Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2

 PlayStation 3
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 623 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 434 out of 623
  2. Mixed: 104 out of 623
  3. Negative: 85 out of 623
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  1. Jellybean15
    Aug 16, 2014
    7
    Castlevania: Lords of Shadow was a great game and is often considered the first 3D Castlevania game to get it right, and it's not surprising to see why. With absolutely amazing combat, a fantastic story, a lengthy campaign, great graphics and a fantastic twist ending, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 had a lot to live up to. Unfortunately, LOS2 doesn't live up to the expectations, and is anCastlevania: Lords of Shadow was a great game and is often considered the first 3D Castlevania game to get it right, and it's not surprising to see why. With absolutely amazing combat, a fantastic story, a lengthy campaign, great graphics and a fantastic twist ending, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 had a lot to live up to. Unfortunately, LOS2 doesn't live up to the expectations, and is an overall disappointing experience.

    Combat was the first thing I had high expectations for, and the game actually does well. Instead of the combat cross, Dracula now uses his own blood as a hardened whip to fight enemies, so combat essentially works the same. One improvement LOS2 added was the ability to block and dodge in the air, which I'm thankful for because there are enemies which require you to jump to reach them. Along with that, all unblockable enemy attacks have clear visual and sound cues, making these attacks very obvious, and way easier to dodge than in the the previous game. Then there's the light and dark magic meters. Unlike LOS, where both magics were tied to your main weapon, they instead have their own weapon. Light magic is tied to a sword and heals you, while dark magic is tied to gauntlets that doubles damage and break shields. Unlike in LOS though, where the meters would deplete over time, the meters in LOS2 only deplete when attacking an enemy. This way you can actually approach combat calmly, instead of frantically attacking enemies knowing that your time with the magic was limited. This is a fantastic improvement, and the limited range of the sword and gauntlets help to balance this mehanic. Better yet, the combos for the blood whip, gauntlets and sword are all the same, allowing you to seamlessly switch between your magics and blood whip without disrupting the flow of combat, making switching just as smooth as the previous game.

    However, not everything about combat is an improvement. For example, the unblockable attacks are easy to detect, but they're not always easy to avoid, often having a range of attack that's too large. So, even if you manage to dodge when prompted, you'll still end up getting hit. These attacks should've been blockable instead. Also, throughout the game, most of these attacks happen two seconds after the cue, so it becomes instinct to dodge immediately. However, some attacks have a delay on them, meaning that you'll instinctively dodge too soon and get hit. This is unfair because the game teaches you to dodge immediately, only to fall victim due to inconsistency. Lastly, because this game takes place in the current time, guns have been added, and end up becoming ridiculously overpowered. Unblockable, long range, and often waves of bullets being fired at the same time, enemies with guns are not fun to fight. It's bad enough when demons start to use them, but the human controlled mechs are just as bad. These mechs often hide behind their shields, and your gauntlets don't actually break through fast enough before they back up and launch an unblockable attack, requiring you to attack right before they do. This would've been alright if you had to fight one at a time, but every time you're going to be swarmed with them. Luckily, the quick time events in the game heal you, which helps balance out the unfair advantages enemies have. It's still annoying though.

    Combat may have had improvements and flaws, but pretty much everything else is worse.

    The story isn't all that interesting. It's all about how you, as Dracula, are weakened and have to regain your power to ultimately defeat Satan upon his return. However, moving this game to a modern setting feels very unusual for a Castlevania title. The plot is interesting enough, but it's so boring and broken up that it makes the story hard to follow. Plus, the ending is very abrupt and cheap, making the ending feel rushed. The story's only saving grace is the sub plot in which Dracula is either hallucinating or traveling back in time (it's never made clear), and Dracula sees his family. These are the moments where Dracula seems more like Gabriel, and makes you realize that he's not entirely evil, but angry. These are the moments where the story shines. Unfortunately, the sub plot has no wrap up whatsoever. It just ends.

    As for the campaign, instead of being a linear chapter to chapter campaign, LOS2 goes more open world, but with Dracula constantly traveling between the past and present, the environments change drastically, and there is no sense of direction at all, making collecting items a grind. Finally, stealth segments feel out of place, and seem more like a replacement for the puzzle segments of LOS, which are missing from this game, but they're not fun. In one case, the stealth was brutally difficult because the level was so poorly designed.

    Ultimately, LOS 2 disappoints, but that doesn't mean it's terrible. If you liked the last game, you should at least try out this game. Who knows. You may end up liking it.    … Expand
  2. Commander_Nero
    Mar 31, 2014
    7
    RANKING: 7 – 10 (Its Awesome but nowhere near perfect.)

    If you love the Lords of Shadow series and you want to continue on with the story, pick it up otherwise, wait for a price drop. As a major fan of the Lords of Shadow series, to finally see the arrival of Lords of Shadow 2 is a sight to behold, being introduced first to the game’s combat system, visuals and soundtrack, it’s hard    RANKING: 7 – 10 (Its Awesome but nowhere near perfect.)

