Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate

 3DS
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 265 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 168 out of 265
  2. Mixed: 55 out of 265
  3. Negative: 42 out of 265
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  1. Skoobasteev
    Apr 6, 2013
    7
    I should start with the fact that i never played a previous castlevania game in my life. But i thought it was pretty good overall, it feels like a side scrolling God of War game a little, and is a lot shorter than i was hoping for but i liked it. The combat was pretty fun, if not extremely entailed, and the different powers were fun to experiment with. Nowhere near as many secrets as iI should start with the fact that i never played a previous castlevania game in my life. But i thought it was pretty good overall, it feels like a side scrolling God of War game a little, and is a lot shorter than i was hoping for but i liked it. The combat was pretty fun, if not extremely entailed, and the different powers were fun to experiment with. Nowhere near as many secrets as i wanted, from what i've heard about castlevania there are usually lots. (Unless that boss at the very beginning that you're "supposed" to lose to has something behind him.... Hmm.). I had fun while it lasted but its not the epic game i was hoping for, so it gets a 7.… Expand
  2. peterdeman78
    Jun 16, 2013
    6
    Other Castlevania games are fast paced and have uninterrupted gameplay and exiting music. that keeps me hooked for hours and hours. Now Lords of Shadow Mirror of Fate.
    Whenever i just get into the action LOADING...whenever i get ino the music LOADING... The LOADING screen has no LOADING...music and no LOADING...image it is just black. Whenever i take 3 enemies down LOADING... if the    Other Castlevania games are fast paced and have uninterrupted gameplay and exiting music. that keeps me hooked for hours and hours. Now Lords of Shadow Mirror of Fate.
    Whenever i just get into the action LOADING...whenever i get ino the music LOADING... The LOADING screen has no LOADING...music and no LOADING...image it is just black. Whenever i take 3 enemies down LOADING... if the enemie takes me down LOADING... I walk 3 screens to the left LOADING...teleport LOADING... I die LOADING...and respawn at the very same spot. I cannot get into the groove when the game is always LOADING... step into the elevator LOADING...jump jump jump LOADING... fall fall fall LOADING... hack slash LOADING... start of bossfight LOADING...in the middle of bossfight LOADING...if i die in bossfight LOADING...and start right there again while boss has half health WHAT THE LOAD is going on?! well i dunno its LOADING... This could have been a realy good game if it wasn't for all the LOADING...    … Expand
  3. celtqy
    Jun 18, 2013
    5
    This game caused me some serious anger issues.
    Combat is f u c k i n g horrible, you can never tell when some enemies are gonna hit you because they don't televise their attack all taht well you can't even see them sometimes because your whip is so frickin bright and shiny while you are swinging it.
    Some enemies take unbearable QUANTITY of hits and you can't tell when they're gonna    This game caused me some serious anger issues.
    Combat is f u c k i n g horrible, you can never tell when some enemies are gonna hit you because they don't televise their attack all taht well you can't even see them sometimes because your whip is so frickin bright and shiny while you are swinging it.
    Some enemies take unbearable QUANTITY of hits and you can't tell when they're gonna finally die because the game doesn't provide you with any nformation on their health. All you can do is count your hits but you will never know if they actually hit the enemy because you can't see through your f u c king whip!
    Enemies have unblockable attack which they can pull out of their ass while you are flailing on them.
    You can guess how are thse attacks televised.
    By a f u c k i n g white light which you can't even see through your motherfocking whip!    … Expand
  4. deputydodger
    Mar 12, 2013
    7
    ok, so lets first start out by saying this isn't Symphony of the Night. So if you're buying this game thinking it is, you'll be very disappointed. what you are getting is a nice, clean and polished castlevania game, similar to castlevania 3. as much as the fanboy in me wishes it were another symphony of the night clone (because they are still incredible to this day), this is still a veryok, so lets first start out by saying this isn't Symphony of the Night. So if you're buying this game thinking it is, you'll be very disappointed. what you are getting is a nice, clean and polished castlevania game, similar to castlevania 3. as much as the fanboy in me wishes it were another symphony of the night clone (because they are still incredible to this day), this is still a very enjoyable entry into the series. we got a different spin on Kid Icarus last year and Castlevania is getting the same treatment. I applaud companies for taking risks with franchises that we all love dearly since we were younger, and sometimes these ideas don't always translate into incredible results. all in all its a fun game and a nice addition to the 3ds lineup. enjoy it for what it is and stop trying to pretend your mustang is a Ferrari.… Expand
  5. rationalgamer
    Apr 26, 2013
    7
    this is not a mediocre game, is it a good game? yes, but not excellent, this is a game you must first play the demo and then decide, it has it's bad moments but generally I had fun playing it, and for me that's what's most important, and don't listen to colin moriarty from IGN, just because it doesn't SotN gameplay means it's bad
  6. gasho
    May 24, 2013
    7
    Maybe not as good as Castlevania games on DS (Dawn Of Sorrow, Order Of Eclesia) but I was expecting that it will never be the same again.
    Mirror Of Fate is satisfying platformer with very nice graphics and cool music.
    If you played Castlevania only on PS3 you won't have nothing to complain about.
  7. blinkme0
    Mar 5, 2013
    7
    this is my opinion on it, i'm a long time castlevania fan, and i was honestly hoping for a metroidvania game, i've been itching for one for a good while. at first i wasnt sure about this one its odd hybrid play reminds me more of older castlevania games like the original 3 more than sotn mixed with los. i will say it is nowhere near perfect, however from what i have played so far (firstthis is my opinion on it, i'm a long time castlevania fan, and i was honestly hoping for a metroidvania game, i've been itching for one for a good while. at first i wasnt sure about this one its odd hybrid play reminds me more of older castlevania games like the original 3 more than sotn mixed with los. i will say it is nowhere near perfect, however from what i have played so far (first two acts down) its not bad. the hit detection bosses are really my only major gripe, and its a little short but for a first shot at a 2d castlevania game, which mercury had no previous experience with where as the old team had decades to perfect its a pretty good start. i just hope if they make further 2d games they learn from currect mistakes because they have the potential to make something truely great. i do feel ign was overly harsh in their review.… Expand
  8. Scumbag_
    Mar 14, 2013
    6
    I like this game, and i'm giving this a 6/10 because of the game itself, not because of it being a Castlevania game. It's all pretty good (besides awful controls!) but for a game of my favourite franchise, i did expect some more of it.
  9. BeaverCritic
    Mar 9, 2013
    5
    You have no idea how much I wanted this game. But honestly it's just not a good game. Like lords of shadow before it, it takes something awesome (I.e. God of War) and pulls down there pants to crap all over it. But at least this game is not as bad as lords of shadow.
  10. VelocityGamer
    Mar 12, 2013
    5
    You would be hard-pressed to find a game more inoffensive than Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Mirror of Fate.

