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Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 skipping Wii U due to resource restraints
"The reason why we are developing it on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 is simply because that's the amount of people we got," Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 producer David Cox says of development on the upcoming sequel. "If we want to do a Wii U conversion, that's another 20 people. We just don't have the resources or the budget to do it."While Cox showed interest in pursuing a Wii U port of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, he reiterates in this Eurogamer interview that developer MercurySteam just can't handle it right now. "It's not to say we wouldn't do it, it's to say at this point we don't want to lose focus on what we're doing. We've got a certain way down the line, and it would be a distraction to have to do a port to another system at this point. You say to yourself, can I take on another 20 people? It's just a nightmare to manage at this point. That's the only reason why we're not doing any other formats."Cox also painted a pretty rough picture of the MercurySteam offices right now. The studio is "at a breaking point" with 110 employees working in a space that was originally designed to house 60. "People are sitting on each other's laps almost," he says. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 was originally announced for Xbox 360 and PS3 at E3 last year, with a planned launch some time in 2013. Later at Gamescom, Cox revealed the PC port would also arrive this year. MercurySteam has said that after Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 and upcoming go-between Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate on 3DS, the developer would like to take a crack at Contra.
Sony completely revises list of PS4 EU studios, down from 53 to 30 [updates]
Sony made wholesale corrections to the list of European/PAL companies confirmed as PS4 developers and publishers, reducing the list of named studios from 53 to 28. Curiouser, not one of the developers and publishers named on the previous list makes an appearance on the new roll call. A spokesperson for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe confirmed to us the first list, sent out last week, was erroneous, and this new one is correct. There are no revisions for any other regions.The new list removes a number of significant names, including Mojang (Minecraft), Rovio (Angry Birds), Frozenbyte, Criterion Games, and City Interactive. In their stead are some new noteworthy studios, such as CD Projekt, who've confirmed The Witcher 3 as a PS4 game. Also included are Bohemia Interactive, Deep Silver, Ninja Theory, IO Interactive, Codemasters, 2K Games, and Sumo Digital. The full list can be found after the break.We've reached out to a number of studios for comment. Mojang's Daniel Kaplan reiterated to us the comments he gave to Gamasutra, saying his studio hasn't decided anything yet, and that the error is "confusion from Sony's side." Gamasutra's article also confirms Super Crate Box developer Vlambeer and Skulls of the Shogun creator 17-Bit, both included in the original list, as not currently working on anything for the PS4.A spokesperson for Monsters (probably) Stole My Princess developer Mediatonic, included in the original list but not in the corrected one, told us he couldn't make any comment on his studio and PS4 development. Meanwhile, Sumo Digital's inclusion adds weight to the rumor the British studio is working on LittleBigPlanet 3, but for the PS4. When approached previously about LBP3, a studio representative told Joystiq, "No comment." Update 1: A spokesperson for 505 Games tells us the Italian company is "definitely" planning to publish games on the PS4. 505 Games was in the original list of European/PAL PS4 developers and publishers, but not the revised list. The spokesperson noted the company's logo appears in the image showcasing PS4 partners, as shown during last week's event, as do many of the names in the revised list. Update 2: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe informs us the list of European PS4 studios has been further revised. Two more studios are now present in the form of Criterion Games and Ghost Games (an EA studio) - both were in the original list of 53. That takes the tally of confirmed European studios up to 30.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate demo stakes out Feb. 28 launch
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate is set to receive a demo on the 3DS eShop later this month. Those eager to try out the latest chapter in the Belmont saga will be able to whip out their 3DS and download the demo on February 28.The full game will launch on March 5 in both retail and eShop flavors.
Konami 'would consider' HD Castlevania: Mirror of Fate, MercurySteam has assets ready
Speaking to CVG, Konami UK studio head Dave Cox said "Absolutely, yeah, we would consider it" to the prospect of an HD version of Castlevania Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate, following its 3DS debut next month. "We want as many people to play it as possible. Obviously we have an exclusivity deal with Nintendo right now though and they've been very supportive of the product."Cox is so open to the idea in part because it wouldn't be that difficult. "We created everything in high definition - all the textures, all the levels, high-poly models, everything - and we kind of shrunk it all down into the 3DS," he explained."Then we lost bones from characters, you know, we dropped the resolution of the textures and everything to make it fit. At MercurySteam we have an HD version of the game sitting there in a computer somewhere." If the 3DS version takes off at all, Konami will have it nearly readymade for an expanded audience.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate trailer is extreme, intense, etc.
