While the title may be confusing, the dark fantasy RPG The Lords of the Fallen did not already release. The soulslike, developed by CI Games, received an exciting cinematic reveal trailer during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2022. The title likely caught viewers by surprise, however, considering a game titled Lords of the Fallen came out back in 2014. A sequel game titled Lords of the Fallen 2 is in development, too, adding even more uncertainty to the situation.
Developed by Deck13 Interactive and CI Games, 2014's Lords of the Fallen is an action RPG that takes inspiration from FromSoftware's soulslike titles. Set in a large interconnected fantasy world, the game sees players assume the role of a warrior named Harkyn tasked with fighting the demonic forces of the god Adyr. The title lets players choose between various magic types and armor sets, which dramatically affect Harkyn's performance in combat. Lords of the Fallen's soulslike focus shines through in its boss encounters and respawn system, which are very similar to the Dark Souls series. After the release of Lords of the Fallen Deck13 Interactive moved on to create The Surge, and then launch The Surge 2 in 2019, while CI Games began work on Lords of the Fallen 2.
While the project's name is quite confusing, The Lords of the Fallen is actually the sequel to 2014's Lords of the Fallen. CI Games is still developing the project, which will be substantially bigger and darker than the series' first entry. Set over a thousand years after the first game, the sequel will cast players as a fabled Dark Crusader on a quest to overthrow Adyr. The Lords of the Fallen will take players across a massive interconnected world that spans the land of the living and the realm of the dead. Uninterrupted online co-op and community events will also be included, and invasions can lead to PvP combat. This soulslike action RPG looks like a big improvement on the first game, but why is its title so misleading?
The Lords of the Fallen Is A Reboot, Not A Sequel
While it will return to the first game's setting, The Lords of the Fallen is more of a complete reboot than a direct sequel. The original game was praised for its soulslike combat and unique world, but it was largely regarded as a mere ripoff of the Dark Souls series. Lords of the Fallen also suffered from technical issues at launch, which further marred the fantasy RPG's reputation. By changing the sequel's title from Lords of the Fallen 2 to simply The Lords of the Fallen, CI Games is suggesting that the title is a fresh start for the franchise. New soulslikes are difficult and scary to create, due to FromSoftware's monopoly on the genre, so the new name could give The Lords of the Fallen a greater chance to succeed.
As a follow-up to the first game, The Lords of the Fallen looks to deliver a fresh and original experience. The sequel will retain the best aspects of its predecessor, like its dark fantasy world and soulslike hack-and-slash combat, while overhauling the experience with new mechanics. With its confusing new title, The Lords of the Fallen wants players to forget the first game and embrace the future.