Topic: Lords of Shadow Opinions (has Spoilers)

[ShinAkumaXX]

I see there are other spoiler topics and such, but what are your thoughts about the game? I bought the Limited Edition for 360. Awesome package, I love how everything came in a book. I must say it's one of the best looking games I've played. So far I like it a lot, I am surprised it got a 7.5 on gamespot and ign. Then again, somehow they gave Halo 3: ODST a 9 and I just beat that game, and I can already tell you this game is fathoms better... Fuck IGN. I think the game is 'Castlevania'ish' enough for me. It looks awesome so far, I just began Chapter 2 basically. Call me bad at games, but this one has some tough bosses I can tell. The first Titan was a bit ridiculous. It shook practically the whole time. My right finger is still sore from holding that trigger down... considering I've beaten Shadow of the Colossus twice, I was surprised that this first Titan was so tough! I like the music, very fitting for the game, I haven't noticed any Castlevania classic themes yet. But the PS2 games had all new music as well. I really think the reviewers on IGN and Gamespot must be douche bags. I think one of them said this was more like Lord of the Rings than Castlevania. I mean you have a chain whip basically, and a long haired bad ass in a medeival/dark ages type setting. And I've been killing mostly wolfs so far. How much more Castlevania do you want it considering they are rebooting it and trying to attract a bigger crowd? Well as someone who bought a turbo duo just so I could also buy and play Dracula X. I like some Castlevania. I can say I think it's an awesome game for the series and a welcome change as far as 3D versions go. I can't wait to beat it.

[Munchy]

I started out hating the game but it grew on me very quickly. The Gamespot review did have some good points; the camera isn't always helpful in pointing where you need to go, which is ironic since that's the reason they made it stationary in the first place. The platforming is pretty brainless and scripted, but thankfully it gets more challenging like a Castlevania should be later on. The music's pretty boring outside of the Waterfall theme, not to mention I feel like I've heard the same five or so songs for the entire game so far.

Kurt/Discoalucard mentioned one of my main problems with the game (and with many games today) - it's trying way too hard to be a movie and not hard enough to be a game. I'm enjoying it a lot so far, but I hope Mercurysteam addresses some of these problems in the sequel (provided there is one).

[crisis]

How much more Castlevania do you want it considering they are rebooting it and trying to attract a bigger crowd?

Well, for starters, how about the music, the classic enemies, the classic sub-weapons, etc? All of these things that make Castlevania awesome & unique, are missing from LoS. When I'm in chapter X & I'm still hearing tunes from chapter II, there's a BIG problem there.

And where are the medusa heads during platforming segments? The bone pillars that will spit fire whilst scaling a wall? All these cool things that were promised a year ago aren't even in the game. Sure, there's the hope that DLC might include these, but I doubt it. Besides, why should we have to pay for shit that should've been there in the first place? Doesn't make a whole lotta sense to me.


Aside from all that, the game is pretty cool. Love the graphics, boss battles are fun, great artwork, etc.

[jediblaster]

Yeah, at first I hated it, wondering where castlevania was.  Now I have come to accept the game for what it is, and not what it is so apparently not.  It is a good action/adventure game set in a period I am fond with and dealing with circumstances and situations I like.  The music is good, but it does repeat itself so much.  I bought the collector's edition, but by the time I finish this game I won't want to listen to this music for a very long time if ever.  The chapters stages end so abruptly it is like hey that area looks cool and wham, end stage.

Who in their right mind thought of the button layout was either high or did it intentionally.  Now that I got that stupid glove I am constantly going from guard to use my whip only to hit the buttons together by mistake and rather than Gabriel pulling out the whip he does the stupid punch which leaves me defenseless for attack.  I can't tell you how many times I was hit by the Lycan Lord because of that stupid glove.

The environments are so pretty, but what is the point since there is no way to take in the scenery with a free-look camera that would have been so much of a nice addition.  Even LOK:Defiance had a free look mode and while in some areas you could not use it, you could use it for the most part.  Seems like games have advanced way too much these days for us not to have this option.  I don't care if we can't control it while moving, but at least let us look more at that scenery (crow witch tower, I'm looking at you).

I don't know, this game had so much potential and I could go on and on about the negative aspects of this game, but I really don't need to b/c I am hardly the only one to notice them and besides, it won't change anything by dwelling on them.  I'll finish it and have fun doing so, but the exclusion of castlevania staples will stop this game from being a regular holiday playthrough like all the other castlevania games are.  I mean, I like GOW, but I will probably never play through them again.  I can't tell you how many times I have played through countless castlevania titles.

