Lords of the Fallen, a Soulslike game developed by Hexworks, has recently issued a major performance patch to resolve some of the technical problems that plagued the game on PC. This patch has significantly improved the game’s performance and consequently led to an improvement in its Steam reviews.
Hexworks identified several key issues causing the game to crash, one of which was outdated graphics card drivers. Upon investigation, they found that the majority of crashes resulted from players neglecting to update their drivers to be compatible with Lords of the Fallen’s use of the latest Unreal Engine 5. To address this, the developers added a helpful pop-up that checks for the latest Nvidia or AMD driver and provides a direct link to download any necessary updates. By addressing this simple yet overlooked issue, Hexworks was able to eliminate a significant cause of crashes.
Graphics Card Stability and Settings
Another issue that contributed to crashes was related to graphics card stability. Hexworks temporarily deactivated frame generation stability for 40-series Nvidia GPUs, which are more prone to errors. Additionally, certain 30 and 40 series GPUs experienced crashes even when the game was set to auto-detect graphics quality. A major factor exacerbating these issues was players attempting to push their PC hardware beyond its limits instead of relying on the game’s automatic detection of optimal settings. Hexworks urged players to enable “AUTO-SET” within the Graphics Settings to avoid instability, low frame rates, and other potential issues.
One significant crash factor was a code error that could potentially lead to a crash after the game’s first cinematic. While this issue has been addressed for most players, Hexworks provided a workaround for those who may still encounter it. By adding “-nopsos” to the game’s launch line in Steam, players can disable the shader compiling calculation responsible for the crash.
In addition to bug fixes, the patch also included performance improvements. One notable improvement was the reduction of lingering visual effects from the Barrage of Echoes eyeball explosion spell, which had previously impacted performance if overused. The developers made numerous balancing tweaks as well, including nerfs to enemy difficulty to make the game slightly less punishing. Adjustments were also made to the hit direction of projectiles to ensure players react correctly, and the hitbox of the Sunless Skein working forces now spawns a few frames later. Specific boss encounters, such as the Ruiner boss and the Spurned Progeny, also received adjustments to maintain challenge while reducing instances of one-shot deaths and interrupting combos, respectively.
A Positive Reception and Future Prospects
The performance improvements introduced by the patch have had a positive impact on Lords of the Fallen’s Steam reviews. With over 5,000 reviews, the game now holds a “Mixed” average rating, with more than half of the reviews being positive. This, combined with the developers’ recent commitment to never using controversial anti-piracy technology Denuvo, indicates that Lords of the Fallen is on the path to redemption and may see a resurgence in popularity among players. As the game continues to evolve and address technical issues, it has the potential to become a beloved title in the Soulslike genre.
The major performance patch released by Hexworks for Lords of the Fallen has successfully addressed critical issues that were negatively impacting the game’s reception. By tackling problems related to outdated drivers, graphics card stability, and code errors, the developers have significantly improved the game’s performance and stability. These improvements have not only boosted the game’s Steam reviews but also created a more positive player experience. With further balancing tweaks and the commitment to player satisfaction, Lords of the Fallen is well-positioned for future success.
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