Topic: Any Tips for Getting Through Lords of Shadow?

[Tavis Belmont]

With all the announcements for Mirror of Fate and Lords of Shadow 2, I'm finally trudging through the first game. I've been dying alot, and sometimes it feels like I'm doing more dodging than attacking. Any solid advice to help me get through the game? Is there a certain combo that I should rely on? Right now I've been abusing the Guillotine combo, Direct Heavy combo, and Earthquake Punch. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[crisis]

Um... it'd be better for us to give advice when you're stuck at a specific spot/puzzle, otherwise just attack everything that moves
and buy as many combos as you can? I dunno

just attack, dodge, jump, attack more, etc.
and spam light/dark magic

[JR]

Learning how to perfect guard helps immensely. That's the best way to fuel your light magic (which I used WAY more than shadow magic), and it'll be a lifesaver against Cornell, if you haven't reached him yet.

Also keep on the lookout for shockwave attacks. This can be tricky, but it can help out a lot if you can jump over them.

[Tavis Belmont]

I'm actually at the end of Chapter 7. I think I'm about to fight Frankenstein. I can perfect guard against some enemies real easy, but others give me trouble. I'm still baffled as to why skeletons are harder than vampires right now. And, like you JR, I use Light Magic alot more than Shadow Magic.

[VladCT]

I haven't really played the game myself, but if dodging's anything like CoD (i.e. free invincibility frames), then spam it like a motherf**k. That's how I trivialized most of the boss fights in CoD without relying too much on IDs (not that they were too hard to begin with anyway).
Oh, and knowing the enemies' attack patterns helps a lot. Surely they must let up at one point.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

Mechanical Monstrosity was a pain for me.
Mainly because you have to use that FalconPAWNCH move and hit the floor in the perfect spot.

Line yourself up three steps under the floor tile to ensure you hit it.

[uzo]

Mute the in game 'music' and play some classic Castlevania tunes instead.

Oh- Wait you were asking for other advice? Well, you'd be surprised at how much music can make a difference.

[Flame]

As for what combo to use, well you have to find what works best for you, IMO. learning to perfect guard and dodge is good too. And switching between Light and dark magic. use dark magic to boost attack, and when you need to regen some health, pop the light magic. using the holy water shield is useful too. Hholy water itself is useful in the castle, since it stuns vampires.

[Tavis Belmont]

As for what combo to use, well you have to find what works best for you, IMO. learning to perfect guard and dodge is good too. And switching between Light and dark magic. use dark magic to boost attack, and when you need to regen some health, pop the light magic. using the holy water shield is useful too. Hholy water itself is useful in the castle, since it stuns vampires.

I'm digging Holy Water alot. It's pretty darn powerful against alot of things, and I love throwing it directly below if Gabriel is in the air.

Mechanical Monstrosity was a pain for me.
Mainly because you have to use that FalconPAWNCH move and hit the floor in the perfect spot.

Line yourself up three steps under the floor tile to ensure you hit it.

Yeah, that monster was a little bit of a pain. For me, it was the lack of room to manuever.

Mute the in game 'music' and play some classic Castlevania tunes instead.

Oh- Wait you were asking for other advice? Well, you'd be surprised at how much music can make a difference.

I'll have to do that. I actually have my two Classical Thunder CDs on my 360's Hard Drive, and I play those whenever I get tired of hearing a game's music. It's especially funny when you're running from a Creeper in Minecraft, and the 1812 Overture is playing.

[jestercolony]

Oh boy, you want tips? Hey - private msg me your email, I'm going to write you up a text document later, once you read what I've given you and with practice, you will have a 50/50 or 90/10 chance of never dying, even if you have no upgrades/power ups because I will explain the core mechanics of the game itself and how easy it really can be (not to mention the nifty things you can actually do with the relics/abilities)

[darkwzrd4]

Assuming that you haven't done so already, I recommend going back to previous levels to try and get upgrades you couldn't get to before.  Also, if you are having trouble, try turning down the difficulty.  Even on the lowest setting, the game is some what difficult.  And, don't be afraid to use shadow magic.  It helps a lot.

IMO, the skeletons were way too tough.  Especially in groups. 

[derision]

Mechanical Monstrosity was a pain for me.
Mainly because you have to use that FalconPAWNCH move and hit the floor in the perfect spot.

Line yourself up three steps under the floor tile to ensure you hit it.

...or you can just walk over the button and use the attack that punches directly below you while standing. I can't remember what the command is, but it's available as soon as you get the gauntlet and can be viewed in the travel book. This is the intended way to fight it- doing the move in midair just adds unnecessary difficulty to the fight.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

Ha ha!  That means I did it with more difficulty! lmaoooooo

[VladCT]

Ha ha!  That means I did it with more difficulty! lmaoooooo

You mean style.

[jestercolony]

Combat Mechanics 101 - LOS

A. Enemy Size  -
                        Smaller Based Enemies  - Will be effected by the following abilities

1. Stomp
2. Grabbing (A and B)
3. Lift Offs/Pull ins/Knock Backs (Air Grab; Gillotine's final attack; Erosive Chains; Flame Dragontail; Whirlwind Flap)
4. Blind (Holy Cross, Flash, Holy Jump)

                         Medium Based Enemies

1. Stomp (Enemy pending; example of this is Lesser Lycanthrope)
2. Grabbing (A & B) example of this depends on the enemy type
3. Lift Offs/Pull Ins/Knock Backs (As above; enemy size pending)
4. Blind


                         Larger Based Enemies

1. Shadow Magic Crowd Control and Knock Back/Knock Down abilities
2. Aren't effected by Lift Offs/Pull ins
3. Air Grabbing only





 B. Knock Backs - Will take place under the following conditions
                                                                                     1. An enemy charges at you
                                                                                     2. An enemy finishes an Unblockable Attack
                                                                                     3. Retaliation (during a Block); wait for it to finish after you dodge
 
Once an enemy suffers from a Knock Back, they will be stunned, which will set you up to do a Knock Down

C. Knock Downs - Will take place under the following conditions
                                                                                     1.  An enemy suffers a Knock Back
                                                                                     2. Shadow Magic Attack (Enemy size pending and attack pending)


D. Enemy Blocks

Enemy will often block, when this happens and you do not have Shadow Magic (or haven't acquired yet) you will need to use a Block Breaker (normally the final hit of a Direct ground Attack or Air combo finisher; Gillotine's final attack). The one attack that he spends his whip in front of them like a saw will in fact damage them (low %) while they block, but enemy will still retaliate (remember to move when this happens)

If an enemy blocks, and Shadow Magic is acquired, you will often notice the "Tinging" sound that it makes, which symbols to you, that the enemy is not being damaged, you have until up to 3 tings to activate Shadow Magic, the 1st or 2nd one will be a Knock Back, while the 3rd will be a Knock Down, an example of this is

A. Enemy Block <-> TING <-> Shadow Magic <-> Knock Back <-> Knock Down

B. Enemy Block <-> Shadow Magic <-> Knock Back <-> Knock Down

C. Enemy Block <-> Ting <-> Ting <-> Shadow Magic <-> Knock Back

D. Enemy Block <-> Shadow Magic <-> Knock Down = LOL more combos


If you need any more tips, feel free to post back and I will explain how Subweapons and magic abilities work, but this information should make LoS a cake walk to you, the rest is simply practice; hope this helps