Topic: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate 3DS (Discussion Thread)

[Darkson]

I understand mr. Spork, the music did seem to loop tracks at times. It certainly didn't have the soul you speak of, since the music was good but, as you said, average. Hopefully they'll have unique tunes for each different stage,since that seemed to be the first games major issue. And thank you for your insight, it is always enlightening to hear from a professional in such an area. I myself program and design, so I'm usually more critical on the aspects of gameplay, how it's designed, and how the atmosphere is established. But I digress.

I wonder how Gabriel is going to react to Trevor? I'm thinking he might be pissed at the brotherhood for keeping his son away from him.

[e105beta]

I think the problem with Lords of Shadow is that it just felt like a mash-up of things that have nothing to do with Castlevania. Gameplay from God of War, boss fights from Shadow of the Colossus, music from John Powell's demo reel and an art style lifted directly from Lord of the Rings. Nothing about the game felt "fresh" to me. It was definitely a new take on Castlevania, but it wasn't anything new.

And, there's nothing necessarily wrong with that. There's just nothing special about it either, and Castlevania is a series that has always felt special to me. It's unique. Yeah, the gameplay is like Metroid, but it's got a far deeper item system and handful of RPG elements that set it apart. The music is like none other, and the whole franchise just drips with personality. Lord of Shadow? Virtually no personality what so ever. MercurySteam managed to take a cherished franchise and turn it into a bland, B- experience.

Having beaten LoS, I'm not knocking the game for what it is, I would just be sorely disappointed if this is what CV's future looked like. I'm all for innovation, but I'm not seeing any innovation here. I'm just seeing mediocrity.

I completely agree about the titan fights, actually. Great spectacle for the first minute or two, but ultimately they were very un-Castlevania, mostly because of all the wall-shimmying, which is also very un-Castlevania. The wall-shimmying definitely needs to get the boot. The music too could definitely use some improvement. I don't want to see Araujo go, but if he could incorporate a little more of the "Castlevania spirit" it could set up an amazing score.

But I can't agree that the combat were lifted from anything. The combat is reminiscent of God of War, sure, but only because God of War aped the idea of a chain-whip like weapon. Lords of Shadow plays like any 3D action game, a genre of which God of War is merely the most popular. Sure, it doesn't play like the 64 games, which carried a lot more of the "2D Castlevania in 3D" feel, but I don't agree with the assumption that the combat is "lifted" from God of War, or that it has nothing to do with Castlevania. And as for the art-style, I don't see how it came from Lord of the Rings at all:

I mean, what of this looks like Lord of the Rings?

(click to show/hide)

(click to show/hide)

(click to show/hide)

(click to show/hide)

I mean, the beginning forest levels maybe, but Lord of the Rings doesn't really own the rights to Forest™

[crisis]

waitaminute, where was it said that Trevo is Dracul's son? What if he's just another Brotherhood member that uses the Belmont name in honor of Gabriel?


I actually would like to see a LoS-3. After MoF & LoS-2 are out, make another entry for Vita or whatever, then end it all in an epic conclusion with LoS-3 on the PS4/Xbox. but that's just my opinion

[Flame]

I think the problem with Lords of Shadow is that it just felt like a mash-up of things that have nothing to do with Castlevania. Gameplay from God of War,

GoW is a button masher. LoS punishes you for playing it like God of War, since not all attacks make enemies flinch, and therefore you have a higher likelyhood of being smacked upside the head for being so brash.

  art style lifted directly from Lord of the Rings.

I wasnt aware Lord of the rings had illustrations, or any particular "art style"

Yeah, the gameplay is like Metroid,

Only since SoTN.

but it's got a far deeper item system and handful of RPG elements that set it apart.

the rpg elements of item drops and levels are really what separate it from metroid. Otherwise you always seem to have some kind of relic system in the metridvanias which functions like Metroid's power ups. SoTN especially.

  Lord of Shadow? Virtually no personality what so ever.