    If you love the Lords of Shadow series and you want to continue on with the story, pick it up otherwise, wait for a price drop.

    As a major fan of the Lords of Shadow series, to finally see the arrival of Lords of Shadow 2 is a sight to behold, being introduced first to the game’s combat system, visuals and soundtrack, it’s hard NOT to get hyped about this game! THEN the first level happens, introducing a broken and shallow stealth mechanic that is cringe worthy and THEN we are introduced to the open world exploration with in Dracula’s castle. Though the stealth mechanic exists and we have several parts of it, some of the voice acting and story (IM LOOKING AT YOU ENDING CUTSCENE) is really off part compared to Lords of Shadow 1. What this game does get however is the fantastic score, improved combat system, and the multiple and AMAZING boss fights! I’m Silly Nero, and this is the **** Review, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2

    Gameplay: Remember how Lords of Shadow 1 was bashed for how it’s game play was bashed for being a God of War clone? This doesn’t help it at all, but improved what Lords of Shadow 1 lacked. Now replaced with the Light and Dark Magic, we have the Void Sword and Chaos claws, introducing two different weapons with their perks and faults. The focus Meter is still in play with the game, now being hit while dishing out damage to fill the meter. the upgrade system is as it was for LoS1, get enough XP from killing enemies and you can get new moves, but heres a nifty little additions. WEAPON MASTREY. It is a new feature that you can use different moves and it will improve your weapons power over all. Though it can be easily exploited, since you can spam the move to easily get 100% on the attack. Once you get 100% of said move, you can use it to improve the weapon mastery. The exploration for the game has become now an open world game where you can explore segments of the city and castle, to find items, upgrades, and even extras, though most of them you can’t get until near the end of the game. Enemies vary from Corrupted Vampire soldiers to Massive Mechs and even massive Demons. Some are easy enough and some will spam you with Unblockable attack that will send you airborne then become wombo comboed.

    Stealth Sections. . . .stealth sections are a mess. All you really do is either distract a guard with the swarm of bats, use the mist ability to slide through walls, or turn into rats to slide though vents. It’s uninspired, sometimes clunky, and I swear the guards are either blind or have a malfunction to say, “OH LOOK! A CLOUD OF RED AND BATS. NOTHING IS WRONG HERE!”

    The best part about this game is the AMAZING BOSS FIGHTS! The cut scenes have enough leading up the fight where you prepare yourself mentally and physically, hanging onto your controller, ready for the fight ahead of you, coupled by the amazing art direction and score.

    Story: The Story continues off from where LoS1 ended, with Dracula being offered the chance of a real death if he helps his old enemy/ comrade, Zobek. Though out the game, he is sent back to his castle in his mind to recover his memories prior to the beginning of the game when Drac wakes up. What really falls for the game is how weak the ending is, ESPECIALLY the amazing lead up it had. Even though the game said it was the “Epic” conclusion to the Lords of Shadow series, it may just lead up to another series. Or DLC endings. Which is ****

    Visuals: On a good note, the visuals for this game are FANTASTIC, ESPECIALLY for the castle levels, with beautiful colors, amazing textures, and lighting effects. The character models are fantastic as well, mainly for the main cast and bosses. The city levels however are really dull, almost making the player beg to be back in the castle. The art direction is gorgeous, especially looking at some of the character logs in the journal and the item pictures.

    Soundtrack: The game’s score is one of the BEST I have heard in a long time! Though the voice acting with certain characters feel lazy and uninspired, mainly with some of the enemies and non- main characters.

    Verdict: An unsatisfying ending story wise, but the visuals, soundtrack, and boss fights make up for it to be a decent game. If you can, just buy it when It is at a lower price and you wont feel as burned. Though for me, it’s a bit disappointing compared to the first Lords of Shadow.    … Expand
  3. Dracul
    Mar 13, 2014
    10
    Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2 is a fine conclusion to the Lords of Shadow Saga, once I started the game I couldn't put the controller down.

    Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2 provides you with a deep Combat System, enhanced by new weapons such as the Void Sword and the Chaos Claws, the encounters will never be the same, you have a wide range of abilities and moves, enemies will always keep    Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2 is a fine conclusion to the Lords of Shadow Saga, once I started the game I couldn't put the controller down.

    Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2 provides you with a deep Combat System, enhanced by new weapons such as the Void Sword and the Chaos Claws, the encounters will never be the same, you have a wide range of abilities and moves, enemies will always keep you on your toe, and finishing them off will feel satisfying, I can't stress how Lords of Shadow 2 takes the Combat System to the next level, more fluid, more varied, and much more empowering, Also Boss Battles are the best you will ever see in a 3D Action Adventure // Hack n Slash game, there is no bad boss battles here, every single one of them is awesome beyond measures.

    As for the visuals, the Castle is a marvelous piece, while the city has its great moments, yet as a whole package you won't feel like "meeeh, this part looks bad", no you will feel astonished by the environment and the Gothic atmosphere of the city, the Sound Track is awesome, very compelling, and touching.

