Review: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
- Thread starter John Funk
- Start date
Okay, first thing's first. I like that they've delved into that 2.5D aspect for some of the levels and platforming bits.
Secondly; was that a clock tower I saw? Oh man, I'm getting flashbacks, I hope the clock tower is as horrifically hard as it is in all the other games.
Thirdly; I do love a good hack 'n' slash, but I'm not sure Castlevania lends itself well to that style. Don't get me wrong, I love DMC and God Of War. But I'm also a big fan of retro gaming (hence; the avatar). It's bit of a mixed view for me on this decision; it looks like it was executed pretty well and I understand the need for progression in a series this old, but at the same time I do miss the frantic platforming and intense level of difficulty involved with the old Castlevania series that pushed me into loving it so much.
It's that addictive quality of knowing that you can beat it if you just tried that little bit harder, being frustrated when you fail but determined to do better next time. Oh, and the sweet satisfaction when you finally beat the game is one of the greatest feelings of all time when I was a kid. I actually still get that same feeling now.
Okay, who the hell brought all this nostalgia into my comment? Curse you! If you do a review of another title from my childhood I'll be stuck in a rose-tinted coma for weeks.
Secondly; was that a clock tower I saw? Oh man, I'm getting flashbacks, I hope the clock tower is as horrifically hard as it is in all the other games.
Thirdly; I do love a good hack 'n' slash, but I'm not sure Castlevania lends itself well to that style. Don't get me wrong, I love DMC and God Of War. But I'm also a big fan of retro gaming (hence; the avatar). It's bit of a mixed view for me on this decision; it looks like it was executed pretty well and I understand the need for progression in a series this old, but at the same time I do miss the frantic platforming and intense level of difficulty involved with the old Castlevania series that pushed me into loving it so much.
It's that addictive quality of knowing that you can beat it if you just tried that little bit harder, being frustrated when you fail but determined to do better next time. Oh, and the sweet satisfaction when you finally beat the game is one of the greatest feelings of all time when I was a kid. I actually still get that same feeling now.
Okay, who the hell brought all this nostalgia into my comment? Curse you! If you do a review of another title from my childhood I'll be stuck in a rose-tinted coma for weeks.
Yeah, just another God of War/Devil May Cry 3rd-person action clone with the Castlevania name slapped on it. NOT interested. When are they going to release the next 2D Metroidvania game? Order of Ecclesia was awesome.
That lycan sounds EXACTLY like the Dungeon Keeper 2 advisor's voice! EXACTLY!
Awesome. I hope it is him. He sounded like a sexy dark god.
Awesome. I hope it is him. He sounded like a sexy dark god.
Four stars for a generic cookie-cutter patchwork of a game with uninspired narration performed by an understandably uninspired, though good actor. Is this for real?
It's that they cloned GoW that made it feel like a GoW clone.
It was not the move to 3D that made this game feel like a GoW clone.matrix3509 said:
It's that they cloned GoW that made it feel like a GoW clone.
Arcane Azmadi said:
Here's to ya'll.Aiddon said:
That's because it's him, I had the exact same thought when he started speaking and I immediately asked Google. It's Richard Ridings, who indeed also voiced the Mentor in the Dungeon Keeper games. Audio Erotica in purest form!TraderJimmy said:
As for my opinion on Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, it's very clear. I've played God of War, but I really have to say that Castlevania tops it easily. True, GoW may have some interesting combat, but it got really boring really soon. The level design and game progress is also extremely linear with GoW, which Castlevania skillfully avoids. Though the levels by themselves are somewhat linear indeed, there's a good factor reminiscent of the good ol' Metroidvania titles: having to track back to catch missed upgrades with the newly gotten abilities.
Castlevania's combat is sublime. It's flowing, easy, practical, and the bosses are extremely well done. I played the game on Knight difficulty without trying out the lower difficulties first and I have to say, that's brilliant. Especially the Black Knight, truly a good fight.
The only true downside of this game for me was the soundtrack. Though it is undeniably epic, it's just more of the same. There's only a select few classic tunes (I count two: Waterfalls and Vampire Killer), and they're very minimal. Well, apart from Waterfalls, which plays during about 30% of the game. That's not good either.
I was especially disappointed with the Clock Tower level. It was too. Simple. Not even medusa heads! No wicked track (like Clockwork, Eneomaos Machine Tower, etc), but just the same old boring Waterfalls track. I really expected more of the soundtrack.
Overall I'd say the game is a 9.5, with the only fault being the soundtrack.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to challenge the Black Knight again.
PS: Wow, just noticed this is my very first post ever on this forum. Wahoo!
I just got loaned this game from a friend, and I want to give it back at the earliest convenience. And maybe slap him. But maybe he didn't know.
The framerate drops to about 20--maybe less--during the cutscenes in the introduction! There is no reason whatsoever to allow that kind of garbage to happen in your game. Ever. Especially when God of War is reliably 60 fps the whole way through. On a weaker platform. Five years ago.
I would be very happy if someone told me I could turn off "hand-holding" for this game. A ledge glows, I figure I have to jump to it to move on. And then the game stares at this ledge, which is still glowing, for seven whole seconds, and tells me in words that I have to jump up to it and climb. Thanks, Konami, I got it; go back to reading about "show, don't tell." Please. For everyone's sake.
I've got a number of other gripes with the game, too, but those are the biggest, least forgivable offenses. I tried, for about an hour and a half, to give this game a chance, and all I got was this lousy sense of frustration for four hours thereafter.
The framerate drops to about 20--maybe less--during the cutscenes in the introduction! There is no reason whatsoever to allow that kind of garbage to happen in your game. Ever. Especially when God of War is reliably 60 fps the whole way through. On a weaker platform. Five years ago.
I would be very happy if someone told me I could turn off "hand-holding" for this game. A ledge glows, I figure I have to jump to it to move on. And then the game stares at this ledge, which is still glowing, for seven whole seconds, and tells me in words that I have to jump up to it and climb. Thanks, Konami, I got it; go back to reading about "show, don't tell." Please. For everyone's sake.
I've got a number of other gripes with the game, too, but those are the biggest, least forgivable offenses. I tried, for about an hour and a half, to give this game a chance, and all I got was this lousy sense of frustration for four hours thereafter.
Not sure if this works on the 360 but I know it does on the PS3:Silven said:
Copy Castlevania songs (or remakes of those songs) on to your hard-drive, form a playlist, start the game, press the home button, go to Music and choose that playlist. It's pretty cool.
PS: I think the reason they didn't use Medusa heads (or Minotaurs, or the Hydra..or any other Greek creature) is because the clueless demographic that is completely missing the fact that God Of War is basically Castlevania4 in 3D with QTEs will just start complaining about "OH! THEY USED GREEK MYTHOLOGY! CASTLEVANIA IS ABOUT VAMPIRES!"