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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →The new PS Plus RPG is Lords of the Fallen (2023), not a new FromSoftware release. It joined the PlayStation Plus monthly-games lineup in April 2026. Both games use Soulslike combat, but they target different tastes: Lords of the Fallen delivers a more directed, interconnected journey built around switching between the living Axiom and the dead Umbral, while Elden Ring is the broader open-world adventure. Neither has a universally measurable difficulty advantage; the harder game depends on whether you struggle more with boss patterns, enemy density, navigation or playing without help.
What the PS Plus RPG actually is
Lords of the Fallen (2023), in context
Sony included Lords of the Fallen in the PlayStation Plus monthly-games lineup for April 2026. The PS5 version originally released on October 13, 2023. If you are reading this after the monthly-games window, do not assume the game remains claimable: monthly-game availability, catalog access and regional rules can change, so check the current PlayStation Plus listing for your country and subscription tier.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Lords of the Fallen Standard Edition - PlayStation 5 | $17.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Lords Of The Fallen - Deluxe Edition (PlayStation 5) | $46.74 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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CI Games Lords of the Dies - PS5 Game | $33.74 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Koch Distribution Lords of The Fallen | $19.30 | Buy on Amazon |
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Hexworks and PlayStation present it as an all-new epic RPG in an interconnected world described as more than five times larger than the original Lords of the Fallen. Its identity is not simply “another Elden Ring.” The defining system is movement between two overlapping realms: Axiom, the world of the living, and Umbral, the world of the dead. Combat, exploration, progression and recovery all sit on top of that two-realm structure.
Key facts at a glance
| Question | Lords of the Fallen | Elden Ring comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Original PS5 release | October 13, 2023 | Used here as the established open-world benchmark |
| PS Plus context | Included in the April 2026 monthly-games lineup | Not part of this comparison’s PS Plus claim |
| World structure | Interconnected routes across Axiom and Umbral | Large open world with broad roaming and optional discovery |
| Combat description | Fast, challenging action-RPG combat with large boss encounters | Action-RPG combat whose difficulty often varies with route, build and optional content |
| Updates | The PlayStation Store listing records more than 70 updates; version 2.0 included a fully revamped combat system and difficulty balancing | No equivalent Lords of the Fallen update count is used here |
| Online play | Up to three online players according to the PlayStation Store listing | Multiplayer rules and player limits differ; do not treat the two systems as identical |
How the combat feels different
Both games reward the same basic discipline
In either game, attacking at the wrong moment, spending stamina carelessly or ignoring an enemy’s tells can turn a winning fight into a death. You learn animation cues, choose when to heal, manage space and improve a character through equipment and attributes. That shared loop is why players who enjoy Elden Ring will recognize the genre immediately in Lords of the Fallen.
#1 Best Overall
- Overhauled Character Creator – Create more lifelike characters with improved facial detail, body shapes, and visual fidelity
- Shared-Progression Cross-Play Cooperative Play – Both players now save all main story progress as long as they’re on the same “New Game” and have defeated a similar number of main bosses within one. Both players retains all loot, 100 percent vigor, and can revive each other in all online sessions.
- Free Friend’s Pass – Invite any friend to join your adventure in online co-op even if they don’t own the game. Friends keep loot and character progress, plus get full offline access to the tutorial and character creator
- Revamped Combat and Movement – V2.0 adds smoother animations, better weapon response, refined lock-on, improved evasions, and new grievous strike prompts
The comparison stops being useful if it reduces both games to “roll, hit and repeat.” Lords of the Fallen places its pressure inside a more concentrated route network. Encounters, shortcuts and realm changes can make a short stretch feel like a tactical puzzle. Elden Ring more often lets you leave a difficult fight, ride elsewhere, discover a cave or obtain a different tool before returning.
Tempo, spacing and encounter design
Official descriptions emphasize fast and challenging combat in Lords of the Fallen, including colossal boss battles. In practice, “fast” should not be read as a promise that every exchange is quicker than an Elden Ring duel. It is better understood as a game that expects active movement, rapid reactions and deliberate positioning while you progress through a connected sequence of areas.