    The Story will suck you in, I kept pushing forward, wanting to know what will happen next, and while some people complain about the ending, I find it a bitter sweet one, reminds me of Legacy of Kain Defiance ending, It was heart warming, and I loved every single moment of the game.

    Over all I believe that Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2 is one of the best titles released in 2014, and the best Action Adventure // Hack n Slash title, being able to play as The Dragon, Dracul, Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2 earned in my heart the place of Game of The Generation.    … Expand
  4. starki11er
    May 29, 2023
    7
    CLOS 2 is the conclusion of the epic saga, you can experiment the full power of the prince of darkness with all awesome skills.
    The graphics are wonderful, the scenario bring us to the past of castle of Dracula and combine with current time.
    the design of the characters is very well sometimes the system of battle is repetitive and some elements of stealth are useless. In fact, i    CLOS 2 is the conclusion of the epic saga, you can experiment the full power of the prince of darkness with all awesome skills.
    The graphics are wonderful, the scenario bring us to the past of castle of Dracula and combine with current time.
    the design of the characters is very well
    sometimes the system of battle is repetitive
    and some elements of stealth are useless.
    In fact, i recommend you must play the game and let him surprise you
    regards    … Expand
  5. sde4g
    Mar 6, 2014
    10
    Great game.The combat has been improved,the level design (in most levels) is excellent,the music is awsome and the story is great.The stealth parts are monotonus and mediocre but the rest features more than make up for it.I dont get why it got so bad reviews,just buy it and you wont regret that.
  6. Steeliosis
    Mar 16, 2014
    8
    Being a major fan of the original Lords of Shadow game, I naturally felt compelled to buy this game on the grounds that it was the continuation of a story which was kind of left hanging. The one thing that had me coming back, however, was wondering how this game would work, after the ending of the first. I will mention spoilers from the first game in this review, but not from this gameBeing a major fan of the original Lords of Shadow game, I naturally felt compelled to buy this game on the grounds that it was the continuation of a story which was kind of left hanging. The one thing that had me coming back, however, was wondering how this game would work, after the ending of the first. I will mention spoilers from the first game in this review, but not from this game itself. So if you haven't yet played the first, give it a go; it's beyond worth it.

    The first point that springs to mind is that you are now playing as Dracor, the dragon, or more commonly known as Dracula. This seems like a bit of twist, considering in the first you were fighting against evil, and now you are against good...or at least, in the beginning. The story starts with you, Dracula, within your vastly spaced castle, when the Brotherhood, those that you fought with in the first game, begin an all out assault against you. This beginning siege acts as an effective tutorial, allowing you to come to grips with a more fluent climbing system, and a decent, yet slightly perplexing, combat system. After this battle faces it's epic conclusion, the story of Dracula is detailed, of his family and his offspring. This is the beginning setup to an epic battle against both good and evil.

    The game will have you weaving in and out between modern day Castlevania City and a strange, ethereal world, in which you face a strange underworld like environment, multiple complex castle environments with varying features and sections, battling different foes, some from the previous game, others new and currently unbeknownst to the player. Whilst the characters are well detailed and rather imaginative, this is where Castlevania faces it's first flaw; uninspired environments feel slightly repetitive, and give that cookie cutter feel that makes you feel you've been here before, when you haven't. This goes forgotten, however, when you take in the detail and fantastic Gothic feel of each area, beautifully designed and almost unforgettable....almost...

    What about the characters? Well, each has a very distinct aura about them, and all feel perfectly crafted, from the mysterious Toy Maker to the dark yet sophisticated Zobek, they never disappoint. Perfect voice acting by the legend Patrick Stewart, along with multiple other distinct characterisations, bring the world to life.

    What I felt was one of the games biggest downfalls was the story; it feels slightly hollow and empty, not much more than a mere cliche ("the devil is coming, we must destroy his accomplices and stop him in his tracks" just feels cheap and gimmicky). However, it does still serve, and the game does more than just throw simple challenges your way, with you instead having to battle demons which can be at times very difficult, and a welcome challenge. You will also battle smaller minions, brotherhood soldiers, and corrupt, steam-punk-esque riot police. Enemies feel varied, but can also occasionally feel quite samey.

    Finally, the combat; it feels almost like that of DMC (the modern version), only with a pretty decent skill tree, allowing you to expand and learn new combat skills and upgrade old ones. However, some of these go to waste as you will end up using practically the same combos every time, and the upgrades tree feels almost like wasted potential.

    Overall, the game is definitely worth buying and playing if you enjoyed the previous LoS. If not, however, this may not be for you, as you will feel disoriented and not so much invested in the story. As for comparison, I feel that LoS was far greater, and when having to choose between the two, the original, at least for me, is the clear winner.    … Expand
  7. brautality
    Mar 15, 2014
    10
    i just finished this game and im happy to say that i didn't listen to the bad reviews because i knew this game was awesome , mercury steam did a great job with this game¡¡
  8. bemre
    Mar 1, 2014
    9
    Awesome atmosphere, nice details and enjoyable combat.
    i really like the story and they make good job that you really feel like you are dracula.
    at hard mode you can enjoy tension, thanks for this game guys
  9. madterps
    Mar 2, 2014
    6
    Imagine where the next platform is to your right, but you can't press right and jump to reach it, instead you press down and jump to reach it. What kind of BS are you dealing with? Platforming in Lords Of Shadow 2, that's what. The platforming sucks big time and there is no other save games that you can reload from if you are stuck there with very little health.

