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Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Review

Graphics:
8.8
Gameplay:
7.7
Sound:
8.6
Control:
7.4
Replay Value:
8.5
Overall Rating:
8.1
Online Gameplay:
Not Rated
Publisher:
Konami
Developer:
Mercury Steam
Number Of Players:
1
Genre:
Action


Castlevania is an iconic name in this industry. But as most fans are all too aware, no developer has managed to deliver a truly elite, memorable 3D CV experience. Most all those fans will tell you the best entries are all 2D, especially Symphony of the Night on the PS1 and several fantastic incarnations on the GBA ( Aria of Sorrow , for instance). Therefore, we’ve been waiting a long time for the modern Castlevania we’ve all wanted for years, and to the studio’s credit, Mercury Steam makes a valiant effort. The combat is smooth, challenging and fulfilling, the visuals are picturesque and downright gorgeous in some cases, and the quality voice actors give life to a solid story. Unfortunately, we fall well short of the hype for a variety of reasons, which I will outline below. Trust me…nobody had higher hopes than this critic right here.

Really, the graphical presentation of Lords of Shadow is more than impressive in most respects. The instant you lay eyes on one of the game’s Titans, you’ll appreciate the amount of design effort involved, and many of the areas are vibrant and a pleasure to behold. Gabriel and the enemies often take a back seat to the environmental beauty, and I often found myself pausing simply to drink in my surroundings. That’s a definite highlight. However, it can be difficult to spot valuable things; too many item boxes, breakable objects, and corpses (which do glow but can still blend into the background) are too easily missed. It’s almost as if the developers tried to put too much detail into the backdrops. But the good news is that despite a few hit detection issues with Gabriel, just about everything, from the well-drawn enemies to the breathtaking vistas, shines.

The sound is another highlight, although I believe they could’ve put a bit more “oomph” into a few of the combat effects. It’s all nicely implemented and crystal clear, though, and you just can’t beat Sir Patrick Stewart as the narrator and voice of Zobek. Robert Carlyle (Gabriel Belmont), Emma Ferguson (Maria), and Aleksander Mikic (Pan) are also tremendous in their respective roles, and the classical soundtrack is both freshly modern in terms of professional orchestration and vintage Castlevania in style. I still don’t think you hear enough of it during your travels, but that doesn’t mean the music doesn’t always fit the atmosphere. On the downside, there is a small balance problem as the music can easily override the effects (especially during intense boss encounters), and we could’ve used more in the way of gut-wrenching impact effects (ala God of War ).

Surprisingly, this new Castlevania doesn’t quite embrace the traits commonly found in other massive action extravaganzas of the generation, like God of War III and Dante’s Inferno . It’s more of an amalgam of sorts; the speed and depth of the combat mechanic is more reminiscent of Ninja Gaiden or Bayonetta , while Mercury Steam essentially eliminated large, sweeping levels and instead utilized a more old-fashioned, straightforward linear approach. Although there are often multiple paths to take during a particular stage, there’s really only one place to go, and searching for hidden treasures represents only a small fraction of the overall gameplay. No, the majority of the gameplay centers squarely on combat, which is a good thing, because it’s far and away the most exquisitely developed facet of this harrowing adventure.

At the start, Gabriel only has two basic attacks: the light attack, which whips out and hits enemies directly in front of him, and the heavier attack, which rotates ‘round and smacks foes surrounding Gabriel. But that’s only a very small taste of the hero’s mammoth skill set, which eventually comes into view as you progress. There are plenty of combos to unlock – gained by earning experience in battle – and that includes flashy aerial strikes, powerful up-close-and-personal pounding, and even more elaborate combinations. One of my personal favorites was one where you hold down the Triangle button, and then use the left analog to direct chain sweeps for a short time. It definitely takes some discipline to nail down those combos, and button mashing only seems to work for the smaller enemies. It almost never works against the challenging foes, like bosses, and this, combined with the wonderful fluidity and seamlessness of the mechanic, makes fighting a joy.