Elden Ring gives you more opportunities to change the conditions of a fight. You can approach with a different weapon, summon help where permitted, use ranged options, explore for upgrades or simply postpone the encounter. Lords of the Fallen can feel more immediate because the route itself keeps presenting combat decisions and because Umbral can alter what is safe to ignore.
Boss pressure
Bosses are a major part of both games, but the surrounding journey changes how their difficulty is experienced. In Elden Ring, a failed attempt can become a reason to explore another region. In Lords of the Fallen, a boss is more tightly connected to the route you have just solved, the resources you preserved and your understanding of the two realms.
That does not establish an objective ranking. A player comfortable reading long boss combos may find Lords of the Fallen manageable, while someone who dislikes dense approach routes may find the same game harsher than a boss-heavy section of Elden Ring. Conversely, a player who relies on open-world detours may find Elden Ring easier even when its optional bosses are individually demanding.
Build experimentation
Both are build-based RPGs. Your weapon choices, attributes, spells and combat abilities affect the rhythm of every encounter. The useful question is not which game has “more builds,” a figure not established by the available official material, but how freely you can change your approach when a build stops working.
- Choose Lords of the Fallen if you want experimentation tied to a focused, interconnected campaign and are willing to learn how realm mechanics affect fights.
- Choose Elden Ring if you value a huge field of optional objectives where exploration itself can supply a new weapon, spell or route around a problem.
What the updates mean
The current PlayStation Store description records more than 70 updates for Lords of the Fallen. Version 2.0 is described as having a fully revamped combat system and difficulty balancing. That matters when reading launch-era opinions: a review or forum post written shortly after October 2023 may describe behavior that no longer matches the updated game.
Rank #2
- Explore two vast, parallel worlds - Travel through two parallel worlds in your epic quest to topple Adyr. As the living kingdom presents its own brutal challenges, untold horrors lurk in the nightmarish realm of the dead
- Handle a device of unholy power: your lantern possesses the unholy power to cross worlds. Use this dark art to reach forgotten places, unearth legendary treasures, and manipulate your enemy's very soul
- Rise from Death - Fall in the world of the living, and rise again in the world of the dead. You have one last chance to know your state, for all kinds of hellish creatures descend upon you
- Unite or fight in online multiplayer: Face your entire quest side by side in uninterrupted online co-op, with appropriate rewards for completing community events. But be warned: heroes from other kingdoms can and will invade
- Fully customize and develop your own character: Fully customize the appearance of your characters, before selecting one of nine character classes. Whatever starting path you take, develop your character to your own style of play by improving stats, weapons, armor and spells
Hexworks has also said it used player feedback and internal telemetry to refine weapons, spells and other combat abilities. Treat “hard at launch” and “easy after patches” as incomplete summaries. The more accurate conclusion is that combat and balance have been deliberately adjusted over time, so your experience depends on the version you play and the settings or multiplayer options you use.
Exploration: open-world wandering versus two-realm route solving
Axiom and Umbral are functional spaces
Hexworks describes the central premise with the line, “Fall in the world of the living, and rise again in the world of the dead.” Umbral is not merely a darker visual filter. Entering it can expose paths, enemies and interactions that are unavailable or unreadable in Axiom. That makes realm switching part of navigation, encounter planning and progression.
Axiom is the ordinary living world. Umbral is its dead counterpart, layered over the same broad geography but governed by different threats and opportunities. A doorway that appears blocked in Axiom may become a route in Umbral; a seemingly empty space may contain an enemy or objective once you cross over. The important skill is learning to inspect the same location as two connected versions of a level.
An illustrative route through the two realms
Consider a typical, illustrative situation rather than a named location: you reach a broken bridge in Axiom and see no usable way forward. Instead of searching an unrelated region, you switch to Umbral at the same position. The dead realm reveals a traversable extension, but it also introduces enemies and changes the safest line through the area. You cross, activate the route or collect what you need, then decide whether to return to Axiom or continue in Umbral while the additional danger remains.
