History VideoGame / LordsOfTheFallen

* BonusBoss: The Guardian is waiting for you once you return to Adyr's realm. But Yetka can lead you around him, and you don't need to fight him to progress.

CI Games announced on December 18, 2014 that they were developing a sequel called ''Lords of the Fallen 2''. In 2022, the name of the sequel was changed to ''The Lords of the Fallen'' and then in March 2023 the game was renamed again to ''[[VideoGame/LordsOfTheFallen2023 Lords of the Fallen]]''. Creator/{{Deck13}} is not involved in the sequel as they were developing ''VideoGame/TheSurge'', a sci-fi game with similar gameplay elements.

CI Games announced on December 18, 2014 that they were developing a sequel called ''Lords of the Fallen 2''. In 2022, the name of the sequel was changed to ''The Lords of the Fallen'' and then in March 2023 the game was renamed again to ''[[VideoGame/LordsOfTheFallen2023 Lords of the Fallen''. Creator/{{Deck13}} is not involved in the sequel as they were developing ''VideoGame/TheSurge'', a sci-fi game with similar gameplay elements.

CI Games announced on December 18, 2014 that they were developing a sequel called ''Lords of the Fallen 2''. In 2022, the name of the sequel was changed to ''The Lords of the Fallen'' and then in March 2023 the game was renamed again to ''VideoGame/LordsoftheFallen2023''. Creator/{{Deck13}} is not involved in the sequel as they were developing ''VideoGame/TheSurge'', a sci-fi game with similar gameplay elements.

CI Games announced on December 18, 2014 that they were developing a sequel called ''Lords of the Fallen 2''. In 2022, the name of the sequel was changed to ''The Lords of the Fallen'' and then in March 2023 the game was renamed again to ''VideoGame/Lords of the Fallen''. Creator/{{Deck13}} is not involved in the sequel as they were developing ''VideoGame/TheSurge'', a sci-fi game with similar gameplay elements.

CI Games announced on December 18, 2014 that they were developing a sequel called ''Lords of the Fallen 2''. In 2022, the name of the sequel was changed to ''The Lords of the Fallen'' and then in March 2023 the game was renamed again to ''[[VideoGame/Lords of the Fallen]]''. Creator/{{Deck13}} is not involved in the sequel as they were developing ''VideoGame/TheSurge'', a sci-fi game with similar gameplay elements.

CI Games announced on December 18, 2014 that they were developing a sequel called ''Lords of the Fallen 2''. In 2022, the name of the sequel was changed to ''The Lords of the Fallen'' and then in March 2023 the game was renamed again to ''Lords of the Fallen''. Creator/{{Deck13}} is not involved in the sequel as they were developing ''VideoGame/TheSurge'', a sci-fi game with similar gameplay elements.

CI Games announced on December 18, 2014 that they were developing a sequel called ''Lords of the Fallen 2''. In 2022, the name of the sequel was changed to ''The Lords of the Fallen'' and then in March 2023 the game was renamed again to ''Lords of the Fallen''. Creator/{{Deck13}} is not involved in the sequel who were developing ''VideoGame/TheSurge'', a sci-fi game with similar gameplay elements.

The story follows a prisoner named Harken, conscripted as a soldier by the monk Kaslo. Kaslo leads Harken to Keystone, a monastery close to a series of mountain ranges that legend says is the hand of a god (specifically, the god Adyr). When they arrive, they find the monastery in ruins, invaded by demons. They begin their search for the leader of the monastery, Antanas.

Along the way, Kaslo and Harken get separated. Harken has to battle his way through Keystone, defeating the Rhogar Lords - the leaders of the demons - find out what happened to Antanas, and what precipitated the invasion in the first place.

* ActionPrologue: The game starts with the cutscene seen in the trailer, with Harken battling a giant beast, and a meteor strike happens nearby.
* AdventurerArchaeologist: Yetka. She went to Keystone to find the secret behind an old family heirloom. She doesn't help Harken directly, but she does somehow manage to find her way to key locations, even if the only way through would be past a boss.
* AllThereInTheManual: Artanas' late game transformation into [[spoiler: the monsterous final boss]] comes out of nowhere and is never really explained by anyone in-game. The collectible lore entries and the "Dark Experiments" sidequest explain that [[spoiler: Artanas has been experimenting with ancient Rhogar-based mutagens in hopes of evolving humanity into a superior form, due to his belief that ordinary humans stand no chance against the Rhogar and will be destroyed. Why he takes the mutagen at the end of the game even though it looks like Harken has a decent chance of killing the Rhogar and Adyr is pretty inexplicable, though. It likely has something to do with his Messiah Complex due to being a descendant of the 3 heroes known as the Judges who banished Adyr ages ago, leading to him wanting to essentially replace Adyr as humanity's godhead.]]

* AmputationStopsSpread: There is an injured monk that has been bitten by a spider and the venom has already spread too far [[SuckOutThePoison to suck out]] so the monk's only chance of survival is for Harken to (rather stylishly) slice the afflicted arm off. Even then, he won't make it unless you give him a HealingPotion.
* AnnoyingArrows: Averted. Crossbows can be deadly after one or two hits. Pity Harken never wields one.