Mirror of Fate, the 3DS sequel to Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and prelude to Lords of Shadow 2, gets a new trailer today, and that means the dramatic appearance of words like "epic" and "intense." The game, due on March 5, promises over 20 hours of whip-crackin' adventure.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate hits Europe in March 2013
Nintendo has revealed that Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate will launch in Europe in March 2013. Mirror of Fate continues the story of Lords of Shadow on the 3DS and stars Trevor Belmont, son of former protagonist Gabriel. Turns out dear old Dad has become the legendary vampire, Dracula.And, you know, that's always bad news.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate whips up new screens
When a screenshot comes along, you must click it. Before the pixels sit too long, you must click it. Now click it. Click it good.%Gallery-160342%
MercurySteam surprised by Castlevania success, says DLC was 'rushed'
Developer MercurySteam and publisher Konami weren't expecting Castlevania: Lords of Shadow to be as successful as it was, which ultimately resulted in its poorly received downloadable content, according to producer David Cox. "The problem was that the game's success caught everyone by surprise," Cox recently told Gameranx, "It caught senior management by surprise and they wanted us to do DLC."The team "never planned" to create DLC, and the content that they created was then "rushed" to market, Cox added, referring to the whole situation as a "mistake." If it could be done again, he said, DLC would have been planned from the get-go, and what was released would have been more of a "side story," as opposed to content that adds to the ending. This appears to be Cox's philosophy for downloadable content in general, as he noted further, "Instead of giving players a part of the story and giving them the other part as DLC, I think the DLC has to expand the universe of an already whole product."Presumably, if Lords of Shadow 2 has any DLC – which Cox won't admit just yet – it will be handled with much more care.
MercurySteam wants to leave Castlevania, to take on Contra next
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow studio MercurySteam will be ready to leave Castlevania behind after Mirror of Fate and Lords of Shadow 2, Konami EU head of development Dave Cox tells VG247. "Well, I think it's about wanting to leave a legacy," Cox said. "And I don't want to be in charge of a series that perhaps over a certain time is going to decline. I'd rather go out with a bang and leave that as our legacy in the Castlevania universe."Cox said he didn't want to be known as "Mr. Castlevania," nor for his team to be "the Castlevania team." Should Lords of Shadow 2 be even more successful, another team can take on the momentum.However, Cox doesn't want to move away from the established Konami canon entirely. "I love Contra. I'd love to do Contra. At Mercury Steam we've got an original idea that I think is really awesome. We'd love to bring that idea to market and I'm hoping that the success of Lords of Shadow 2 will allow us to do that."Konami teased a Contra revival at E3 2011, but it's unclear whether that project is the same as MercurySteam's Contra. If so, that would alter the proposed timeline a bit, as it would suggest that Cox and his team have already been working on the "awesome" idea.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow producer teasing new game, namedrops Dracula
Konami's European Production Studio head and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow producer, David Cox, isn't much for ambiguity in his tweets. "Today and tomorrow I am in the land of Dracul... What am I doing there?? You will see...." he wrote earlier today. Despite his teasing, Cox wouldn't tell us anything beyond "No comment." This is hardly the first indication of a sequel to 2010's Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, and it seems likely that Konami is once again working with Spanish studio MercurySteam. One employee posted the teaser image seen above to his website back in late January, specifically pointing out the connection to Konami.Another staff member, taking to Spanish radio (via Eurogamer ES), mentioned his involvement with a sequel in late 2010 (though it's possible he was just riding high on the first game's then-recent debut). Konami's official line on the matter is ... well, nothing. The publisher hasn't made a peep regarding a new Castlevania.Regardless, with PAX East just a few days away and the upcoming preview season, we expect it won't be long before Konami's tune changes. We'll keep an eye on Cox's Twitter feed as well, just in case.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' DLC coming to Xbox Live, EU PSN next week
After its impromptu delay, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow's DLC, Reverie, is suited up and ready to attend the monster's ball -- er, actually, bad phrasing. The point is that it's coming next week and Xbox 360 users worldwide and PAL PS3 gamers will finally be able to get a taste of it. Confirmation comes via game director David Cox's Twitter account, where he apologized for the delay and thanked fans for patience. Sadly, Cox didn't reveal an exact day of the week, but we'll be sure to whip out a post when it's known. See what we did there? Huh? ... Okay, yes, we're totally sorry we did that.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' DLC released 'in error' on PSN
David Cox, producer on Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, has been all over Twitter recently, responding to complaints about the DLC delay. When he was asked by one disgruntled European gamer wondering why the Xbox 360 delay was holding up the Reverie DLC on PS3 in his region, Cox revealed that the initial DLC launch on PSN was "put up there in error." In other words, Reverie wasn't meant to be released on PS3 in North America (whoops!). Cox also said that it's "too late to take it down" meaning that presumably whatever bug is keeping it from a larger release isn't catastrophic enough to require it be pulled from Sony's service. Currently the DLC is still available on the US PlayStation Store for $9.99.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' DLC delayed until March
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow's "Reverie" DLC, originally set to be released this month, has slipped into March according to an announcement on the Castlevania Facebook page. "Our apologies for the delay but it's going to be worth it!" That "unruly evil" that Gabriel and Laura track down in the DLC is only going to be more unruly the longer we let it stew. Konami offered no reason for the delay, but a late, complete DLC pack is always preferable to a buggy, punctual release. It is also unknown whether this delay will cause the followup DLC to slip out of its April release window. We're checking in with Konami to find out when it has scheduled the "Resurrection."
