Today we are going to
talk about Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, because lent is over and I can
play video games again. It has been glorious and wonderful. For the
record, I am never doing that again. But enough on that, this is
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – the early impressions.
I am still currently working on this game, hence the early impressions. However, I would like to discuss comparisons this game has with the rest of the series. Allow me to give a rundown of the Castlevania series real quick. Back in the last 80s, the first Castlevania game was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was a linear platforming game that put players in the role of monster hunter, Simon Belmont. He was armed with a monster killing whip and collected a variety of sub-weapons for aid including but not limited to boomerang crosses and holy water. The game would have you travel through the castle destroying monsters along the way and upgrading your whip and weapons to be more effective in your battles. All the monsters came out of the old horror movies as well as Greek mythologies. It was quite unique and fun. It was also challenging like no other. It wasn’t long before a sequel came out that tried to be a bit different. It opted for a more non-linear approach with some rpg elements. However, it was a disappointment due to impossibly challenging puzzles, crap bosses and annoying night and day system that constantly interrupted gameplay. When the third game was released, it returned to the more familiar style of the first game with some additions such as a different path system through the castle and extra playable characters to solve fun puzzles in addition to the platforming. It was also challenging, but fun.
As video games progressed, the series decided to take a decidedly different turn as well. This time the changes were much more received in Symphony of the Night for the Playstation 1. Instead of a linear platformer, the developers went with a Metroid style of gameplay. The Metroid series puts the player in a planet or space station and gives them complete control to explore the world without cutscenes or interruptions. They are completely nonlinear with some areas being inaccessible until the right powerups are found, giving the game an overall defining sense of exploration. Castlevania went that route where players could explore the castles with only some areas being unreachable until you powered up. The other addition was the leveling up system. Now the characters had stats, weapons and clothing items they could equip which could alter the strength and agility. This type of gameplay would be referred to as Metroidvania. It was a gameplay system that the rest of the series would adopt from this point on.
Until now.
Castlevania Lords of Shadow is a reboot to the established series, doing away with all the convoluted storylines and chronologies. The gameplay altered as well with some fans complaining it is nothing like Castlevania. But is that really true?
One thing the game does do away with is the non-linearity. The game now has scripted levels that need to be beaten to advance further. You know, like a classic video game. Almost like the first in the series? Oh sure, you can return to the previously beaten levels with newfound skills you acquire later on, such as upgrading the whip…kind of like in the first game where you can also upgrade your whip?
You also have sub-weapons such as throwing daggers. Hey, the first game had those as well. You fight monsters such as werewolves and vampires and all kinds of supernatural beasts. Wasn’t that what the first game was about anyway?
Okay, okay, so this is what I see. The original Castlevania was a linear whip-wielding action platformer complete with subweapons and monsters. Castlevania Lords of Shadow is a linear whip-wielding action platformer complete with subweapons and monsters. Nothing like Castlevania, huh? Whatever. The creators claimed they wanted to return to the roots of the original game with this reboot and I can see that. I get the familiar sense of the original with this game despite the rest of the changes. If anything, it’s like a mish mash of the old games and the newer ones. Like the Metroidvania series, there are permanent upgrades you get for your weapons as the levels go on. You can also return to previously beaten levels to unlock hidden paths and obtain hidden items with your upgrades. But it’s more mainstream as a casual game unlike the more stat-heavy rpg elements the later games had.
The biggest difference from both game series that I see is the combat. In this game, the combat is more of a button mashing, combo chaining system than previously seen in the series. That does make it feel a little like other games such as God of War. There are also moments where you have to partake in quicktime events where the game directs you to time your button presses just right for finishing moves. In some cases, this is similar to fighting games. These are some big differences, however, I think they are welcome changes.
My first impressions are that I enjoy this game so far. It has its own problems, sure. But I like it. It is a lot of fun to play and it has enough differences in each level to keep it fresh and interesting from titanic boss battles to regular monster smashing action. There are puzzles that need to be solved as well and upgrades to buy from a point system that can be increased based your skills. All in all, it is a fun game that remembers how Castlevania got its start whilst trying something new. I give it a thumbs up.