* BlackAndGreyMorality: Harken isn't exactly what anyone would call "good." The demons are definitely evil, and Harken fights them in lieu of any better choices. [[spoiler:Antanas invokes this by calling out Adyr as a cruel god who would rather see his creations suffer than allow Antanas to "save" them. Adyr admits that he sent the demons to Keystone, making him at least grey, if not outright black. In the end, you need to choose between allowing Adyr to regain control of the human world, or letting humans move along without interference. Neither is presented as a very good choice.[[TakeAThirdOption You can however decide to screw both Antanas and Adyr]] by killing Antanas and not use the rune Adyr gave you for the final boss so that it'll prevent Adyr from regaining control, [[GoldenEnding bringing balance and peace back to the human world.]]]]
* BladeAcrossTheShoulder: Harken carries large swords and maces like this.
* BlownAcrossTheRoom: Several boss attacks can have this effect. If you're lucky, Harken will get up afterwards. If you're not, well ...

* BullFightBoss: The Champion can be goaded into charging Harken across the arena. He doesn't take damage when he hits the wall, though.
* ButThouMust: Harken has to fight his way through Adyr's realm. Mostly justified, as he's a conscript, and if he doesn't want to go back to prison (or die), he needs to do as Kaslo and Antanas tell him. [[spoiler:Actually invoked if Harken refuses to fight Adyr for Antanas, or Antanas for Adyr.]] [[TakeAThirdOption Unless]] [[spoiler:you kill Antanas and not use the rune Adyr gave you for the final boss, screwing both parties completely]].

* CharacterClassSystem: Harken can start out as a Rogue, Cleric, or Warrior. This is independent of the equipment class, which allows the player to set up complimentary or contradictory combinations.
* TheChosenZero: Harken, from the perspective of all the knights in Keystone. As they see it, Kaslo picked a random prisoner to act as a meatshield to get to Antanas. Once Kaslo and Anatanas are together, they see no reason why Harken should stick around.

* TheCombatPragmatist: Harken, or, rather, the player. Standing toe-to-toe with bosses is a good way to get killed. Dodge, stab, roll, and move into ideal positions. Memorize boss patterns and attack only at key moments. Whittle them down, and don't attack without forethought.

* CounterAttack: Can only be done with buckler-type shields. As the enemy attacks, it can be deflected by the buckler, and then Harken can follow up with a critical attack. Noticeably only works on mooks, not bosses.

* CurbStompBattle: A boss can end Harken with two or three well-placed blows. Some attacks, even from mooks, come in such quick succession that, unless you know the pattern, they can catch you off-guard. Harken can be easily stunned, and then it's all over.

* DeadpanSnarker: Everyone. Harken and Yetka are the most verbose. Kaslo and Antanas also have their moments. [[spoiler:Even Adyr gets in on the action.]]
* DeathOfAThousandCuts: If you can hit it, you can kill it. More likely to apply to Harken, though, especially if it's a long way to the next checkpoint and he's out of health potions.

* DoNotDropYourWeapon: Even in death, Harken has a firm grip on his sword and shield. Averted after a boss is killed, and Harken absorbs their power.

* EvilTowerOfOminousness: The first time Harken enters Adyr's realm, a tower menaces in the distance. [[spoiler: The final battle against Antanas takes place at the very top of Keystone.]]
* ExperiencePoints: Harken gains these by defeating enemies or finding new areas, and can spend them by leveling up or betting on runes.

* GoodIsNotNice: Harken. As a former prisoner, his unspecified crimes still haunt him. [[spoiler:Adyr, who sent the demons to Keystone to stop Antanas.]]
* HalfwayPlotSwitch: The game starts off with Harken tasked by Kaslo to defeat the Lords and stop the invasion. [[spoiler:Later, Antanas and Adyr both try to convince Harken to work for them and kill the other, which affects the fate of the world of man.]]

* HealingPotion: Harken starts off with two of these. He can find empty bottles tucked away in various locations, and fill them up at checkpoints. They are automatically replenished when he respawns.
* HelmetsAreHardlyHeroic: During cutscenes, Harken's helmet or hood disappears with no explanation. This can also be invoked by the player to cut down on equipment load, which helps with dodging attacks.
* HeroesPreferSwords: Swords are the most prevalent weapon Harken will find, followed soon after by any Strength weapon (like hammers). You can elect to use staffs or knives, though.
* HeWasRightThereAllAlong: The Lost Brothers were up on the ceiling when Harken walks in. They only pounce when he's well into the room.

* HyperspaceArsenal: Any equipment that Harken finds, he can keep on him. This makes it easy to switch between armor sets and weapons.
* IdleAnimation: If you leave him standing in one place for more than a couple seconds, Harken will show off a little bit with his current weapon. He'll toss his daggers in the air, perform a quick kata with a staff, or swing his sword around a few times.

* JerkassGods: Adyr, according to Antanas. [[spoiler:And possibly according to Harken, once he gets to talk to Adyr personally.]]