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How this contrasts with Elden Ring
Elden Ring’s signature is breadth: a large open world, visible landmarks, optional dungeons and the freedom to change direction. You can spend hours following a distant structure, clearing a side area or ignoring a major objective. Its exploration loop rewards curiosity over route reconstruction.
Lords of the Fallen offers a different kind of discovery. The world is described as vast and interconnected, but its appeal comes from layered paths, shortcuts and realm-dependent access rather than from an uninterrupted expanse of open terrain. Calling it “open world” in the same sense as Elden Ring can set the wrong expectation. Think of it as a connected journey with meaningful detours and hidden links between spaces.
Rank #3
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| Exploration preference | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Roam in any direction, postpone objectives and discover optional regions | Elden Ring | Its open-world structure makes detours a central part of progression |
| Decode overlapping routes and switch realms to reveal access | Lords of the Fallen | Axiom and Umbral turn navigation into a recurring gameplay decision |
| Use exploration to out-level or re-equip for a wall | Elden Ring | Its breadth gives more obvious ways to leave and return later |
| Keep solving the current interconnected area | Lords of the Fallen | Shortcuts and realm changes keep progress tied to the route |
Is Lords of the Fallen easier or harder than Elden Ring?
There is no authoritative shared difficulty scale that can support a percentage or a universal ranking. The honest answer is conditional: Lords of the Fallen can be easier for a player who benefits from its focused routes or online help, and harder for a player who finds realm-based navigation and enemy density more stressful than open-world detours.
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| Source of difficulty | Lords of the Fallen | Elden Ring |
|---|---|---|
| Boss learning | Large, demanding encounters are central to the campaign; balance has been revised through updates | Boss difficulty varies widely across mandatory and optional encounters |
| Enemy density | Connected routes can place several threats in the same approach; enemy-leashing behavior has been adjusted | Density ranges from open-field groups to tightly packed legacy-dungeon rooms |
| Navigation | You must interpret Axiom and Umbral and decide when to remain in the dead realm | Landmarks and map breadth help you choose another destination when stuck |
| Recovery after death | Recovery is tied to the route and the game’s realm systems; exact risk depends on the current encounter | Recovery commonly becomes a route-planning decision, especially near a difficult boss |
| Build response | Weapons, spells and combat abilities have been refined in updates | Changing equipment and exploring for alternatives can alter a difficult matchup |
| Co-op | Up to three online players are listed as supported, which can substantially change encounter pressure | Multiplayer is also available, but the two games’ rules and limits should not be assumed to match |
Enemy leashing and exploration freedom
Hexworks has specifically discussed improving enemy leashing to give players more freedom for exploration. This is an important qualification when you encounter older complaints about enemies pursuing too far or turning every retreat into a prolonged fight. It does not mean the game has no dangerous pursuit or that every encounter is forgiving; it means enemy behavior has been an explicit balance target.
Co-op changes the calculation
The PlayStation Store listing supports up to three online players. A co-op session can distribute enemy attention, create openings and make a boss attempt less dependent on one player executing every pattern perfectly. That makes a direct solo comparison with Elden Ring misleading unless you specify whether both games are being played alone.
Co-op is not a guaranteed solution. More players can make a fight busier, and coordination still matters. Use it as a legitimate way to experience the game rather than as proof that the underlying solo design is easy.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Should you play it after finishing Elden Ring?
Reasons it will feel fresh
- The Axiom–Umbral relationship gives exploration a different logic from riding across an open field looking for the next landmark.
- The campaign concentrates Soulslike combat in an interconnected route, so shortcuts and return trips carry more weight.
- Patch history matters: the version 2.0 combat overhaul and more than 70 listed updates mean launch impressions are not a complete description of the current product.
- Online support for up to three players offers a practical co-op path if you want to learn encounters with others.