    This is what exactly    Imagine where the next platform is to your right, but you can't press right and jump to reach it, instead you press down and jump to reach it. What kind of BS are you dealing with? Platforming in Lords Of Shadow 2, that's what. The platforming sucks big time and there is no other save games that you can reload from if you are stuck there with very little health.

    This is what exactly happened to me when I was stuck in the train sequence. Finding out painfully that right + jump doesn't move me to the next platform and getting shot at = losing quite a bit of life. Surprisingly, this isn't the first time that this happened in the game either. Then to top it off, you are supposed to be avoiding those platforms on the train sequence and sometimes your controller won't respond to your command either. And you can't load from another save point because the game choose the load point and you can't load from another one unless you want to start the mission all over again which means you wasted like 20 - 30 minutes.

    The combat is decent but some of the choices of enemies are very dubious, like several demons carrying a shotgun in a small corridor that I have to get through. Or how about an enemy hitting me with a projectile as soon as I climbed up from a stair into the battlefield. The enemies should not have spotted me yet but according to the engine, I'm already in combat.

    The stealth element is very much restricted, why can't I knock out the guards if I'm spotted? I should be able to knock off the guard if I'm being spotted, but no they carry a big ass gun and pretty much means I'm dead by the time I'm spotted. These stealth elements are lacking.

    Overall, Lords Of Shadow 2 is a big step backward from the excellent Lords Of Shadow. It is unfortunate that MercurySteam thought that it would mix up the element with crappy platforming and crappy stealth. Plus with most of the plot seems to be making not a lot of sense either, it does not help either. Too bad the Lords Of Shadow trilogy have to sent off with such a mediocre effort, fans deserved better.    … Expand
  10. Wilho
    Mar 2, 2014
    5
    Full of holes, poor gameplay, zero innovation and messy characters story. Definitely do not recommend either a hack and slash, look for DmC. Ok que é um desenvolvedora pequena, mesmo assim o jogo não vale o preço.
  11. PhantomJack24
    Mar 2, 2014
    9
    A fantastic Game Where Finally you get to play as Dracula and after playing it myself and seeing some of the poor reviews and the Good reviews do out way them by the way. I've come to never Trust "Professional" reviewers Again. Everything about this game is actually fun and awesome and for the Stealth Parts Some people seem to Gripe About if you actually use your brain and the tools theA fantastic Game Where Finally you get to play as Dracula and after playing it myself and seeing some of the poor reviews and the Good reviews do out way them by the way. I've come to never Trust "Professional" reviewers Again. Everything about this game is actually fun and awesome and for the Stealth Parts Some people seem to Gripe About if you actually use your brain and the tools the Game gives you they are rather easy. so in the end I say play the Game for yourself you shall not be Disappointed.… Expand
  12. jus_lee
    Mar 3, 2014
    10
    This is the first time I've ever taken it upon myself to write a review for a game. Mostly because I think the media isn't doing this game the justice it deserves, but also because this is already a top contender for my GOTY 2014.

    Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is a spectacular game in every way and will leave you wanting more, much like Lords of Shadow 1 did. However, they've changed    This is the first time I've ever taken it upon myself to write a review for a game. Mostly because I think the media isn't doing this game the justice it deserves, but also because this is already a top contender for my GOTY 2014.

    Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is a spectacular game in every way and will leave you wanting more, much like Lords of Shadow 1 did. However, they've changed a lot from LoS1, and that's a good thing. First of all, fans of LoS1 will notice right away that you have a free camera. This gives you greater opportunity for exploration than a fixed cam, and you'll need it in this massive world and Dracula's massive castle.

    I would also like to mention that they've changed many of the things that frustrated players in LoS1 like the unfairness level. Make no mistake, this game is difficult, but it's not unfair like LoS1. For instance, when climbing around in LoS1 I was constantly lost and stuck in places for longer than I should've been, but in LoS2 they've added the feature that while you're climbing around a swarm of bats guides you to your next ledge. If that's not enough, you can also push L2 to highlight every possible ledge that you need to progress. It's a great option for those who get stuck. Another good example of this one leveling the fairness and playing field is that countering enemies has been made much easier. If anyone remembers the fight with Pan in the first one knows how frustrating blocking can be in LoS1, but in LoS2 it signals clearly when a enemy will be performing an un-blockable attack.

    Among other things that made this one more fair is the fact that it actually explains things! It took me forever to figure out what those little quick-time rings meant in the first one, but this one explains everything and is very helpful.

