Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD

 Xbox 360
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. Gaming Age
    Nov 14, 2013
    83
    Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD is a fun ride and will take you some time to play through. It also looks good, especially for being a port of a Nintendo 3DS handheld title and will provide fans with more of the Belmont history than you could find on Ancestry.com.
  2. Meristation
    Nov 13, 2013
    80
    Mirror of Fate HD offers a special and cheap opportunity to discover what happened in Dracula's Castle years ago. This is the same game released on Nintendo 3DS in terms of contents with some visual improvements. Don't expect a full HD-redesigned experience.
  3. GameSpot
    Oct 31, 2013
    80
    Mirror of Fate on the 3DS may not have been the side-scrolling, vampire-hunting adventure that we all hoped it would be, but with its heightened presentation and revamped mechanics, Mirror of Fate HD is a big step in the right direction.
  5. 4P.de
    Nov 4, 2013
    76
    Solid conversion of the 3DS vampire hunt. Unfortunately you won’t get any new content nor improvements in any form.
  6. NZGamer
    Jan 15, 2014
    75
    This is the best version of the game, without a doubt, but it’s the best version of a game that is still, at it’s core, good without ever crossing the threshold into great.
  7. Official Xbox Magazine
    Dec 5, 2013
    75
    Still, this is a smartly executed return to the kind of gameplay that made Castlevania great, and we'd love to see it grow into something more. [Jan 2014, p.85]
  8. ZTGD
    Nov 8, 2013
    75
    If you have already been down this road, there is really nothing here to warrant a second play, however if you haven’t played the second entry in the Lords of Shadow narrative, this is the one to get.
  9. DarkZero
    Jan 22, 2014
    70
    The game is worth a prod though because the feeling can’t be matched. It’s a classic game, with most of the best elements, tossed into a nifty hitch of a game ported over from the DS.
  10. CD-Action
    Jan 10, 2014
    70
    It’s not the best Castlevania game ever, but for a digitally distributed minor title it’s really decent. And the visuals are surprisingly good for a game initially created for the 3DS. [01/2014, p.62]
    All this publication's reviews
  11. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Dec 18, 2013
    70
    There's a touch of imprecision that can make platforming a little on the sluggish side. [Christmas 2013, p.105]
    All this publication's reviews
  12. GameOver.gr
    Nov 9, 2013
    70
    The experience here is exactly the same as the one from the 3DS edition -which is good- and the story is essential for those who wish to follow the lore from the Lords of Shadow franchise.
  13. Eurogamer Italy
    Nov 5, 2013
    70
    A good graphic lifting that hides a lazy porting of the original 3DS game.
  14. Gamestyle
    Nov 3, 2013
    70
    Overall, this is a game that will likely divide Castlevania fans. It’s still that a dark and forbidding fairy tale told that worked so well on the 3DS. It doesn’t quite fit as well here but it does manage to create some of the same atmospheric, dark and brutal adventure and if more people get a chance to experience it then that can only be a good thing. Its home is clearly on the 3DS though.
  15. Gameblog.fr
    Oct 29, 2013
    70
    Anyone who expects Lords of Shadow 2 and would like to know more about the mythology developed by Mercury Steam has to go through this title. If the 3DS version has not already landed in your hands, you can rely on this HD port.
  16. Hardcore Gamer
    Oct 28, 2013
    70
    Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD presented MercurySteam with a chance to correct many of the original release’s problems and glaring issues. What we ended up getting was an airlifted port with the only new addition being online leaderboards. Sure, the gameplay is tighter on a controller, but that doesn’t make this lazy port any better than the original release.
  17. InsideGamer.nl
    Nov 13, 2013
    55
    Mirror of Fate got away with its shortcomings on a handheld, but on the big screen it becomes painfully obvious how much it falls short. With exactly the same problems and no additions worth mentioning, Mirror of Fate HD resembles a toothless vampire: harmless and worthy of the name Dracula.

Awards & Rankings

73
#73 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2013

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 32 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 32
  3. Negative: 6 out of 32
  1. neomoonsevin
    Nov 19, 2022
    3
    Rubbish Konami did the mistake of changing this to the shert side scrolling view its always been in, its not 1986 anymore if this was a 3rdRubbish Konami did the mistake of changing this to the shert side scrolling view its always been in, its not 1986 anymore if this was a 3rd person like its brothers LOS1 and 2 then it would of got a marvelous 10 but no im give this a 3. apart from the timeline and where this event takes place the rest is bs i hate this and regret my purchase on xbox digital… Full Review »
  2. Awanka
    Dec 10, 2020
    4
    I was a huge fan of the original Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. In fact I would say it's my favorite Castlevania game, even more so thanI was a huge fan of the original Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. In fact I would say it's my favorite Castlevania game, even more so than Symphony of the Night. It had great music, great combat, compelling characters, and a pretty good story.

