The Lords of the Fallen 2.0 Is a Massive Improvement Over the Launch Version
If you have been following us for some time, you are well aware of how much I like FromSoftware's Souls series. Despite having quite a few problems getting into the original Demon's Souls before it officially made its way to the West back in the PS3 days, once the game clicked, I came to appreciate the formula so much that I even enjoyed Dark Souls 2 with all of its well-known issues.
Having something of a fondness for clunky experiences that still manage to get some of their features right, I expected to enjoy Lords of the Fallen by Hexworks far more than I actually did. While the game wasn't bad by any means, there were too many issues in the launch version to make it anything more than a decent experience, though far too frustrating for my taste. I felt the developer completely misunderstood the idea of challenge that FromSoftware implements in its titles, going for unbalanced enemy configurations that, coupled with the frankly bad movesets of most weapons, made going through any area past the tutorial a pointless exercise in patience. For this reason, after clearing Lords of the Fallen, I never returned to it, as I felt that the bad definitely outweighed the good the game had.
Following the launch of the game, however, Hexworks showed some exemplary dedication to their game and has often updated Lords of the Fallen with new features and balance changes, culminating with the release of the 2.0 update last week, which massively improves the game in pretty much every way. For starters, the game is much more forgiving and better eases the player into the experience after completing the tutorial, which I felt, in the launch version, wasn't really representative of what awaited players in the real game. Some may find the game too easy now, but the presence of some modifiers allows players to ramp up the challenge level, providing an unprecedented level of flexibility for a Soulslike. I haven't played through the entire game yet, but the fact that I was not swarmed by three enemies or more while getting sniped by long-range fighters as soon as the proper journey begins has made me more willing to play through it again to experience its solid world design once again. The addition of Lamp Guidance, a new mechanic that guides players from one Vestige save point to another, is a very welcome touch that makes experiencing the game's world even more enjoyable and stress-free.
The 2.0 update also brought significant improvements to movement and combat, which ultimately make Lords of the Fallen a much better game. For starters, the Crusader is much more responsive, which, by itself, already makes combat more enjoyable against single enemies and even groups. Movesets have also been massively improved, with similar weapons also getting some differentiation between them that gives them a more distinct identity and provides more reasons for players to use them besides stats. The movesets overhaul also makes any combat maneuver considerably less floaty, so the massive positioning issues I experienced at launch are no longer present, though combat still feels a little unsatisfying, as movesets still lack weight, animations are stiff, and sound effects continue to sound a little too thin for my tastes.
The new Lords of the Fallen update also goes a long way in improving the co-op experience with some very welcome tweaks. Shared co-op progression is a game changer, allowing players to seamlessly enjoy the entire game together, something that FromSoftware titles do not offer, and is only available on PC via mods. The Free Friend's Pass is also an incredibly generous offering that allows players to experience the game without owning it, which is, again, something that is rarely offered. In this regard, Hexworks really hit it out of the park, not only listening to players' feedback but going the extra mile to make the experience as enjoyable and accessible as possible in terms of multiplayer.
While the 2.0 update doesn't address all the issues found in Lords of the Fallen, as the clunky inventory management hasn't been improved, and some of its additions aren't exactly great, like the new UI which I feel doesn't really fit the game's aesthetics too much, there's no denying that Hexworks' dedication to their game has paid off big time. It's rare that we see such a level of post-launch support for a single-player-focused experience, and as such, the developer has to be commended for it. Hopefully, the lessons learned during the long development of Lords of the Fallen will benefit its sequel, which is currently in development for PC and consoles.
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