Ended up grabbing this game during the initial GOG sale on a whim, having neither played the prequel nor been aware of the developer connection with Lords of the Fallen.
Gameplay and character progression is very similar to LotF, as can be expected from a Soulsborne game, but the environment is quite different in both appearance (sci-fi to its fantasy) and layout (far closer to the hub experience of Dark Souls). The weight and attribute systems meanwhile have been simplified into a single ‘core power’ rating which increases automatically as you level and a basic Health/Stamina/Energy split which can be customized and respecced as necessary.
There’s nothing much to note about the combat beyond a frequently hostile camera (make sure to raise the FoV to at least 60) and the addition of a ‘directional block’ system, which despite having just beat the game I still don’t understand properly. At first I thought you just had to pull off the block just before the incoming attack hit you (which is how it works in most games), but then while fighting Celeste blocking only seemed to work against her charging attack if done the moment the indicator appeared on the screen… which was at the very beginning of the charge. I never managed to parry it in the 10 or so times I faced her (no trouble parrying her counterattack though). Probably best to just stick to dodging in most cases.
The most interesting aspect of the game though is one it apparently shares with its predecessor, which came as welcome relief after the frustration of Labyrinth of Lost Souls‘ anemic drop rate. I’m of course talking about the loot system. Want a new weapon, piece of armor, or upgrade component? Target the relevant part of an enemy and cut it off; guaranteed drop. Incredibly refreshing. Less refreshing is the change that occurs after the Metal Armor boss fight. There are just too many enemies clustered together far too often and they all seem to do far more damage than they should. Killing a PC in one solid combo even when they’re 1-2 tech levels lower in equipment quality seems very wrong, particularly when it requires 3 combos to take them out.
Ultimately, it’s an initially fun game that unfortunately wears out its welcome partway through.