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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]
Metareview: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
Welcome to day two of games with across the board review scores. Yesterday, it was Thief. Today it's Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2. Once again, we skewed higher in the spectrum in our review, noting the game has the "same presentation quirks as the original," with awkward (potentially infuriating) stealth sections. Game Trailers (83/100): "The combat system is sufficiently deep and gives you enough mobility to manage varied groups of enemies. The timing for blocks and dodges doesn't always feel intuitive, but the more time you spend with the system, the more it grows on you." Gamespot (70/100): "Lords of Shadow 2 should have been a much shorter game." Game Informer (60/100): "This shambling monstrosity is composed of chunks from other, better games. Rather than blend them together into something new like its predecessor attempted, this one just feels like a patchwork mess." Eurogamer (50/100): "Sharpening the disappointment is the fact that the team at MercurySteam has already made a good game, and perhaps had an opportunity here to make a great one." Edge (40/100): "Lords Of Shadow 2 is clunky, ugly and deeply misguided. ... MercurySteam says this will be the final game in the Lords Of Shadow saga, and on the evidence of this cluttered, bloated and forgettable mess, it's just 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.
'Blood is everything' in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (but this sword is cool too)
Because being an undying creature of the night is apparently not enough to impress people these days, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 equips Dracula with the void sword, a sharp utensil that looks like an icicle but cuts through enemies like a hot chain whip. [Image: Konami]
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 Premium Edition for Europe, new trailer and screens for all
Konami announced two collector's edition bundles for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 for European players today. The Premium Edition comes with a tomb-like case and includes four figurines, a hardcover art book, a steelbook case and a copy of the game, while the steelbook edition includes the metal case and either two alternate Dracula costumes or a "Relic Rune" pack, depending on where the collector's edition is pre-ordered from. Those looking to pre-order the Premium Edition need to act fast, as it is limited to 30,000 copies across GAME stores in the UK. Additionally, Konami unveiled a new trailer for Lords of Shadow 2 and new screens, which features Dracula, Carmilla and a whole bunch of shouting. Well, the trailer includes shouting, but not the screens. Though if screenshots could yell, the ones in this gallery would. The game will launch February 25 on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 rises this winter, features open world
Konami announced new details regarding Mercury Steam's upcoming Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, revealing that a large portion of its gameplay will take place in a modern-day, open-world setting. Expressing a desire for the game's world to "grow organically, and not level-to-level," Mercury Steam's Enric Alvarez notes that Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 will allow players to freely explore the game's world without loading times. While much of the game will take place in Dracula's castle, players will also be able to explore a surrounding modern-day city, providing a stark contrast with the franchise's typical medieval fantasy setting. Alvarez describes the game as darker in tone than its predecessor, and notes that its story is defined by "intense and contradictory feelings." Combat will be more strategic and tactical, thanks to more complex enemy behavior. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 will be released this winter.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow sinks teeth into PC in August
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Ultimate Edition has been officially announced for PC and will whip-it good this August. The game, which hinted at a PC release on the Steam registry this past March, includes the regular game plus two add-on chapters (Reverie and Resurrection). The PC edition will be available through Steam on August 27, while a boxed retail edition will arrive in Europe on August 30.%Gallery-190428%
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.