    The stealth controversy has been overblown as well and I'd like to take a minute to address that. The media is having a field day with it and ruining an otherwise amazing experience for other people. It's not just "not bad". In fact, the stealth sections are very enjoyable. Even if you don't find them entertaining, there aren't that many of them and they're short. Turning into a plague of rats is different and interesting, and it seems like something a creature of the dark would do. It breaks the mold of wolf-->bat-->mist in an intriguing way and when we take into consideration that these vampires are shape-shifters, there's really little to complain about.

    Another thing to consider about the stealth segments, and I warn you of MILD SPOILERS beforehand, is the story. Think about it. Dracula has just awoken from an extended sleep and his castle and servants are nonexistent anymore. He's all on his own. Not only that he's very weak from that sleep. If you add that to the fact that he, very literally, has the army of hell on his heals with the chance of becoming Satan's pin doll for all of eternity, we can understand the need to sneak about satanic strongholds a few times.

    END SPOILERS

    As it has been said, the combat is natural and fun and takes nothing away from the combat in LoS1. I would even argue that it improves it and the upgrade system for each weapon is fun to visit and experiment with.

    One final thing I'd like to say about this game is that there isn't a single bug or glitch that I've found. For a massive, open-world game like this I think that's impressive. Especially if you consider that much larger studios than Mercury Steam that release triple A titles almost always have bugs in their open-world games. Like I said, I haven't come up against a single bug in the game. I've completed the story and am currently at 86% completion of the game. The only things I really haven't done are the Kleidos challenges, so the jury is out on that.

    About the Kleidos challenges, it was nice of Mercury Steam to put those in there to prolong the life of the game involving one of it's greatest strengths: the battle gameplay. There are a lot of them, and those looking to gain this relatively easy platinum trophy will have quite an enjoyable journey on their hands.

    Other additions that they've added to prolong the game is a greater difficulty setting and New Game + after your first play through. In New Game + you keep everything (lore, artwork-->GORGEOUS, gems, kleidos challenges) except the skills you've earned, but don't worry, you're reimbursed all the skill points you used so that when those skills become available, you will have sufficient points to get everything you had before.

    All in all, I gave this game a 10 and I think it's a masterpiece. It's already a heavy contender for my GOTY 2014 and I can't wait for the DLC. Give it a try, you won't be sorry.    … Expand
  13. NutZdk
    Mar 3, 2014
    5
    Whoever is giving this game a 10/10 must be the developers themselves or need a serious reality check.
    I loved the first one to a degree that was borderline unhealthy. This on the other hand is just about the most aggravating half arsed piece of **** that has been released all year. To even put in the same title is an insult.
    This game will have you screaming at your TV more times than    Whoever is giving this game a 10/10 must be the developers themselves or need a serious reality check.
    I loved the first one to a degree that was borderline unhealthy. This on the other hand is just about the most aggravating half arsed piece of **** that has been released all year. To even put in the same title is an insult.
    This game will have you screaming at your TV more times than you can count. Especially the retarded sneak sequences alone are worth the deduction of 5 points, not only do you get instakilled if you get spotted, the game starts you all the way at the beginning of the chapter again and as topping it even loads the goddamn thing once again, even though you just walked 3 steps and got killed. On top of that the game is epicly bad at indicating where you need to go next, which especially is a problem in these sneak sequences.
    The whole thing feels generic and like padding to make it last longer than it needs to.

