Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Critic Reviews

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a profoundly generous action-adventure game. Filled with content, gifts for fans of the series, but for video game lovers as well. It's full of nods to other games and movies, rich with a large variety of gameplays and lush environments... blessed with an overall Castlevania feel, which is a consistent mark of respect for its forebears. Kudos to Mercury Steam. Despite some rare issues with some gameplay tunings, we can only hope for them to meet the success they deserve as we'd welcome a follow-up!

It's a great game separate from the franchise, and definitely does a favor for the third person action genre, but with the CV characters and license attached, it becomes even more enjoyable for me.

A re-imagining on an epic scale, and a strong contender for action game of the year.

Water Castlevania's roots and a rollicking adventure sprouts forth. Brilliant, bloody fun.

Castlevania as a modern, linear adventure game. It's a little different, but the formula works. Also, this game is massive-expect to log at least 18-20 hours before you reach the end.

With amazing graphics, an iconic musical score, a fluid movement and combat system, and more means that this title is one that every gamer must have in their library.

But these disappointments are dwarfed by the game's vast imagination, ambitious scope, entertaining combat, boss battles, Titan battles, puzzles and power-ups. Lords of Shadow is an epic and slightly unexpected triumph.

With a combat system that cleverly overcomes button mashing, wonderful design work and a story that spans far longer than your average video game, Lords of Shadow is exactly what the Castlevania franchise needed to find popularity with a new generation of gamers - and us oldies too.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow reinvigorates the franchise by borrowing from other games, adding its own wonderful magic system, and ratcheting up the epic factor to ludicrous degrees. It's huge in scope, length, and depth, and it's polished with obvious love and passion.

Castlevania takes a few hours to get rolling, but once it sinks its fangs in you'll be absorbed. After putting nearly 20 hours into Lords of Shadow I emerged satisfied and ready to play again. This polished, action-packed adventure has me ecstatic to see not only what's in store for the next 3D Castlevania, but also what talented developer MercurySteam does next.

Twenty hours of intense and brilliant gameplay that recover the spirit of the original game.

If you're looking for another traditional Castlevania game, Lords of Shadow could lead you on the wrong path. MercurySteam adopted a different style, bringing together the best ideas of many other popular games. The result is a juicy cocktail of modern gameplay and technical wonders.

Beautiful, thrilling, epic, and with the depth to reward repeat plays, Castlevania is one of the year's best.

When it's all said and done, Castlevania is one that will go down as one of the better Castlevania games.

While Lords of Shadow breathes new life into the Castlevania franchise, it still has its moments of gaming nostalgia, all the while delivering an experience that is not to be missed.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow has been a real surprise with superb visuals, great gameplay and a very high longevity.

Lords of Shadow defies the boundaries of what Castlevania should be, but it works. The game pulls you in medieval times, but the gameplay, presentation and story are without a doubt as modern as you can get. The ghost of old Castlevania flows through the game, while being fresh enough to make it feel like the start of a new franchise. Both fans and newcomers will find plenty to enjoy here.

This is a new Castlevania for a new generation of console and gamer that you do not want to miss.

Although the basic gameplay borrows heavily from other franchises it is still done with such style and panache it is hard to find faults.

Lords of Shadow is a huge leap forward for the Castlevania franchise. This game refines the characteristic IP gameplay with an occidental flavor, awesome production values and raging and furious combats.