Konami PAX 2012 gallery megapost: Metal Gear Rising, Castlevania, Silent Hill and more
The ancient game developer's tradition of distributing a massive pile of media assets during a conference is a sacred, time-honored trust that Konami is well aware of, hence the four galleries of brand spankin' new screenshots you see before you.The images represent the latest look at Kojima and Platinum Games' slicing simulator Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, while the three galleries beyond the veil represent the same for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate, Silent Hill: Book of Memories and New Little King's Story.%Gallery-164083%
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.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Castlevania: LoS sequel publicly playable at Gamescom
Konami is bringing some treats to Germany's Gamescom this August, whipping up playable versions of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance for attendees. The company will also have a studio on the show floor, where it will broadcast news, interviews and other content; all available through various social media networks.Gamescom will be the first time the public has the chance to cut up the competition in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, which will be avaiable "in the beginning of 2013" for Xbox 360 and PS3. This fall's 3DS game, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate, which takes place 25 years after the events of the console Lords of Shadow, will also be available in a "playable version".There's also a soccer game called PES 2013. You know, if Europeans would be into such a thing.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate now featuring Alucard
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate will launch in fall this year and will include Symphony of the Night alum Alucard in some capacity, Konami announced at an E3 3DS press conference today.Mirror of Fate will be one of developer Mercury Steam's final 3DS titles, along with its console iteration currently in development, Lords of Shadow 2. It will use StreetPass, we learned today.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate will use StreetPass
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate, the 3DS title in development by Mercury Steam, will incorporate Nintendo's StreetPass feature, allowing players to swap game data simply by walking past one another. Mercury Steam and Konami confirmed its integration today at E3.Mercury Steam developed a brand new engine for its 3DS installment and now has 100 people working on Mirror of Fate and its companion console title, Lords of Shadow 2. Both games operate in the same Lords of Shadow universe, at the same time, but Lords of Shadow 2 will conclude Dracula's storyline while Mirror of Fate tells the Belmonts' tale.Mercury Steam will be finished with the Castlevania franchise after these titles launch.
Konami officially announces Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
In addition to developing a 3DS game, Mercury Steam is also hard at work on a new console game: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2. Announced this evening during Konami's pre-E3 press briefing, Konami had little to offer outside of the brief CG teaser for the Mercury Steam-developed sequel for Xbox 360 and PS3 seen here.Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 will be at E3 and you can bet we're going to get our hands on it. Stay tuned for more next week, when Joystiq lands in LA for the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate whips onto 3DS
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate is coming to the 3DS from Spanish developer Mercury Steam. Nintendo was previously rumored to announce a new Castlevania title at E3 next week, but the June 2012 issue of Nintendo Power proved the might of print and outed the title in a cover story.Details as divulged by GoNintendo read as follows: The story involves Trevor Belmont and he fights mainly with a Combat Cross; secondary weapons include a boomerang-like glaive and an electric bomb; the game has light and shadow magic.In an ultra-exclusive, super-surprising reveal, Nintendo Power says Mirror of Fate will also include skeletons, it appears.
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.
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 trailer lays it all out
In this Castlevania: Lords of Shadow trailer, you're in for 11 minutes of footage and explanation of every facet to be found in the reboot. Go make some buttered popcorn first (and avert your eyes if you despise spoilers of any kind).
David Cox on rebooting Castlevania for a new generation
With Castlevania: Lords of Shadow only two weeks from launch, we spoke with producer David Cox about rebuilding the franchise for a modern audience. How did developer MercurySteam look to overcome the failures of past 3D iterations of the franchise? And what role did Kojima Productions play in the creation of this new Castlevania? Cox reveals how Kojima urged him to redesign a once "barbarian" Gabriel and how the game was nearly canceled a year into development in our conversation below. Joystiq: How did poor critical reception of past 3D Castlevania games influence perceptions of this project? How did you pitch this game to senior Konami management? David Cox: I think there was always a desire to make the game 3D. I think people thought that in order to attract a mainstream audience, it had to be a 3D game. I personally love 2D games, but the fact is the market for 2D games is tiny. Most people want to play a 3D action adventure game with impressive visuals, etc. etc. I think for us, one of the things we found in hindsight is that the previous games tried to emulate the 2D games -- basically: turn the 2D games into 3D. We felt that wasn't the way to go. We felt the way to go was to boil down Castlevania to its core tenets, and create a 3D game from there. Sure, it's a brave decision, but we needed to be brave, and we needed to have the freedom to do what we wanted to make.
Amazon: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow LE out in October
Amazon sent out word of a Castlevania: Lords of Shadow limited edition a bit early this week by releasing a mockup image of the package. Now the retailer has boldly tweeted (if one can do something called "tweeting" in a bold manner) release info for the limited edition, pricing it at $79.99 on PS3 and Xbox 360. The image is exactly the same as this week's mockup, meaning that we will get that nice hand-painted artwork on the box (that looks a lot like the work of longtime Castlevania artist Ayami Kojima) along with the soundtrack and artbook, that were shown before. The Amazon listings also show a Halloween release date for both the standard and limited editions, though we're hesitant to confirm any release dates from retailers as "official" without checking in with Konami -- which we're doing now.