Well, it’s a joy until several problems rear their ugly heads. The first is the fixed camera. It functions, but there are far too many times when enemies are hovering just off the edge of the screen, and they’re often so fast, they can zip in and hit Gabriel without ever being seen. Translation: cheap. Then there’s the fact that the block and dodge skills are basically mapped to the same button- you block by holding down L2, and while holding it down, you can also dodge by moving the left analog. This means that if you want to block and then strike from the same position, you have to remember not to touch the left analog…just try it; seriously, it really goes against your gaming nature. Too often, I found myself rolling around when I didn’t want to, and too many of the enemies – even the lower-class ones – seem to be ridiculously fast and able to take a lot of punishment.

Furthermore, I’m not a blind follower of huge, wide open environments (as if all games need to be sandbox in nature), and I don’t mind linearity in video games, as many of you know. Therefore, it means something when I say that I felt a little restricted in those uber-linear levels. Me . I almost never feel that way, especially if the main focus of the game (in this case, the combat) works so damn well. But it’s not just that the levels are linear; it’s that the path you have to follow is actually narrow in and of itself. You just can’t move around very much and despite a few branching paths, it just feels as if I’m heading to another battle, which may be frustrating due to the shortcomings listed above. On top of everything, the story that starts out interesting sort of loses its good pacing and falls apart once you’re through the first five or six chapters. Even great voice acting can’t save it entirely.

Still, I think the positives definitely outweigh the negatives. First and foremost is the super appealing graphical depiction, which almost never fails to impress throughout. Secondly, and as an off-shoot of the aforementioned element, this atmosphere will undoubtedly satisfy the Castlevania fans. I mean, Gabriel is definitely a Belmont and his weapon is a cross (get it?) between two traditional weapons, and the setting, characters, and enemies are all synonymous with the series. I love it when a developer goes to great lengths to pay homage to an iconic franchise’s roots, even though they still desire to make a modern, polished interactive adventure. Thirdly, if you dedicate yourself to the combat, you will be rewarded. Fourthly and lastly, the longevity: with 12 levels separated out into anywhere between 5 and 9 stages apiece, this one could easily last you 20+ hours, especially if you wish to return to visit completed stages. There’s good reason to do the latter, too.

The game can prove challenging and if you run across something particularly frustrating, you can always return to any previously completed level and stage, and earn more Exp. Eventually, you’ll earn upgrades that will let you access even more hidden goodies, and there are even specific Trials assigned to certain stages. All this means that if you really get into it, you will absolutely get your money’s worth. The secondary weapons (daggers, holy water, etc.) and interesting Magic skills make everything that much richer. Enabling Light Magic by pressing the L1 button means you can then replenish health by beating on enemies, and you also gain access to entirely new – and very powerful – skills. This institutes more strategy and encourages you to fight well. Fighting well fills your Focus Bar and nets you more orbs, which are used to replenish magic…which is then used as a powerful ally and health restorer.

It’s hard to say anything against such a complete, well-rounded system. They clearly put a lot of time and energy into making it this way and for that, Mercury Steam should be applauded. They should be applauded for many accomplishments in Lords of Shadow , in fact. But I just can’t get past too many of the significant downfalls that other reviewers have already mentioned. A definite lack of visibility, due to both an unreliable fixed camera and the oversaturation of environmental detail, sits at the top of my disappointment list. Then there’s the camera, which has a direct impact on the combat, and although it’s more of a personal thing, the weight of Gabriel…in that he doesn’t really have any. He just sort of floats along and it almost seems as if he’s gliding through a picture at times. That’s not necessarily a bad thing; just something that bugs me a little. Lastly, there’s the loss of pacing and interesting story, which happens too soon.

All in all, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a really good game. Only because the hype and anticipation was so high might the score be considered a cause for concern. Still, I had hoped for a game that flirted with a 9 in my eyes and in the end, I just don’t like it very much. But it’s absolutely worth a try, at the very least.