    All in all, I would give the first Castlevania a 9/10 - this a 5/10 tops - anyone who has played the first can then compare on their own.    … Expand
  14. Morikage
    Mar 3, 2014
    9
    What's going on with the critics nowadays? When I've heared about first reviews and very low scores for Lords of Shadow 2, I felt I should be depressed, that the game I've been waiting for so long, and the sequel to one of the best games of past generation, is going to be a complete disappointment. Thank god I stopped paying attention the professional critics opinion, as I would've missedWhat's going on with the critics nowadays? When I've heared about first reviews and very low scores for Lords of Shadow 2, I felt I should be depressed, that the game I've been waiting for so long, and the sequel to one of the best games of past generation, is going to be a complete disappointment. Thank god I stopped paying attention the professional critics opinion, as I would've missed a really great sequel, which doesn't fail in comparison to it's predecessor.
    First of all - this game finally has a lot more in common with the true Castlevania than the original LOS ever head. LOS2 not only has some outstanding gothic locations for MOST of the game, but it also has a lot of metroidvania elements in terms of level design, which is something a lot of us wanted, so it's really great to see when the developer is paying attention to people's opinion. Of course sadly LOS2 has some weaker elements, like stealth sections and a couple of really ugly locations in the modern times, especially during the first our of the game, but this is a really small percent of what the game has to offer. It's a bit like modern sections in Assassin's Creed series - they're there from time to time, but they are not the main course and they certainly don't ruin the whole experience. Besides even the modern sections of the city have a few really good looking areas, that look like some dark vision of Cologne or Madrid. As for combat...It's still rather simple, but also felt more tactical than in the first LOS, which combined with really cool enemies and fantastic and memorable bossfights, made great gameplay even better it the sequel. The story is there, maybe not as well written as in the first game, but perhaps that's because all of this jumping between time periods, I haven't felt that sense of "adventure" as in the first LOS. Anyways, if you've played the first game and loved it....you're probably playing Lords of Shadow right now or finished it already :) If you're new to the series and you're wondering what's the big deal with this Castelvania reboot - don't hesitate any longer, and grab the whole Lords of Shadow trilogy, it's really great reimagining of the series that's been around for so many years. Perhaps those game are not perfect, but they're certainly one of the best in it's kind. I give Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2 a bloody 9/10 :)    … Expand
  15. Bryne393
    Mar 4, 2014
    10
    WONDERFUL GAMEPLAY!!! AMAZING SOUNDTRACK!!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. Great Game nice one konami. Nice mastery of weapon skills . But most of all great soundtrack and story
  16. SirMIDNIGHT
    Mar 10, 2014
    6
    I had high hopes for this game. I was a fan of the first Lords of Shadow and when I heard the sequel was coming out, I made sure to reserve it right away. However, when I played it for the first time, I have to say that it wasn't the game I thought it would be. I thought playing as Dracula for the first time ever in the series would be more exciting. Though it does deliver on goodI had high hopes for this game. I was a fan of the first Lords of Shadow and when I heard the sequel was coming out, I made sure to reserve it right away. However, when I played it for the first time, I have to say that it wasn't the game I thought it would be. I thought playing as Dracula for the first time ever in the series would be more exciting. Though it does deliver on good action, it is not too much different than the last game and let's be honest, even the last game was a God of War clone. The stealth sections were a chore to go through and slowed down the action. I also thought even though the characters were nicely designed, the rest of the graphics, especially the majority of the areas you explore were a bit uninspired. The voice work was good. Robert Carlyle and Patrick Stewart both did a great job. I thought the game was okay, but that's it; just okay. It wasn't as great as the first game, but it was still decent. Probably good for one or two playthroughs, but not much more.… Expand
  17. Insanogb
    Mar 10, 2014
    8
    O jogo é bom, a história ficou um pouco confusa e não é tão boa quanto o primeiro, mas é um ótimo jogo em todo o resto, o jogo é divertido e tem um nível de dificuldade bom..
  18. f3lipz
    Mar 22, 2014
    10
    It's a great game, giving a worthy end to the series Lords of Shadow.
    The only flaw of the game are the moments of Stealth. But apart from that the game is perfect.
  19. ToolSnipeZ
    Mar 22, 2014
    8
    First things first: i have played 4 hours for now, having played through the first Bossfight and the first few fighting and sneaking sequences.
    People like to compare this game to the first part od the lords of shadow trilogy. So let me do it:
    the battle system feels as fun and flawless as in LoS 1, maybe even better because: hell yeah, you're dracula! I still think the game would be    First things first: i have played 4 hours for now, having played through the first Bossfight and the first few fighting and sneaking sequences.
    People like to compare this game to the first part od the lords of shadow trilogy. So let me do it:

    the battle system feels as fun and flawless as in LoS 1, maybe even better because: hell yeah, you're dracula!
    I still think the game would be much better with more castelvania- styled music, but well, its some cinematic bulloc which i dont very much care about... its... there but i forget it after 10 minutes of gameplay.
    the story seems interesting and i very much enjoy the switching between draculas old fashioned caste and modern areas. both looks nice but ofc draculas caste looks better.
    overall, this game looks much darker, fitting better into a castlevania game. i cant really see critics hate this game so much, i enjoy it and as you can see from the users reviews, many people who loved the first game, love LoS 2 also.
    i recomment buying it even if its metascore sucks... and i cant see why it does -.-    … Expand
  20. TBAAGamer
    May 2, 2014
    8
    This game is truly a game with insane levels of quality
    and a narrow audience in mind.
    Lords of shadow is a reboot series that pays homage to classicvania while styling itself as an action game first and a brutal platformer almost never, that's not to say that the platforming is bad, it's not, in fact it's a lot better than it was in los1 where the platforming was mostly to get you from    This game is truly a game with insane levels of quality
    and a narrow audience in mind.
    Lords of shadow is a reboot series that pays homage to classicvania while styling itself as an action game first and a brutal platformer almost never, that's not to say that the platforming is bad, it's not, in fact it's a lot better than it was in los1 where the platforming was mostly to get you from area to area, here in this game it's a threat.
    Lords of shadow 2 features dracula as the antagonist, or as I like to call it, the game with so much win i can't even contain myself.
    sadly, the city levels and stealth puzzles (those are puzzles by the by,) bog it down considerably from what it could be. the city environments, while certainly well done, suffer from a bizarre color wheel problem in which the colors all blend together in a nondescript manner, leaving you to only notice the detail upon closer inspection.
    the enemies within the city have strange design choices, from nigh stagger proof waves of nuisance enemies that can attack through your sync blocks, demons with nasty cheap moves that require you to play as dracula from rondo of blood and be equally cheap, to monks that summon all of these and can fuse into a fire demon of rape, the city is certainly a difficult place, but the combat isn't bad here, merely....difficult.
    conversely, the castle is an amazing, vibrant, chilling and compelling place that i wish there were more of, the enemies are all fun to fight, the platforming is riskier and all around I find myself wishing for more of that.
    the story in this game likes to pretend that it's dark souls in terms of the telling, it's more "look and infer for yourself" albeit, with less subtlety.
    the plot revolves around dracula seeking his death
    or does it?
    no wait, it now revolves around dracula wanting to join his reborn family in the castle!
    or does it?
    no wait, it now revolves around him fighting the blood of his castle and quelling the rebellion it started!
    NO!! it's actually about defeating the three acolytes of satan and preventing satan's return
    NO! it's actually about satan being baited into returning so you can kill him I'M SO CONFUSED!!!
    If you haven't noticed already, the plot is comprised of multiple interweaving subplots, where dracula's immediate objective changes with the wind, as does his immediate intent along with it.
    whenever he enters the castle, it's like he's in a dream where he instantly forgets the important "stop satan so zobek can stab you through the chest with laughter" and turns to the "am I really a belmont? can i even go back to that?" to **** i am DRACULA!! GET THE HELL OUT MY WAY OR IMMA RAM THIS STEEL ROD RIGHT UP YOUR MOUTH!!" *belmont pimp hand*
    the confusing plot is compelling and enjoyale, but by the end of the game you get the distinct feeling that you went absolutely nowhere, it doesn't help that dracula ends up literally standing in the same place he started the journey, albeit with better looks.
    the combat in this game is it's shining gem, it's the best, the most fun i've ever had with a thinking man's hack n slash.
    it requires you to plan out "traps" with your combos and setups that kill many enemies or a few, the strategic aspect comes from the magic system, which is entirely required if you want to survive this game.
    no really, I dare you to go without magic in either lords of shadow title and see if you can make it without dying once. it's a **** let me assure you.
    all in all, the game's failings are basically the ones you've already heard about, the city was a hit and miss, the stealth puzzles are sorely misrepresented and don't do very much, if anything for you besides break up the pace of a game that's strongest when you're fighting train demons and riding rockets through buildings.
    but it's a solid game.    … Expand
  21. AliasAndrew
    Nov 17, 2020
    6
    I was let down by this game. I liked its predecessor a lot. It was supposed to be an open world game and it kind of was, if your definition of an open world is going through the same 5-6 areas again and again and again. I hated the stealth sections, something that speaks volumes since I love every stealth game out there. It's not all bad, it has a very good story with some big name actorsI was let down by this game. I liked its predecessor a lot. It was supposed to be an open world game and it kind of was, if your definition of an open world is going through the same 5-6 areas again and again and again. I hated the stealth sections, something that speaks volumes since I love every stealth game out there. It's not all bad, it has a very good story with some big name actors voicing the characters and fun battle. It just feels like a missed opportunity… Expand
  22. bydlak88
    Jul 17, 2014
    10
    I think this game delivers much better experience in every way possible when you compare it to its prequel. It's a shame that it didn't sale very well because of some simple-minded game reviewers that can't enjoy games that requires any effort or thinking.
  23. Joseph_Azer
    Aug 23, 2014
    7
    + good story with a nice twist in the end
    + combat is interesting though it's not much different from a Devil May Cry
    + gothic dark scenery and environment with good graphics. - lots of gaps and unexplained random events in the story - less than desired combat opportunities. - many potential game mechanics that are never given the opportunity to be explored freely and creatively. -    + good story with a nice twist in the end
    + combat is interesting though it's not much different from a Devil May Cry
    + gothic dark scenery and environment with good graphics.

    - lots of gaps and unexplained random events in the story
    - less than desired combat opportunities.
    - many potential game mechanics that are never given the opportunity to be explored freely and creatively.
    - too linear in progression.    … Expand
  24. Lsbronzatto
    Dec 13, 2014
    9
    Except for the stealth parts - which are garbage - this is a fun and well made game. Art is quite beautiful and you feel like playing it until the end if you have the willpower to handle the 4 boring initial hours, where most of the stealth boring stuff is introduced. And what I like most is how they have connected the areas in the game: It quite clear for you after a while how you willExcept for the stealth parts - which are garbage - this is a fun and well made game. Art is quite beautiful and you feel like playing it until the end if you have the willpower to handle the 4 boring initial hours, where most of the stealth boring stuff is introduced. And what I like most is how they have connected the areas in the game: It quite clear for you after a while how you will trigger the load of a new area but when you see things moving on screen (like gears close to a door) you have a feeling that a mechanism is really working and everything is connected. And you see these connections everywhere.… Expand
  25. HoverReid
    Dec 16, 2014
    10
    Besides the stealth part, everything in this game is really good!
    It has everything that I would like in a game.
    -Amazing story
    -Amazing soundtrack
    -Really good combat
    -Very well designed main character
    -The graphics are outstanding!
    You also get to see thing as Dracula in one aspect!
  26. cadash06
    May 25, 2015
    10
    If you played the first game, then you must play this one, great story, great characters, great boss battles, The return of memorable characters worshipped by many, and Gabriel's struggle with his human side it's amazing, this is one of my favorite games on ps3.
  27. edwartexe
    Mar 11, 2015
    8
    this game improves the gameplay significantly. the magic is now more volatile, you gain mp frequently and there's now more active uses for it both in combat and in parkour-plataforming. the story is now more focused on gabriel's personal quest, rather than saving the world gabriel is more interested in saving himself and his son. the designs at the beggining are lacking but later on itthis game improves the gameplay significantly. the magic is now more volatile, you gain mp frequently and there's now more active uses for it both in combat and in parkour-plataforming. the story is now more focused on gabriel's personal quest, rather than saving the world gabriel is more interested in saving himself and his son. the designs at the beggining are lacking but later on it proves to have great enemy and level design, both the city and the castle are amazing places to walk around. great sequel to a great game… Expand
  28. dante12309s
    Feb 21, 2022
    10
    The story contained in the LoS2 (Lords of Shadow) is masterfullly written, much like the gampley is fitting to the game's setting and the main stroy

