Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

 Xbox 360
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 70 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 62 out of 70
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 70
  3. Negative: 0 out of 70
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  1. Level7.nu
    70
    It's a rough game with room for improvement. The control and the camera are a bit crappy and Gabriel, the main character, is really boring. The graphics on the other hand are fantastic, the story is great and there is a lot of variation in the levels, characters and monsters.
  2. Gamestyle
    70
    Length and audio issues aside, this is a solid re-imagining of one of gaming's most iconic series, and far and away the best 3D Castlevania game ever made.
  3. Metro GameCentral
    70
    It's rare to criticise a game for being too long, but some judicious editing could have turned this long-needed reboot into a real God Of War beater.
  5. Gameplanet
    70
    Like Mary Shelley's gothic creation, you'll come to discover that Lords of Shadow is no monster, even if its ubiquitous quick-time events will occasionally see you reaching for your pitchfork.
  6. GamerNode
    Oct 25, 2010
    60
    Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a great amalgamation of the genres and games it combines. It makes sure they all come together effortlessly, but it never really owns the gameplay it borrows. It's a fun game, but not a revolution.
  7. GamePro
    60
    That said, Lords of Shadow, when weighed against both the Castlevania legacy and the games it tries so hard to emulate, doesn't add up.
  8. The A.V. Club
    58
    One of the core joys of better Castlevania games is the moment where you finally reach a spot that's been out of reach for hours. There's some semblance of that here, but it just isn't the same. That sentiment permeates Lords. Its aggregate reflections of half a dozen better games isn't bad, but neither is it inspired enough to establish Castlevania in three dimensions.
  9. Destructoid
    50
    It's simply a second-rate title that might have been good a decade ago, but doesn't need to exist in this day and age.

Awards & Rankings

37
#37 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2010
32
#32 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2010
25
#25 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2010

User Reviews

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User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 296 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 218 out of 296
  2. Mixed: 49 out of 296
  3. Negative: 29 out of 296
  1. Robo-Ky
    Oct 5, 2010
    10
    10.0

    Castlevania Lords of Shadow is a game which takes you in an amazing adventure, over 20+ hours, taking some elements from great    10.0

    Castlevania Lords of Shadow is a game which takes you in an amazing adventure, over 20+ hours, taking some elements from great franchises such as Shadow of the Colosus, God of War, Devil May Cry, etc.

    But the most important fact that you can expect from this Castlevania is that reminds you 100% at the old school games that make this saga be one of the most popular franchises. Starting from Castlevania roots, the classic series, this masterpiece its a must have. Castlevania Lords of Shadow is without doubt, one of the best games this year.    … Full Review »
  2. Sandrick
    Oct 12, 2010
    10
    I absolutely love this game. It builds upon the story and tension beautifully by weaving elements of many of today's best blockbuster gamesI absolutely love this game. It builds upon the story and tension beautifully by weaving elements of many of today's best blockbuster games into the age old tapestry that is Castlevania mythos. At first, I was a little dismayed that it didn't "feel" like that old Castlevania that I was used to, but this is EXACTLY what the franchise needed. Let's face it, the Symphony of the Night clones on the DS were not breaking any new ground and the other recent forays into 3d Castlevania have been pretty sub-par. As a die hard old school Castlevania fan, even I had to admit... Castlevania had gotten stale.

    This game blew me away. Not only does it continually build up towards an amazing ending, but you truly feel like you are on a journey. It is a very atmospheric and gorgeous game to look at and I absolutely could not get enough of it. I can't wait to play through those long 20 hours again. Besides the story, the game play is spot on and the replay value is high. I simply cannot recommend this title enough. When you start playing it, please get through at least 4 or 5 hours before rating it. It only gets better and is full of surprises from beginning to end.    … Full Review »
  3. Hierophantasm
    Oct 5, 2010
    10
    I was pretty confident this game would astound me with such a wonderful pedigree of talent behind it, and I was not disappointed. What I wasI was pretty confident this game would astound me with such a wonderful pedigree of talent behind it, and I was not disappointed. What I was disappointed in were the reviews by Gamepro, IGN, Gamespot, and 1UP, which cited elements of the game as weaknesses, when in the context of the game, are often strengths. Why fixed camera angles? Simple--to create tension and keep your player focused rather than disoriented. Is it like God of War? In the same way God of War was like Onimusha. "Not a Castlevania game?" Gee, oodles of gothic monsters is Transylvanian-esque settings, loads of intense boss fights, and lots more make this argument pretty weak. This game masterfully weaves dynamic narrative with tense, fast-paced gameplay to create a blockbuster experience. For anyone looking for an exceptional action game with massive replay value and AAA-production values, you would be hard pressed to find better than Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.… Full Review »
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