Lords of the Fallen

 Xbox One
User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 192 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 103 out of 192
  2. Mixed: 39 out of 192
  3. Negative: 50 out of 192
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  1. kingzardoz
    Mar 23, 2015
    7
    Not a terrible game but there are clearly many areas that needed to be polished as well as some overall concepts that were never properly executed. The gauntlet (projectile weapon) is goofy and although it can sometimes be useful just feels tacked on and poorly utilized. If an enemy is blocking and it visually looks like your weapon will strike around the shield or you could sneak anNot a terrible game but there are clearly many areas that needed to be polished as well as some overall concepts that were never properly executed. The gauntlet (projectile weapon) is goofy and although it can sometimes be useful just feels tacked on and poorly utilized. If an enemy is blocking and it visually looks like your weapon will strike around the shield or you could sneak an attack in, the attack will simply register as being blocked. All the polish of Demon Souls/Dark Souls combat is not present because its just too much work to deal with all those hitboxes and animations. The hitboxes for you are also inconsistent, on occasion you can roll through attacks that obviously look like they should hit you yet on other enemies you can't get away with the same tactic which creates some frustrating encounters because the game is not establishing a clear set of rules. Visually the game is acceptable although I don't think it lives up to the marketing. The visual style isn't unique enough to elevate the game past looking like a really nice Unreal Engine tech demo. I haven't used any of the magic except the first level spell because I've read other reviews that have said the magic ranges from really op to underwhelming so I didn't even want to bother with it. I would recommend this game if you could buy if for $10-15, it's not the type of game that pulls you in and makes you keep coming back so if you're a busy person or you have many A+ games your interested in then this might not be worth your money.… Expand
  2. FriedKarma
    Oct 30, 2014
    7
    This is an "OK" game for someone that can tolerate a high frustration level and can live with a lot of "do-overs". The game camera is awkward and clunky, almost like the game was made a decade ago. The camera makes it difficult to fight enemies in corridors or fight multiple enemies, for example. While the graphics look great in a screenshot, putting the game in motion reveals a lot ofThis is an "OK" game for someone that can tolerate a high frustration level and can live with a lot of "do-overs". The game camera is awkward and clunky, almost like the game was made a decade ago. The camera makes it difficult to fight enemies in corridors or fight multiple enemies, for example. While the graphics look great in a screenshot, putting the game in motion reveals a lot of flaws with regard to lighting, etc. The fight system and controls are good, though it takes some getting used to. It could also use better documentation or tutorials. Even after several hours of play, I'm not sure what some of the scores, abilities and items actually do. As of right now there are not a lot of wiki and google results to help answer these questions. I'd recommend this game to select individuals. Its not for most people.… Expand
  3. Guardian1911
    Oct 30, 2014
    5
    Let me start this review with a simple fact: Gaming is something I do for fun. I don't see it as a contest to determine the fastest reflexes, most hours played or hardest difficulties played through. As such, this game is not designed for me, or people like me. I hated the small portion of Dark Souls I tried to play, because difficulty took precedence over entertainment value.

    The    Let me start this review with a simple fact: Gaming is something I do for fun. I don't see it as a contest to determine the fastest reflexes, most hours played or hardest difficulties played through. As such, this game is not designed for me, or people like me. I hated the small portion of Dark Souls I tried to play, because difficulty took precedence over entertainment value.

    The exact same thing is present here.
    There is no way to make the game easier. I played about 6 hours of the game and decided I'm through with it. The story is lackluster initially and you have no incentive to keep dying and facing the exact same enemies you just encountered. If you're like me and wish to see your kills pile up and mean something, go elsewhere.

    I would personally rate the game a 3 or 4, but objectively the value to many gamers is higher. In summary: If Dark Souls is your favorite, play this. If not, try something else.    … Expand
  4. wesker2012
    Oct 31, 2014
    6
    I was looking forward to this game as I love the Dark Souls series. The game just didn't work for me though. The main problem I had with the game was the camera. When I have to fiddle with the camera almost every second of the game, its just not worth it. Also, the combat felt very clunky and not in a challenging way. When a game tries to emulate Dark Souls so much, it makes you feelI was looking forward to this game as I love the Dark Souls series. The game just didn't work for me though. The main problem I had with the game was the camera. When I have to fiddle with the camera almost every second of the game, its just not worth it. Also, the combat felt very clunky and not in a challenging way. When a game tries to emulate Dark Souls so much, it makes you feel like it should also control as well as Dark Souls. I will wait until Bloodborne to play a new title in the Dark Souls Series. I think if you really can't wait for that game, then this game will be a good game to play around with.… Expand
  5. TheDahaka
    Nov 3, 2014
    6
    A potentially amazing game ruined on console by a disgusting frame rate that rarely ever maintains 30fps even post day one patch. I really hope that CI will fix the performance issues of this game on console. I am getting tired of developers rushing unfinished games on console and prioritising bells and whistles over performance - especially when the performance is this bad.

