The Scotsman Games review: Lords of the Fallen IT may look like a Dark Souls clone, but this well-honed adventure is considerably more forgiving Lords of the Fallen Platform: Xbox One (reviewed) / Playstation 4 / PC Score: 7/10 LORDS of the Fallen is not a game that could be described as avant garde. It wears its influences on its blood splattered sleeve and from glancing at the back of the box screenshots or watching a few minutes of gameplay footage, it would not be unreasonable to assume it is an exercise in cynicism designed to appeal to next gen console waiting for Dark Souls to make the transition from Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Play on, however, and it becomes that clear that while Deck13 Interactive and CI Games have borrowed heavily from From Software, the German and Polish developers add skill and a sprinkling of creativity to the mix. Unlike many fantasy action adventures, Lords of the Fallen exhibits a breezy disregard for epic narratives. You step into the armour of Harkyn, a brutish husk of an anti-hero with only a cursory backstory, challenged with ridding the dimension of Rhogar of demons. It is a quest best tackled by swordplay than sentences and the absence of any significant narrative works in the game's favour, with the player left to focus on the grammar of violence that binds together Harkyn's arduous journey through a nicely realised realm of light and shadow. Fighting is solid although some of the ranged weapon are overpowered Dark Souls veterans will find themselves on familiar grounds with the combat. The rash will be punished, with victory more likely for those players who adopt a defensive strategy and wait for the most opportune moment to strike. The action might be a little too slow for some, but feels both solid and exacting, with an imaginative selection of weapons to wield regardless of your default class; the only misstep in this area is the provision of the magical gauntlet, an overpowered ranged weapon that can be relied on the detriment of crunching one-on-one encounters. Where the game deviates from the Souls formula is in its clemency. The latter poses a notoriously stubborn challenge that has enthralled critics and players alike, yet its absolute intolerance of errors of any kind can also be a turn off. Lords of the Fallen is an appeal to the middle ground; it is hard, for sure, but you never encounter a lowly enemy with the knowledge that you might be about to meet your end. This sense of forgiveness also extends to the game design with "cash-in" style checkpoints allowing you to level at the expense of resetting an ongoing XP multiplier. The game's forgiving difficulty is at times welcome, but can become mollycoddling The game's appeal will hinge on whether you view such overhauls as user-friendly or a betrayal of the rock-hard Souls template. At times, its helping hand its welcome, but often it can feel mollycoddling. On Xbox One and Playstation 4 - for the moment at least - there is nothing like it, and that is its main selling point. Save for a few frustrating bugs that should be ironed out with a patch, it is a well-rounded and rewarding experience undeserving of accusations that is a mere facsimile. 1) If you are familiar with the Dark Souls games, it is worth appreciating the differences which make Lords of the Fallen a less fraught experience. Pausing the game, for instance, stops the action and allows you to prepare for a fight ahead. 2) The ranged gauntlet is too powerfuil but for those getting used to the game, it is still a useful tool to take down weaker enemies from afar. 3) When you die, make your way back to the site of your slaughter as quickly as possible to pick up valuable XP.