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2014's Lords of the Fallen borrowed heavily from the original Dark Souls, and, like its predecessor, The Lords of the Fallen is also set to bear more than a slight resemblance to FromSoftware games. While imitation is certainly the sincerest form of flattery, it turns out that the next entry in the action-RPG series has a lot more in common with Elden Ring than developer Hexworks intended, including a boss that's very similar to Malenia.
Work on The Lords of the Fallen began before Elden Ring was announced, and in a recent interview with Edge magazine, creative director Cezar Virtosu revealed that the team "braced for impact" when FromSoftware unveiled its latest creation to the world.
Speaking in issue 381 of Edge Magazine, Virtosu described the developer's disappointment at seeing its "breakthrough weapon", the flail, also featured in the early promotional footage for Elden Ring. "That killed us inside," Virtosu says. Not only that, but the team was shocked to discover that one of its bosses was "nearly identical to Malenia". Given that the mighty Blade of Miquella is Elden Rings's toughest foe, let's hope that if a similar boss does appear in The Lords of the Fallen, they're not quite as troublesome to take down.
Being compared to one of the highest-rated action-RPGs is surely a huge compliment for the developer, but it also means expectations are immensely high for The Lords of the Fallen, with many fans hoping the game's scope and mechanics will be similar to Elden Ring. "There is some pressure, as you can imagine," Virtosu says. "People have asked, 'Do you guys have horse combat? Do you have an open world?'"
Like the previous developer, Deck 13, Hexworks hasn't been shy about sharing how much FromSoftware games have inspired the series. "Miyazaki is our daddy and our grandaddy," explains Virtosu. "Without him, we wouldn't have any jobs."
From what we've seen so far, The Lords of the Fallen certainly feels a lot like Elden Ring, but whether it's anywhere near as fun to play as FromSoftware's masterpiece remains to be seen. It's is due to arrive on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC sometime this year, but no solid release date has yet been set.
Read the full interview in Edge #381, which is available now over on Magazines Direct.
