The Castlevania Dungeon Forums => General Castlevania Discussion => Topic started by: The Great Reviewer on June 06, 2013, 01:54:24 PM
Title: Mirror of Fate Review
Post by: The Great Reviewer on June 06, 2013, 01:54:24 PM
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate: 5 stars out of 5 stars
MercurySteam did the unthinkable
When launched long ago MercurySteam Lords of Shadow, though many criticized the changes adopted in the series, most of the gaming world agreed, both by the critics and the fans, that the result was highly positive. However, there were still things to correct and polish. Fortunately, the Madrid-based developers listened to their fans and followed the advice of critics. That's why today, amid general distrust release a game in 2 dimensions, MSE has ended all doubts, and dazzled us with a game, nothing more or less than perfect. There was no little the place had to fill Mirror of Fate after 3 hit games for Nintendo DS. Wisely, MercurySteam chose to take the best of these games called MetroVania, and throwing away the things that they had had enough endlessly done to tire both fans and specialists. The result is a hybrid that combines the best of games Igarashi with aesthetics and decorated combat Lords of Shadow years ago. Mirror of Fate is the perfect combination of more than 25 years of Castlevania, gathering all the best this franchise has seen. The creators of masterpieces such as Jericho and so delighted us with Lords of Shadow, and not least the fact that his own jewel polished and finished taking this installment of Castlevania, also adopted their vision the best of all previous installments of Castlevania. This game is handled in 2D, but with polygons. Style combines good action Lords of Shadow, exploration and RPG elements like Symphony of the Night (game to which it pays a huge tribute) and Castlevania 3 characters and story (the basis of inspiration, besides their Lords of Shadow) . And if you look in detail, you can see hundreds of tributes to the best parts of the series. Backgrounds, portraits, stormy skies, far away names, characters, enemies, and infinite number of details that have, in its simplicity, perfection. It is by this that, when managing our characters (three characters, each very unique and different from others, with different powers that also pays homage to classic moments of the series), get quests, items, weapons, explore, and other quests as varied, it is not wrong to say the following: the gameplay is the best we had Castlevania, combining the best of each brand of game. The study of San Sebastian de los Reyes was not shy when it comes to putting their vision. The Spanish have been enforced, with Cox and Alvarez to head, to embrace their own idea of Castlevania, now universally accepted as a great success. And, if you look calmly, Mirror of Fate is, in itself, a sort of "Greatest Hits of Castlevania." The game script is neither more nor less than bright. I can not forward anything without spoilers, but know now that you are going to find the best story it had a game in the history of Castlevania. And of course, the music, so often unfairly criticized in Lords of Shadow, here is given in the key. This soundtrack is, at the same time, classic Castlevania and Lords of Shadow. Tense, emotional, sensitive, or epic, will shift around for the whole range of emotions, with arrangements and melodies SUPERB, and an orchestration class nothing to envy to the best Hollywood motion picture. It is no exaggeration to say that Oscar Araujo has managed to learn from his mistakes and has come here to perfection. A masterpiece of video game music. Special mention to the castle, which has the best design of the story of Castlevania, and is more gorgeous than ever. The level of detail is spectacular, and the beauty found at every turn, both indoors and outdoors, while the variety is also greater than ever. While this is no surprise, since the graphic artists at MercurySteam are the best that have populated Castlevania. For all this, I extend my congratulations to the Spanish team of MercurySteam, its director David Cox, and Enric Alvarez, Oscar Araujo and the rest of the people of Madrid, who, with effort, humility, hard work and listening to the fans and critics while respecting their personal vision of Castlevania, have been manufacturing a top quality product, a perfect Castlevania game, recommended for all fans of the franchise, both of the very old games, the Igarashi games or the new wave of fans, since this game has something for everyone. The hopes in view of what will be Lords of Shadow 2 today, can not be higher, and will not be easy to overcome MercurySteam again, since the moment that, finally, the Spanish team have done the unthinkable: to improve upon perfection.
Title: Re: Mirror of Fate Review
Post by: crisis on June 06, 2013, 03:02:16 PM
I can't help but read your posts in Napoleon Dynamite's voice
anyway while many fans here at the Dungeon disliked MoF, I guess we're in the minority that liked it. Although I feel it could have been MUCH better, not just for the fans' sake, but for the sake of 2D Castlevania in general.
Maybe it's because I kept my expectations low since this was MercurySteam's first (and thankfully only) attempt at a 2D game. I just think they should've studied what made the previous handheld games so good (mainly, Belmont's Revenge, perhaps OoE), mix that with elements from CVIII (since that's the game they say they were "inspired" by while developing MoF), and it would've been a competent successor to the "metroidvania" formula. Instead we just got a huge missed opportunity, and one of the lamest pre-order bonus items in history. Oh well..
Title: Re: Mirror of Fate Review
Post by: Belmontoya on June 06, 2013, 03:19:48 PM
My biggest problem with it is the floaty controls and the use of analog stick instead of the d pad.
Title: Re: Mirror of Fate Review
Post by: Dark Nemesis on June 07, 2013, 02:04:59 AM
Mirror of Fate 5 stars? Ok!! Then i'm giving Fortress of Fear 5 stars and Dark Souls 2 stars.
(click to show/hide)
Sorry, but i went insane when i read that
Title: Re: Mirror of Fate Review
Post by: The Great Reviewer on June 08, 2013, 12:17:16 AM
One of the best things about Mirror of Fate is that, finally, we can die many times but keep moving. I think it's the easiest game that took the franchise. Personally I see excellent. That does not matter. And objectively think it's a great way to attract casual players, for des-nichizar Castlevania slightly.
Title: Re: Mirror of Fate Review
Post by: Shiroi Koumori on June 08, 2013, 02:06:58 AM
Any true Castlevania fan would want a game that forces you to think and prevent yourself from dying because if you die you either start from the beginning or from a point that is far from where you died. Easy doesn't equate to awesome.
Title: Re: Mirror of Fate Review
Post by: uzo on June 08, 2013, 08:06:16 AM
One of the best things about Mirror of Fate is that, finally, we can die many times but keep moving.
Haha. No. It is both objectively a lazy design decision and leaves players feeling unrewarded for their time in combat. It causes players to become un-engaged in the action, and since this is a game built almost completely on action it tends to fall short for most people. Check out a lot of player reviews and this will become apparent.
There are other, much better, ways to handle the "death and retry" 'issue' and give players a more rewarding experience. Mirror of Fate's attempt just basically makes death an irrelevant concept to the game, to which it shouldn't even bother letting you die at all since it effectively doesn't already. At that point, it's not exactly living up to it's intention as a combat focussed action platformer.