That's like, your opinion, bro.

 

MercurySteam managed to take a cherished franchise and turn it into a bland, B- experience.

I thought it was an A. or at least a B+, with an A for effort.

Opinions, opinions.

I'm not seeing any innovation here. I'm just seeing mediocrity.

Hate to start this up again, but i saw little to no innovation in the past games since SoTN. Just the same formula with one added gimmick, and give or take a whip or interchangeable weapons. Also the reuse of many sprites from past games bothered me quite a bit in the later titles. I liked most of them, but the faults I find with them bothered me a fair bit.

the 3D games (LoI, CoD) were more innovative, since the maps were still metroidvania, but not quite the same, since they usually for the most part remained flat maps, with stairs separating different levels of the area, thus making them feel different than other metroidvanias. Unfortunately they suffered from repetitive level design, and visually were nothing too impressive. And the gameplay itself, while not too bad in LoI,(though a bit slow) in CoD was sort of hit and miss, either you liked it or you didnt.

[e105beta]

waitaminute, where was it said that Trevo is Dracul's son? What if he's just another Brotherhood member that uses the Belmont name in honor of Gabriel?


I actually would like to see a LoS-3. After MoF & LoS-2 are out, make another entry for Vita or whatever, then end it all in an epic conclusion with LoS-3 on the PS4/Xbox. but that's just my opinion

It was in the Nintendo Power article, I believe.

[DragonSlayr81]

waitaminute, where was it said that Trevo is Dracul's son? What if he's just another Brotherhood member that uses the Belmont name in honor of Gabriel?

The article says that he's Gabriel's son, but from how it's worded, it seems he was conceived prior to Gabriel becoming Dracula, and was raised by the Brotherhood. This means Gabriel most likely isn't aware that Trevor is his son.

[Maedhros]

I completely agree about the titan fights, actually. Great spectacle for the first minute or two, but ultimately they were very un-Castlevania, mostly because of all the wall-shimmying, which is also very un-Castlevania. The wall-shimmying definitely needs to get the boot. The music too could definitely use some improvement. I don't want to see Araujo go, but if he could incorporate a little more of the "Castlevania spirit" it could set up an amazing score.

But I can't agree that the combat were lifted from anything. The combat is reminiscent of God of War, sure, but only because God of War aped the idea of a chain-whip like weapon. Lords of Shadow plays like any 3D action game, a genre of which God of War is merely the most popular. Sure, it doesn't play like the 64 games, which carried a lot more of the "2D Castlevania in 3D" feel, but I don't agree with the assumption that the combat is "lifted" from God of War, or that it has nothing to do with Castlevania. And as for the art-style, I don't see how it came from Lord of the Rings at all:

I mean, what of this looks like Lord of the Rings?

(click to show/hide)

(click to show/hide)

(click to show/hide)

(click to show/hide)

I mean, the beginning forest levels maybe, but Lord of the Rings doesn't really own the rights to Forest™

The second one looks like. Monster designs and early areas, the worst part of the game, looks very Middle Earth inspired too. Of course I can select the best screenshots the game have and say it looks like Castlevania.

The game has, basically, 3 parts. I liked 1/3 of the game, exactly the parts you posted. Actually, I doubt anyone can say other way without being stupid.

I just hope you guys would learn that criticism about a game isn't a bad thing. Not everyone has to like LoS at all, and they can be vocal about what they don't like or even that they hate it or even older titles at all. There's really no problem with it. We don't have to agree with everything.

If Castlevania needed a reboot? This is seriously down to what type of reboot the series needed. I didn't like the way they rebooted the story, I found the ending retarded as fuck. Is my oppinion invalid now? No.

[Starman DX]

Hey guys, new to this board but I've lurked here from time to time.

