If you can't enjoy a game where you play as Dracula on a quest to destroy Satan in a futuristic Castlevania city while recovering lost knowledge by exploring your own castle, then you're probably too cynical and jaded to enjoy just about anything.

[Trevor]

• Think Dracula is too weak? - You play as full-powered Dracula in the beginning of the game. What challenge would that be, playing the whole game like that? Besides, you become fairly powerful over the course of the game. Alucard lost is powers in the beginning of SoTN, too. Stop watching good gamers or gamers playing on easy on Twitch and play for yourself. There's a demo.

• Don't like the stealth sections? - Much of a vampire's power-set is based around stealth and subterfuge. Why wouldn't you want a chance to use those powers? Think of them as just another puzzle; how enjoyable would the puzzles be if you just ripped down doors everywhere you go and could fly around as a bat cloud? There wouldn't be any puzzles in this game.

• Think it should be a sidecroller metroidvania? - Castlevania started out as a 2D action platformer. Lords of Shadow 1 and 2 are third-person action platformers. LoS 2 even has metroidvania elements. The LoS games are the natural evolution of the franchise. Besides, how cool would a 3D remake of SoTN be?

• Don't like the platforming? - Then you must not like many Castlevania games because it's present in all of them. Sometimes it's difficult and sometimes you get stuck and sometimes it's frustrating. Platforming is one of elements I remember most from playing Castlevania during my childhood.

• Think it's a God of War clone? - Then you're ignorant and not familiar with Rygar (2002) -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rygar:_The_Legendary_Adventure - or any other games of which God of War (2005) is a clone.

http://youtu.be/BLVWubf8Zr

If you just don't like the gameplay, that's cool, but if your complaints revolve around what I've listed above then realize the alternative to that would be ♥♥♥♥ty, unenjoyable, would hold no challenge, and would not be Castlevania, and realize many of these elements were present in other Castlevania games and that there's no reason for them to not be present here.

[burnhell]

Originally posted by Disappointed Capuchin Monkey:

• Think Dracula is too weak? - You play as full-powered Dracula in the beginning of the game. What challenge would that be, playing the whole game like that? Besides, you become fairly powerful over the course of the game. Alucard lost is powers in the beginning of SoTN, too. Stop watching good gamers or gamers playing on easy on Twitch and play for yourself. There's a demo.

• Don't like the stealth sections? - Much of a vampire's power-set is based around stealth and subterfuge. Why wouldn't you want a chance to use those powers? Think of them as just another puzzle; how enjoyable would the puzzles be if you just ripped down doors everywhere you go and could fly around as a bat cloud? There wouldn't be any puzzles in this game.

• Think it should be a sidecroller metroidvania? - Castlevania started out as a 2D action platformer. Lords of Shadow 1 and 2 are third-person action platformers. LoS 2 even has metroidvania elements. The LoS games are the natural evolution of the franchise. Besides, how cool would a 3D remake of SoTN be?

• Don't like the platforming? - Then you must not like many Castlevania games because it's present in all of them. Sometimes it's difficult and sometimes you get stuck and sometimes it's frustrating. Platforming is one of elements I remember most from playing Castlevania during my childhood.

• Think it's a God of War clone? - Then you're ignorant and not familiar with Rygar (2002) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rygar:_The_Legendary_Adventure[1] ] [http://youtu.be/BLVWubf8Zr8[2] ] or any other games of which God of War (2005) is a clone.
If you just don't like the gameplay, that's cool, but if your complaints revolve around what I've listed above then realize the alternative to that would be ♥♥♥♥ty, unenjoyable, would hold no challenge, and would not be Castlevania, and realize many of these elements were present in other Castlevania games and that there's no reason for them to not be present here.

I agree. '-'

IMO, Lords of Shadow 2 is EPIC, it has metroidvania elements, amazing BGMs, interesting history, a very fun combat/gameplay and many exploration. (just the way I like)

My top 3 best Castlevania now is:

1ºSotN
2ºLoS2
3ºDoS

I'm sure those "review" would give 9 or 10 for this game if it was a new exclusive for PS3 or X360.