    Mirror of Fate’s plot occasionally threatens to be interesting. The otherwise tepid dialogue is delivered pretty well, and the game does mess with the established Castlevania lore in a mildly interesting way as you might expect, since this yarn takes place in the rebooted Lords    You would be hard-pressed to find a game more inoffensive than Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Mirror of Fate.

    Mirror of Fate’s plot occasionally threatens to be interesting. The otherwise tepid dialogue is delivered pretty well, and the game does mess with the established Castlevania lore in a mildly interesting way as you might expect, since this yarn takes place in the rebooted Lords of Shadow universe. Yes, the Belmont family tree has been messed with a little. Trevor is now the direct descendant of Gabriel, and Simon is Trevor’s son. Also, Dracula and his progeny are significant characters, because Alucard was in the best Castlevania game. If none of that means anything to you, then maybe the attempts at pathos won’t really hit their mark. The game seems to assume you already care about these people and their plight. I had a passing knowledge of the existing mythos, so I did kind of appreciate the new twist on Alucard’s character and what it meant for the Belmonts. To be honest, I might have preferred actual emotional investment to mere appreciation, but the reality of Mirror of Fate isn’t too disappointing.
    It’s a nice looking game, in all fairness. About half of the cutscenes are rendered in a gorgeous cel-shaded style that really should be seen with the 3D slider cranked as high as your eyes will allow. The framerate is a bit dicey at times, but the environments are well crafted, and each part of Dracula’s castle feels new enough, preventing confusion when it comes time to explore or backtrack. Everything is well designed, especially the various monsters you will probably just start bypassing after a while.

    Yes, after about 5 or so hours in, I started trying to skip the combat whenever possible. Mirror of Fate is a fairly simple brawler. You have two basic attacks; a straightforward slash and 180 degree whip. If you feel like mixing it up, sometimes you can throw a projectile. Killing monsters unlock combos, but said combos usually just consist of pressing the same button more than once. Dodging/blocking is mapped to the left shoulder button, which is a delight if you’re playing on a regular-sized 3DS unit with the hands you would find on a slightly large 18 year old guy. Not only is the combat incredibly shallow, but using combos screws you over every so often. I kept unintentionally triggering an upward spin attack that usually resulted in my character taking an attack from an enemy waiting directly below. Apparently, if you jump right after pressing the ‘Y’ button, you’re stuck in that animation. I had to repeat many a boss fight because of that combo. To be fair, blowing through standard encounters has a satisfying weight to it, but when things get too complicated, it was just smarter to avoid fighting.

    In between fighting, there are puzzles and platforming sections to deal with. The puzzles are kind of clever, but if you’re playing a Castlevania game to break up your Calculus homework like I did, you probably don’t feel like using your brain any more than you just did. Each large-scale puzzle has a dead soldier nearby with a hint system you can take advantage of. Stuck? You can activate a hint, but it will lower the amount of XP you earn from completing the puzzle. Activate every hint, though, and you can just click a button to solve the puzzle. I’ve never seen this in a game before. The option to just skip a difficult section is brilliant, and I wish every game had this. It would have come in handy when it was time for platforming. Sadly, the characters are too floaty and their jumps too imprecise. Frequent deaths be they a result of hazards or misjudged leaps are but a certainty.

