Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 271 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 198 out of 271
  2. Mixed: 34 out of 271
  3. Negative: 39 out of 271
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  1. Whoami
    Mar 11, 2014
    6
    Game was ok, not as good as the first one... Frankly I'm sick of this over the top melodramatic twighlight story....I guess maybe because there was no real good twist in this game, like the first one... This game lacks..... good graphics though, but wayyy too over the top with this dramatic crap that feels like a womans game.. And I feel like I have a vagina while playing it..Wish I didGame was ok, not as good as the first one... Frankly I'm sick of this over the top melodramatic twighlight story....I guess maybe because there was no real good twist in this game, like the first one... This game lacks..... good graphics though, but wayyy too over the top with this dramatic crap that feels like a womans game.. And I feel like I have a vagina while playing it..Wish I did have a vagina, id play with that instead...… Expand
  2. Cturcott
    Feb 25, 2014
    6
    God of war-vania. If that's what you want, great. Me, I'm a Castlevania fan so I'm rating accordingly. Additionally, the camera made me motion sick in a few parts, and the textures are very low res and "last gen" looking so it's only somewhat pretty with already dated visuals.
  3. baldy
    Feb 25, 2014
    5
    The first lords of shadow is remembered as a commendable achievement from a relatively small team working to a comparatively tight budget. it's sequel, by contrast, cannot disguise the resources with which it was made. lords of shadow 2 is clunky, ugly and deeply misguided. it's a game that sees the lord of the damned as a vehicle for rat-powered linear stealth, and that takes a futureThe first lords of shadow is remembered as a commendable achievement from a relatively small team working to a comparatively tight budget. it's sequel, by contrast, cannot disguise the resources with which it was made. lords of shadow 2 is clunky, ugly and deeply misguided. it's a game that sees the lord of the damned as a vehicle for rat-powered linear stealth, and that takes a future gothic-london setting and then sets the action in tower blocks and sewers. mercury steam says this will be the final game in the lords of shadow saga, and on the evidence of the cluttered, bloated and forgettable mess repetitive dialogue when fighting, it's just as well."… Expand
  4. paddystudmuffin
    Mar 12, 2014
    7
    This game is decent but far from epic. Game can get pretty boring at points and the graphics are really hit and miss. At certain points it like last gen graphics then sometimes it does look pretty good. There's just something missing with this release. Unlike the first game there are very few interesting enemy types and some of the locations are drab. As I say it definitely worthThis game is decent but far from epic. Game can get pretty boring at points and the graphics are really hit and miss. At certain points it like last gen graphics then sometimes it does look pretty good. There's just something missing with this release. Unlike the first game there are very few interesting enemy types and some of the locations are drab. As I say it definitely worth playing but it's not one to keep for your collection unlike the first LOS which was a solid 9. Pity.… Expand
  5. JohnWitten
    Mar 16, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. [Condensed]

    Concept: Wail on and on about being cursed with immortality, and ultimately flail and rail about the nostalgic older days (Lords of Shadow 1) and sound like Napoleon's uncle Rico dreaming about his old football days in Napoleon Dynamite. That is still a better story than Lords of Shadow 2's botched one.

    Graphics: Some environments, main characters, and bosses look excellent, but the rest of the characters and enemies and modern day setting really bring everything back down, so ultimately the graphics are average for the majority of the experience. There are some definite highlights, and there are some definite low points as well.

    Sound: There are plenty of references in dialogue to older Castlevania games, which is some neat fan service, but no amount of fan service can save the mostly cheesy dialogue and conversations. Understandably, the voice acting itself is great as is the soundtrack, but sometimes the experience is brought down by focusing on stupid things and really running with them.

    Playability: The combat is a blast though it can come down to trial and error at times when facing bosses. However, the stealth segments are laughably bad and strip you of all your powers- which makes no sense and makes for a terrible experience as well. So on the whole playability balances out, with one terrible part and one good part vying for control during the experience. Thankfully combat is more dominant and frequent than stealth segments at the least.

    Entertainment: Whereas the first game was really fun, this is a poorly realized sequel, and just when things were really heating up as well. It's a shame truly that it came out this way, and not like other great sequels such as the recently released Dark Souls 2 which is actually as good or better than its predecessor.

    Replay Value: Moderately Low.

    Overall Score: 7.0    … Expand
  6. Killigraphy
    Feb 28, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Remember when games paid homage to the games before it in the same genre? Or when it was okay to have decent graphics so much as the gameplay and story was good? Lords of Shadow 2 will help you remember, but it won't help you stop asking for more of those "glory" days...

    A warning to those reading, this review will be objective, I know many out there aren't used to that, especially on Metacritic, but I like to take the time and effort in doing so, because somewhere, someone is going to read this, and because of that, I will try to talk about the game as a supporter of the series and more so as an avid gamer. Don't get me wrong, no one game is perfect, EVERY game has its flaws, but amongst the rubble we're all used to salvaging, there's always a diamond in the rough.

