Hexworks has openly admitted that 2023’s Lords of the Fallen was not flawless, and one element in particular drew heavy criticism from players. Rather than simply polishing it up, the studio now seems determined to rebuild the Umbral side of the experience into something far more dangerous, reactive, and worthwhile.

While the dual-world structure was one of the defining features of Lords of the Fallen, many players felt that the Umbral realm created more friction than excitement. In the latest episode of Lifting the Veil, lead systems designer Dan Rean, game director James Low, and producer Alex Harkin explained that Lords of the Fallen II turns that concept into a kind of Umbral 2.0 – bigger, bolder, and bloodier – while directly responding to the criticism that followed the first game.

According to Hexworks, the team fully understands what players disliked about the original Umbral, and they acknowledge that it often felt more like a burden than an inspired mechanic. One of the sequel’s core goals is therefore to repair the relationship between players and that realm, moving away from the old rhythm where people either sprinted through it as fast as possible or stayed inside merely to farm. One of the biggest changes is the removal of the time-limit structure. The studio admits that this made exploration less satisfying, so it has shifted toward a system based on player interaction, one that makes the world feel like a living, open wound.

Umbral Is Designed to Push Back Now

Instead of a ticking clock, the world now reacts to the player’s presence. The developers compare it to sticking your finger into an open wound – something you would absolutely feel – and that is the kind of response they want Umbral to deliver as the player pushes deeper into it. This upgraded version of the realm also addresses the first game’s limited visual variety by introducing different biomes and new enemy types, including shape-shifting creatures that can mutate from ordinary Axiom enemies into horrifying Umbral monsters.

The intent behind these systems is to shift the player’s mindset away from a standard Souls-like approach and toward something much closer to horror, where constant alertness matters because the unexpected can happen at any moment. The team also revealed that travelling between Axiom and Umbral will work differently this time: players throw themselves into Umbral and then rip themselves back out. The veil separating the two worlds is now much thinner, and Umbral behaves more like an invasive force seeping into Axiom. The developers described the effect as if teeth were growing out of the surface itself and tearing the world apart.

Lords of the Fallen II is due out sometime this year on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC.

Source: WCCFTech