Fall of Light

Fall of Light: Darkest Edition is an atmospheric action role-playing game developed by RuneHeads and published by Fulqrum Publishing that sets out to merge somber storytelling, deliberate combat, and a haunting sense of companionship into a single dark fantasy journey. Drawing clear inspiration from Souls-like combat philosophies and emotionally driven adventure games, it places players in a world where light itself is fading, shaping both the mechanics and the narrative tone. From its opening moments, the game establishes a bleak and melancholic mood, emphasizing endurance, sacrifice, and the fragile bond between parent and child in the face of an encroaching apocalypse.
The story follows Nyx, an aging warrior tasked with escorting his daughter Aether through a land consumed by darkness. Aether is no ordinary child; she carries a rare inner light that allows her to illuminate pitch-black environments, reveal hidden paths, and weaken the creatures of shadow that roam the world. This narrative setup gives the journey emotional weight, framing every battle and obstacle as part of a desperate attempt to protect hope itself. Rather than relying on extensive dialogue or exposition, the game communicates its themes through environmental storytelling, visual symbolism, and the constant presence of Aether at Nyx’s side, creating a subdued but persistent emotional undercurrent.
Gameplay is presented from an isometric perspective and blends exploration with measured, stamina-conscious combat. Nyx has access to a wide array of weapons and combat stances, encouraging experimentation with different approaches to battle. Encounters favor patience over aggression, asking players to observe enemy patterns, manage spacing, and choose when to strike or defend. In theory, this creates a satisfying rhythm that rewards careful play, but in practice the execution can feel inconsistent. Combat responsiveness and hit detection sometimes lack the precision required for such a punishing design, leading to moments where difficulty feels more arbitrary than earned.
Exploration plays a significant role in shaping the experience. The world is filled with ruined settlements, cursed temples, and shadow-drenched landscapes that invite cautious investigation. Darkness is not merely aesthetic but mechanical, often limiting visibility and forcing reliance on Aether’s light to progress. This interplay between environment and companion reinforces the central theme of dependence and trust, as straying too far from her glow can leave Nyx vulnerable or lost. While this mechanic adds tension and atmosphere, it can also become restrictive, especially when escorting behavior causes interruptions during combat or navigation.
Aether’s role as both narrative heart and gameplay element is one of the game’s most distinctive features. Her proximity enhances Nyx’s abilities and enables progression, but she must be actively managed and protected. This creates a constant push and pull between immersion and frustration. When it works, the system reinforces the emotional stakes of the journey; when it falters, it highlights AI limitations that can disrupt combat flow or exploration. Escort mechanics are notoriously difficult to balance, and Fall of Light alternates between moments of genuine poignancy and moments of mechanical annoyance.
Visually, the game adopts a stylized, low-poly aesthetic that emphasizes mood over detail. Environments are bleak and often oppressive, with muted colors punctuated by Aether’s soft glow. This contrast effectively communicates the struggle between light and darkness at the core of the narrative. While the graphics are modest and sometimes repetitive, the art direction succeeds in conveying a sense of decay and desolation that supports the game’s themes. Enemy designs lean into shadowy, distorted forms, reinforcing the idea that the world itself has been twisted by the absence of light.
Sound design and music are understated, relying heavily on ambient noise and minimal musical cues to maintain tension. Silence is used deliberately, allowing footsteps, distant echoes, and enemy sounds to heighten unease. While this approach strengthens atmosphere, the soundtrack rarely asserts itself in memorable ways, and some scenes would benefit from stronger musical identity to elevate emotional impact. Audio functions primarily as a mood enhancer rather than a driving force.
Progression is tied to exploration, combat mastery, and the discovery of new gear and abilities. While there is a sense of growth over time, it is gradual and sometimes subdued, reinforcing the idea that Nyx is not becoming a legendary hero but simply enduring long enough to protect his daughter. This restrained approach fits the narrative but may feel unrewarding to players accustomed to more dramatic power curves or customization systems.
Reception to Fall of Light: Darkest Edition reflects its uneven balance between ambition and execution. Many players praise its atmosphere, themes, and willingness to attempt something emotionally grounded within the action RPG space. Others point to clunky mechanics, inconsistent combat, and escort frustrations as barriers to enjoyment. The game’s inspirations are clear and admirable, but they also invite comparisons that highlight its shortcomings, particularly when it comes to mechanical polish.
Ultimately, Fall of Light: Darkest Edition is a game driven more by mood and intent than by technical excellence. It offers a somber, introspective journey through a dying world, anchored by a compelling father-daughter relationship and a strong thematic focus on light as both hope and vulnerability. While its combat and systems do not always support its lofty goals, the experience remains memorable for players willing to look past rough edges in favor of atmosphere and emotional resonance. For fans of dark fantasy and slower, reflective action RPGs, it stands as an imperfect but sincere effort that leaves a lingering impression long after the final shadows fade.
Rating: 6/10

Fall of Light: Darkest Edition
Has a total of 5 trading cards.

this game is very charming and melancholy
its very easy to cheese the enemies as they dont have many movesets, however its also easy to get stuck on nothing or get fucked over by the controls being a lil clunky - if u took the basic fighting style of the dark souls series but made it top down while having ur bright child follow u everywhere
the games story feels lackluster and while i would like it, the execution on it couldve been better
overall im very mixed on this game and cant give a full you should or shouldnt play it

To note: I'm not a fan of Souls-like or am any good at them so take what I have to say with a grain of salt because I'm going to pour a lot on this. I got this game through I believe either a humble bundle or one of the YogsCast Jingle Jam bundles.
It is a fun and interesting game that does not really offer much in terms of replayability. Almost 100% it the first time through, I probably could have just gotten the last 15 Fragments of Luce and 3 Echoes, but the frustration of the game had me throwing my controller.
Combat is finicky to the point where most of the time I'm left here wondering why I died. I'll be hitting an enemy and they'll somehow manage to sneak five hits in. Meanwhile, half of my swings never connected despite the fact I'm practically humping them. However, it was still satisfying to just take down big bads that have given me trouble at the start with almost one tap.
As for the game itself, it was a nightmare because I set up the brightness to recommended and it ended up making the game almost unplayable. I couldn't tell were ledges were so I fell off. By the way, I also fell down a lot as, whenever I tried to roll, my guy decided to high dive off the edge. Constantly. There is no way to adjust it unless you completely wipe your file which is a pain.
Adding to this is the lack of a map or any sort of hints that would make the game just manageable. It took me several tries to figure out what to do only because of pure trial and error. Secrets are completely hidden so good luck finding them. The puzzles are straight forward enough and I didn't really have trouble getting to the bosses.
Despite all this, I liked the game enough. Not really a favorite, but in terms of Souls-like, this one is at least approachable enough for a beginner. It's hidden behind an Exploration genre which makes it even more of a headache as you'll try to figure out where all the secrets are.

pretty good game, play it for the souls like feel and level design. what it had going for it:
1. the feel of playing the world is thrilling. the minimal combat makes u hate losing so u are always afraid
2. Art style is pretty neat
3. It has little details in what characters do and the world itself making u feel connected to characters
4. engaging world and story
5. Hidden puzzles and items are pretty cool

Things I didnt like :
1. Rollsssss are terribleee I died to rolls more than I died to enemies sorry. my advice is not to lock on to enemies as it makes ur roll go in circles and unpredictable
2. combat is .... well not triple A which I didnt expect but it could have been better
3. It is really annoying that you have to drop your old weapon when u find a new one ? Im even second guessing myself if there was inventory that I missed or smth like that happened