Godfall Is Finally As Good As It Should Be With Fire & Darkness DLC

Godfall has had its first major DLC add-on with Fire and Darkness, and the new content it provides is the shot in the arm it needed. Suffering from middling review scores, Godfall has shown significant potential in being a strong part of PlayStation’s library, but prior to this expansion, many felt the experience was lacking in engaging content.

In Godfall, the Valorian Knight, Orin, has traveled the realms with their brother Macros to unite them under the Valorian banner. Macros, in a lust for power, betrays Orin and attempts a ritual to ascend to godhood, forcing the two into a battle to the death. As Godfall reviews pointed out, it’s a simple story that lacks substance. However, the Fire and Darkness update aims to correct some of the game’s earlier shortcomings by introducing a lot of new content, including the Fire Realm, a previously unexplored region that had been greatly ravaged in their war against the Valorian unification.

Beginning shortly after the end of Godfall‘s campaign, Orin and Ravenna prepare for battle as a portal conjured from ancient magic appears before them. Denizens of the Fire Realm attack, but the two warriors work together to defeat them. When the Valorians first sought to unify the realms, the Fire Realm had put up the greatest challenge. The Valorians were ruthless, decimating the population and destroying much of the realm. As Orin enters the portal to find the truth, the story is set in motion for a full-scale war of revenge.

 The Fire And Darkness Expansion Ignites Godfall’s Narrative

Godfall‘s Fire and Darkness DLC fills in the gaps that the base game was missing. Players are soon introduced to the DLC’s villain, Moirax, who proves to be a far more intimidating and powerful foe than Macros. He drains the life force of the Seventh Sanctum and dispatches Orin with the wave of a hand. Moirax instills a sense of impending doom to drive the player, a push that wasn’t present before. The new Fire Realm is haunting and features a beautiful palette of blue tones which adorn the landscape to contrast the fire and ash. It’s also the game’s largest explorable area – no small feat considering how expansive the other realms are.

Each set of Valorplate armor now has a number of cosmetic options which can be unlocked through various actions such as getting 1000 kills with a particular weapon type or reaching a specific level of the Tower.  Previously, the only cosmetic choice available was to change the player’s deployable shield. The Fire Realm also brings with it new thematic enemies and loot. While each of the previous realms had enemies that were aesthetically appropriate, those of the Fire Realm live up to their names. Some enemies throw fireballs, others smash the ground and cause flaming tremors, and lesser foes will explode before death.

While these may be small, expected features, each piece helps paint a greater picture of the unique threat the Fire Realm poses. It’s easier to become immersed in Fire and Darkness‘ story – as formulaic as it may seem – because it pushes a sense of urgency and desperation on the player which wasn’t there before. All of this, combined with the free Lightbringer update which launched on the same day, make for a much more addictive experience. If Godfall had features like Cursed Loot or the titular Lightbringer mode at launch, it may have faired far better on release. Fire and Darkness is a much-needed revitalization for Godfalland finally elevates the gameplay experience to its full potential.