Lords of the Fallen 2 is a 'reset' and a 'fresh start', says its new developer

Lords of the Fallen 2 is still in development, but now a new studio is involved. That new outfit is a New York-based developer called Defiant Studios, and it's rebuilding the game from scratch. 

That's according to managing director David Grijns, who tells Eurogamer Lords of the Fallen 2 remains an ARPG in the same Dark Souls-inspired mould of its forerunner, but is "a reset" and a "fresh start". 

Grijns—who was a general manager and executive producer on the Just Cause series—explains LotF 2's new team "does not have a long and illustrious background in action RPG development, but we actually see it as a strength." 

Likewise, Grijns tells EG Defiant was handed Lords of the Fallen 2 because of its determination to carve its own place in the 'Souls-like' spectrum—something From Software created, but also somewhat monopolises.   

"It's an area of the games industry which is now considered untouchable in some degree," adds Grijns. "It's like, 'From Software rules the roost in this particular area of the badlands so abandon all hope ye who enter here.' And those are exactly the sorts of projects we love.

"From taking inspiration from a lot of these games, we were able to come up with a new concept that tried to push a few of those categories a little further along." 

Read Eurogamer's chat with David Grijns and Defiant Studios co-founder Roland Lesterlin in full here. Here's Tyler's review of the first Lords of the Fallen