Anyway, so far I'm liking from what I'm seeing of this game even though I didn't really like LoS. It wasn't the gameplay that really bothered me as much as the fantasy atmosphere and lack of "soul" compared to some older Castlevanias. But I'm sure LoS fans are getting a bit tired of that complaint. It's just something to adapt too since I started with Aria and Dawn of Sorrow, but I've played almost every CV game to date so I know there's more to the franchise than Metroidvania. Even though it's the style I grew up with.

But I love Trevor's design here, Simon looks fine too and the 2.5D gameplay sounds great. Im glad the game takes place in Castlevania again, and i hope some classic music (or at least similar style) comes back, that would really complete the package for me.

Well, I can't really contribute much to what we know, thought I'd just post my thoughts of the game so far. I hope a gameplay trailer is as impressive as these teasers!

[crisis]

Yeh, I just read that part in the NP article. That's weird.

So now Trevo & Lucard will be half-brothers it seems, prunyuu~

[flyingchai]

Yeh, I just read that part in the NP article. That's weird.

So now Trevo & Lucard will be half-brothers it seems, prunyuu~

Now that'll be quite an interesting family...can't say I'm at all against the idea...

[Munchy]

Just answer me this, MercurySteam... when does the Poltergeist King show up?

[crisis]

Poltergeist King will be the alternate name for Rinaldo, just like Zobek=Lord of the Dead/Necromancers

[DragonSlayr81]

Now that'll be quite an interesting family...can't say I'm at all against the idea...

If Alucard is separate than Trevor, and Trevor's the older "human" brother, and Alucard is the younger "dhampir" brother, it could most definitely be an interesting relationship. While I was against Dracula being the Belmont's father(like in Legends, the blood relative/ancestor), if Gabriel is Trevor's father, but Trevor doesn't have Gabe's dark power(because he was born prior to Gabe becoming Dracula), I'd find that, personally, more easy to swallow than "the reason why Belmonts are powerful is because they have SOME vampire blood coursing through their veins". To see the human son confront his vampire father, what sort of drama that arises from this(and Gabriel's discovery than Trevor is his own son) would be interesting. Work in Alucard to the picture(IF he is in this game, but here's hoping he IS), and we might even see an interesting sibling rivary bit.

[GuyStarwind]

I'm still not convinced about this game. It has some promising things but I was excited for LoS and was let down. I guess what I'm saying is I hope MoF doesn't pull a LoS and hype me up for disappointment.

[e105beta]

The second one looks like. Monster designs and early areas, the worst part of the game, looks very Middle Earth inspired too. Of course I can select the best screenshots the game have and say it looks like Castlevania.

The game has, basically, 3 parts. I liked 1/3 of the game, exactly the parts you posted. Actually, I doubt anyone can say other way without being stupid.

I just hope you guys would learn that criticism about a game isn't a bad thing. Not everyone has to like LoS at all, and they can be vocal about what they don't like or even that they hate it or even older titles at all. There's really no problem with it. We don't have to agree with everything.

If Castlevania needed a reboot? This is seriously down to what type of reboot the series needed. I didn't like the way they rebooted the story, I found the ending retarded as fuck. Is my oppinion invalid now? No.

How? Because of the wood buildings? Or is it the grass? Maybe the windmill? Or dark clouds. I'm sure they had those in the Lord of the Rings. They also had those in real life, too. Oh no, Castlevania is ripping off real life.

Honestly, the closest thing I can think of is Rohan, which looks like this:

(click to show/hide)

If you had read my post, you'd see I wasn't saying anything about "looking like Castlevania", because I think the statement is close to nonsense, seeing how much "Castlevania" encompasses, I was saying that it doesn't look like Lord of the Rings.

Never saw any of this in the Lord of the Rings:

(click to show/hide)

(click to show/hide)

(click to show/hide)

(click to show/hide)

I mean, there's this:

(click to show/hide)

But, again, I don't see how forest = The Lord of the Rings. Don't remember any ancient stone heads in Fangorn Forest.

And I never said anyone's opinion was invalid. That's just you being defensive.