Reasons it may not be what you want
- If your favorite part of Elden Ring was unrestricted wandering, Lords of the Fallen’s directed structure may feel narrower even though its world is described as vast.
- If you want a single difficulty verdict, the two games do not provide a fair basis for one; their pressure comes from different systems.
- If you dislike revisiting spaces to interpret alternate routes, Umbral may feel like extra cognitive load rather than a discovery tool.
A practical decision rule
Play Lords of the Fallen if you want “another Soulslike” only when that phrase includes two-realm exploration, concentrated route design and optional co-op. Skip it for now if what you want is specifically another enormous open-world sandbox with the same kind of freedom as Elden Ring; the games overlap in combat language but not in exploration structure.
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How to approach the game without importing the wrong expectations
Start by learning the realm question
When a route appears blocked, ask whether the obstacle is meant to be solved in Axiom or Umbral before assuming you need a stronger character. This habit prevents unnecessary grinding and makes the game’s central system part of your normal navigation rather than an emergency button.
Treat balance advice as version-sensitive
Check that a guide, video or forum post matches the version you are playing. The recorded update history and version 2.0 combat changes mean old weapon, enemy or difficulty advice may describe an earlier balance state.
Rank #4
- Explore Two Vast, Parallel Worlds - Journey across two parallel worlds in your epic quest to overthrow Adyr. While the living realm presents its own brutal challenges, untold horrors lurk in the nightmarish realm of the dead.
- Wield a Device of Ungodly Power - Your lantern possesses the ungodly power to cross between worlds. Use this dark art to reach forgotten places, unearth fabled treasures, and manipulate the very soul of your foe.
- Rise from Death - Fall in the world of the living, and rise again… in the world of the dead. You now have one final chance to return to your living state, as all manner of hellish creatures descend upon you.
- Unite or Fight in Online Multiplayer - Brave your entire quest side-by-side in uninterrupted, online co-op, with fitting rewards for completing community events. But be warned - heroes from other realms can, and will invade.
- Fully Customise and Develop Your Own Character - Fully customise your character’s appearance, before selecting one of nine character classes. Whichever starting path you take, develop your character to your own playstyle by upgrading stats, weapons, armour and spells.
Separate a boss problem from a route problem
If you repeatedly fail, identify the source of the pressure. Is the boss’s timing the issue, or are you arriving with depleted healing resources after the approach? Is the build underperforming, or are you staying in Umbral longer than necessary? This diagnosis tells you whether to practice the encounter, alter equipment, change your route or invite co-op.
Use co-op intentionally
Because the game supports up to three online players, decide what you want from multiplayer. A partner can help you learn attack timing, while a larger session can turn a chaotic encounter into a quick clear. Neither replaces understanding the realm system, which still governs where you can go and what you can reveal.
PS Plus access versus owning a PS5 copy
The April 2026 monthly-games inclusion provides an inexpensive way for eligible subscribers to try the game during the applicable claim or access period. It is not a permanent guarantee of access: subscription status, tier rules, regional availability and catalog changes can affect whether you can continue playing. Verify those conditions in your own PlayStation account.
If you want to keep the game outside your subscription, look for a Lords of the Fallen PS5 physical copy. That route separates access to the game from future changes to a monthly-games entitlement. A PS5 DualSense controller is an optional accessory for either action RPG, especially if you plan to play online, but it does not alter the games’ systems or difficulty.
Verdict: choose by structure, not by a score
Lords of the Fallen is the better choice for a player who wants focused Soulslike combat, a large interconnected world with two overlapping realms and the option to tackle encounters with up to three online players. Its post-launch updates, including the version 2.0 combat and balancing overhaul, should be part of any current assessment.
Elden Ring remains the stronger fit for broad open-world discovery, long detours and the freedom to change the problem before returning to it. If you finished it and want a genuinely different exploration loop rather than a copy, Lords of the Fallen earns a look. Expect familiar combat principles, but approach Axiom and Umbral as the game’s central identity—not as a minor variation on the Lands Between.
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