    By now if you've followed the series you know two things; Gabriel is Dracula, and Patrick Stewart (that's right Professor X) has been voice acting for a while now. And with that, comes a familiar road the player must take. From climbing atop bosses to dodging and parrying blows from the onslaught of grotesque demons. So in a sense you've traveled these fair parts and know your way around a castle or two, but the truth is, CLOS2 is here to deliver, and it does so, even if you may not like the package.

    Lords of Shadow 2 decides to deviate from the hack and slash ever so gently, and introduces a very linear but passable stealth mechanic. And at times, it just feels like the prince of darkness would be better off bludgeoning a baddie with his/her arm till the "magic door" opens...and while that may be what some preferred, I enjoyed the idea of turning into a rat and maneuvering through the ducts and grates, just to chew wire or collect an orb or two, call me a sucker for creature possession, but ever since Dishonored had you doing it on the regular, I was officially a member of that club.

    The stealth segments are quick and offer no real variety, its really just a "point A to point B" scenario which segways into a boss room or event. Is this bad? No, is this good? well that depends. While its certainly not horrendous that a game tries to be flexible within context (it is Dracula after all, I expect him to creep and skulk), we're never really given a heads up on why the game needed to be stealthy, in fact, most if not all Hack n Slash titles will never even dream of adding a stealth portion to the game, it just wouldn't make "sense". And for me it didn't, I was playing with THE vampire, albeit a weaker version, its still the most known undead being since the Mummy.

    A lot of the game expects the player to suspend disbelief while a lot of the platforming goes on, because you'll always find yourself saying "I'm pretty sure the Father of Fang, didn't need help with that", but the truth is, you're playing with "Gabriel" as much as you're playing with Dracula. If you can accept that, then you can have some fun with the title.

    The soundtrack and level designs are beautiful, very reminiscent of SoTN, I found myself stopping and enjoying the way Gabe looked in contrast to the background. It truly is a beautiful game to look at, and yes, even to play. As I wrote before, you are playing as Dracula somewhat, and when you're running through enemies, it sure as hell feels like it. The only reason I can see them putting on limit on magic/Chaos use, is because you would be tearing through everything like butter if they didn't. As always the combos are easy to remember and easy to pull off. It's a very simple yet rewarding system.

    Now there was some belief that CLOS2 doesn't take place in a castle, and that's one third true, from time to time, you will be teleported on to the streets to do some "cleaning" but again, its merely to move the plot along and you will find yourself back inside the keep rather quickly

    Now the enemies are your typical lot; you have your general fodder, the shield carriers, the ones with projectiles, and of course what's a hack n slash without some harpies, honestly, if you were expecting anything different in this day and age, you're new to the genre. Now while these demi spawn are fun to watch die, they just aren't all that much to boast about, and really, I don't think a game needs 1000 different enemy types, that would be ridiculous, CLoS2 knows what it has and it gives you the right enemy at the right time.

