Castlevania: Lord of Shadow - Resurrection DLC coming in June

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Castlevania: Lord of Shadow is coming out on October 5. It's the first next-gen 3D Castlevania game. It spans 2 discs, though you have the option of installing the first disc and then playing from the second disc. Unlike the last 2 PS2/Xbox 1 games, this one probably won't be terribly boring! Players control Gabriel Belmont. The game is developed by Mercury Steam and Kojima Productions.

Limited Edition
200895_LE1LG.jpg

The LE is available at Amazon and GameStop. It includes special packaging, an art book, and soundtrack CD. It costs a whopping $79.95.

Downloadable Content

Reviews

Previews
 
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Now that I have seen more, it is def a pass. I don't want a God of War clone. The whips look just like the chains. No Castle = No Castlevania in my book. Castlevania needs to stick to 2D only.
 
if you get it from best buy you get a download code for Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, cost 800msp from XBLA. would post link but im not allowed to lol
 
The lack of freedom to truly explore is a downer for me. Other aspects of the game do seem like they are pulled off well. I will likely wait to find it for $30 or less new.
 
[quote name='KingBroly']But that's how older Castlevania games were.[/QUOTE]

I'ts funny how people instantly think of a Metroidvania style when some of the best games in the series are linear. Castlevania III, Super Castlevania IV, Dracuala X, Castlevania Adventures ReBrth, etc.
 
[quote name='lordopus99']Now that I have seen more, it is def a pass. I don't want a God of War clone. The whips look just like the chains. No Castle = No Castlevania in my book. Castlevania needs to stick to 2D only.[/QUOTE]

In my book it doesn't. I don't like 2D castlevania games I'd rather look at a character I can tell who and what they look like.
People need to try new stuff with game series.
Just look at the games on the PS2. They've done pretty well if they didn't this new 3D castlevania game wouldn't be coming out.
In my mind it looks pretty good. But we won't know how it is until we try.
 
[quote name='Rodimus']I'ts funny how people instantly think of a Metroidvania style when some of the best games in the series are linear. Castlevania III, Super Castlevania IV, Dracuala X, Castlevania Adventures ReBrth, etc.[/QUOTE]

There are some of us who don't think that those are the best games in the series. I thought the original in the arcade (actually my old hometown Pizza Hut for this particular game) and on the NES was okay. I thought the addition of adventure elements in Simon's Quest was great and still remember finishing that game when it came out in high school (although it took a long time of trial and error due to some poor translations and very obscure puzzles). I thought 3 (Dracula's curse) was a step backwards as it went back to ho-hum action platformer, but I did like the addition of the 3 new characters (the pirate, Sophia?, Alucard). Super Castlevania IV was very well regarded, but I personally thought it was an overrated step backwards for the series. It was essentially a prettier Castlevania 1 with twice as many levels.

From there I pretty much gave up on the series until after Symphony became a Greatest Hits title. I picked it up on a whim and really loved it. The 2D Castlevanias (and 2 metroids) are essentially the reason I bought a Game Boy Player and are why I finally broke down and bought a DS Lite. I don't like handheld gaming, but unfortunately that is where most of the good 2D gaming is.

However, I'm still picking up Lords of Shadow as it looks like a pretty good action game even if it takes the series back to simply a horror themed action title. I suspect that it will be like Metroid: Other M. i.e. It will be a good action game that I'll like even though I don't particularly like their take on or direction for the franchise.
 
I've actually grown less fond of SOTN over the year and gravitated towards the linear style of Castlevania game. I get a greater sense of accomplishment out of beating them. It forces that old-school pattern recognition which I love.

Super Castlevania IV added the 8-way whip style which has yet to be brought back. So I have to disagree when you say it was a step back. I actually beat this game for the first time about a year ago. WTF was wrong with me?

Am I the only one who hated Simon's Quest. I know it paved the way for the Metroidvania formula but it was such an annoying & tedious game. Unlike the original & Castlevania III, this did not age well. I never beat it nor do I wish to.

It's been awhile since I last played Dracula's Curse but it's hands down the best Castlevania game on the NES. None of this mindless wandering that Simon's Quest had, just strait up action. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. And IMO the hardest Castlevania after Dracula X.
 