* LevelLockedLoot: Stats determine the effectiveness of weapons. Harken can wield any weapon, but if he doesn't have the minimum stats to properly use it, then it won't do as much damage.

* MagicKnight: Harken. All classes have melee and magic, and both are meant to be used in concert. A warrior class with Knight armor fits this trope to a T.

* NeverTrustATrailer: The trailer for the game shows Harken fighting a giant beast on a snowy landscape. This never actually happens in the game, and the magic he's shown using isn't available to the player.

* OnlyICanKillHim: An entire legion was taken by surprise by the demon invasion. You'll meet a few survivors, but only Harken has managed to tackle the demon menace and take the fight to their home dimension.
* OptionalStealth: If Harken is positioned just right behind an enemy, he can do a special critical attack for massive damage. If you choose the Rogue magic tree, you can use the Shift ability to move into position easily.

* PossessionImpliesMastery: Averted. Any weapon you pick up can be equipped, but without the proper stats, Harken will visibly struggle to use them properly, and they'll do far less damage than anything you are ready to use.

* RollingAttack: If Harken has a low equipment weight, he can do this.

* ShockAndAwe: The Annihilator is especially tough, as his lightning beam attack can stun Harken in the path of the beam, resulting in a death before the player can react. One of the Lost Brothers also uses lightning, but mostly in an area-of-effect attack.
* ShockwaveStomp: Most bosses use this attack if Harken tries to go toe-to-toe with them. The area of effect is always slightly larger than you may expect.

* SpikesOfVillainy: Some of the armor Harken will find looks like this, especially that found late-game. Also a lot of the enemies look like they walked through a a spike factory.

* StoryBreadcrumbs: There's a lot of information that is never outright stated, though bits and pieces can be picked up throughout the game. We may never know what Harken's crime was that got him put in prison in the first place.
* SwordAndGun: The Gauntlet, which connects to Harken's left arm and can replace the shield. It has a long recharge time, and shoots magic projectiles. It's the only ranged weapon Harken receives.

* YetAnotherStupidDeath: Even the mooks are a match for Harken unless he's properly prepared. A single unforeseen crossbow bolt can mean the difference between victory and defeat. And the boss patterns can take multiple deaths to learn.

CI Games announced on December 18, 2014 that they were developing a sequel called ''Lords of the Fallen 2''. In 2022, the name of the sequel was changed to ''The Lords of the Fallen'' and then in March 2023 the name was changed again to ''Lords of the Fallen''. Creator/{{Deck13}} is not involved in the sequel who were developing ''VideoGame/TheSurge'', a sci-fi game with similar gameplay elements.

CI Games announced on December 18, 2014 that they were developing a sequel called ''Lords of the Fallen 2''. In 2022, the name of the sequel was changed to ''The Lords of the Fallen''. Creator/{{Deck13}} is not involved in the sequel who were developing ''VideoGame/TheSurge'', a sci-fi game with similar gameplay elements.

CI Games announced on December 18, 2014 that they were developing a sequel called ''VideoGame/LordsOfTheFallen2''. Creator/{{Deck13}} is not involved in the sequel who were developing ''VideoGame/TheSurge'', a sci-fi game with similar gameplay elements.

* DifficultySpike: The first area of Keystone just has a few easily-dispatched enemies, punctuated by a couple harder ones. Then you get to the game proper, and realize that the demons are mostly made up of the harder type. And then it gets worse.

[[FollowTheLeader Taking direct inspiration]] from Creator/FromSoftware's ''Souls Series'' (and ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' in particular), ''Lords of the Fallen'' encourages players to learn enemy tells, time your attacks, and draw out opponents one at a time. It also shares similar mechanics to the ''Souls'' games, including rewarding the player for avoiding death and limiting healing.

* SpikesOfDoom: Some of the armor Harken will find looks like this, especially that found late-game. Also a lot of the enemies look like they walked through a a spike factory.

* MenuTimeLockout: Critical if you want to switch between functions of the Gauntlet, as there's no hotkey for it. Can also be useful to switch out weapons or armor mid-battle.

CI Games announced on December 18, 2014 that they are developing a sequel called ''VideoGame/LordsOfTheFallen2'' set to be released in 2017. Creator/{{Deck13}} is not involved in the sequel who were developing ''VideoGame/TheSurge'', a sci-fi game with similar gameplay elements.

[[FollowTheLeader Taking direct inspiration]] from FromSoftware's ''Souls Series'' (and ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' in particular), ''Lords of the Fallen'' encourages players to learn enemy tells, time your attacks, and draw out opponents one at a time. It also shares similar mechanics to the ''Souls'' games, including rewarding the player for avoiding death and limiting healing.

CI Games announced on December 18, 2014 that they are developing a sequel called ''VideoGame/LordsOfTheFallen2'' set to be released in 2017. Creator/{{Deck13}} is not involved in the sequel, instead developing a new title called ''VideoGame/TheSurge'', a sci-fi game with similar gameplay elements.

* YetAnotherStupidDeath: Even the mooks are a match for Harken unless he's properly prepared. A single unforseen crossbow bolt can mean the difference between victory and defeat. And the boss patterns can take multiple deaths to learn.