagonist, and a fairly straightforward narrative- two things players wouldn’t usually find in a Soulslike title.
No HUD is displayed in the trailer, and only limited combat is shown, making it difficult to ascertain whether the action has been sped up this time around, with the cumbersome pace of the first game’s combat being one of its main criticisms. It certainly looks action-packed though, and the as-yet-unnamed protagonist is shown wielding several weapons including an axe and shield, as well as a sword wrapped in barbed edges, as he fights various forces of darkness. The landscape is shown to be vast and varied, with cramped, dark caverns and tombs contrasted with huge open vistas, reminiscent ofElden Ring’s impressive Lands Between.
The first game followed the same semi-linear design as theDark Soulstrilogy, with one big game world connected via several maps and shortcuts, but stopping short of being truly open-world. Many more games are going down the open-world route now though, and the unprecedented success ofGame of the Year winnerElden Ringhas proved that if done correctly, the blend of Soulslike gameplay with an open-world design can be truly incredible.
There is no indication of a release date forThe Lords of the Fallenyet, but a 2023 release certainly seems like a realistic possibility.Dark Soulsfans generally tend to keep one eye on upcoming Soulslikes, and considering most of them fail to hit the ridiculously high standards set by FromSoftware’s titles, they would be forgiven for not getting too carried away off the back of some early trailer footage. There are manyexciting Soulslikes coming in 2023, but given its obvious similarities,The Lords of the Fallencertainly warrants attention from fans of the genre, many of whom will no doubt be waiting for further updates as the new year begins.
The Lords of the Fallenis currently in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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