'Lords Of The Fallen' Release Date Arrives: Review Roundup

Deck13 Interactive’s hack and slash game “Lords of the Fallen” launched Tuesday for the Xbox One, PC and PlayStation 4. The title, which was published by Bandai Namco, takes place in a world where no wrongdoing is forgotten. Players control protagonist Harkyn, a criminal whose face bears all of the sins of his past. “Lords of the Fallen” takes place when Harkyn is released from prison to defeat an army of gods attacking humans.

Here's what critics are saying about the game:

Polygon gave "Lords of the Fallen" a 7.5 out of 10, saying “the balance between challenge and frustration in this type of game is delicate, as are the relationships between systems of loot, character growth and level design under the surface. It requires some real skill to not screw it up.” It also called the game “a successful twist on an established formula.”

IGN gave the game a 7.4. “At times it sacrifices too much at the altar of combat accessibility, but it usually makes up for it with a tempting risk-reward system that caters to multiple play styles, and through the arcadey pleasures of hacking and slashing for loot,” the site said. IGN was quick to point out that the game’s plot lacked clarity, saying “the story wants to be something greater, but never quite attains it.”

GameSpot gave the title an 8/10, saying “’Lords of the Fallen’ is a dark-fantasy pleasure, cut from the same cloth as ‘Dark Souls,’ yet distinct enough to earn its own spotlight and, perhaps, to earn your affection as well. Harkyn (the game’s protagonist) himself is not easy to love, but ultimately, he doesn't matter as much as the world he serves and the hammers he swings.” GameSpot was also critical of the title’s plot. “In time, the story begins to make sense, but this cliched tale of the balance between good and evil isn't the reason to press on.”

GameInformer called the PC version “a surprising sleeper,” saying "Lords of the Fallen" is a surprisingly solid title that wasn’t even on my radar. While it borrows heavily from the ‘Souls’ franchise, it’s done well and with its own signature flair.” The magazine said the game was similar in many ways to From Software’s “Souls” series, which includes 2009’s “Demon Souls” and 2011’s “Dark Souls.” GameInformer gave the game an 8.5/10.

GameTrailers gave “Lords of the Fallen” a 7.3/10. “There are multiple boss encounters, but only a select few are memorable,” the site said. “While standard enemies fall to backstabs, bosses are often easily exploited by magic, thanks to infinitely recharging mana. Several others are just larger versions of generic enemies. Since the story is so flat, and the bosses all look similar, it's hard to get excited when defeating them.” The site also praised the “substantial diversity in weapons” but claimed that the “game lacks a sense of wonder and isn’t helped by its dull narrative and recycled enemies.”