Topic: "The Dragon Returns" - Castlevania Lords of Shadow Sequel (HERE BE SPOILER INFO)

[DragonSlayr81]

Playing as Dracula in LoS2 was really fun, I just think that only getting one game like that in nearly three decades is kind of a shame and one or two more wouldn't hurt.

Well, he IS the villain of the series for a reason. Besides, if it's gameplay-wise, mostly everything THIS Dracula can do, so can Alucard(original canon and LoS).

Besides, I love my Dracula to be evil. Maybe turn up the notch and have him extra sadistic in whatever new CV story/reboot they go with next. I want one where he's abducting villages and having them impaled in his courtyard or skinning them alive in his dungeon.

[Maedhros]

To be fair, IMO, there is nothing wrong with the Agreus section. It took me like 5 minutes.

There's NOTHING wrong for you on this game.

It's like every game is perfect for some people... good god,just admit that some games have problems. There's nothing wrong in stating negative things about a game, it won't make the game worse for you anyway. But saying that that POS design is good actually makes me pissed off!

[Dremn]

Neper from GAF fully translated the anonymous employee's post:

Well, I would like to shed some light over the development of this game... Working with Mercury Steam -and I would like to tell this anonymously- is about an everyday frustration. Here's to every guy that has experienced hell during the development of this game, but especially to those who have led this to the mess that Lords of Shadows 2 is:

- Kojima had little to nothing to do with the development of the first game, he came by, set a seal, visited the studio, signed some things and that was it. He had even less to do with Mirror of Fate and LoS2.

The vast majority of this team is aware that the game we've done is a real piece of shit that has nothing to do with the first one's quality and production values... Nobody is surprised by the low reviews we've got.

- If there's someone to blame here, that's Enric Álvarez. He is the person who has led a broken development based on his personal criteria, completely overlooking programmers, designers and artists. Despite his nice look to the press, often considered as some sort of creative "visionary" in the looks of David Cage and Molyneux, this guy has serious problems. He is a mean and naughty guy, and since the "success Lords of Shadows 1" his ego has grown to the point of not even daring to say 'hello' when you meet him in the hallway.

His distrust to his own workers is enormous. Most of the development team often found out features of the game through press news, rather than from the studio's head - unbelievable. And there is no corporate culture here at all... this is just a handful of people working blindly and at the disposal of an alleged visionary.

- The studio's internal structure is archaic, still based on the old partners of the Scrapland days. I'll give you an example so you can see the full picture: the studio's signature engine (one with many flaws) was solely coded by two guys, one of them being a founder of the company and Enric's confident. Access for the new programmers to the source code to update or refurbish the engine is denied, so things are still done in a 10-year-old fashion.

- Many of the studio founders are people with zero abilities for running a studio. Often here newbie developers know more than their own bosses. This structure only leads to a slow, messy and absurd development process, with the end result of Lords of Shadows 2 being a perfect example of what happens due to that.

- Absolutely every design idea has to be monitored, taken away and mutilated by Enric Álvarez. Several game designers have grown tired of this and have abandoned the studio.

- The art direction for this project has been erratic and beheaded. After Enric dismissed every idea and core decission from our main art director for the previous projects, he decided to just leave. It was a battle of egos unleashed by Enric (something that he has carried over with since his times in Rebel Act). Our now former art director is still working in Madrid, now with the Tequila guys making RIME.

- Many others have just turned to other studios offers, sick of the situation here. Almost every month we see fellow devs packing up and getting out of here looking for a new job abroad -that's sad-. It's amazing how the biggest AAA game developer in Spain is not even willing to make its workers a counteroffer. This company does not think highly of its talented workers and their good work. There has never been any kind of salary bonus or anything that remotely resembles it. Not even a single "Good job team!" acknowledgement.

- The production management for this project has been terrible, way often the heads of each department dismissed every production deadline and imposed their own criteria. As a result, the development was delayed for six months, and that investment only came out of MercurySteam's pockets.

Many can't help comparing this situation to something similar that already happened in a company in which many of us worked: Pyro Studios (the team behind the Commandos saga). The QA department is treated like cattle, with shameful wages and almost everyday bullying.

- Expectations for our future are quite bad... with a publisher like Konami really upset after the mediocre game we've made.

- After completing Lords of Shadows 2 MercurySteam has fired 35 workers, and it's embarrasing that no website or journalist is talking about that. More firings are expected to come in the following days.

- And finally, because not everything is bad in here, I wanted to say that the real team behind this company is an incredible bunch of people. If all those guys who are not allowed to be promoted due to our Jurassic studio leads had the chance to set the course of the company, our future would be so bright. There's just so much passion and talent here, more than I've ever seen anywhere else, but it's completely held back. I really hope that those who read this understand what we've lived here. Someone has to say this so it is not lost in time after the game's launch.

Thank you for reading me.