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LimitedVertigo
LimitedVertigo
13 years ago

The score honestly seems a lot better than I had hoped for this game. I wonder what people would think of this game had it not been given the Castlevania name.

You're negatives on the story after a while irks me as well as the linear approach to the levels. As with most games this generation I'll be getting it but not for a while.

Ben Dutka PSXE
Ben Dutka PSXE
13 years ago

It's worthy of the score, IMO, but personally…I'm not feelin' it.

to_far_apart
to_far_apart
13 years ago

Definitely agree. And after this review, just confirms it.

Shams
Shams
13 years ago

I'd just like to point out Ben, is that although the path to the end of each level (so far as i experienced) is a linear or looping one for the most part, items and rare finds often involve branched paths that if you miss (say after taking a one-way path), require a return to the level. Other times, a path will require a skill or item to be unlocked in the future. And still others can be safely returned to within the same stage-playthrough. So, if you want, you can't just blast your way through and blow through the game. And if you're a bit of the completionist, each stage will have even hours of additional fun and exploration. I haven't played C:SOTN (a favorite of yours), but in this way, the game reminded me of what you've had to say about the 32-bit prequel, and it reminded me of bunch of other games you mentioned.

I've only played through the first few chapters, but so far, perhaps because of my low expectations (and being a bit jaded after having my fill of the genre), I am pleasantly surprised.

LimitedVertigo
LimitedVertigo
13 years ago

SOTN is one of the best games ever made and certainly the best Castlevania game. It's only $9.99 on the PSN (was $4.99) a few months ago.

Shams
Shams
13 years ago

Edit: By "If you want, you can't just blast your way through", I meant "if you want, you can just blast your way through"…

Ben Dutka PSXE
Ben Dutka PSXE
13 years ago

I know all that, Shams. It's one of the reasons I mentioned that part about the game's longevity, and how great it is.

Shams
Shams
13 years ago

Sorry, what i meant to say is that i find the game to be less combat-centric and less linear in design than both GOWiii and DI. However, my general impression of it is similar to yours. It ranks somewhere in between the two aforementioned games. And many of my specific impressions of it (of the graphics, sound, and music) are identical to yours. To me it's a game that doesn't quite cut it as an elite title, however, it does reflect much of the quality of many AAA's. I'd even go as far as to call it an intentional homage to many top Sony exclusives (GOW, Shadow of the Colossus, Uncharted). And in that way it succeeds. Not bad for a multiplat, indeed.

But because of how large the game is, like in the case of AC, i imagine it's a game that wouldn't "review" very well if squeezed into a couple of days. I'm expecting for it to grow on me a bit more, and to hold me over until The Force Unleashed 2.

Shams
Shams
13 years ago

After a couple of more chapters of the game, i take my comment back. This is an elite title, every bit as surprising as a Deadspace, or RDR, as multiplatform titles that borderline the greatness of many Sony exclusives…and this is coming from a guy who was even a bit jaded of the whole genre, after playing GOW3 and Dante's Inferno.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

Sounds pretty awesome to me, I'll either use my New Vegas credit to get this or add it to the xmas list. I like that it's longer than a usual action game too. Funny, I read that the music wasn't at all in line with Castlevania, glad to hear that isn't true.

The linearity sounds exactly like FFXIII though, lol and boooo.


Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 10/6/2010 10:00:03 PM

LimitedVertigo
LimitedVertigo
13 years ago

Saw an advertisement for Vegas in the latest issue of PSM, thought of you. How creepy!?

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

I have that affect on people 🙂

Temjin001
Temjin001
13 years ago

creepy? or people thinking of you?

I am thinking about how your avatar changes like every other day… =p

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

Every other day is a bit of stretch, perhaps every other month.

Nickjcal
Nickjcal
13 years ago

i liked the demo a lot. Its between this and enslaved.

Temjin001
Temjin001
13 years ago

If you value a combat action game after the manner of GoW, Dante's Inferno, DMC, NG etc. then get Castlevania.