[quote name='Rodimus']Super Castlevania IV added the 8-way whip style which has yet to be brought back. So I have to disagree when you say it was a step back.[/QUOTE]

The 8 way whip was definitely a step forward for the action platformer style, but I thought both the return to straight up action platformer and the step back away from the multiple characters of 3 were steps backwards for the series.

[quote name='Rodimus'] I actually beat this game for the first time about a year ago. WTF was wrong with me?[/QUOTE]
Nothing at all. I'm sure if you like the action castlevanias it held up well.

[quote name='Rodimus']Am I the only one who hated Simon's Quest. I know it paved the way for the Metroidvania formula but it was such an annoying & tedious game. Unlike the original & Castlevania III, this did not age well. I never beat it nor do I wish to.[/QUOTE]

No, there are definitely other people who didn't like the change in direction even when it was new. I liked it a lot, but it was definitely rough around the edges because it tried so much new stuff, but was very underdeveloped. (The crappy hint translations didn't help either). I don't imagine it aged well as the adventure genre continued to evolve considerably over the years and it probably now pales in comparison, but in 1988 it was one of the best forays into action adventure that had been produced. I would not be surprised at all to hear the straight action titles held up better.


You should look up the NES game 8 Eyes if you like the NES castlevanias and haven't tried it.
 
Castlevania 3 was just amazing at the time. It has phenomenal graphics and sound (even without the extra sound chip of the Japanese version), extremely polished gameplay, and the branching pathways and multiple characters added a ton of replay value. I would so love an HD remake. The closest non-Metroidvania game in scope to Castlevania 3 is Rondo of Blood, which has most of the same positives, though less characters, but it does add a stronger story, which paved the way for SOTN.

Right now I believe the only thing holding Lord of Shadow back is that it's not quite Castlevania-enough for many people. Forgetting the non-linearity and RPG elements that came with SOTN, it sounds like Lord of Shadow doesn't have many series-specific villains (other than vampires and werewolves, which are really generic gothic fantasy enemies), items, mechanics, etc. I still think it'll be a blast to play though.
 
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[quote name='Rodimus']I'ts funny how people instantly think of a Metroidvania style when some of the best games in the series are linear. Castlevania III, Super Castlevania IV, Dracuala X, Castlevania Adventures ReBrth, etc.[/QUOTE]

I think linearity has gotten an underserved bad wrap. Non-linearity often translates into lots of backtracking and aimless wandering around. Maybe it's because I'm getting up there in age, though. :) I haven't actually played any of those older Castlevania games, though. I have played a bunch of the GBA ones and Portrait of Ruin, and while I liked them all for a short while, I eventually got tired of all the wandering around over the same areas, and not knowing where to go next without looking at a FAQ. So maybe this new Castlevania would be right up my alley. I've got the demo queued up.
 
[quote name='Rodimus']I'ts funny how people instantly think of a Metroidvania style when some of the best games in the series are linear. Castlevania III, Super Castlevania IV, Dracuala X, Castlevania Adventures ReBrth, etc.[/QUOTE]

I have in no way played every Castlevania, but I have played enough to know I enjoy the linear games far more than the Metroidvania ones.

I'm looking forward to a return to form.
 
[quote name='Corvin']I have in no way played every Castlevania, but I have played enough to know I enjoy the linear games far more than the Metroidvania ones.

I'm looking forward to a return to form.[/QUOTE]


Exactly. I love Symphony for what it was, but it was nothing compared to Dracula X (PCE), Castlevania (NES), and Dracula's Curse.
 
[quote name='eastx']Right now I believe the only thing holding Lord of Shadow back is that it's not quite Castlevania-enough for many people. Forgetting the non-linearity and RPG elements that came with SOTN, it sounds like Lord of Shadow doesn't have many series-specific villains (other than vampuires and werewolves, which are really generic gothic fantasy enemies), items, mechanics, etc. I still think it'll be a blast to play though.[/QUOTE]

Now this is what I was afraid of. That it would be a generic action game with Castlevania slapped on the cover. At least tell me Dracula is in it.
 
[quote name='shrike4242']Demo's up on XBL Marketplace, as of this morning.[/QUOTE]

It was short, about 30 minutes, but it was fun. It's very reminiscent of a bunch of other games (rendering it generic?) but I enjoyed it.
 
