Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

**Disclaimer**
The playtime in record is not correct. I left the game running in the background while I had other tasks to complete and due to frustration breaks with DLC. If you want a correct estimate, it took me around 16 hours for base game completion, plus another 8 for replay in platinum + trials. DLC took me around 8 hours base completion and around 6 hours with platinum+trials
**Quick Review**
Lords of Shadow base game: 8/10
Honestly, a good game. Good story, good progression and good replay value. Once you unlock everything replaying levels go by quicker and fighting with all combos unlocks makes you feel powerful as a true Knight of the Brotherhood.
There are some slight hiccups here and there with camera but the game-play itself is fun. It is a mixture of Prince of Persia, Assassins's Creed and God of War. Might be overstating, but the combination of game-play is very well implemented and the platform sections of the game are short and sweet.
Graphics and music are 10/10 for me judging for their time of release, it holds up well in 2024
Overall the base game is a great Castlevania game and it is definitely worth playing if you are a fan of the series/
Lords of Shadow DLC: -100/100
The DLC was rushed and it shows. The platforming can get frustrating and the boss fights are just a pain in the ass. Whoever thought of implementing air fighting in a game where you can't dodge in air is just an evil a-hole. This alone ruins the potential of the DLC for me making it totally worthless.
MercurySteam has confirmed the DLC was a mistake, so you don't have to take my word for it. They had a great opportunity to explore story behind the plot twist in the end but they decided to rush a piece of trash instead, probably to get more money. This is sad because they really did a great job with the base game and should've pour that same love into the DLCs.
There are no 3D cinematics in the DLC only rush drawn animatics which kill the mood to be honest. The platform just plain boring and punishing and the boss fight well, as mentioned above, seem to just be there to make you hate life and waste time your time so you feel there is more of the original game to complete.
I am aware that you get all the LOS content in the Ultimate Edition, which include the DLCs but honestly, once you finish the base game, skip it. Not worth anyone's time. I would not pay full price for this edition, only because the devs should pay you money to even install the trash that are the DLCs.
TLDR - Base game worth the money and time. DLC is a rushed, frustrating product that ruins the brilliance of the first original game, it's just trash.

I loved this game back on PS3 and its great so far on Steam Deck now. The game does run great on Steam Deck but it can be a little hard to play undocked. Some of the levels just use various shades of brown which makes it very hard to discern things on the 800p screen. If you can get past that though (or play docked) then the game is great.
The ending and sequel will not makes any sense without playing the included DLC so definitely play through that if you intend to play the much less good rest of this series.

The epicness of this game surrounds every corner, even in the main menu. It won't take long for anybody to notice that the art and the attention to detail in this game are off the charts. The thrilling music and the sense of adventure only stops when melancholy hits the main character, Gabriel. Which in my opinion, might be the saddest and darkest Belmont, and yet the most caring one.
The progression in this game feels smooth, you'll notice that some of the first bosses, will become the normal enemies as you become stronger. The combat is neat, with a variety of combos that adapts to every scenario, along with relics and objects that are lethal, or weak, depending on the enemy you're facing. I think the action part of this game would delight the mayority of players.
All that said, the story of this game is the highlight for me, it's definitely something that will stay with me for a while. I'm writing this as I'm finishing the game and... there's something primal and instinctual about this character I feel compelled to identify. For some moments, it reminded me how it feels like to be in love, and what you're capable of doing for those you love even when reason gets in the way. It made me think that love evolves to the point it is no longer just a feeling but a state of duty to protect them, regardless of feeling weak, tired, or even angry. Like it's a force of nature that surpasses human condition. Gabriel embodies that, and it caught me off guard completely (and in tears).
I can't stress enough how gorgeous this game is, what an underrated piece of art... I also can't help but to think the Castlevania community should give more credit to this game, here's another proof that you should try things out and have your own thoughts on everything.

This game, for what it is - is a bloody masterpiece. You get your money worth trust me, combat is one of the best i have experienced in similar games, very satisfying with engaging mechanincs. The game is suprisingly long, has lots of stunning environments, beautiful orchestral music and great actors voicing the characters - everything you need to feel immersed. I have finished this title couple of years ago and since i still listen to the soundtrack from time to time (it's that good!) i feld compelled to write this review.
The thing that surprised me the most is the variety of monsters you face and the way they are introduced - like minibosses, which become standard mobs the longer the game goes on. There is a lot of combos and special moves to learn, and there is fair amount of epic gear to be aquired. During your progress you are introduced to new mechanics with enough time to practice/learn them before new options are introduced - the game takes it's time to teach you it's mechanics, and there is a lot of those.
The fights are great, fueled by awesome music, and the entire journey feels epic - you feel compelled to press on. I could not stop playing this after i started. This game has a special place in my heart and i keep on recommending it.

This is VERY LATE to the party, but better late than never, I guess.

Good game - mechanics feel dated though. I played this on the PS3 originally. Playing in 2024, and some of it is great. Coming back to the parries after years of that being the norm (for Souls games)...feels super generous.

Some things though, from the puzzles to some of the boss mechanics (the end boss and the rings with the dark and light...GRRRRRR!!! Very annoying). It's a game of the period though, which means, those mechanics are what was prevalent at the time, so... hard to stay annoyed with it for too long (I brought the pain on myself by playing it).

As for the story - amazing. Super well done. Voice acting is brilliant. Visuals are very good overall. It's pretty hilarious playing this on 4070...there's like no load time at all. Everything is instant.

While its good - for 2024 I'd only give this 8/10. It's lost its shine. Still great, but...it was 9/10 easy in 2010. Definitely one to experience. This was golden era Konami. You are in for a treat playing this!