If you preference an action game with a strong storytelling component that focuses more on thrills (similar to Uncharted), platforming acrobatics, and basic combat design then this is your game.

I prefer the more combat heavy games like NG etc.
But Enslaved has offered just enough of a compelling story (it's really the glue that holds the game together) that it's maintained my interests, and I plan to finish it within the next couple days, or so (gotta do it before the rental time is up=)

Jawknee
Jawknee
13 years ago

Castlevania is prettier to look at. 🙂

Shams
Shams
13 years ago

Graphics, combat, platforming, level design, cinematics sound, and music. The only weakness the game has imo, since perhaps the game was ambitiously built over so many chapters and stages, the story was spread thin…Just like how musical score is cinematic, awe-inspiring, and professional done, the few tracks they were able to get from their hired orchestra were also spread thin over the game, to the point of repetition. Patrick Stewart, as masterful a thespian he is, more often than not was just reading script for level loading times, more like in a book-reading gathering and less like voice-acting…

I haven't played previous Castlevanias, but i will say this, it is a very close contender to GOW3, and in quite a few ways, even bests it. GOW3 wins by a few paces only because of a few more "oh sh*t" moments, and a bit more personality.

…Of course, this is only my impression of the game so far.

Akuma_
Akuma_
13 years ago

Honestly, this review kinda annoys me.

When i read the article synopsis on the main page, I immediately thought "You've got to be kidding me".

You spent most of the review putting the game down and telling us about the bad things, then in the last couple of paragraphs, say how much of a good game it is, and is worth a try.


Last edited by Akuma_ on 10/6/2010 10:02:11 PM

Qubex
Qubex
13 years ago

Honestly, I think you are out of line there; Ben does give reasons why he dislikes aspects of a particular game.

There were deep feelings here that Castlevania would turn out to be a stellar title, however, in the end it was a let down due to the annoyances described in the review. Similar annoyances were also written about and talked about in other reviews as well.

In conclusion, Castlevania could have been so good, a must have, but it is not anymore, and it should have been. The graphics look awesome, one of the most environmentally beautiful games I have seen, to bad it fails in other areas 🙁

Q!

"play.experience.enjoy"

aaronisbla
aaronisbla
13 years ago

qubex, how do you know it fails in other areas if you don't give it a try?

I think Ben's complaints are pretty valid though. But they also sound like things that will bother some and others will be able to over look it and still have fun and maybe judge it a higher score.

But until you actually try it yourself, its hard to take what you said as i would from someone who has played it.

@Akuma: i think the reason he listed all of his gripes with the game is so you can see where he is coming from and why he judged it accordingly.


Last edited by aaronisbla on 10/6/2010 10:55:57 PM

DIsmael85
DIsmael85
13 years ago

Hey cut the guy some slack he is entitled to just as much of an opinion as Ben is for reviewing the game. While I do not agree myself with everything Ben has said in his review, I can accept it. I love the game, totally awesome. Some of the most recent reviews on here and related comments have made me chuckle. It's almost like everyone eats up every word they say. It's an opinion people, form your own by playing.

Qubex
Qubex
13 years ago

Fair enough, but I go through many reviews on the internet as well as video reviews, Ben brings it all together as the final review so to speak and he is pretty spot on.

Understandable if those problems don't erk all players, however these particular problems do annoy me as I feel there is little excuse now days for poor technical implementation. The camera problem is not new. Developers know how frustrating poor camera implementations are and should look out for this when building and testing their engines. Is it so difficult to make sure the camera is user movable or able to pan around in order to give you a clearer view of your opponents. Camera seems to always be the issue.

Did any of you guys have issues with God Of War III camera at all?

Q!

"play.experience.enjoy"

Akuma_
Akuma_
13 years ago

Out of line for what?

I seen the score was 8.1, so I thought, thats a pretty good score, so I kept reading the article to find the good parts of the game, the reason why it was scored so high, but I just kept reading about how dissapointing it was.

I ended up thinking to myself, why was this scored 8.1?

