Lords of the Fallen - action-RPG reboot from Hexworks

[perfectslumbers]

Some details I found on /v/:

>The cosmic horror elements are related to the Umbral, the limbo between death and the afterlife that can be seen in the trailers. From an art perspective its inspirations are, among others, HR Giger, Zdzisław Beksiński and surrealist sculptor and performance artist Olivier de Sagazan

>The lantern the player character is equipped with allows to stare into the Umbral from the living world, as well as to escape from it should you enter it.

>You can accept death and reset the world like in a traditional Souls game, leaving the currency you lost at the point you fell and returning to the rest site visited most recently, or decide to descend into the Umbral as a sort of second chance, searching for unique treasure and then seeking out a 'totem' that slides you back to reality. In this world, however, healing items are less effective and an insanity meter fills if you stay in too long. The Umbral can also be accessed through a 'deathwish' ritual that induces a kind of penalty-free demise, since there are items and loot that can only be found there

>The architecture of the real world and the Umbral interact with each other; for example, a chasm in the real world may be bridged in the Umbral, and even when living you could raise the lantern, which shows the Umbral overlaid on the real world as a kind of portal, and as long as the lantern shows the way, you could cross that bridge. LotF is a game about "observation and detective work", in which gaps and dead ends should encourage further investigation. As in games such as Soul Reaver, changes in a world may open new paths in the other. While smaller Umbral denizens cower from the lamp, larger ones may actually reach through the light and drag you to the other side

>Co-op play will be untethered and seamless, so partners will stay connected as long as they want: if you die, you switch to a spectator mode until a companion resurrects you. There are three multiplayer competing factions.

>The game's equivalent of the bonfires, called 'anchors', appear only sparsely at fixed locations, but their number can be increased by crafting them and placing them as you see fit. Their crafting materials can only be looted from Umbral enemies, however, and they wear out with use and can also be destroyed if found by enemies. During the first playthrough, there will be fast travel between anchors and the hub area, but in New Game+ there will be no permanent anchors, and the warping functionality will be restricted

>There are 9 starting classes to choose from at the moment (the number may change in the final release), and this choice may have an effect on how deeply you need to become acquainted with the Umbral - a necromancer can hardly avoid it

>The game is much larger than its predecessor, and completely interconnected. Every level branches out into other levels

>There won't be poison swamps

Sounds like it has lots of good and original ideas. Hopefully they can execute well

 

[Zlaja]

almost like they had stolen the art design guy from Mortal Shell or Blasphemous

Well, both this studio and the studio that did Blasphemous are Spanish. The plot thickens.

 

[Infinitron]

 

[DJOGamer PT]

Given it's prominence, it seems that the execution of Axiom/Umbral planes will make or break the level design

 

[Rahdulan]

So, they're pulling a Soul Reaver with shifting between two worlds?

 

[cvv]

Given it's prominence, it seems that the execution of Axiom/Umbral planes will make or break the level design

This!

I actually remember talking about this idea with my best mate a few years ago, over a pint.

"Hey, wouldn't it be great, instead of resurrecting when you die by a bonfire, you actually go to the Underworld and have to fight your way back!"

I even think it was me who came up with it, in my drunken state. But the subsequent debate revealed it'd be p. fucking difficult - if not impossible - to pull it off in a fun, engaging way. In the end we thought it'd be kindda obnoxious, in the best case scenario.

But maybe these guys did pull it off, who knows. After all they weren't drunk and they were paid handsomely for it.

 

[Harthwain]

So, they're pulling a Soul Reaver with shifting between two worlds?

That would actually be cool.

"Hey, wouldn't it be great, instead of resurrecting when you die by a bonfire, you actually go to the Underworld and have to fight your way back!"

But from what I understand you don't "fight your way back" - you move forward (and try to pull yourself out when possible)?

I even think it was me who came up with it, in my drunken state. But the subsequent debate revealed it'd be p. fucking difficult - if not impossible - to pull it off in a fun, engaging way. In the end we thought it'd be kindda obnoxious, in the best case scenario.

But maybe these guys did pull it off, who knows. After all they weren't drunk and they were paid handsomely for it.

I think it's possible. Providing an extra chance to progress (after you die), getting bigger rewards (followed by bigger danger) and offering alternate paths by having two coexisting level designs sounds interesting. On paper at least.

 

[Herumor]

Not a fan of fighting huge monsters unless you have weapons that can really have an effect on them or use some in-game mechanic to do more than just swipe at their extended arms and exposed legs. Dragon's Dogma handled this nicely by allowing you to scale them once up close. I wonder what this new LotF game will do.

 

[Infinitron]

 

[DJOGamer PT]

this is a "teaser" at best

 

[Herumor]

Here's some new gameplay footage:

 

[ferratilis]

They focused a lot on graphics and world design, but you can still see that melee combat lacks that satisfying feedback of FromSoft titles. The same can be said for hitboxes and animation work, in general. Another 6/10 Souls clone incoming, at least based on that gameplay presentation. But we'll see.

 

[NaturallyCarnivorousSheep]

looks great, great successor to ELEX2

 

[perfectslumbers]

Looks alright, can't be worse than DS3.

 

[cvv]

They focused a lot on graphics and world design, but you can still see that melee combat lacks that satisfying feedback of FromSoft titles. The same can be said for hitboxes and animation work, in general.

If anything the animations and hitboxes are way too similar to Souls games.

Kindda bummed by this, the first game was famous for the hefty, crunchy feel. This looks just as floaty as DS3.

 

[Old Hans]

Here's some new gameplay footage:

looks pretty cool I suppose, although at the 4 minute mark I groaned when he entered the rickety old castle area full of zombie soldiers and stacks of crates that feels like the level designer was just like "i dunno I guess ill put more crates down or something, im out of ideas" come on guys, demon souls came out in 2009 lets step it up

 

[NaturallyCarnivorousSheep]

Looks alright, can't be worse than DS3.

DS3 was the best dark souls though? @squadcar

 

[KIss My Ass]

Here's some new gameplay footage:

What do you think about this game, SDG ?

I'm done with Soulslikes. I'll just stick to the real thing from now on.

 

[duskvile]

Gameplay is great and level design is interesting.

 

[ironmask]

Looks like a "soulslike" that is finally decent.

 

[S.H.O.D.A.N.]

Wonder if they can avoid the Bat vision problem, where the players constantly walk with it turned on in order to not miss out on stuff.

I guess you'll probably get punished for having the lantern out all the time, by a corner camping zombie most likely.

 

[DemonKing]

Looks interesting albeit a shameless Souls rip off. Nevef played the original but will try this out if the reviews/player feedback are good.

 

[cruel]

Something feel off about combat, based on the video above. Potential jank mixed with unconvincing melee hit responses and iffy dodging? Will keep an eye on this, but definitely very carefully.

 

[Herumor]

Something feel off about combat, based on the video above.

The movement of the player characters looks like it lacks weight, and the same goes for combat.

 

[cvv]

Something feel off about combat, based on the video above.

The movement of the player characters looks like it lacks weight, and the same goes for combat.

Not sure what you two are talking about, I'm guessing it's the standard bitching about "jank".

Movement looks fine to me, there's nothing "off". The problem is the visual clutter, all that fireworks and explosions. I thought it was bad enough in DS3 and Elden Ring but apparently we gotta have muh awesum moments. Fucking christ I'll go blind.