Lords of the Fallen 2 Will Be the Most Ambitious CI Games Project

Punishing mechanics, challenging bosses, plenty of splashes of blood, engaging level design, and that sudden urge to throw your controller out the window – that is the basic formula for a Soulslike. However, every studio that explores the genre finds a way to introduce unique elements that make the experience stand out.

Over the years, many titles have earned high praise for this, including Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Nioh, Lies of P, and Mortal Shell. Among them is Lords of the Fallen, the 2014 title from indie studio CI Games that conquered a legion of fans.

Much of its success was due to the incredible map layout of Umbral, the dark and mysterious alternate dimension where the game is set, and that success paved the way for a sequel, which is currently one of the most anticipated Soulslikes in the community.

Now, the developers have released a new video proving they know their level design is their strongest suit, promising something even more ambitious for Lords of the Fallen 2 – aiming to be a worthy successor not only to the original title but to the “Soulslike pantheon and beyond.”

Lifting the Veil on Umbral 2.0

CI Games released a behind-the-scenes video this Wednesday, March 25, featuring a roundtable with the game’s developers, and the discussion includes key names behind Lords of the Fallen 2, such as Game Director James Lowe, Creative Director Ryan Hill, Lead Systems Designer Daniel Regan, and Producer Alex Harkin.

Entitled “Lifting the Veil,” which perfectly captures the sense that something special is being revealed, the video shows the team discussing a new version of Umbral for the sequel, which is being called “Umbral 2.0” by the devs: an evolution that was built with direct help from fan feedback.

In case you need a refresher, the Lords of the Fallen universe features a twin-realm mechanic where two different realities grow ever closer, traversable via the Umbral Lamp: the classic dark fantasy realm of Axiom and the invasive horror of the Umbral realm. And the biggest evolution in the sequel lies in how players interact with the latter.

According to the team, Lords of the Fallen 2 will present radically different environments with a wider variety of biomes for Umbral, alongside some new morphing entities lurking in the shadows and a world more deeply influenced by player activity. The idea is to make exploration feel more alive, oppressive, and terrifying – exactly what you would expect from a setting besieged by eons of malevolent gods and visceral magic.

“If Umbral was once the realm of the dead, it has since become the realm of the undead,” explained Creative Director Ryan Hill in the video. “Its former scab-like crust has been ripped away, revealing the raw flesh beneath, an open wound that seethes with newfound hunger.”

In addition to the developer talk, the studio also revealed fresh Umbral alpha gameplay footage that is sure to put a smile on any Soulslike fan's face (and I say that from experience!). I have to confess that this new footage really highlights exactly what CI Games has been promising for Lords of the Fallen 2: a sequel that is "bolder, braver, and bloodier." You can check out the gameplay below:

This is definitely enough to get the hype train moving if you are a fan of the genre, and the good news is that you can already add Lords of the Fallen 2 to your wishlist, as the game is set to launch sometime in 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.