I’ve got a soft spot for Soulslike games. FromSoftware practically lives rent-free in my brain. I mean, I even managed to find some fun in Dark Souls 2, despite all its weird decisions. So when Lords of the Fallen dropped, I was ready to embrace its rough edges and dive in.
But honestly? The launch version just didn’t land for me.
Lords of the Fallen wasn’t bad, but it sure felt like it didn’t understand what makes Soulslikes fun. Enemies swarmed you in messy ways, weapons had clunky movesets that didn’t flow well, and the whole combat loop felt more frustrating than rewarding. I got through it once and then shelved it, thinking that was the end of it.
Fast forward to now, and Lords of the Fallen 2.0 has completely turned things around.
Hexworks didn’t just patch a few bugs and call it a day. They rebuilt the foundation. The 2.0 update smooths out the early-game experience and finally gives players a proper intro into the world without immediately throwing them to the wolves. If you struggled with the launch version, you’ll notice the difference right away. No more being triple-tagged while sniped from a rooftop — and yes, that happened to me back then.
There’s also a new mechanic called Lamp Guidance, which helps guide you from one Vestige (save point) to the next. It’s a small addition, but it does wonders for pacing, especially if you’re the kind of player who likes exploring but hates feeling lost or overwhelmed.
Combat got a major glow-up, too. Movement is snappier, and the Crusader class, which felt sluggish before, now controls like a proper hero. Weapons don’t just feel different stat-wise anymore; their movesets now play differently. That’s a big win. Fighting isn’t perfect just yet — there’s still a lack of impact in hits, animations feel stiff, and sound design is on the thin side — but at least fights are no longer a floaty mess.
And multiplayer? Huge win. The shared co-op progression is straight-up awesome. You and a friend can go through the whole game together without losing progress, which puts most Soulslike games to shame. Toss in the Free Friend’s Pass, and it’s honestly one of the most generous co-op systems I’ve seen outside of modded PC stuff.
Lords of the Fallen version 2.0 updates
Lords of the Fallen is not all perfect. The new UI is a bit of a mismatch with the game’s grimy world design, and the clunky inventory menus are still clunky. But none of that overshadows how far the game has come.
Lords of the Fallen 2.0 isn’t just an update. It’s a second chance — and it’s finally the kind of Soulslike I can recommend without caveats. If Hexworks applies the same heart and focus to the sequel, they might be onto something special.
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