I am still currently working on this game, hence the early impressions. However, I would like to discuss comparisons this game has with the rest of the series. Allow me to give a rundown of the Castlevania series real quick. Back in the last 80s, the first Castlevania game was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was a linear platforming game that put players in the role of monster hunter, Simon Belmont. He was armed with a monster killing whip and collected a variety of sub-weapons for aid including but not limited to boomerang crosses and holy water. The game would have you travel through the castle destroying monsters along the way and upgrading your whip and weapons to be more effective in your battles. All the monsters came out of the old horror movies as well as Greek mythologies. It was quite unique and fun. It was also challenging like no other. It wasn’t long before a sequel came out that tried to be a bit different. It opted for a more non-linear approach with some rpg elements. However, it was a disappointment due to impossibly challenging puzzles, crap bosses and annoying night and day system that constantly interrupted gameplay. When the third game was released, it returned to the more familiar style of the first game with some additions such as a different path system through the castle and extra playable characters to solve fun puzzles in addition to the platforming. It was also challenging, but fun.
As video games progressed, the series decided to take a decidedly different turn as well. This time the changes were much more received in Symphony of the Night for the Playstation 1. Instead of a linear platformer, the developers went with a Metroid style of gameplay. The Metroid series puts the player in a planet or space station and gives them complete control to explore the world without cutscenes or interruptions. They are completely nonlinear with some areas being inaccessible until the right powerups are found, giving the game an overall defining sense of exploration. Castlevania went that route where players could explore the castles with only some areas being unreachable until you powered up. The other addition was the leveling up system. Now the characters had stats, weapons and clothing items they could equip which could alter the strength and agility. This type of gameplay would be referred to as Metroidvania. It was a gameplay system that the rest of the series would adopt from this point on.
Until now.
Castlevania Lords of Shadow is a reboot to the established series, doing away with all the convoluted storylines and chronologies. The gameplay altered as well with some fans complaining it is nothing like Castlevania. But is that really true?
One thing the game does do away with is the non-linearity. The game now has scripted levels that need to be beaten to advance further. You know, like a classic video game. Almost like the first in the series? Oh sure, you can return to the previously beaten levels with newfound skills you acquire later on, such as upgrading the whip…kind of like in the first game where you can also upgrade your whip?
You also have sub-weapons such as throwing daggers. Hey, the first game had those as well. You fight monsters such as werewolves and vampires and all kinds of supernatural beasts. Wasn’t that what the first game was about anyway?
Okay, okay, so this is what I see. The original Castlevania was a linear whip-wielding action platformer complete with subweapons and monsters. Castlevania Lords of Shadow is a linear whip-wielding action platformer complete with subweapons and monsters. Nothing like Castlevania, huh? Whatever. The creators claimed they wanted to return to the roots of the original game with this reboot and I can see that. I get the familiar sense of the original with this game despite the rest of the changes. If anything, it’s like a mish mash of the old games and the newer ones. Like the Metroidvania series, there are permanent upgrades you get for your weapons as the levels go on. You can also return to previously beaten levels to unlock hidden paths and obtain hidden items with your upgrades. But it’s more mainstream as a casual game unlike the more stat-heavy rpg elements the later games had.
The biggest difference from both game series that I see is the combat. In this game, the combat is more of a button mashing, combo chaining system than previously seen in the series. That does make it feel a little like other games such as God of War. There are also moments where you have to partake in quicktime events where the game directs you to time your button presses just right for finishing moves. In some cases, this is similar to fighting games. These are some big differences, however, I think they are welcome changes.
My first impressions are that I enjoy this game so far. It has its own problems, sure. But I like it. It is a lot of fun to play and it has enough differences in each level to keep it fresh and interesting from titanic boss battles to regular monster smashing action. There are puzzles that need to be solved as well and upgrades to buy from a point system that can be increased based your skills. All in all, it is a fun game that remembers how Castlevania got its start whilst trying something new. I give it a thumbs up.
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