    I rate this    A potentially amazing game ruined on console by a disgusting frame rate that rarely ever maintains 30fps even post day one patch. I really hope that CI will fix the performance issues of this game on console. I am getting tired of developers rushing unfinished games on console and prioritising bells and whistles over performance - especially when the performance is this bad.

    I rate this game 6.5/10 due to the terrible fps. This game would otherwise be an 8.5/10 if the developers reached the rock solid 30fps they promised in interviews.

    These comments were made after applying the day one patch. Apparently the unpatched version of the game is nigh on unplayable.    … Expand
  6. Atticas14
    Oct 29, 2014
    7
    Despite my previous negative review I'm now really enjoying the game. (A 5GB patch on launch day is a curse on people with slow internet) It's certainly not Dark Souls, but it's a good game in it's own way. The graphics are beautiful, game play smooth, the environments and armor/weapon models are amazing, combat requires intelligence, but not as much as in Dark Souls. It's an overallDespite my previous negative review I'm now really enjoying the game. (A 5GB patch on launch day is a curse on people with slow internet) It's certainly not Dark Souls, but it's a good game in it's own way. The graphics are beautiful, game play smooth, the environments and armor/weapon models are amazing, combat requires intelligence, but not as much as in Dark Souls. It's an overall enjoyable experience worth the $60, but a few hiccups keep this jewel from really shining.

    - There are some serious frame rate issues on the Xbox One. I regularly drop down into the low teens in areas that really aren't that graphic intensive

    - The crafting system doesn't even deserve to be called crafting. It simply consists of "gambling" to unlock runes, which are for all intensive purposes gems (from games such as Diable and WoW); and then placing said gems into socketable armor and weapons. That's it, and while it adds some interesting aspects to the game I was really expecting something deeper.

    - I confess I haven't completed the game yet, but I'm a good 12 hours in. The magic system in the game seems to be lacking. There's just not enough versatility, and magic resources are seriously limited. I'm put a good amount of experience into raising my mana pool and I can barely cast two spells before running out of power. It also seems strange that the gauntlet runs off the same power as spells because it really limits the players freedom to forge their own play style. Because of the small mana pool and long cooldowns on spells, a magic only build simply isn't viable.

    - There is a huge bias toward strength based weapons. I've collected 35 weapons so far and twenty of them are strength based, a few faith based, and the remainder are agility based. I really regret assigning my points toward agility because all the cool, big damage weapons are in the strength category. You might be thinking that agility weapons would be balanced by being able to run in and strike your opponent multiple times, but you'd be wrong. The typical boss fight doesn't not give you a large enough opening to string up a combo. If you'd going to run in and get one attack, your much better off using a large heavy hitting weapons, the type that I don't have access to.

    - The last critique is a small one that I can get over, but it's worth mentioning that the lip syncing is absolutely non-existent.

    Despite all the negatives above I still recommend getting the game if you enjoy the genre. I'm actually enjoying it.    … Expand
  7. labtoy
    Nov 5, 2014
    6
    Could have been a great game, if they had polished it and framerate was higher than 2. Such a shame. Looks great, at times it seems great, but the stutterinmg graphics give me a headache.
  8. CheezeWuz
    Nov 14, 2014
    5
    I just feel the games too clunky, plus with frame rate drops and lighting problems there's just not much to say why you need this game, not to mention unfair combat. Now is it hard...yes at times, but is it fair? a lot of times... NO. Some enemies you can kill blindfolded others are like pulling teeth, how they turn on dimes, never stop blocking, ski around you, or just impossible to getI just feel the games too clunky, plus with frame rate drops and lighting problems there's just not much to say why you need this game, not to mention unfair combat. Now is it hard...yes at times, but is it fair? a lot of times... NO. Some enemies you can kill blindfolded others are like pulling teeth, how they turn on dimes, never stop blocking, ski around you, or just impossible to get to... overall I'd say "stay away," there are other games like this that are better... (Demon souls, Dark Soul)… Expand
  9. Nataraja
    Mar 11, 2015
    7
    TL;DNR: A more accessible version with a different form of difficulty that inevitably draws inspiration from the Souls series and a bit from Diablo. The game is overly warrior centric, especially when it comes to the final boss. However, if you want to up the difficulty, like in Souls, play as an agile rogue character to increase your difficulty and use the deception tree. The clericTL;DNR: A more accessible version with a different form of difficulty that inevitably draws inspiration from the Souls series and a bit from Diablo. The game is overly warrior centric, especially when it comes to the final boss. However, if you want to up the difficulty, like in Souls, play as an agile rogue character to increase your difficulty and use the deception tree. The cleric class is a bit easier and warrior tends to be the easiest. Good graphics but significant sound issue and game breaking bugs on the Worshiper boss during new game +. Its worth playing if you are looking for a game to tide you over waiting for something better, or so we hope, such as Bloodborne. Rent it or buy it on sale.