I didn't have any bugs on my rig. That said, I played this on my desktop because when I tried to play on my steamdeck, I had no audio at all. I hear its a glitch on my system, but...its a glitch I had. Anyway, on my desktop it was flawless. No glitches.

Despite it's rough welcoming in the 2000s (Or at least just one year later after 2009), this game left a bit of a mark on me due to how surprisingly well done it is for a reboot, despite it's flaws.
Starting with the story, which sets off as if you were reading a tale from an old adventure book. Anybody who knows my taste in literature would quickly realize just how much I adore this type of folkloric storytelling. Combo that up with Castlevania and you gotta be real dumb to screw something like this up.
I still hold onto the belief that this is the best game in terms of story, probably because it wasn't Koji who was incharge of any of this to begin with. He's an incredible game designer, but not really a writer, which is okay. After all, the series never really needed anything deep or convoluted in order to be good in the first place. Games like Rondo or Symphony had a story or premise of sorts to go along, but it was never really a focus.
But this game goes to show that yes, you can have a good and enjoyable Castlevania story if you know what you're actually doing! Yes, I'm talking to you Netflix and go royally fuck yourself Warren Ellis, you dumb cocksucker.
Before Lament of Innocence and Curse of Darkness, this was the first real action Castlevania game that attempted to give it a soft reboot by introducing a new protagonist, which if you couldn't tell by looking at me at the time of writing this, well...
It's not often I see legitimately good representation of Christianity/Catholicism in media such as games or movies. Characters like Joshua Graham (Fallout) would be a good example of what I'm trying to say here.
It's the little things these characters do or say that make me appreciate games like this, like the way Gabriel does the cross sign whenever he picks up some written passage of a fallen comrade or the way the story handles the topic of faith and forgiveness while you're still struggling beyond your limit. It's a game that, ultimately, teaches about love despite all the suffering you endure throughout Gabriel's journey. The light of hope at the end of the tunnel of raw turmoil.
Castlevania always had Christianity mixed into it's games, but it was never really explored or had much exposition. This game takes that and executes it in a way that is poetic without demeaning religion or belief in any way. On the contrary, it embraces it.
Nothing like whooping vampire and werewolf ass in the name of God and I mean whoop as in WHOOPIN' because the combat in this game is something else. It clearly takes inspiration from (Like many games at it's time) God of War but it's done in such a way that I just can't stop swinging the Combat Cross at every ass crack I find in the scenario. It's so fluid and satisfying and it causes terrorism and destruction everywhere you swing the holy belt around and I LOVE IT!
It's not really anything like Devil May Cry or something of the sort. I have a much bigger respect for people that actually do combo MAD videos of this game on YouTube because I'm not exaggerating when I say this game is hard.
...And I love that.
The game constantly reminds you the need to block and evade and it rewards you with the way it's magic system works by successfully keeping up performance without taking any hits. It's like if I were playing one of the Classicvanias from old, but in an incredible and immersive 3D interpretation.
I would recommend starting on the easiest difficulty. It's a bit odd, but the easiest difficulty is equivalent to medium. Normal is hard, and so on. Once you learn how to block and whatnot, it's actually not so bad, just don't expect to get actually competent until a little later after you get used to it.
I won't speak much of the DLC. If you really wanna do it, do it, it's in the Ultimate Edition. But let me warn you that despite the potential, it's a fucking HEADACHE. The puzzles, which were starting to get a little rough by the second half of the game (And this game is long. VERY long, mind you!) get even worse at the DLC. The boss fight... I honestly think you'd be better off doing literally anything else.
Like for example, appreciating the art direction that I dare say was even better than games like Elden Ring, which I played by the way. I don't know what the fuck kinda black magic or ritual sacrifice those guys did but almost every single camera angle in this game is wallpaper worthy.
Sure it ain't as polished or sharp like other most recent games out there, but people who reached the castle in that game know exactly what I'm saying. Holy sweet yellow Jesus it still holds up even 14 years later after it's release and it's bloody gorgeous! Hell, it might as well be the prettiest Castlevania game to date!
And with a kickass soundtrack to go along with it, it's almost overwhelming. Booting up the game first time and you're bombarded with this absolute melody at the title screen. It may not be what most people are used to in terms of OSTs, but if you pay a few minutes to listen you'll soon know what I'm talking about.
Did I forget to mention the voice acting? Not just Zobek's narration in every singular loading screen before pretty much every mission in the game, but Robert Carlyle's role as Gabriel is definitely one of my favorites alongside Troy Baker in his career as Talion (Middle Earth). His calm tone when speaking and the way he conveys some of his lines is enough to make the most testosterone ridden macho man to start fangirling. Props to the guy, his ferocity in his screams is just freakin' golden.
Look, whether you're an atheist, religious, a masochist, a classic Castlevania fan or just some agnostic and maybe somewhat misotheistic punk looking to kick some vampire ass like me, this game is for you.
Only three bucks on a good sale for this, and trust me, you won't regret it. Just don't forget to do the little trick of turning window mode on and off in the settings menu before every mission, because the only real complaint I have is this weird texture bug that renders the game weirdly and makes stuff like water or trees disappear or get all wacky.
This is not a problem from the game itself, this is from Windows 10. All previous operators worked just fine with this beforehand. I'm pretty sure there is actually a fix for this in a github page somewhere? You'd have to look it up if this problem easily ruins your immersion, though it doesn't make the game unplayable.
...Have I already told Microsoft to go fuck themselves this morning?
Anyway, I just kinda wish they had some sort of bloody palace or horde mode to go along with this so we could have a little more fun than just the campaign.

One of the Best Castlevania games i have played very good story and action to match.
the combat is pretty good it gives that God of War feeling :)