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow screens slip into Reverie
The first screens of "Reverie," next year's first downloadable add-on for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, depict Gabriel Belmont co-operating with Laura, the big-haired brat living in Carmilla's castle. She'll help you -- if you play.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' and 'Resurrection' DLC due in 2011
Ready to return to the castle? Konami has finally detailed the long-promised DLC packs for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. The first download pack, entitled "Reverie," sees protagonist Gabriel aiding Laura (the creepy mini-Winehouse you see above) in "destroying the unruly evil" that was kept in check by the vampire queen, Carmilla. The second download pack, "Resurrection," continues the story after the end of the game and "gives some insight" into "Gabriel's ultimate destiny." According to the press release, "this will be larger in scope than the first add-on" and include a "final showdown with a very notorious enemy." Oh no, it's not the flying Medusa head, is it? Reverie will be available in February, while Resurrection will launch sometime in April. While no pricing details have been offered yet, we're bound to find out more in the new year.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow PS3 patch live
Now that PSN is back in working order, we're happy to inform you that the patch for the PS3 version of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is online. It would be a really good idea to install it, too, considering that it addresses the random loss of your save data. According to the Konami's announcement, the patch also institutes some minor changes, including the addition of scrolling text on loading screens in the interest of readability. It also seems the text will now be easier to read without being distracted by the fear for your save file. Additionally, Konami said that an upcoming patch for the Xbox 360 version of the game would be detailed "shortly."
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow PS3 patch incoming
These are dark times -- if you're paranoid about losing hours of game progress. Some users have reported an unusual save glitch in the PlayStation 3 version of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Affected players report being prompted with a message upon startup, which reads, "Save file corrupt, will now overwrite, press X to continue." Needless to say, pressing X leads to grim results. Konami has acknowledged the problem -- which it says is restricted to a small number of users -- and promised a patch is en route to eradicate erroneous erasure. We'll let you know when we hear a firm release date, and recommend you keep a backup of your save file on a USB drive in the meantime.
Metareview: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Now that you've read our review of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow -- you have, haven't you? -- let's find out what other outlets thought of the series' latest stab at a 3D interpretation. Turns out, it would seem there are some issues reconciling this as a "Castlevania" game. If we had control of space and time (and, believe, we're working on it), we'd totally want to see the scores if Castlevania was completely removed from the title and the game was released just as Lords of Shadow. It may have scored just a little higher. Game Informer (90/100): "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. Don't let the deluge of fall releases or the 3D Castlevania stigma keep you from this amazing quest." Eurogamer (80/100): "In the future, we can only hope that a developer finds a way to deliver more of the core series components – of buildings that you piece together through exploration, of back-tracking that never seems like a chore. For now, though, even with a missing piece of that magnitude, MercurySteam has managed to deliver a game that's heartfelt, handsome, and quietly distinct." Gamespot (75/100): "The combat is great and the boss battles are quite memorable, but it degenerates when those core ideas clash--when Castlevania ignores what it does so well (action) for the sake of creating a more diverse experience." IGN (75/100): "Pretty much anything you would expect to find in a Castlevania game is not to be found here. But fans of combat-heavy action adventure games will have fun if they can excuse a lot of mindless button mashing and a couple technical issues." 1UP (B): "This won't replace Symphony of the Night as the oft-argued greatest Castlevania, but it should finally at least put to rest complaints that there are no good 3D Castlevania games. If Lords of Shadow sees a sequel, there are lots of important, obvious improvements that need to be made, but Mercury Steam proves that they're at least on the right track." %Gallery-102608%
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow review: Miracle whip
Perhaps you're just not as bothered by basic home security when you've harnessed sinister, otherworldly energies and have a legion of vampires at your command. Who's going to march into the Lord of Shadow's spooky castle and tell him, "Sir, leaving the key to your front door in the garden maze outside isn't the smartest thing you've ever done." And what Lord of Shadow is going to believe his advisors when they tell him, "Look, there's this pissed off vampire hunter coming and he's going to demolish every single candelabra in your house. Yes, the nice ones with holy water in them." Like some of the best video games, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow conceives its world around a hero, obfuscating illogical weirdness with empowerment and an old-fashioned sense of adventure. You might fall off a few cliffs or get trampled by a troll every now and then, but there's no doubting your eventual success. During the course of your journey, you'll get all the training, weapons and abilities you need to best the forces of evil. No jump will ever be too far and no enemy will truly be invincible.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow demo descends on XBLM
Copies of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow will be whipped onto store shelves tomorrow, but Xbox Live Gold members can get a taste of the vampire slaying action today, thanks to a new demo on XBLM. Downloading it is easy. After all, what is a demo but a miserable little pile of kilobytes?