Ben Dutka PSXE
Ben Dutka PSXE
13 years ago

Try reading the article again. I spent just as much time talking about the good as I did the bad, and if I remember correctly, I said the good vastly outweighs the bad. Oh yeah, and then there's the score.

Please don't complain. I'm SO not in the mood.


Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 10/7/2010 12:23:43 AM

LimitedVertigo
LimitedVertigo
13 years ago

Ben, want to go to the stripclub?

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

Ben's in busy review mode, he warned you not to make him mad… you wouldn't like him when he's mad. He turns into a green copy of FFT.

Ben Dutka PSXE
Ben Dutka PSXE
13 years ago

Sad part is, LV, I'd actually pass on the stripclub to do work.

The games…they're…they're everywhere…I'd never be able to relax…..I'd probably start seeing things that aren't there…..

DIsmael85
DIsmael85
13 years ago

? I don't understand why you wouldn't be in the mood? He's just expressing his opinion, and he has a right to reply to a comment made about him. Or her, I wont discriminate. Honestly guys and gals, it's just a fricken video game. You'll either buy it or you wont. I like coming to this page, but sometimes this site gets a little to defensive when it comes to the "Opinion" factor. No one can ever be satisfied sadly, but hey this is what makes us people I suppose.

Oh and yeah I love me some God of War, but they also had their fair share of issues. And don't even get me started on the fixed camera crap, but you know what, the games were so awesome I let it go.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

DIsmael, I don't think its about disagreeing with the review, I think it's about picking on the reviewer for just doing his job.

DIsmael85
DIsmael85
13 years ago

Yeah I guess I could see that. So my point to the original comment is to just buy the game still and enjoy it. I was hoping that would get across to him as well. 🙂 Also, Ben shouldn't get to annoyed, this happens across all gaming sites. I guarantee that that IGN and the others were no exception. It's the price you pay I suppose to being a critic, especially when you're as big as PSXextreme. But yeah game rocks way harder than Enslaved and is something refreshing after the drought of games over the summer break. ^_^

aaronisbla
aaronisbla
13 years ago

i agree with Dismael85 to a certain degree. Sometimes it can get a lil bit too defensive in here, its not like Akuma went on some rage over how bad the game was scored and honestly, whether he's in a bad mood or not, why threaten a viewer of the site with a "don't test me" statement when he isn't doing anything wrong?

Akuma wasn't picking with the reviewer but was wondering why it scored a 8.1 when the negatives in his eyes seemed as if they out weighed the good.


Last edited by aaronisbla on 10/7/2010 5:35:39 AM

Ben Dutka PSXE
Ben Dutka PSXE
13 years ago

First of all, Akuma's statement that I spent most of the review putting the game down is just plain wrong. So I'm going to say that it's wrong. Feel free to dislike the review all you want; just don't tell me I did something I didn't do.

Secondly, not being in the mood has nothing to do with this review or that comment. It was just a general statement. I'm a little overworked right now, that's all. In all honesty, the only people turning anything into a drama are the people SAYING it's a drama…when it's nothing of the kind.


Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 10/7/2010 10:28:04 AM

Akuma_
Akuma_
13 years ago

aaronisbla and DIsmael85 said it perfectly!

They get where i'm at 😀

piratedrunk
piratedrunk
13 years ago

I think this is a fair review. I would say that in spite of its flaws this is really a fantastic game. I find it gets better as you gain more abilites and can backtrack to pick up things you missed the first time through. I can tell I am definitely going to get my $60 worth of quality playtime out of this one.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

I get the distinct feeling all those hidden things are meant to help with the replay value in particular.

Kiryu
Kiryu
13 years ago

As soon as i played the demo,for blocking u should hold L2 and even for evading i really can't get used to it,the camera was not good i couldn't see the enemies attacking from behind me.
If you see it God of War has the best controls for this type of game and with no camera fighting.

Jawknee
Jawknee
13 years ago

I didn't have a problem with the camera but it do agree the use of L2 to guard and evade felt odd. They should have just went the GOW route and make the right stick evade.