    This spinoff is a poor pantomime of that game, and is missing all those things that made it great. The story is fairly underwhelming, but does reveal important details about the origins of Trevor, Simon, Alucard, and how they are linked together through Gabriel/Dracula. The game is fairly short, but split between 3 different campaigns as you play through each of the characters. The hit and miss 2D combat is simplified, but still manages to incorporate a rather robust moveset of blocking, evading, parrying, and various special moves such as aerial area-of-effect attacks, and alternating combo attacks. The interplay of combat doesn't feel satisfying against the enemies you face though. There's just something lacking, probably carried over from it originally being a handheld console game.

    The Xbox version also had a bug that kept me from being able to 100% complete the game, which was pretty frustrating. The whole experience feels watered down, and I have to give it a slightly below average rating. I consider the original Lords of Shadow to be a 9/10. This is more like a 4/10.    … Full Review »
  3. Professorfett
    Jul 30, 2018
    7
    Castlevania Mirror of Fate is the answer to all those people who had a problem with Lords of Shadow. Now while I personally love the everCastlevania Mirror of Fate is the answer to all those people who had a problem with Lords of Shadow. Now while I personally love the ever loving **** out of Lords of Shadow a lot of people got their panties in a bunch saying, "well it's not the Castlevania I know and love and I have a ton of sand in my vagina". This is Konami's answer or should I say MercurySteam's answer to those complainers. How? You maybe wondering well sir or madam they made this game in the good ole Metrovania style that everyone including me loves. This game is a 3D-2D plat former if that makes any sense at all. It also is no longer a 3DS game it is now out of the Xbox Live Market Place so all us people who don't own a handheld can now rejoice in the fact we get to play the sequel to Lords of Shadow.

    The plot to this game is one of revenge and well the beginning of the war between the Belmont family and Dracula. You first step in the shoes of Simon Belmont. He was the hero in the first Castlevania game and boy does he look way different than I imagine. Who would've guessed Simon was a ginger? Not this gaming Critic. You play as Simon and it seriously feels like a baby between Castlevania on the NES and Lords of Shadow. Simon doesn't really speak a whole ton but the game picks up in the second and third act when you get to play as Alucard. Alucard is Dracula's son and he is looking out for Simon most of the game, honestly if you can't figure out the secret identity of this character while playing the game I pity you but I also will not spoil it. As Alucard the game picks up because he has a lot more of an interesting goal and more of a backstory. Simon literally is just revenge!!! Alucard is more just coming with the terms he is monster and trying to clean up the mess his father has made. You don't get to see a ton of Dracula in this game but you do fight him so that's a plus in a lot of ways this feels like Symphony of the Night with the certain bosses you fight. The ending was rather cool I almost felt it made up for the lack of story. Sadly kids to get the true ending you have to get 100% and this ending just gives you a bit of closer on the game overall.

    The graphics are well how nice can I put this? **** on toast, that's about as nice as I can put this the only reason why they suck is because this game was originally a 3DS game. Now I'm not saying the handheld looked bad but be in mind it was on a tiny screen. In order to put in on a big screen they should've took a lot more time making it look better. The game is cell shaded or lazy man graphics. Cell Shading has become this thing where if you don't want to have to use the top notch graphics use cell shading so people will give it a pass. I've had it with this graphical style in my video games but I do understand budgets so nothing I can do.

    The sound in this game is generic. The voice acting is bare minimum, so much so I can't fairly judge it. The music wasn't that memorable either the only thing I give credit to would be the creature sounds, but even that is a bunch of rawr and brallabb.

    The gameplay like I said was Metrovania, it's a side scrolling platforming, puzzle based game beat em up. I know one hell of a category that's why we go with Metrovania. This game does have a level up system which I honestly didn't understand what happened when I leveled up. You also find pick up items that increase health and magic, and a side idem like throwing axes or holy water. If what I am explaining sounds like older Castlevania that's because this is a lot like that. The changes are they do have quick time events I know boo. They also have the combat system from Lords of Shadow. It is less God of War like and more like a modern side scroller. I do believe this is the new way we will see Metrovania games or at least I hope so. This game also has a difficulty setting that only Lords of Shadow had if you are new to these games I would say put it on easy it'll be a great way to dip your toe in. While I am not new I needed to fly through it so I put it on easy it was very stress free which I know you arm chair bad-asses can say what you will I honestly don't care. It isn't terribly long of a game, I can see story only clocking in at about 4 hours. Now if you go back an do a new game plus thing and you really explore I can see it being a nice 6-7 hours of gameplay.

    Now 15 dollars for this may seem excessive to some and the die hard fans may already own this. I can't recommend full price for this game unless you like all yes Lords of Shadow and Old style Castlevania games. The new people wait, just wait for Xbox Live to have a sale and get it for like ten dollars find it for a bargain. My overall thoughts and rating of this game is while it's not perfect the game is still ton of fun and very good mix of old and new Castlevania. Many won't like this game as much as I did some even more but I give this a fair rating of 7/10.    … Full Review »
See all user reviews »