PS3, Xbox 360, Konami, cert: 15, out now
Earlier this year, Xbox Live Arcade title Harmony of Despair proved that 2D Castlevania still has plenty to offer, but the series has never been successfully translated into 3D ? until now. Lords of Shadow is far from perfect, but offers compelling evidence that Spanish development team MercurySteam can successfully modernise this stubbornly traditional franchise.
It starts sluggishly, however. The opening levels pay too much respect to genre peers such as God of War, while a third-stage trudge through a poisonous swamp could make less patient players switch off. Yet the game soon finds its feet, gradually increasing the complexity of the combat and the intricacy of the puzzles. By the second half, early quibbles all but evaporate in the face of thrilling boss encounters and fiendish riddles. It's a lengthy adventure, too, with plenty of challenges and higher difficulty levels to tackle once the 20-hour story is over. An impressive voice cast struggles gamely with weak dialogue, though the exceptional art design and Oscar Araujo's wonderful soundtrack help weave a compelling tale of a world descending into darkness. A sequel has already been announced, and if the fat is trimmed, Konami could well have a classic on its hands.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/oct/17/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-review