Nowadays "reviews" appears to be haters that only like games like CoD, GoW, etc... .-.

[=Palynzer=]

All true man: The main problem is all the new generation of "gamers", crying about everything.
I believe they dont like games really and only complain about everything.
So, for this kids, Dont like it?, study animation or whatever and make a game for yourself ( I like to see that poop they make lol).
Yeah man, I remember Rygar...And when I see Dracula with a spade and a the fire gaunlets especially, remember me Dante ifrit gaunlets in DMC 1, one of the best games I played ever.
So, for the kids...God of war clone...yeah sure ROFL.

[Trevor]

Yep, they just like to whine and complain.

[SePetus]

I was hoping that once i collected all gems and maxed weapons and got all combos i would get unlimited void/chaos powers like in the tutorial. Also where the heck was my mist dodge like the one Laura used.

[Trevor]

Originally posted by SePetus:

I was hoping that once i collected all gems and maxed weapons and got all combos i would get unlimited void/chaos powers like in the tutorial. Also where the heck was my mist dodge like the one Laura used.

I mist dodge all the time. It's awesome. Just mist form when you're about to be hit.

[SePetus]

Originally posted by Disappointed Capuchin Monkey:

Originally posted by SePetus:

I was hoping that once i collected all gems and maxed weapons and got all combos i would get unlimited void/chaos powers like in the tutorial. Also where the heck was my mist dodge like the one Laura used.

I mist dodge all the time. It's awesome. Just mist form when you're about to be hit.

Yes i did that too but its not what i wanted. I wanted to disappear from one place and appear in another.

[Trevor]

Originally posted by SePetus:

Originally posted by Disappointed Capuchin Monkey:

I mist dodge all the time. It's awesome. Just mist form when you're about to be hit.

Yes i did that too but its not what i wanted. I wanted to disappear from one place and appear in another.

Ah, I guess I kind of look at the normal dodge as being like that, but with more transition. I'm not sure if a teleporation dodge would fit very well with the combat mechanics.

[MonkeyBone]

Fair points but there are a few major problems:

1, The Acolytes
Only one of them is a real boss, the cenobite clone is nothing more than a 3 way jailer fight and certainly not something i would expect someone as powerful as him to be reduced to, lessened powers or no, he's a child of Satan act like it.

2, Dracula
I expected a change in presense and ability however the changes were too small. I didn't feel like i was playing as the mythical lord of vampires, there was nothing that really set him apart from his human self outside of effect changes, why couldn't he launch fireballs? teleport? appear meanecing in combat? and all the climbing felt very beneath someone of his title even Victor was more agile than Dracula for gods sake. Why he couldn't teleport to each climbing hook is beyond me.

3, Victor Belmont
With a title and skill set that matched Gabriel i expected a lot however this was not meant to be and he ended up as an almost joke character that made me question why is the belmont title so important in this universe? a very poor character indeed.

4, The Future
Very boring visually featuring locations that have been re-done a hundred times over in different games and a major downgrade from LoS's grand enviroments. The Past enviroments were very nice however.

5, The Ending
There are threads about this already, some of which i've posted my views and for spoiler's sake i won't go into it but it's a cash grab pure and simple. Ending DLC or a 3rd game is fully expected and if not then it goes down along side ME3 as one of the most disapointing ends to a game i've had the misfortune of seeing for a long time.

6, Satan
My final gripe is this poor sack of a boss fight. He's actually worse than in the first game and presents very little in the way of a threat plot wise and gameplay wise. All that build up ends up being nothing short of a joke.

Overall it's an alright game, pretty good even it has a lot going for it (expecially when you revisit the castle at several points and the combat is great, the best part being the mastery of weapons) but it's major points are weak and the overall experience feels lacking compared to the first game. I'd rate it a 7/10 and would reccomend anyone to wait for a sale before buying (or wait for the eventual GOTY edition)