    This is not a fantastic game - dialogue is hit and miss but generally terrible in delivery and HORRIBLE animations - but the story is, as a whole, interesting enough. The risk-reward system of holding experience is interesting but the first play through, at least early on, will see you definitely banking experience and increasing stats. Magic is decent but can be overpowered in parts and underpowered in others, particularly in boss fights.

    Its a decent action RPG that requires some skill but is nowhere as punishing as the Souls series (personally I find Souls to be overly punishing).

    Be warned if you play as an agile rogue - the final boss WILL be maddeningly difficult. While I finished it, it must have been over 40 attempts to take him down. As one person said - "as a rogue this boss made me want to murder kittens!"    … Expand
  10. blackeclipsevii
    Feb 26, 2015
    7
    Not the level of quality of the dark souls games, but still work your time. The game is flawed but very enjoyable. Frame rate drops, lack of a map, and narrow corridors hinder what is otherwise a good first entry in a series.
  11. Terpander
    Mar 30, 2016
    7
    Lords of the Fallen is an interesting game which many unique mechanics. It is a dungeon crawler-style game that has Harkyn, a mercenary with a dark and unknown past, pitted against the forces of chaos and order in the world.

    The game from a mechnical point of view is very interesting. It draws much of its content from Dark Souls, with its potion consumption model, absence of minimap and    Lords of the Fallen is an interesting game which many unique mechanics. It is a dungeon crawler-style game that has Harkyn, a mercenary with a dark and unknown past, pitted against the forces of chaos and order in the world.

    The game from a mechnical point of view is very interesting. It draws much of its content from Dark Souls, with its potion consumption model, absence of minimap and tough opponents. It is not however like Dark Souls in many ways. Firstly, it's much easier than Dark Souls and much shorter. Secondly what Dark Souls succeeds in doing with no dialogue during the game, Lords of the Fallen does not. It tries to explain its mythology by leaving hints throughout the world, but by also outright explaining to the player. The problem lies in that it has an identity crisis. Dark Souls excels because of its minimalist approach to storytelling. Lords of the Fallen's semi-side quests and character dialogues takes away from the game's overall story in a strange way. By trying to explain the story half-way it make the story appear muddy and half-way thought out.

    In a similar structure to Dark Souls, it has major level bosses which various mechanics. The bosses are terrifying, but in my opinion very uninteresting. There is no real sense of horror the macabre. Instead the bosses are pseudo-alien/divine creatures that are reminiscent of Gears of War locusts using melee weapons.

