Soulslike action RPG Lords of the Fallen gets new preview at Gamescom
Best of both worlds
Impressive new soulsborne action RPG Lords of the Fallen has received brand new preview footage at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2023, showing off developer Hexworks' grim fantasy world in all its bleak glory.
Seeking to move beyond the Elden Ring formula, Lords of the Fallen embraces a dual worlds mechanic, where the game environment exists as two parallel dimensions between which the player can travel at a cost. Not only does it offer some gorgeous visuals, but it also opens the game up to puzzling and traversal elements that aren't all that common in soulsborne games.
In its newest extended story trailer, we also get to explore the game's setting and the enemies we can expect to come up against in fierce combat, including a multi-headed, fire-breathing dragon. Within several cinematic shots, it's clear that the setting of the game will be just as epic and enchanting as its intense combat, alongside the story we will be able to delve into this October.
In fact, in our hands-on with Lords of the Fallen, we were very impressed at the game's tight, responsive combat and well-structured learning curve. Lords of the Fallen also gives players a much-needed second chance upon dying. Rather than immediately respawning, your character will leave the mortal world, Axiom, and descend to Umbral, the realm of the dead. In Umbral, you'll be able to continue the encounter, offering something of a reprieve for players.
While still retaining the intricate challenges that make soulsborne titles so distinctive, Lords of the Fallen gives players a helping hand, both with its dual worlds mechanic, but also through its clear lore and exposition. Though it still possesses the mystery and intrigue of the likes of Dark Souls, Lords of the Fallen is more explicit in its stakes, offering up characters with clear, comprehensible motives.
Though it's early days, we at TRG have high hopes for the game in advance of its planned October 13 release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. With any luck, Lords of the Fallen will breathe new life into the saturated soulsborne space.
While you wait, why not take a look at our guide to the best PS5 games, as well as our list of the best Xbox Series X games?
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.
A Cambridge graduate, recovering bartender, and Cloud Strife enjoyer, Cat’s foremost mission is to bring you the best coverage she can, whether that’s through helpful guides, even-handed reviews, or thought-provoking features. She’s interviewed indie darlings, triple-A greats, and legendary voice actors, all to help you get closer to the action. When she’s not writing, Cat can be found sticking her neck into a fresh RPG or running yet another Dungeons & Dragons game.