Hey guys, I've been lurking for a while but finally decided to set up an account. May be a little off topic on the current discussion but I just wanted to give my opinion on the game and its ending for anyone who cares enough to read my ramblings.
First off, I was a big fan of the first LoS, for me it was something that really dragged me back to the series after a patch I really wasn't fond of, undeniably SoTN is a great game and incredibly inventive but the games that followed in its foot steps seemed to be more concerned with copying the style as apposed to improving on it or making it their own despite minor changes to game play such as soul stealing and map screens, not bad games but just not fresh enough to keep me interested. The PS2 games I think most of us can agree on were pretty dire and uninspired so I won't go there.. But LoS had a new style, a new story to tell and a really beautiful cinematic look that I've not really felt with a game before. I was a bit of a fan boy with it, as is expected I was incredibly excited for LoS 2 and got it day 1, the whole intro just blew me away and really set the tone for the game giving you a real sense of desperation and fighting against the clock, there were some really fantastic moments and fights leading up to about 3/4 of the way through, some dryer spots and some issues with the city and traveling between destinations but I could overlook that.
Now here is where everything went downhill for me with the plot, Victor being number 1. As many of you have established this was just poor writing and really threw a lot of us off, zero emotional attachment to this "bad ass" who we're all supposed to give a shit about because of his swanky whip and Belmont title. (Also WTF the building was right in front of you ya daft bastard, hardly anywhere in this fucking city to explore anyway so stop being lazy and have a look about! How many "corporations" are there? We've established there's only a few major ones early on... Should've left this as a game play segment)
The part after was fine, I was happy with the way they handled the second Acolyte, he was a dick I get that nuff said, but then after that great twist someone in the writing department clearly thought it would be a good idea to shit in their own hand and start finger painting. When Alucard revealed himself Satan should've been revived there and then, making me travel across the city to go find the acolyte after the awesome Zobek/Death battle just took me right out of the immersion, in fact that Zobek battle should've been reserved for the final battle anyway. Revive Satan there, have your Alucard fight, give us a chance to fight Satan properly then when all's done have Zobek pop up to hold his end of the bargain and when told no, throws a temper tantrum and there goes the battle, which would've made sense as a final boss considering all the tragedy Zobek put Gabriel through, what did Satan do to him in the end? Tossed him about and threatened to screw his wife? Urgh..
Victor should've lived, even if he was absent for the end just have him down underground protecting the citizens, the end could've been nicely sorted with Gabriel destroying the mirror, recconecting with his son, Victor using the antidote to save humanity and help rebuild what was lost, Drac and Al go on to live in hiding waiting for a time when they may be called again, but for the mean while have some father son bonding long overdue, perhaps a mini game where you can play chupacabra catch...?
The game did feel like it was trying to hold too much to Lords of Shadow in terms of the linearity yet go for an open world feel in the traveling department which I really wish developers would realize is incredibly boring.. Stick to one or the other. The city was also pretty pants which is something I know a lot of people had a problem, all in all I really enjoyed the combat and story up until the.. "Incident" in the writers room.. Also who thought Alucard DLC would be coming as soon as the ending finished? I even guessed the name.. Waiting for that mind battle against Satan...