Lords of the Fallen

You will begin by creating and customising your avatar, choosing from one of several character classes (see below for some details). Two worlds or realms are layered on top of each other: one being the living world, the other the world of the dead. Axiom is the realm of the living and it is in this space that the game will mostly play out, with glimpses of and visits to Umbral, the spectral realm of the dead.

These worlds share the same physical space, and – usefully – an impossible task (escape from an enclosed cave, for example) might be not only possible, but positively easy in the alternate realm which might have secret tunnels leading to freedom, for example.

If you are killed in Axiom, you respawn in the same place, but in Umbral this time. You will have to find a way to return to Axiom and regather your lost loot, XP etc. However, if you are killed again, before you’ve had the chance to get back to Axiom, you will revert to your last save point, and lose any unsaved loot.

Scripted save points are rare (on either side) but you can create your own save points using remnants of Umbral monsters (of which there are many!) Each level of the game boasts an impressive boss fight, and you will have to kill them more than once. Your first kill results in the bosses transforming and hitting you even harder for a second go-round.

The first boss you will face is Pieta, who begins as an immense knight with impressive light magic spells, who transforms into an angel who can fly over your head, and throws even more intense light magic at you. You will almost certainly not survive your first encounter with her – the game has Soulslike vibes in that regard! – but you will learn each time you face up to her. Boglord, the second boss, is very different being… quite gross, let’s say!

Enemies have a nasty habit of hiding behind boxes and then lunging out at just the right moment to try and shove you off the edge of cliffs and mountains. But you can also do this back to them, and it is most satisfying to anticipate an attack and send the enemies plummeting away. Also master Soul Flaying, which involves grabbing their soul from their body and throwing it off the nearest high place – their body will follow.

The ambiance of the two realms couldn’t be more different: living Axiom is bathed in a warm, comforting glow, while deathly Umbral is oppressively dark and depraved with flesh-like tendrils that climb and spread, eyeballs that constantly watch you, and bodies all plastered against the wall.

As you play in Axiom, you use a lantern that shines a light into Umbral so you can see the differences between the two realms. Sometimes, as mentioned above, this reveals a secret path or hidden treasure, and occasionally it can reveal an Umbral parasite boosting the powers of the enemy you are fighting – taking care of that will even the odds a bit!

Sometimes you need to go into Umbral itself, usually to interact with these hidden pathways or loot, or to create a path that will then exist in Axiom. However, remember that dying in Umbral tends to be more costly than dying in Axiom – you will lose your loot! But the game is well balanced and having the option to jump realms adds to the excitement of exploration, especially when you find treasure in one realm that doesn’t exist on the other.

The Nitty Gritty

You will use melee weapons and magic to defeat your enemies, and you can also play cooperatively with another player or against a friend in player-vs-player mode. Game play is fast and responsive, showing that the game has taken advantage of all the technological advances since the previous game.

Your choice of class at the beginning of the game is just a starting point, and you can then add skills and weapons that you like, to create a very customised character that embraces your personal preferences in fighting skills and style.

As you defeat enemies, you earn in-game currency, which can be swapped for status points at Vestiges (sort of checkpoints in the game) – you need to do this to upgrade. When you are killed in the game, in Axiom, your currency is dropped, so you must hurry to complete the level in the Umbral to get back to your dropped possessions. If you die in the Umbral, your currency is lost.

The whole main game will take about forty or fifty hours to play through, and given the level of challenge you will be facing for much of this time, you will find that to be more than enough! Enemy attacks are very precisely timed, allowing you just enough time to dodge with no margin for error, which wilk jeep your heartrate high and your attention engaged.

Some of the Classes in Lords of the Fallen

There are nine classes altogether in the game, and you will find amongst them the following:

Blackfeather ranger: Speedy, handy and armed with an axe and a shield. He moves fast and adapts well to battle situations.

Knight: Well-armed with moderately heavy armour (which slows him down a little), this class is a good, solid choice for a good all-rounder.

Rogue: Armed lightly with a pair of daggers, this class relies on speed and melee attacks.

Fire Apprentice: Uses magic to lob fire balls at enemies, taking care of any survivors with their long and heavy staff afterwards!