Soulslike fans are feasting in 2023 as the year slowly draws to a close with two fantastic games in the genre that should keep anyone craving a punishing RPG experience very satisfied. Yet with all the hype surrounding both Lies of P and Lords of the Fallen, many are no doubt wondering which of the two games is more challenging. Whether you’re an inexperienced player or someone looking for the most punishing game possible, the answer isn’t all that straightforward. Both games tackle difficulty in similar ways but have some major differences that fundamentally impact the overall playthrough. So is Lords of the Fallen harder than Lies of P? Let’s try and figure it out.
While it’s very true that comparing these two games may not necessarily be all that fair, they share enough DNA with Dark Souls while bringing their ideas into the mix that ignoring the similarities would be willful ignorance. Having said that, difficulty and challenge are often subjective, so I’ll be approaching this from the perspective of which game gives the player the most mechanical advantages. Your mileage may vary depending on your play style, but the aspects I’ll be discussing should apply to most players.
What’s Easier? Lords of the Fallen or Lies of P?
Getting it out of the early, I consider Lords of the Fallen to be significantly easier than Lies of P. This is not to say that it’s devoid of challenge, as it’s still an incredibly tough experience. However, it includes some features that make it slightly less than punishing. Most notably, while Lies of P restricts respawn points exclusively to the Stargazers dotted around the map, of which the player has no control, Lords of the Fallen includes Vestige Seeds. These items are often dropped by bosses and can be purchased from an easily-accessible vendor, and they allow players to effectively grow their own respawn point on a more frequent basis. Now you can’t just drop Vestige Seed wherever you please. You’ll still need to make it to designated points, but they’re frequent enough that you’ll likely never have to bash your head against a challenging stretch of enemies for too long.
Related: Do You Need to Play Lords of the Fallen 2014 Before LotF 2023
Lords of the Fallen also has a resurrection mechanic that grants players one last chance to clutch victory from the jaws of defeat if they perish in battle; the odds will be stacked against you, but it’s more than Lies of P is willing to offer. If Pinocchio runs out of health, that’s just it. Crumble to the ground and start again.
In Lies of P, while combat feels more curated, it also tasks players with juggling more ongoing systems. Lords of the Fallen doesn’t include a weapon degradation system, while Pinocchio will constantly need to keep tabs on how much durability remains on his equipped tool of destruction. Lies of P also offers plenty of accessibility in terms of its crafting mechanic, allowing players to create a weapon that’s custom-built to their play style. There’s also the Legion Arm, a separate utility that can be used to turn tables in a fight. There’s a lot of complexity in both games, but on a minute-to-minute basis, Lies of P sometimes feels like a spinning plate act. Lords of the Fallen offers a much more straightforward Soulslike experience with combat that’s more basic, but still well-implemented. Enemies tend to go down fast and there’s less emphasis placed on perfect parries. Lies of P gives certain enemies attacks that can only be avoided by Perfect Guarding, which feels especially punishing, most notably in boss fights.
Speaking of which, Lies of P has also received some flak from players for its boss fights. Many encounters of this type are split into two different battles that happen immediately after one another with no reprieve. No matter your feelings on how frequently the game uses this method of challenge, it’s undeniably difficult. From my time with Lords of the Fallen, roughly 25 hours worth, I’ve yet to go up against a boss that’s immediately followed by another boss. While some have had second phases that change up the fight, it’s still regulated by a single health bar. The bosses themselves are tough, but in this instance, generally much easier than Lies of P.
How Hard is Lords of the Fallen Compared to Other Soulslike Games?
With the genre being as broad as it is, I still feel confident that Lords of the Fallen is on the easier end of the spectrum. Comparing it to the original Dark Souls trilogy, there are enough quality-of-life improvements (like the aforementioned Vestige Seeds) that the 2023 reboot is way more forgiving. Except when it comes to resetting elevators, but that’s a different story entirely. The same goes for Elden Ring, which boasts brutal battles but also allows players more freedom in terms of overall progression.
I would say the closest comparison to Lords of the Fallen, purely in terms of difficulty, is probably Bloodborne. Given how fast that game moves and the health regain system that rewards aggressive play, the games are strikingly similar in terms of pure feel. Lords of the Fallen likely still edges it out in terms of easier level design, boss fights, and enemy encounters, but I have to imagine that if you found Bloodborne manageable then you won’t struggle too much.
If we wanted to further narrow down a point of comparison, Lords of the Fallen will likely present players with a much more challenging experience than a Soulslike game like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order/ Survivor. That might not be a perfect comparison, but given that Cal Kestis’ adventure is often recommended as a great starting point in the genre for those who may want to dabble, Lords of the Fallen feels like the next rung up the ladder in terms of its combat scaling, progression, and navigation.
All that being said, I’d highly recommend Lords of the Fallen as a beginner’s first Souslike experience. It boasts a lengthy tutorial to help new players become familiar with the world and mechanics, and offers enough helping hands that you’re unlikely to be stuck in one place for too long. While there are certainly challenging areas and difficulty spikes, Lords of the Fallen does enough that it never feels unwelcoming.
