Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a unique title in the Castlevania series. It is different because it has all the things that made Castlevania titles the classics they are today, but does not entirely play itself out as a part of the series.
The game includes old elements, like numerous weapons that can hack your enemies and integrate with the world around you, intriguing puzzles that are rewarding, and deep characters that could hold a place in your library of interesting people. Also, I forgot to mention there are ferocious demons waiting for you in every damn section waiting to rip heroes apart.
The story in this game is actually told in a very fluid way and the voice acting is pretty good to say the least. Patrick Stewart lends his vocals to the story as the narrator and friend of Gabriel, the hero of the story. Really, who wouldn’t want to spend three minutes listening to the gripping tales between every level told by the enchanting Patrick Stewart? Nobody. The classic battle of light vs. darkness is slurred as things are not always as they seem. The game also focuses towards the tragic take on love as Gabriel looks for the killer of his beloved wife and childhood sweet-heart, Marie. While also completing the dangerous task of killing all three of the retched Lords of Shadow before they decay the world even more than they’ve already done. For the technical people, like myself, who want to keep track of how many levels they are going through, there are ten chapters with sub-chapters within each. The game is two disks long and it has to be said, this game takes time and patience to master, even on the easiest difficulty.
The combat is reminiscent of God of War and Shadow of the Colossus, but unlike the story, the game play outside of hacking and slashing foes, has a pace I could not keep up with. As with most of the Castlevania games, Gabriele starts off with a special whip contained within a large crucifix. It can be upgraded to suit a new fighting style or help advance within the story. Combos can be bought and upgraded by points earned either from completing different puzzles or finishing a chapter and sub-chapter. Just hitting the close and range attack buttons are not going to get you anywhere though; combining the shadow and light magic earned early within the game add to the formula and the fun. With the light magic, Gabriele can attack foes and gain health back at the same time. Where as the shadow magic increases attack damage and has its own unique combos. Other tools for beating demons and other mystical creatures to death can be found throughout the game, after or before defeating a special boss at the end of each level.
A majority of the game relies on quick button presses, which I frown upon seeing it as a lazy part of the development. But there are other bosses who are quite unique, they are known as the Titans. These titans and other large creatures add some change to the dynamics of bosses in this game, because you need to find a way onto them and hitting their weakest points without falling off. It adds a sense of vertigo and space when fighting them, because of their enormous size and power. Gabriele can also mount beasts he defeats within the game. They can be used as weapons or used to platform to places Gabriele cannot normally reach.
The platforming, puzzle-solving and adventuring aspect of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow are quite fun, but a bit linear and fast-paced. When roaming around the world hunting down mighty demons, Gabriele tends to move at a very fast pace. Stopping, actually felt like I was breaking the flow of the game, but at the same time it gave me a chance to look at the beautiful scenery and find all the collectibles.
The collectibles range from health and magic upgrades to scrolls held by dead soldiers. These scrolls, give some small side story as to who these deceased warriors were and why their bodies lie lifeless in the world. They also give hints as to other collectibles and are something fun to read, even if they are not as well written as witty poetry. The puzzles are quite clever, but nothing gamers haven’t already seen before. They can be as simple as a fetch quest, to the more complex ones like reflecting a stream of magical light to the several mirrors in order for it to hit the right target and get Gabriele on his way. The scrolls held by dead soldiers can also hold hints towards these puzzles, but at the cost of losing experience earned from completing the puzzles on your own.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadows sets itself apart from the rest of the Castlevania series by giving gamers fresh characters with a good, well-told story and exciting, finger-twitching combat. The puzzles are well thought out, the adventuring is fun, and the scenery is beautiful if you stop to take a gander. LoS is an engaging experience and one truly worth investing in. If not for the moments, then do it for Patrick Stewart.