[Mike Belmont]

If is true, is really sad that things like this was happening in the development of LoS 2. But, I think that if a LoS 3 or a prequel were in development, then we were talking about real problems. I hope that Mercury Steam not disappear, like other companies, recent or old.

EDIT: But the situation inner MS, is the cause of the final product in LoS 2? That would be even sad.

- Kojima had little to nothing to do with the development of the first game, he came by, set a seal, visited the studio, signed some things and that was it. He had even less to do with Mirror of Fate and LoS2.

This is not new for me, as has being said, his name was only a hook to give a bigger expectation for the first LoS 1 (not in me, because I am not a fan of Kojima games). I remember that his major contribution was to change the face of the original Gabriel into the definitive one, am I wrong?

[Flame]

One of my favorite parts about this game is the music. It's so much better than LoS1, which i thought was fine, though maybe a bit too bombastic and hollywood.

the themes this time round are nicer.

I specifically like the battle themes and the ambient castle themes.

[MKKhanzo]

Neper from GAF fully translated the anonymous employee's post:

Cox vs Enric then, who would win a battle of cockyness?

[Dremn]

So, does anyone have rips of the artwork in the Journal? I want to see those Belmont Lineage illustrations, no one has bothered to upload any of it yet.

[Trevorcard]

Hey guys its been awhile. I am ten-twelve hours into game. I am enjoying it so far although I am mixed on whether this game is better than Lords of Shadow 1 or not. Although Lords of Shadow 2 is better in gameplay department, Lords of Shadow felt more focused. There was beautiful vistas and enemy variety while in this game besides castle segments, the art design is sorely lacking. Seriously there are few good enemy types the rest are generic. Also why the fuck can't you kill the Golgoth guards. Now here is two big story problem I had so far.

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Victor Belmont. Great Boss battle, anticlimactic on how dies. Ok Mercury stream I know Gabriel is star but sheesh wtf. This has been problem since Lords of Shadow 1 with characters like Claudia appearing for a bit and then dying. But the worst thing is Victor Belmont was badass and then they kill him it just felt random. I am pretty pissed about it

Also,

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Carmila death scene was pretty fucking pervy with the pipe going into her mouth. Nice Mercury Stream

Anyway should be done soon and will post a review of it when I am done.

[Intersection]

And so, according to our friend Enric Alvarez (and a CVG review):

https://twitter.com/Enric_Alvarez/status/439019647933759488

Of course. It's all our fault.

[KaZudra]

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What was the whole point of Satan's redesign if you aren't even going to fight him 1v1?

Open world feels great, I'm going to gather secrets before Doing the New Game +

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The Ending was okay... but not really the grand knot to tie the trilogy together, I hope there is some story DLC to get a better ending

Also, Guardian Keys are in the City of the Damned, be sure to have 3 on you at almost all times.
Death battle was great, I mastered all weapons pretty easy there.

[Mike Belmont]

And so, according to our friend Enric Alvarez (and a CVG review):

https://twitter.com/Enric_Alvarez/status/439019647933759488

Of course. It's all our fault.

Well, maybe he only cited that review to justify the other ones. The bad ones. But, the title seems kind of stupid. At last, the reviewer gave the game a 8 .

I don´t remember that the fans (well, in this forum) ask for stealth sections in the game. In resume, if they are the words of Mr. Alvarez too, is a very dissapointment statement...

[JayDominus]

The good bits range from decent to drop-dead gorgeous. The bad bits... ugh. Agreus and stealth sections in the second half shouldn't be in the game. Also, the ending is pretty damn lame.

[Dremn]

And so, according to our friend Enric Alvarez (and a CVG review):

https://twitter.com/Enric_Alvarez/status/439019647933759488

Of course. It's all our fault.

"Would these hiccups have slipped through had the team been focused on the template perfected in the first game? Who knows. The true irony? The story is about a man brought low by listening to the advice of others. Just as Gabriel was wrong to answer the call of fate, so MercurySteam should know to tread its own course, instead of swaying to satisfy the Castlevania old guard. In trying to be all things to all people it offers less to those that loved it for what it was. Forget the dead family and vampiric curse - that's the true tragedy of this Dracula."

What a crock of shit. Why is everyone suddenly acting like LoS1 was a masterpiece?

After reading that anonymous employee's post it sounds like this review was bought out; pin everything on the fans instead of your own internal struggles.

Enric Alvarez is on my shit list now.

[Kingshango]

And so, according to our friend Enric Alvarez (and a CVG review):

https://twitter.com/Enric_Alvarez/status/439019647933759488

Of course. It's all our fault.

Didn't think I'd lose this much respect for a guy this fast. Hell Cox is looking like a saint compared to him.

[Dominus]

What an idiot.

IDK about Cox. I pay attention to him a lot. IDC about him lying about the plot and the "forget all you know about CV" tho. The masks are a important part of CV was dumb tho