    Lastly, Lords of Shadow 2 isn't anything we haven't already seen, and in that sense its like an old friend, telling a few new stories, we welcome it, because its presented beautifully and deliberately. A few things hold the title from being an 8 or 9 for me, and that was the surprise stealth and lack of any original use for it, in that aspect, I felt it was "borrowing" too much from other games. Castlevania needs to be its own monster, not an amalgamation of several "greatest hits".    … Expand
  7. burtondman
    Mar 11, 2014
    7
    While the Mercury Steam reboot of Castlevania was not an instant classic, it ventured into new territory for the iconic series, delivering excellent yet familiar battle mechanics, good graphics, and an intriguing storyline with a twist very few saw coming. With LOS 2, Mercury Steam unfortunately stumbles but still delivers an enjoyable experience hindered by a few bothersome details thatWhile the Mercury Steam reboot of Castlevania was not an instant classic, it ventured into new territory for the iconic series, delivering excellent yet familiar battle mechanics, good graphics, and an intriguing storyline with a twist very few saw coming. With LOS 2, Mercury Steam unfortunately stumbles but still delivers an enjoyable experience hindered by a few bothersome details that my turn away some players.
    Dracula, being awakened in modern times, is approached by Zobek to assist him in the defeat of Satan once and for all. While seemingly straightforward at first, the game actually consists of the main plot and a secondary storyline consisting of a much more interesting perspective focusing on Dracula. While the story does cross the line into cheesy territory from time to time, I still enjoyed it immensely, though it certainly can be a little heavy handed with sentiment and storytelling aspects. I do commend it for being the first Castlevania game that not only allows you to play as the Prince of Darkness but also explores what makes him who he is, which I found to be very rewarding. These narrative paths jump between the past and the present as you move between Dracula’s infamous castle and the city that is now built upon the fabled dark estate.
    LOS 2 does suffer from an obvious inconsistency: exploring Dracula’s sprawling castle is far more enjoyable than the city. In the castle I found myself trying to recall memories of playing the past games; trying to connect the rooms and chambers I now roamed to memories of days gone by. As to why the castle inhabitants are fighting its master, Mercury Steam does a decent job explaining this to the player through lore pages, a feature I liked in both the first game and this one. The look of the castle and its large, expansive pathways made my time there the highlight of my play session. Mercury Steam does an excellent job giving you enough to add a sense of realism, even to a far-fetched fantasy world such as this. Every enemy and character having a backstory was appreciated.
    My time in the city was a different affair. I found it difficult to traverse from a beautiful, gothic and twisted castle of horrors to the mundane trappings and streets of a modern city. The two worlds just do not compliment each other well, with the former being the obviously more enchanting setting. The gameplay mechanics of the two are the same aside from the mildly frustrating stealth gameplay that is used in the city, although I did not find it as irritating as some other reviews I have seen, since these sections are short and were found to be a nice change of pace from the frenetic action of the fighting system, though it was still odd to be holding the reigns of the infamous Count yet reduced to possessing rats and enemies to navigate laboratories and offices. The game is very large, much larger than the first LOS, and it’s made even more so by a lackluster map and traversal system. Each section of the city and castle has map rooms that must be accessed to fast travel from location to location. Several times I found myself forced to explore areas already cleared out simply because there was no more convenient way of moving from one place to another. Couple that with an almost non existent map of the world, and you have a recipe for wasteful backtracking not seen in a recent game in a long time. If you are a completionist gamer, be prepared to spend a lot of time walking through areas you’ve been in before several times in the illusive search for items and secrets, especially ones you have found before and simply couldn’t access due to missing abilities or weapons. The only upside to this is that you have plenty of opportunities to master the games robust and fun fighting system.
    This is where LOS 2 really shines. The combat built in LOS is improved upon in LOS 2, mostly by the implementation of a mastery and upgrade system. You have two choices: upgrade an attack using XP points, or transfer the mastery of attacks into the weapon itself. This reward system gave me a reason to not only perfect my battle prowess but also branch out from my usual bag of tricks and use attacks I most likely wouldn’t have bothered with, a strategy I ultimately liked.
    All in all, while the second Lords of Shadow does not deliver on it’s many expectations, it still holds enough entertainment for any gamer to find it an enjoyable experience, and I would recommend it to any of my gaming friends. The combat combined with the pristine landscapes of the game and interesting, albeit somewhat overburdened and odd main storyline make for an entertaining experience overall.    … Expand
  8. Murphmeister
    Mar 21, 2014
    6
    I like it, kind a cool. Well executed from the story side but honestly I thought the ending could have been better. I won't spoil it for you though!!!
  9. Stevesitz
    Dec 15, 2014
    6
    A good stand alone game, but a very very disappointing sequel. Lords of Shadow will always be one of the best Castlevania games, and one of the most playable overall games. I think where LOS2 failed is the mixing of the old and new. This game felt more like the reboot of Devil May Cry (DMC) than it did an open-world Castlevania title. The play mechanics are fun, and it feels good toA good stand alone game, but a very very disappointing sequel. Lords of Shadow will always be one of the best Castlevania games, and one of the most playable overall games. I think where LOS2 failed is the mixing of the old and new. This game felt more like the reboot of Devil May Cry (DMC) than it did an open-world Castlevania title. The play mechanics are fun, and it feels good to upgrade your character as you progress through the story, but once you see that you are working against an evil corporation that is run by evil, it just feels corny. The characters and 'God of War' style game play is fun and strong but the story nearly stops the game in it's tracks. As a fan, this is a disappointing game to end the story of the previous game which easily had the most jaw dropping conclusion I've seen. If you are a fan of the DMC reboot you may like this, but I can say that most Castlevania fans may be completely unimpressed.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

26
#26 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2014
8
#8 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2014
17
#17 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. MondoXbox
    Mar 10, 2014
    70
    A controversial title, not fully doing justice to the excellent work MercurySteam put in the first game. It sports a very good combat system but stumbles on boring stealth and platforming sessions, with too many cutscene interruptions. However fans of the series will love playing as Dracula and going deeper in the Belmont family story.
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  2. The Digital Fix
    Feb 28, 2014
    60
    If this Dracula seeks eternal rest then as much as we’d love to see him stay alive for one more adventure, perhaps it’s about time a stake was put through his heart.
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  3. Eurogamer Germany
    Feb 27, 2014
    70
    The problem is, the last game did everything much better. I don't think I have ever played a sequel that made me wonder more if the people behind it were fully sure why they did it. In a way, it's no small feat and a testimony to Mercury Steam's considerable talent that they still managed to make this an enjoyable experience.
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