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Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD is now on Steam
Konami's Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD is now available on Steam, bringing a new take on the series' classic side-scrolling formula to PC platforms. Originally released for the Nintendo 3DS last year, Mirror of Fate blends the aesthetic of MercurySteam's Lords of Shadow with Symphony of the Night-styled platforming, presenting players with a mixture of exploration-based challenges and combo-driven combat. The game later made its way to consoles with Mirror of Fate HD, which boasts a graphical upgrade and a new Boss Rush mode, among other additions. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD is priced at $14.99. [Image: Konami]
See Alucard in the flesh in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 DLC trailer
He may not be the 2D sprite we all know and love, but the Alucard coming to Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 maintains the character's three crucial hallmarks: vampire magic, daddy issues and the prettiest hair this side of an Herbal Essences commercial. [Image: Konami]
Alucard returns in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 DLC this month [Update]
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 will receive a "Revelations" DLC pack on March 25 for Xbox 360 and PS3, Konami announced. The add-on content has players controlling series fan-favorite Alucard, learning more about his relationship with Dracula (aside from the whole name reversal thing). The DLC is set before the events in Lords of Shadow 2. In the add-on, players can use Alucard's "Glaciem" and "Igneas" powers and can morph into a wolf, a bunch of bats and can turn back time. Being the vampire he is, Alucard's thirst for the blood of his enemies also seemingly lends a boost in his powers. No price was given for the DLC and Konami did not list PC among the platforms the DLC will arrive on this month; we've reached out to the publisher to find out when the PC version will arrive. Update: Konami has informed Joystiq that the PC version of the game will receive the Revelations DLC on March 25 as well. [Image: Konami]
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 review: Walk the line
As the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow trilogy would have it, Dracula is very different from the vampire we all know, even when compared to his many incarnations in the Castlevania series. Betrayed by God, hated by Satan and feared by humanity, this Dracula treads an indefinite path, struggling with his own darkness and the remnants of the man he once was. He's equivocal, and that makes Dracula a more interesting protagonist than any vampire hunter could ever hope to be. The Lords of Shadow mythos doesn't stop there, though, giving us one more truth at the heart of Dracula's existence: The man he used to be was a vampire hunter, a man of intense faith. It's the perfect internal conflict, self-loathing versus self-preservation, destruction versus redemption. It also means Dracula is handy with a whip, and that's great news for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 lurking a little longer in Australia
If you're a down-under Dracula-to-be, you'll have to wait an extra week to sink your teeth into a retail copy of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2. A local Konami spokesperson told CVG the vampiric hack-and-slash sequel, originally due in Australia on February 28, will now hit the region's retail shelves on March 6 because of a shipping delay. Presumably the Steam version is still due this week, but that's not been confirmed. Lords of Shadow 2 resumes where the opening game left off, with hero Gabriel Belmont transformed into the toothy anti-hero Dracula, re-awakened in the present day to face off with Satan once more. We'll have our review up soon, but if you'd like to try before you bite then check out the demo, available to all on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. [Image: Konami]
Pre-order Lords of Shadow 2 on PSN, get Mirror of Fate HD free
Those that pre-order Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 on PlayStation Network will also receive Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD. Dubbed the "companion" game to Konami's two Lords of Shadow games in the gothic action series, Mirror of Fate first launched in March 2013 on 3DS before undergoing a price drop to $30 in August. The HD version landed on PSN and XBLA right around Halloween, and was also included in November's Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Collection bundle. Our review of the 3DS version of Mirror of Fate found the game equally challenging as it was unevenly paced. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 will launch February 28 on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, at which point Konami will drive a stake through this pre-order deal's heart. Metaphorically, of course. [Image: Konami]
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 demo made available to all
If you want to try a bite-sized portion of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, look no further than a demo that's out now on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC. It was limited to purchasers of Mirror of Fate HD or the Lords of Shadow Collection, but now every bat in the belfry can have a go. The demo begins with Gabriel Belmont in the form of Dracula, dispensing hack-and-slash with his newly acquired powers and weapons, like the soul-stealing Void Sword and the deadly Chaos Claws. Things soon escalate, and Dracula finds himself defeating wave after wave of enemies as he tries to ascend a titan-like mechanical knight - as you do. If you'd rather wait for the game proper before seeing it for yourself, you don't have long to hold out. Lords of Shadow 2 swoops into North America in two weeks time on February 25, and Europe a few days later on February 28. [Image: Konami]
The Toy Maker in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is a play-date of terror
The Toy Maker from Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate makes a return appearance in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, though neither he nor Gabriel seem too pleased about it. Konami has released footage of the boss fight that occurs when Gabriel meets up with the pudgy amnesiac for all to enjoy, and possibly use as a strategy guide when the game comes out. Lords of Shadow 2 takes place in modern day, but we get the feeling Gabriel hasn't gotten out much over the past couple thousand years. Had he watched movies like Child's Play, The Woman in Black, or Dead Silence, he'd have known right away that a lover of toys in a spooky castle is just screaming "red flag." [Image: Konami]
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2's stars crave blood, nicotine in new profile trailer
The ol' Castlevania gang has hit some hard times. A bunch of them have taken up smoking, Alucard's even moodier than usual, and Dracula hasn't been the same since he started hanging out with that Satan guy. Developer MercurySteam gives an early look at some of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2's starring characters in the trailer above, with some brief Patrick Stewart narration thrown in as a bonus. Lords of Shadow 2 will launch for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC platforms in North America on February 25.