Temjin001
Temjin001
13 years ago

I eventually plan to play this one. Too bad it's something of a let down. Not a bad game, but not a stellar one. I suspected something was amiss when I watched Gamespot's review (a seasoned critic vet did the review)

I think GoW and Bayonetta own this category for this year.

Concerning Castelvania and something I really do like about it, contrary to Ben's preference.
I'm a big fan of the block and evade mechanic.

NG, Darksiders(a surprisingly excellent combat system), and this game utilize block/evade.

While I've adapted to the GoW style of evade, I really would prefer not to pull my thumb away from the face buttons to flick the r-analog and then quickly re-orient my thumb back to the face buttons. I actually find I lose a fraction of precision by having to perform this maneuver.. Thankfully, GoW is slower in combat and it works fine because of it.

Similar to what Ben said about Castlvania's in-descrete items, I also think Vanquish has a major problem with this. It takes way too much effort to pick up weapons etc on such a fast moving game. The drops need to flash bright like the orbs in games like NG or Enslaved etc. And they should've just made ammo pick-ups automatic.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

When you are a GOW aficionado, you are used to holding the block button down in order to execute certain special moves. I think Ben fell prey to that.

Temjin001
Temjin001
13 years ago

It reminds me of the preferences gamers have in fighters (Tekken, SF, MK etc)
Block Button vs holding back
6 buttons vs 4
canned combos vs combos

Anytime I spend too much time on one fighter I find it "un-natural" to adapt to another fighter interface structure. But like most anything, after an adaptation process it feels just right.

Ben Dutka PSXE
Ben Dutka PSXE
13 years ago

World: No, I didn't. I fell prey to the block button being part of the dodge maneuver, which doesn't really work that well, IMO.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

Alright then. But I'm with Temji, it can work.

Teddie9
Teddie9
13 years ago

I too loved Darksiders and are a fan of NG but both those games have camera control…It just sorta gripes me when a game doesn't utilize every part of the controller. Although I do plan to buy the game eventually. [Just a side note, the dodge maneuvers are either very fast (NG) or atleast can get you much out of the way (darksiders), LOS doesn't feel so responsive in the demo, but that's critizing the actual mechanic than the controls]


Last edited by Teddie9 on 10/11/2010 4:29:30 PM

Jotun
Jotun
13 years ago

I don't see how an 8.1 makes this game "not that good." This game has been getting good reviews, not amazing ones, but it's clear it's a very good game.

I contend that people stop trying to compare everything to SotN. That game is never getting made again and it's unfair to keep calling a game lesser for not living up to one of the best video games ever made.

I got my CE today and have played Castlevania since I was 4(it was the third NES game I ever played) and, after the two abismal PS2 gen games, this one does many things right. I haven't been this pleased with a Castlevania experience on a console since SotN and I'm glad it turned out as varied and fun as it is.

The bottom line is that if you enjoy Castlevania and enjoy then action/adventure genre, just get this game and stop letting reviewers ruin it for you.

Temjin001
Temjin001
13 years ago

the expectations were high because it looked like a very promising return to Castlevania, and also under the guidance of Hideo Kojima. It looked to have the makings of a 9+ game, not a sub 8. So no, it's not bad, but rather a great game, but everyone was really hoping for something spectacular.

aaronisbla
aaronisbla
13 years ago

Kojima was involved with the game, but the game was mostly under the guidance of David Cox

Jawknee
Jawknee
13 years ago

In the new Qore episode Cox said the only thing Kojima did for the game was advise them on Gabriel's character design. He took a over see but ultimately hands off approach.

Temjin001
Temjin001
13 years ago

So just enough involvement to flash the "Kojima Team" icon at the start of the game.

lame

BUt this wouldn't so lame.
I wonder if there's a Solid Snake unlockable, or something, in it.

aaronisbla
aaronisbla
13 years ago

if a game states " a Hideo Kojima Production" then you know its all him.

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