I do want to add one more observation though.  I feel Hideo Kojima was the worst idea for this game yet.  Rather than getting old throwbacks to the series staples, we get a sneaking suit?  the MGS theme music at one point in the game?  What is this, Stan Helsing or a castlevania game?  I can see throwbacks to MGS if this were some sort of street fighter set in the castlevania realm, but to throw this in and then leave out some things they could have included for fans.....I just don't get it.  Burns my grits is what it does.

[Harrycombs]

I started out hating the game but it grew on me very quickly.

Same here. After I got to around Chapter 5 I not only stopped hating it but started to love it.

[ShinAkumaXX]

Shoot, I was hoping there would be some more classic tunes later on in the game. As I said I'm only on Chapter 2. I have not minded the camera so far, but yeah, it would be neat to be able to spin it around to check things out. So far I have been fine though. Well maybe if we are lucky they will make a sequel and put in more Castlevania classic enemies and tunes. After all that is what WE all would like, and really what it should be. I mean it is Castlevania. Even if they are trying to attract a new crowd I think new people would like the old stuff. It is missing that certain Castlevania Vibe I guess. Sorry to sound contradictory of saying I'm okay with it. I am okay with it, but yes of course I would have rather had all the classic ingredients mixed in. This Metal Gear stuff added in sounds VERY STUPID. I've played em and I'm not a Mega Metal Gear fan in the first place, they are cool and all, but come on. I guess I'll cross this path when it comes... Please tell me there are at least some sort of floating ghost, and skeleton enemies later? I mean, at least skeletons, they are THE most common enemy in Castlevania.

[jediblaster]

There are skeletons and the sword masters resemble the floating ghosts in a way.  The gremlins kind of take care of being both something from SOTN and bats put into one package.  The sneaking suit is an un-lockable.  I don't know what it does other than give you a different look.


I just thought of something.  Is this game castlevania enough to even be listed among the other games on this site?  I wonder about that.

[corneliab]

I just thought of something.  Is this game castlevania enough to even be listed among the other games on this site?  I wonder about that.

Um, duh. It's an official Castlevania game. What kind of stupid question is that? If a little japanese kart racing spinoff will make the cut, surely this will.

Anyways, having beaten the game, I really loved it. The plot is engaging, the battle system is really fun and has a lot of weight, the level variety and content is unprecedented, the puzzles actually require some thought (unlike most Zelda games, bar Oracle of Ages), the game is appropriately difficult, the bosses are plentiful and awesome, and there's atmosphere up the wazoo.

The level design is also fantastic, especially in the castle and onwards. The Necromancer's Abyss was a fantastic final stage that pretty much blended every aspect of the game into a single place, while still managing to be totally unique.

I really didn't find myself having much issue with the camera, and the invisible walls became increasingly less of a problem as the game progressed. Some reviews and impressions mentioned how they could only find the way by hugging the walls in some areas, and I can quite honesly say that this complaint only seemed valid in Pan's Temple. Even then, it was only to find a symbol that you could easily just guess.

So overall, this is a fantastic game. Bar-none the best 3D Castlevania to date, and definitely one of my favorite Castlevania titles in general. I really can't wait to see what will come next.

[jediblaster]

^^
Well aren't you just a bundle of enthusiastic positive energy.  With praise like that, all they have to do is remake this game in a few years and just change the skins.  

BTW, I must have missed the puzzles in the game that required more thought than a zelda game,  but hey, that is why it is an opinion. 

[corneliab]

Where do you get off saying such stupid shit?

Everytime you post it's fucking annoying.

[jediblaster]

 : : : : : : :

Nah.

[A-Yty]

Sneaking suit? MGS theme?

Damn. I thought MGS4 was the last disappointing thing that man could throw on me

[jediblaster]

The fight with Brauner was quite fun indeed.  Very "underworld II" like.

[DragonsAndCarpetBags]

I wonder how the sales are doing. The one and only game designated place in my city didn't bother ordering any LE's. I was quite miffed having arived early for it. Oh well, so far I'm realy enjoying it!

[ShinAkumaXX]

I wish I knew what I was doing wrong here... I find this game to be ridiculously hard. I have it on normal mode (warrior) and I die all time. On my first day I made it to the boss on Chapter 3. Fuck this game is hard. In fact no other XBOX 360 game has given me anywhere near this much trouble. Maybe I'm going about it wrong. I find this to be tougher than any other Castlevania I've played.