Castlevania deals on Xbox: Harmony of Despair, Symphony of the Night, Mirror of Fate HD
It's Castlemania in today's end-of-year deals from Xbox, with Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate HD, Symphony of the Night, and Harmony of Despair all on sale, along with a host of Castlevania add-ons. Harmony of Despair, the 2D platformer that debuted on XBLA back in 2010, is down to $5.09. 1997 classic Symphony of the Night is just $3.39, while the HD port of 3DS entry Mirror of Fate is yours for $7.49. If you don't fancy sinking your teeth into any of those one-day-only deals, don't forget there's a sizable selection of games staying discounted throughout the week.
Human side of Dracula shown in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 dev diary
Dracula's not such a bad guy. Well, he is, but he's got reasons for it, and MercurySteam, the developers of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, want you to know that when you take control of the legendary Prince of Darkness in February 2014. Dave Cox, producer on the game, says in the dev diary above that their version of Dracula is not the "quintessential evil guy" that people may expect. "I think that following a character you can identify with is really important, so we wanted to have a guy that people really saw, really felt for him, they understood how he got to that place. So I think in many ways, our Dracula is more human than previous incarnations of Dracula." That statement makes sense given the fact that Dracula was once Gabriel Belmont, hero of the first Lords of Shadow game. In that game's DLC, Gabriel turned himself into a vampire to shield himself from otherworldly powers so he could dispatch an ancient, even worse, evil. Fight fire with fire, as they say. Or in this case, fight fire with vampire powers and a sweet whip. Y'know, whichever.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Collection stakes out next month [update]
The Lords of Shadow bundle-vania has a release date in Europe, winging its way onto retail shelves over there on November 8. We've reached out to Konami to confirm what tradition suggests - tradition being very important to vampires of course (and publishers) - namely, a November 5 release date for North America, as listed by certain online retailers. The Collection, coming to Xbox 360 and PS3, features the original Lords of Shadow along with its Reverie and Resurrection DLC packs, Mirror of Fate HD - which is coming to the Xbox Games Store and PlayStation Network on October 31 - and a demo for the upcoming Lords of Shadow 2. The bundle's set UK price is £30, while Amazon and Best Buy have it at $30 currently, GameStop at $40. Update: A November 5 release date is confirmed for North and South America.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 steps into the light on February 25 in US
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 will launch in the US on February 25, in Europe on February 27 and in the UK on February 28 for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, Konami announced. Last we heard, Lords of Shadow 2 was scheduled to launch this winter. Lords of Shadow 2 follows 2010's Lords of Shadow, and it concludes the series from developer MercurySteam. Konami is launching a Lords of Shadow collection that includes Mirror of Fate HD, Lords of Shadow and its DLC, and a demo for Lords of Shadow 2, due in October.
Castlevania: Mirror of Fate shining in HD on XBLA, PSN this Halloween
3DS Castlevania entry Mirror of Fate takes flight in HD to Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network on October 31, and also features in a Lords of Shadow collection released on the same day. The Halloween feast includes the first Lords of Shadow, its "Reverie" and "Resurrection" DLC, as well as Mirror of Fate; there are no details on price as yet. The collection also grants access to a playable demo of Lords of Shadow 2, but so does a PSN/XBLA purchase of Mirror of Fate if you'd prefer a smaller bite of vampiric adventure. The news comes via the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow official Facebook page and Konami Europe, so we have reached out to the publisher to confirm North American availability and details. According to Konami, Mirror of Fate HD adds online leader boards, a "Boss Rush Mode," and other "gameplay refinements." Today's news follows last week's retailer listing for the now confirmed Lords of Shadow collection, which led us to the Brazilian classification board where the 3DS game is also rated for Wii U and PC in addition to PS3 and Xbox 360. Of course those ratings could mean very little, but we'd advise Wii Us and PCs to keep their collars up for the time being.
