Highlights
- Lords of the Fallen introduces a unique dual-world mechanic that adds depth and complexity to the Soulslike genre, allowing players to solve puzzles and traverse environments in different realms.
- Balancing risk and reward is crucial in the game, with the Umbral realm offering increased rewards for time spent there, but also presenting greater difficulty and a constant countdown to the arrival of powerful reaper enemies.
- The game emphasizes the permanent consequences of dying in the Umbral realm, with players losing Vigor forever, highlighting the importance of strategic decision-making and avoiding a false sense of security.
A week out since its release, Lords of the Fallen continues to entertain fans of Soulslikes with its unique approach to exploration. One of Lords of the Fallen's most interesting contributions to the Soulslike genre is its use of a dual-world mechanic, with players expected to regularly shift back and forth between the material realm of Axiom and the spirit world of Umbral. Not only does the Umbral realm open up new paths for solving puzzles and tackling environmental traversal, but it also provides one of the best risk/reward mechanics in the genre.
Balancing risk and reward is a core component of every Soulslike, with nearly every facet of gameplay requiring players to consider how the greatest boons typically arrive following putting oneself in harm's way. Slaying enemies generates currency used in leveling up, but dying in encounters results in losing everything gained and a singular chance to recover experience before it's lost forever. Similarly, players can rest at regularly dispersed checkpoints, but the respite comes at the cost of regenerating all slain enemies. Lords of the Fallen's Umbral realm elevates this risk/reward motif to the next level by offering players increased rewards for time spent in the realm in exchange for greater difficulty and a continually dwindling doomsday clock.
The Umbral Realm In Lords of the Fallen Offers More Vigor, At a Cost
Lords of the Fallen incentivizes players early on to frequently shift back and forth between Axiom and Umbral thanks to how each of the two worlds are interconnected in surprising ways. But the game also makes a point to inform that enemies drop more Vigor (the game's version of Souls) and that enemies continually respawn the more time is spent in the spirit realm. Thanks to the fact that it's possible to enter the Umbral realm at any time and exits have a tendency to be frequently within proximity, players should definitely be taking advantage of the increased efficiency Umbral provides toward grinding.
However, the trade-off for this increased reward is that players will eventually incur the wrath of the reaper enemies. These incredibly challenging foes are practically nigh-invincible in the early hours of Lords of the Fallen, making constant awareness of the countdown timer signaling their arrival a must. The longer players spend in Umbral, the more substantial the reward and the greater the risk of losing it all thanks to dying in Umbral being permanent.
Even though the reaper enemies in Lords of the Fallen aren't immune to death, the player's increased fragility in the Umbral realm makes extended stays there an enticing but dangerous prospect. Additionally, the game can lure players into a false sense of security because of how dying in Axiom immediately transports players to the Umbral realm, giving the impression that death is temporary, and any lost gains can be recovered. Unfortunately, losing Vigor in Umbral means losing it forever, potentially erasing significant progress.
The element of constant danger and risking security for the promise of reaping a large reward is central to the Soulslike experience, and Lords of the Fallen's ability to iterate on the traditional risk/reward gameplay inherent in the genre helps to set it apart in what's quickly becoming a crowded space. The Umbral realm provides plenty of interesting wrinkles to the traditional Soulslike experience through how having an extra world influences the healing, leveling, and traversal aspects of Lords of the Fallen's gameplay. Lords of the Fallen may be the first game in the Soulslike genre to use dual worlds to great effect, but there's a good chance it won't be the last.
Lords of the Fallen is available now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
