Search for the Sun Again in Fall of Light: Darkest Edition- review (PS4)

Fall of Light is an action RPG in the vein of both Dark Souls and Diablo. Fans of one or both series will feel right at home as they make their way through the game.

Story

Fall of Light tells the tale of a journey taken between a father and his daughter with the hopes of seeing sunlight one last time in a world consumed by darkness. You play as an old warrior, Nyx, who has been through many battles and seen years of darkness in his quest for the light. He is accompanied by his daughter Aether, an Indigo Child that radiates luminescence that will help give Nyx strength on their journey. Together they can defeat the enemies standing in their way as they attempt to see the sunlight again.

Gameplay

With a very “Souls-Like” story (yes sorry for using the phrase but it truly applies here) it’s not shocking that the gameplay is also very “Souls-Like.” As you make your way through your journey you’ll collect various types of weapons (swords, daggers and crossbows to name a few) that will help you defeat the enemies that you encounter, and you will encounter a bundle of them. Each battle is a dance between you and your foe as you learn their move set in order to block, dive and attack your way to victory. Like any game that follows this style of play you will die. A lot. Each time you do you will need to rescue Aether as she will be captured and killed and it’s your responsibility to find her and bring her back.

Often you can leave Aether for a bit and explore before returning to her and bringing her back, but you should never stray far from her because she will be needed to help solve some puzzles and defeat enemies along the way. You’ll need her to pass checkpoints and save the game, so you’ll want to make sure that she is with you as frustrating as she can be in some cases. The amount of backtracking you’ll do when you die can be frustrating, and for that reason you’ll find yourself wanting to leave her and continue alone but, unfortunately, you won’t get very far.

Graphics and Sound

Fall of Light looks dated, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad looking game. Long shots feel crisp and clean but when the camera zooms in at times, closeups can look pixelated as if the game is from the 64 bit era. Colors pop out and, even in the darkness, you’ll have no problem seeing where you are going (provided you have a lantern with you of course) so even when the visuals don’t look sharp you can clearly tell what is going on throughout your gameplay.

The music sets the mood for your journey and though not always present it comes in at just the right moments. The lack of sound really helps set the tone for the game and makes you feel truly alone on this journey. As you trek through dungeons you’ll hear nothing but your footprints as you search for the next enemy to conquer. This makes you fully aware of your loneliness and makes it that much more intense when enemies appear.

Recommendation

Though Fall of Light does little to evolve the genres that the game falls into, fans of the Souls and Diablo series will find a lot to love here. While it’s not a bad game it is somewhat forgettable. With a story that feels like it could be the next iteration in the Dark Souls story line complete with “Souls-Like” game mechanics and the presentation and exploration of Diablo, Fall of Light will be just what you’re looking for. If those series aren’t your cup of tea the game will do very little to sell you on a game style that you already stay away from.

*Fall of Light: Darkest Edition was provided to the reviewer by the publishing company but this fact did not alter the reviewer’s opinion*

Check out our Review Guide to see what we criteria we use to score games.