Castlevania Mirror of Fate HD listed for PS3, 360 at Play-Asia
Play-Asia looks into Mirror of Fate and sees an HD port staring back at them, it seems. The Hong Kong retailer put up a new listing for a Castlevania: Lords of Shadow collection, and lurking inside is an unannounced PS3 and Xbox 360 port of the 3DS direct sequel. The PS3 and Xbox 360 collection also features the first Lords of Shadow along with all its DLC, and an "exclusive demo" of Lords of Shadow 2. The release date is listed as October 2013. We've not found other retailers with the listing as yet. However, in December 2012, Mirror of Fate was classified by Brazil's games rating board for PS3 and Xbox 360 as well as 3DS, some three months prior to its arrival on the portable. The Brazilian board also rated the game for PC and Wii U, although these platforms aren't noted in Play-Asia's listing. In February, Konami UK boss Dave Cox said the company would "definitely" consider an HD Mirror of Fate, explaining the studio built the game in HD and "kind of shrunk it" onto 3DS. "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 told CVG. Like a bat out of hell, retail listings like this one are usually gone in the morning, but at the moment the collection is still on Play-Asia's site. We've reached out to Konami for comment.
Castlevania: Mirror of Fate now $30 at retail, on eShop
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate has received a permanent price drop, down to $30 at both retail and on the 3DS eShop. This new price reflects a $10 difference since the game's launch back in March. A direct sequel to the first Lords of Shadow game, Mirror of Fate focuses on three main characters: Trevor Belmont, Simon Belmont and the son of Dracula, Alucard. In our review, we lauded the complex combat but found the game an overall disjointed experience.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow PC demo rises on Steam tomorrow
A demo for the Ultimate Edition of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is due on Steam this week. There was some initial confusion over which day, but we've confirmed with a Konami representative the PC port's demo is "definitely" coming tomorrow. Meanwhile the game proper, which features add-on chapters Reverie and Resurrection, flies onto Steam on August 27, with a boxed retail edition sinking its teeth into Europe on August 30. As for Lords of Shadow 2, series producer David Cox recently revealed the action-adventure sequel will be developer MercurySteam's final foray into Castlevania. The Spanish studio will say so long and thanks for all the Nosferatu when the follow-up hits Xbox 360, PS3, and PC sometime this winter.
Lords of Shadow 2 is developer MercurySteam's last Castlevania
Spanish studio MercurySteam will step away from Konami's Castlevania series after it wraps up Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, series producer David Cox told Destructoid at San Diego Comic Con. "I've always thought that this was a torch being passed down," Cox said. "Nobody on the team ever felt like we owned Castlevania. We always felt it was our responsibility now but it wouldn't be ours forever. Let's do what we're going to do, tell our story, and move on." Cox continued: "So we've told Japan headquarters that this is the last one for us... there's nothing worse than when somebody's got something to say, and when they've said it, they just keep talking. We've got a beginning and end, and it's a cool ending and a cool story. Once we've done that, it's time to say to somebody else, 'now it's your turn.' Maybe it will be a young producer in the company looking for his first break. I think you've got to bring in fresh blood." Cox previously expressed interest in heading up a MercurySteam-developed entry in Konami's Contra series. While a new Contra game was teased at E3 in 2011, Konami has issued no details regarding the project.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow materializes in Steam registry
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow may swing onto PCs, given its appearance in Steam's registry. As spotted by NeoGAF, the entry's full name is "Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Early Access Comp," with no '2' in sight - the upcoming sequel was announced last August as coming to PC as well as PS3 and Xbox 360.When a series comes to new platforms we tend to see previous entries follow suit, so it would make sense to whip up a PC version of MercurySteam's reboot. Our only ask is publisher Konami somehow infuses the PC port with even more Patrick Stewart, because you can never, ever have enough Patrick Stewart.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate review: Symphony of the Fight
If the multi-tiered title didn't make it clear, "Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate" is a heavy thing. A glut of gothic gravitas manifests in a huge quest that peels out of its handheld frame, even while anchored by burly protagonists and sullen environments. It's a fine action game fueled by fervor, but in need of some finesse.Mirror of Fate invites a fair comparison to older Castlevania games like Aria of Sorrow, which made light of a somber premise with whip-smart heroes, Michiru Yamane's upbeat score and a crisp, unfurling map of interconnected rooms. Dracula's dire abode was buoyed by brisk exploration, by coloring in each room on the diagram and expanding your navigational knowledge as you went about the business of slaying monsters. The combat found complexity in a large variety of swords, lances, axes, maces and daggers, each of which offered simple, easily decipherable changes.This trip through the horror catalogue curtails the equipment to the chain-whip "Combat Cross," brandished by Gabriel Belmont in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, as well as a small but powerful set of exhaustible sub-weapons. There's more interest in ferocious fighting than traversal, and a far greater demand for concentration and finger gymnastics than you might expect.
