Is Lords of the Fallen open-world?

If you're looking for another Soulslike open-world experience similar to Elden Ring, Lords of the Fallen might've caught your attention. This soulslike is being developed in Unreal Engine 5 and is intended to be the first next-gen soulslike. However, will Lords of the Fallen be open-world and provide that same iconic exploration we've come to love?

So will Lords of the Fallen allow you to traverse an open world and head anywhere you want, or will we be going through a series of linear handcrafted paths? In the case of the latter, how many branching options will be provided for those looking for a Lords of the Fallen open-world experience?

We strive to be your dedicated home for Lords of the Fallen, which is why we put together a dedicated walkthrough hub! We'll get you informed on the game's co-op, PvP, and crossplay capabilities, as well as how to heal your character! On top of that, we'll let you know how long the game takes to beat and if you'll find New Game Plus at the end of your quest.

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Is Lords of the Fallen open world?

No, Lords of the Fallen is not an open-world game. Instead, it opts for a semi-open world approach to exploration and progression. Unlike Elden Ring, which basically gave you the freedom to go wherever, Lords of the Fallen allows you to pick a couple of paths that are all gatekept by bosses and difficulty spikes that you must overcome.

What makes Lords of the Fallen unique is the dual world system, where your map is made up of two worlds at all times. These are Axiom, the realm of the living, and Umbral, the realm of the dead. You can traverse between these two worlds to find branching paths and alternate routes to solve any puzzles or obstacles in your way.

For those who are familiar with soulslike games, exploration is an integral part of the experience. However, before the release of Elden Ring, these games relied on well-crafted levels and a few branching paths that would loop into each other via shortcuts and other mechanics as you defeated bosses and unlocked new areas. Lords of the Fallen seems to be following this same approach with its semi-open world formula, and we're excited to see how the dual-world system innovates on this.

That's all you need to know about the Lords of the Fallen open world approach and world layout. For more guides, take a look at what withered health is and understand the Umbral dread meter. We've also got a guide to conquer the game's first boss, Pieta!