The Lords Of The Fallen - What We Know So Far

Fans of the 2014 Soulslike "Lords of the Fallen" finally got a glimpse of the game's long-awaited sequel at Gamescom 2022 ... or rather, as it turned out, its full-on reboot that takes place thousands of years after the original. According to the official website, "The Lords of the Fallen" is another Soulslike action RPG with an "interconnected world more than five times larger than" that of its predecessor. Throughout the game, players takes on the role of a "Dark Crusader" and navigate a dual setting split between realms themed around life and death as they seek to challenge the newly resurrected demon god Adyr.

Since its announcement earlier in 2022, the buzz has built for "The Lords of the Fallen." But will the game be worth your purchase? It may seem too early to tell, but there are already plenty of details available for you to make that judgement for yourself.

Publisher CI Games has provided prospective buyers with a rough estimate of when they can expect "The Lords of the Fallen" to release. According to the game's Steam page, "The Lords of the Fallen" will debut sometime in 2023. Given the fact that its announcement trailer didn't drop until the second half of 2022, players can likely expect the launch to fall towards the back end of the year. In fact, based on the timeframe, it's possible that "The Lords of the Fallen" won't debut until the fourth quarter. 

Once "The Lords of the Fallen" does come out, players will have the option to pick it up on a number of systems. Based on the official website, it will be available to play on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. While preorders haven't opened yet, you can wishlist the title on your storefront of choice.

In addition to the cinematic announcement trailer revealed during Gamescom 2022, CI Games shared a gameplay teaser at The Game Awards 2022. 

The teaser opens with a look at the game's protagonist, a knight with barbed wire wrapped around their helm, accompanied by a voiceover that seems to function as a prayer to a god called Orius. Various images of dark and creepy settings from the world then flash by, showing that "The Lords of the Fallen" is certainly Soulslike in terms of aesthetics. The faces of various monsters also appear in rapid succession. 

The trailer then moves into a segment centered on combat, which includes various melee attacks, blocks, heals, and magic buffs, before a large enemy boss appears. Its grotesque appearance and animations seem less like a boss from "Dark Souls" and more like a creature from "Bloodborne."

In terms of gameplay, it appears that "The Lords of the Fallen" will follow in the footsteps of its predecessor and join the ranks of games like "Dark Souls." That is to say, it will be a Soulslike game in every possible sense. Descriptions on "The Lords of the Fallen" website seem to back up this notion. The site describes such features as large boss fights, fast-paced battles, the ability to remove enemy' souls, resurrection with one chance to restore your progress before true death, and some two-player co-op options. For online players playing alongside one another, there will be a number of exclusive rewards available, community quests to take on, and even some community events. 

There will be a number of character customization features for players as well. In depth options for the appearance of each player's chosen character will be paired with a choice of nine different classes. Although the game's website doesn't list all of these classes, the original "Lords of the Fallen" has nine classes as well: Warrior, Outlaw, Brawler, Raider, Rogue, Executioner, Paladin, Ranger, and Cleric. The follow-up's options "[include] Knight, Rogue, and Fire Apprentice," so it seems it will differ from the first game's lineup in some respects.