    It is a masterpiece

    Cannot wait for LoS3
  29. Termin8ter
    Feb 13, 2016
    4
    I am deeply disappointed with Konami at the moment, They sell off Metal Gear Solid V Ground Zeroes as a complete package, but it turns out to be an overpriced demo. Then they cancelled Silent Hills, which could have been one of the greatest horror games of all time. Now they're firing Kojima, but forcing him to finish Phantom Pain first. Anyway, back to this review, Castlevania, LOS2 is aI am deeply disappointed with Konami at the moment, They sell off Metal Gear Solid V Ground Zeroes as a complete package, but it turns out to be an overpriced demo. Then they cancelled Silent Hills, which could have been one of the greatest horror games of all time. Now they're firing Kojima, but forcing him to finish Phantom Pain first. Anyway, back to this review, Castlevania, LOS2 is a very big disappointment compared to LoS 1. The combat is excellent, and the graphics are pretty too, but that doesn't make up for this game's many flaws. There is lots of completely unnecessary stealth sections where Dracula turns into a rat, hiding from enemies, trying to be some sort of Solid Rat. There is also a frustrating and unnecessary open world setup, which is very hard to traverse. The story is boring and uninteresting too. Konami has f@#ked up, as per usual. Don't buy this unfinished mess, wait for Phantom Pain to come out and buy that.… Expand
  30. akino3
    May 8, 2015
    8
    This is classic Castlevania action. Exploration, secrets, boss battles, character progress and specifically for this game, exceptional graphics surrounding an exciting story.

    Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2 is an open world hack'n slash game where you play the role of Count Dracula. After a long sleep, you are trying to regain your former strength and defeat Satan and his minions. The    This is classic Castlevania action. Exploration, secrets, boss battles, character progress and specifically for this game, exceptional graphics surrounding an exciting story.

    Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2 is an open world hack'n slash game where you play the role of Count Dracula. After a long sleep, you are trying to regain your former strength and defeat Satan and his minions.

    The things I like about this game are:
    - Graphics: Absolutely breathtaking
    - Setting: The castle is enormous and the word gothic fits it well.
    - Combat: Delve into a battle aggressively and it will probably be a quick death for you (talking about the hardest difficulty). The game makes you force yourself not to hit all the buttons like a maniac but fight smarter instead.

    The things I don't like are:
    - Dracula wandering in a basement car park? No I don't think it is a good idea.
    - Dracula can transform into a rat pack but not into a bat? Come on!
    - Sometimes checkpoints are too far apart and everything you did, you have to do again.
    - Boss battles are great, but continuing from the midst of a battle really takes the fun away. Just should have restarted the battle.

    The nice-to-have's are:
    - I wish there was more depth to the Castlevania games, just like the From Software series like Bloodborne or Dark Souls.

    All in all, this is a wonderful next-gen Castlevania game and a time-devourer. Experience it, if not for you are a Castlevania fan, but for you enjoy cinematic story-telling.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

49
#49 Best PS3 Game of 2014
4
#4 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2014
7
#7 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
63

Mixed or average reviews - based on 55 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 55
  3. Negative: 8 out of 55
  1. Gaming Nexus
    Apr 18, 2014
    74
    Konami's newest Castlevania sequel is marred by repetitive gameplay, terrible stealth missions and an uninteresting story that overstays its welcome
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  2. Impulsegamer
    Mar 23, 2014
    90
    Castlevania Lords of Shadow is a must play game on the PlayStation 3 that really draws you in from the start to give you a spectacular journey of good versus evil in this beautifully presented sequel.
    Read full review
  3. Level7.nu
    Mar 21, 2014
    50
    Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 mixes elements from popular games without really understanding how the pieces must be assembled. The result is a tedious and sloppy game that most feels like something that the developer Mercury Team wanted to get over with. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 lacks even the ambitious driven from its predecessor. It's not a bad game, but not worth playing.
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