Just finished playing the demo. It showed off a lot of interesting elements which makes me think I'll look into getting it down the road. I played on the lowest difficulty, which was pretty easy, yet I still had a good time. The graphics are nice.
 
Just got to chapter 2, liking the game so far.

Get the feeling a maze or two is coming up, thats gonna suck without a compass/map.
 
This game is fun indeed. It does run better on the PS3. I got to play both versions today. I would also like to point out that this next gen Castlevania feels more like Castlevania than Ninja Gaiden did to the originals.
 
[quote name='Rodimus']I'ts funny how people instantly think of a Metroidvania style when some of the best games in the series are linear. Castlevania III, Super Castlevania IV, Dracuala X, Castlevania Adventures ReBrth, etc.[/QUOTE]

Yes, but this game does not look to necessarily be like those. Tight, linear gameplay were great for them.

For this game, it looks like it just begs to be explored. I could be wrong, it is just how it looks from what little I have seen. But just because I want to explore in this game, does not mean that I only appreciate the Metroidvania games in the series. Trust me, I have played through them all as it has been a series I have been playing since childhood. I like both directions of the series for what they are, with no real preference for one over the other.
 
[quote name='Yanksfan']For this game, it looks like it just begs to be explored. I could be wrong, it is just how it looks from what little I have seen.[/QUOTE]
You're dead wrong.
 
[quote name='mossman43']This game is fun indeed. It does run better on the PS3. I got to play both versions today. I would also like to point out that this next gen Castlevania feels more like Castlevania than Ninja Gaiden did to the originals.[/QUOTE]

Dang, I was at Kmart yesterday and picked up the 360 version. For some reason I had a strange feeling the PS3 version would be better (if only slightly), but I saw the 360 version first and didn't feel like having the guy open the other case.
 
[quote name='Yanksfan']Yes, but this game does not look to necessarily be like those. Tight, linear gameplay were great for them.[/QUOTE]

I don't expect it to look or play anything like the 8-bit & 16-bit games of old. All I'm saying is linear isn't always a bad thing and those old games prove that. This isn't Castlevania's first crack at the relm of 3D. It seems like they're still trying to find their place in it since the formula gets tweaked with each entry.
 
Finally played for a few hours today. I love it. Amazing graphics, awesome soundtrack, tight combat. And just by looking at the world map it seems to be a very long game. While I rented this it's an action game I would feel more justified to pay full price for.

IMO the only thing that keeps it from feeling like a true Castlevania game is the atmosphere. Don't get me wrong, the atmosphere is beautiful, but it's lacking that gothic feel, it's too pretty at times. But, Castlevania's original premise was a game that featured all the classic movie monsters, really nothing more. So by thinking along those guidelines I would say LoS has done a great job in re-imagining the series. Also anyone else notice Gabriel does the patented Belmont strut?
 
My LE copy arrived with the security sticker on the artwork. Removing the sticker trashed it. So I shelved it in disgust until Konami sends me a replacement cover.
 
Finally got around to finishing the game this morning.
Would you kindly?
;)

Wish some levels were a little longer and there was a bit more story (insert DLC here), but I thought it was a good game overall.
 
[quote name='reddjoey']My LE copy arrived with the security sticker on the artwork. Removing the sticker trashed it. So I shelved it in disgust until Konami sends me a replacement cover.[/QUOTE]

You bought the game, so Konami has your money and you shelved it because of a sticker. You showed them!

:D
 
Not really interested, especially after I bought the last Live Castlevania sight unseen expecting a Metroidvania (Yeah I know my fault for not trying the demo.) and getting a steaming pile. Maybe I'll rent it from Gamefly if the reviews are good.
 
I really like this game. The production values from the graphics to the music and the voice acting are exceptionally good. I understand why some CV purists don't care for it, but on its own terms -- just as a straight ahead gothic type adventure game -- it's quite fun and compelling, at least for me.

My only gripe are the frustrating sections where it's not entirely clear where to go or what to do. I bookmarked a walthru to help in those instances, no biggie but they could have made it easier to figure out at times what you're supposed to do next in certain levels.
 
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