    Even after everything I’ve said, I still find it necessary to emphasize there was something about Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Mirror of Fate that kept me playing…up to a point. I wasn’t going to beat my head against a certain Trevor Belmont section with mine carts and fire, but if the game had just one more significant issue, I would’ve stopped far earlier. And vice versa. Improve on a single design aspect and my hour count would’ve been slightly longer. Mirror of Fate is a game right on the cusp: a perfectly serviceable entertainment. If you expected more than just a passable 2D action platformer, I’m sorry to disappoint.    … Expand
  11. duncanaus
    Mar 11, 2013
    6
    Even a bad Castlevania game can still be fun, but this one is the weakest in some time, especially after three excellent hand-held titles. The element of exploration is still there, but the castle is pretty linear and backtracking is a drag. The main characters each explore separate areas of the castle, meaning that the joy of seeing a big map unfold before you is gone. Enemies are prettyEven a bad Castlevania game can still be fun, but this one is the weakest in some time, especially after three excellent hand-held titles. The element of exploration is still there, but the castle is pretty linear and backtracking is a drag. The main characters each explore separate areas of the castle, meaning that the joy of seeing a big map unfold before you is gone. Enemies are pretty sparsely distributed, meaning most of the time, you'll find yourself walking and grappling around empty hallways and chambers. Also, Mirror Of Fate is not as challenging as previous Castlevania games the monsters and traps are tougher, so you may find yourself dying every 90 seconds, but you respawn right away, so it doesn't really mean anything. For me, this isn't a love-it or hate-it game, it's just pretty meh.… Expand
  12. Northur
    Jan 28, 2014
    7
    Beautiful looking 3DS game. Solid gameplay and I personally liked the the atmosphere. For me there is no bad thing in the game but it still roars for something more..
  13. dharma
    Mar 31, 2013
    7
    Sequel to the acclaimed Castlevania reboot moves the franchise into the 2.5D perspective, while still maintaining its combat heavy roots. I am still a big fan of GBA and DS' Castlevanias and not its 'newer iteration', and while these Metroid-vania installments are great, they don't really sell that well outside their hardcore fans. The Lord of Shadow 'franchise' is the closest thatSequel to the acclaimed Castlevania reboot moves the franchise into the 2.5D perspective, while still maintaining its combat heavy roots. I am still a big fan of GBA and DS' Castlevanias and not its 'newer iteration', and while these Metroid-vania installments are great, they don't really sell that well outside their hardcore fans. The Lord of Shadow 'franchise' is the closest that Castlevania get to financial success and like it or not, is here to stay. Mirror of Fate may never be my cup of tea, but at least it is an attempt to bring the series to the 21st century. By bringing LOS into the 2D plane, it brings problem with its combat, which despite all efforts from Mercury Steam still feels awkward. Nevertheless, still a pretty good installment and if you own a 3DS and a fan of the series, it's something that you should try.… Expand
  14. dante_finn
    Mar 25, 2013
    6
    The game is fun and confusing at the same time.
  15. yumegiwa
    Jan 30, 2016
    6
    There was a point early on where I was slightly enjoying the game, but it became a monotonous and repetitive experience pretty fast. Enemy variety boils down to "flying" and "ground" enemies with different appearances. Bosses are very easy and unoriginal. The floaty platforming is a pain in the ass sometimes, too. Especially in some places where there's near pixel-perfect jumps to land onThere was a point early on where I was slightly enjoying the game, but it became a monotonous and repetitive experience pretty fast. Enemy variety boils down to "flying" and "ground" enemies with different appearances. Bosses are very easy and unoriginal. The floaty platforming is a pain in the ass sometimes, too. Especially in some places where there's near pixel-perfect jumps to land on ledges. Having a weapon that attacks the ENTIRE screen makes any possible challenge this game could have had dissipate. It basically boils down to hack away at enemies and dodge when they finally decide to attack you. Lastly, the environments are bland and generic except for a few places in the game that were pretty cool looking. But a lot of it looks the same and particular level design patterns are repeated too much.

    Nevertheless it is a decent game despite its flaws, and there are much worse games you could get to ease your boredom on the current $20-$30 price it sells for.    … Expand
  16. YokoHugo
    Jul 30, 2022
    7
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Awards & Rankings

28
#28 Best 3DS Game of 2013
11
#11 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2013
12
#12 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 68 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 68
  2. Mixed: 35 out of 68
  3. Negative: 2 out of 68
  1. Universo Nintendo
    May 22, 2013
    70
    Mirror of Fate is a good game, but it can disappoint fans used to the Metroidvania formula.
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  2. NZGamer
    Apr 24, 2013
    65
    It feels like an odd mesh of classic Castlevania, Symphony of the Night, and Lords of Shadow, and like any jack of all trades, it masters none of these elements.
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  3. The Digital Fix
    Apr 24, 2013
    60
    Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate is a game that tries to take the best of both new and old Castlevania but ultimately comes up short all round.
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