Lords of the Fallen: Soulslike genre, developed by the Made in Spain label

made in spain

Developed this time by the guys at Hexworks, a Spanish studio in the orbit of CI Games, the remastered ‘Lords of the Fallen’ is set millennia after the events depicted in the original, justifying the corresponding changes to the game. The original fantasy epic. The plot makes some references to the previous experience, but this does not prevent those who have not played the game from enjoying the new ‘Lords of the Fallen’ without major problems. As for the narrative component, this time you’ll take on the role of a “Holy Sentinel” tasked with overthrowing the tyrant Adyr, an evil god who was destroyed several centuries ago and seemingly resurrected to subjugate the world once again.

‘Lords of the Fallen’ .

Our legendary alter ego will have to traverse the realms of the living and the dead, overcome massive boss fights, and defeat the evil entity once again before he manages to eliminate the rest of humans. Hoping to contain this threat, the Church seeks the support of a legendary order of crusaders. These champions are the only ones capable of wielding the Umbral Lamp, a mysterious artifact of power that grants its wielder the ability to move parallel between the realms of the living and the dead. In short, the combination of dark elements with religious themes creates a rich and interesting plot.

Everything is in its place

Aside from its narrative development, the structural basis of ‘Lords of the Fallen’ is also very similar to its genre. HE battle system, the evolution through the maps, the progression of the characters, everything is familiar to anyone who is accustomed to the genre and its rules. Without deviating even one bit from these rules, the work offers a wide customization segment; This means the possibility of configuring the parameters of our alter-egos and even changing the weapons they can add to their equipment. Both the arsenal and the spells and abilities you acquire can be customized to make the most of the different abilities of the nine main classes.

‘Lords of the Fallen’ .

Hexworks’ work distances itself from vast open worlds without, from a purely structural standpoint, abandoning the exploration that often plays a key role in Souls-type experiences. universe interconnected through paths, passages and shortcuts polished with a perfect atmosphere. The campaign takes place through swamps, burning settlements, monasteries, and prisons, among many other locations. In any case, to avoid misunderstandings, reconfirm that the map is five times larger than the map discovered in the original, because, as we expected, in the new part we have the opportunity to navigate both in the normal world and in the “Threshold”. “, two overlapping realities that also present different areas and points of interaction.

In any case, thanks to you Interesting crossover mechanics between ‘Lords of the Fallen’ universes It has been designated as a unique example of its kind. With the mystical light artifact, you can illuminate scenes to find paths and discover secrets. Death is also directly affected by the Umbral Realm, so most of the time you will have to access the plane of the dead to progress on the map. Each time you suffer a fatal blow on the life plane, you reemerge in this cursed space with a second chance to strike back against your enemies and return. The lamp also has attack functions and can be upgraded by expanding its combat stats and opening more slots to equip modifiers. These act passively, reducing some penalties and increasing health recovery while on Threshold, among other abilities.

‘Lords of the Fallen’ .

A more sinister kingdom if possible

The scenario changes completely in Threshold. The world gets worse and greater risks arise as you explore. This is because enemies constantly appear. As the time you spend in this area increases, the frequency and difficulty level of enemies increase. After a certain period of time, the ability to use healing items is restricted and enemies become so difficult that avoiding the Grim Reaper becomes almost impossible. This feature adds a good dose of tension to the game and ensures that a tone of urgency always prevails in Threshold, as the only way out is to interact with some of the statues scattered around the maps or rest at one of the checkpoints. This growing concern is also aided by the design of the enemies, which require the player’s best performance with every move. ‘Lords of the Fallen’ can also boast a large number of bosses and sub-bosses. The fights against these monsters are truly excellent exercises, and dealing with them is no easy task, as most of them offer a considerable level of difficulty, resulting in colorful fights that increase the flamboyance thanks to a soundtrack praising the performances taking place. on the screen.

Learning and multiplayer

To the satisfaction of users not particularly accustomed to the level of difficulty that distinguishes “Soulslike”, the Hexworks title has a balanced learning curve and aims to greatly reduce the initial frustration that often characterizes representatives of this genre. To break the bar in favor of beginners, the Barcelona team has created an inspiring introductory stage that allows users to learn and master the basic concepts of a hostile and truly uncompromising world. However, lovers of high experiences will get much more than they bargained for, and beginners will have the necessary time to practice and learn from their mistakes to face the adventure spread over several steps. 40 hours With the New Game+ option, where the difficulty increases significantly. In terms of gameplay, ‘Lords of the Fallen’ opts for a slightly different multiplayer component. Not only is the experience entirely co-op online, but in the event of death, you are free to continue observing your companion until the moment of resurrection. It also has full cross-play support between PC and console, allowing you to play with your friends regardless of the platform they have.

‘Lords of the Fallen’ .

Results

In short, Hexworks’ work is not limited to just meeting the expectations set for the Barcelona studio, as it was able to solidly exploit all the potential required for a great “Soulslike”. It is a relevant product that generally manages to convince us in almost every respect. A gripping plot combined with inspiring art direction and a satisfying combat system stand as the flagship of an organic and stimulating gameplay structure that will please all fans of the genre. Are you ready to discover the darkness hiding deep within the threshold?