    The mechanics were great and could be developed into something truly remarkable, however the story was boring and I forced myself to care enough about the game to finish it. I would recommend it if you're gearing up for Dark Souls 3 and want a light game to tide you over until its release.    … Expand
  12. dogget76
    Jan 13, 2016
    5
    Davvero non riesco a capire i metri di paragone, gli strumenti e i gusti di gran parte dei giornalisti. LOTF E' a tutti gli effetti un patetico e presuntuoso tentativo di 'correggere' Dark Souls.
    Che ci fosse bisogno di correggere uno degli action-rpg più belli di sempre già può far storcere il naso a qualcuno (DS non è un gioco perfetto , però..), se poi le 'correzzioni' apportate si    Davvero non riesco a capire i metri di paragone, gli strumenti e i gusti di gran parte dei giornalisti. LOTF E' a tutti gli effetti un patetico e presuntuoso tentativo di 'correggere' Dark Souls.
    Che ci fosse bisogno di correggere uno degli action-rpg più belli di sempre già può far storcere il naso a qualcuno (DS non è un gioco perfetto , però..), se poi le 'correzzioni' apportate si limitano a un framerate più solido e a hitbox (apparentemente) più accurate allora i dubbi cominciano ad affollare la mente.
    LOTF in realtà non ha nulla di tutto quello che ha reso DS così entusiasmante: è difficile, sì, ma nella maniera più sbagliata. E' ingiusto, frustrante, lento e visivamente è solo un garbuglio di scaglie, orpelli e alamari. Scordatevi il design stellare e inquietante di From Software: LOTF sembra più un Gears of War all' arma bianca, solo molto meno divertente,
    Il sistema di crescita è macchinoso e incoerente, i nemici non conoscono l'equilibrio e la stamina, costringendo spesso a fare i kamikaze sperando che la guardia nemica prima o poi svanisca per colpa di un bug. Inoltre non si ha mai la sensazione di avere tutto sotto controllo. Il gameplay è spesso caotico: è facile rimanere vittime di frecce sparate da miglia di distanza o venire travolti da nemici trotterellanti che si fanno beffe dei vostri colpi. E' tutto davvero molto frustrante.
    Lasciamo poi stare il sistema di grind, che costringe a dover morire ogni volta e a tornare ai checkpoint. Noia, noia e ancora noia...
    Lords Of The Fallen è un misto di presunzione e incompetenza, e va lasciato lì dov'è in attesa di un Dark Souls vero e proprio.    … Expand
  13. icedog
    Jul 26, 2016
    5
    Story and graphics are excellent but the playability is very hard .If you want to play a game to relax and enjoy after a hard day work this game is not for you ! This game is work , you will spend hours on 1 Boss working out it's weakness .If you go exploring , a group of enemies will ambush you at every corner and all the fights will use up all your health .
  14. Karottedraak
    Mar 24, 2022
    7
    Good game for starters in the souls-like genre. The combat feels slow and heavy which fits this game perfectly, but the only thing this also creates is that the game just becomes incredibly easy. That is why its good for beginners in the souls-like genre but it can also feel a bit unrewarding. The bosses in this game are also really predictable which once again is good for beginners andGood game for starters in the souls-like genre. The combat feels slow and heavy which fits this game perfectly, but the only thing this also creates is that the game just becomes incredibly easy. That is why its good for beginners in the souls-like genre but it can also feel a bit unrewarding. The bosses in this game are also really predictable which once again is good for beginners and bad for experienced players.

    The world looks pretty good and especially for a game in 2014. The art style is grimmy and almost like a more fantasy style of warhammer 40K. This you either like or you don't.

    The story is just about nothing really, it is there but I did not pay attention to it. Main things about it is just you could save the world by defeating all the lords. Which only you could do. Really generic stuff.

    A perfect game for people to get into the souls-like genre and get a taste of what it has to offer while being a bit slow. (also really recommend for players that want to play as a paladin in these type of games)    … Expand
  15. SergeantDan
    Feb 7, 2021
    7
    Its a souls like game. Like many people have told you. But its also a slower souls like game. So honestly its just slower then your average dark souls game. The attacks are slower the rolls are slower. Parries seems easier.

    I honestly did not find the glitches that have been mentioned time and time again by many reviewers. So honestly the bosses are interesting and they are mostly a    Its a souls like game. Like many people have told you. But its also a slower souls like game. So honestly its just slower then your average dark souls game. The attacks are slower the rolls are slower. Parries seems easier.

    I honestly did not find the glitches that have been mentioned time and time again by many reviewers. So honestly the bosses are interesting and they are mostly a completely different from one another. Hopefully they just fix the issues that were in the game and hopefully make everything a bit better. Because lord of the fallen 2 was announced. So we will wait and see.    … Expand
  16. storygamer
    Sep 4, 2020
    7
    As a big Dark Souls fan I was very sceptical towards Lords Of The Fallen. But if you omit the comparison, the game is really good. Visuals and atmosphere are intense, the fights are challenging and the controls work great! Nevertheless, if you played the DS series, this game feels and plays like a light version of Dark Souls.
  17. mlnsn
    Jul 15, 2021
    6
    Gameplay : 7/10
    Design (video + audio) : 6/10
    Story : 7/10
    Technical aspects : 5/10
    Repeatability: 6/10

Awards & Rankings

53
#53 Best Xbox One Game of 2014
26
#26 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2014
6
#6 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Dec 3, 2014
    60
    It's too derivative and frustrating to contend for Dark Souls' crown. [Xmas 2014, p.78]
  2. Hyper Magazine
    Dec 2, 2014
    80
    Definitely inspired by the Souls games, Lords of the Fallen still has enough brutal majesty to stand on its own. [Issue#255, p.66]
  3. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Dec 2, 2014
    60
    A frustratingly uneven action-RPG that pilfers liberally from the Dark Souls handbook. [Issue#118, p.77]
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