Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 Reviews
Lords of Shadow 2 may not surpass its predecessors' surprise rise to AAA status, but MercurySteam's last foray into the series still provides a fitting, if sometimes flawed end to the trilogy.
A reworked engine, new locations, and a heroic anti-hero. Much has changed since the original Lords of Shadow, but will the Dark Prince reign supreme or will he be all bark and not bite?
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 features memorable combat in a forgettable world.
A miserable blend of flawed game mechanics that's a giant leap backwards from its predecessor.
The lack of anything not done before and the run of the mill story still leave the game a decent gaming experience, there's still plenty to see and plenty to kill, and, as mentioned before, there is a great sense of games and level design competency which oozes from the seams. For third person action veterans it probably won't quite cut the mustard, but for Castlevania fans who are still digging the reboot this will be another good title in the reimagining of a classic series.
Despite the transformation from Belmont to Dracula, combat feels is largely the same and buying your combos over again feels like a cheap excuse for not bothering to come up with anything new. Some design choices seem to have disrupted other core elements too; gone are the beautiful crisp visuals and varied fantasy/gothic settings, replaced by stealth sections and modern day concrete. This is not the ending I was expecting for the Lords of Shadow series and it's certainly not the one it deserves.
Lords of Shadow 2 squanders a great premise - playing as the King of Vampires in a modern day city - with mediocre execution.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 doesn't do everything right, but the solid combat, breathtaking environment, and wonderfully orchestrated soundtrack more than make up for its annoyances. If this truly is Mercury Steam's last go with the series, it's a good exit.
It may have all the right tools and the gorgeous scenery to go with it, but Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is like a beautiful person with a horrible attitude.