I'm not going to lie to you, Lords of the Fallen isn't the sort of video game that's best experienced in a 60-minute burst. The opening is a frenetic mixture of esoteric concepts and complicated tutorials, where rushing ahead is quickly punished within labyrinthian environments spanning two planes of existence. This is the sort of Soulslike that you'll want to sit down and settle in with for the long haul, as you work to conquer 40-hours of sheer brutality across Axiom and Umbral.
The land of the living and the land of the dead, interconnected realms you move between with a magical lantern. This system has massive implications on everything from combat to exploration to navigation, and understanding its intricacies is as key to Lords of the Fallen's rhythms as managing your stamina in particularly tricky encounters. The Umbral can ensnare your health bar and swallow your fallen experience points, open new pathways or close off avenues for progression. It's a little messy, but remains the defining idea driving the Lords of the Fallen's surprise rebirth.
