If there's one thing Dark Souls hasn't iterated on yet, it's the idea of progressing further into the world needing a reward other than just exploration. Deck 13's Lords of the Fallen saw this opportunity and seized it, alongside becoming the only new-gen 'Souls game' that isn't the remastered version of the second. Graphics and lighting are absolutely gorgeous, and your weapons move with a hefty and purposeful weight that extends across a huge variety of axes, swords, twin-blades and more. The Souls comparisons are everywhere from the control scheme to the dodge n' roll combat, but when it comes to amassing a currency from fallen foes, you actually have the choice 'cash it in' at checkpoints, losing the amount you've built up but giving you some breathing room - OR continuing to build up a multiplier if you press on. It's this risk-reward system that mechanically gives LOTF a solid edge over Souls in terms of revisiting areas or amplifying the tension of pushing ahead, as the more confident you get the more you're want to expand your reach - but getting careless for even a second means it's all for nothing.
