Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD Game Cover

About

In Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD, Trevor Belmont, a knight of the Brotherhood of Light, seeks vengeance for his mother's death at the hands of his father, now known as Dracula. Explore Dracula's castle, combat enemies with 30 moves, magic, and secondary weapons, and test your skills in 'Boss Rush' mode. This sequel delves into the Belmonts' history and their fated confrontation with destiny.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD screenshot

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 857 reviews

story152 positive mentions

grinding19 negative mentions

The game features good graphics and excellent sound design, enhancing the overall atmosphere.
The exploration and backtracking elements are reminiscent of classic Metroidvania games, providing a satisfying experience for fans.
The story ties together the events of the Lords of Shadow series, offering interesting character arcs and lore.

The combat feels repetitive and lacks depth, often leading to mindless button mashing.
The game is linear and lacks the expansive exploration found in previous Castlevania titles, making it feel constrained.
The platforming mechanics can be frustrating, with inconsistent controls and fall damage that detracts from the experience.

story
449 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
62%
4%
The story of "Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate" is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its attempts to weave together the narratives of iconic characters like Simon, Trevor, and Alucard while bridging the gap between the first and second Lords of Shadow games. However, critiques often highlight its linearity, predictability, and lack of emotional depth, suggesting that while it offers interesting lore for fans, it may feel shallow or convoluted for newcomers. Overall, the storytelling is seen as competent but not particularly groundbreaking, with some players recommending it primarily for those invested in the series' lore.
- “The story is well-crafted, intertwining the legacy of the Belmonts and their struggles against the forces of darkness.”
- “The game's story has some powerful moments that fans of the series will definitely love.”
- “Mirror of Fate follows the story of three iconic Castlevania characters (Simon, Trevor, Alucard) as they all try to stop Dracula at different points in time.”
- “The story is so lacking and shallow that I wish I had just read plot points on the wiki.”
- “The most hilarious is how the story tries to be really clever with a plot twist and it's painstakingly obvious what it's gonna be well before you're halfway there.”
- “The story is almost non-existent.”
gameplay
225 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
64%
8%
The gameplay of "Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD" is a blend of classic metroidvania elements and modern mechanics, featuring character-switching and exploration that harkens back to earlier titles in the series. While many players appreciate the nostalgic visuals and engaging combat, some criticize the repetitive nature of combat, clunky controls, and a lack of depth in character differentiation. Overall, the game offers a solid experience for fans of the franchise, though it may not meet the expectations set by its predecessors.
- “The game beautifully combines classic elements of the franchise while infusing it with fresh mechanics and visuals, making it a worthy addition to the series.”
- “Switching between characters, each with unique abilities and gameplay styles, keeps the experience fresh and engaging.”
- “The gameplay is a mix between platforming and hack'n'slashing like in the previous game.”
- “The game tries to return to the classic Castlevania in terms of gameplay, but it falls flat and is just not fun at all.”
- “The gameplay is basic and mindless: timed blocks and other feints are useless, you just button mash your enemies into oblivion.”
- “The gameplay is awful.”
graphics
205 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
53%
7%
The graphics of "Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD" receive mixed reviews, with many praising the remastered HD visuals and artistic design, particularly in cutscenes, while others criticize the dated appearance stemming from its origins as a 3DS title. Some players appreciate the gothic aesthetic and detailed backgrounds, but note that the overall graphical fidelity feels subpar compared to modern standards. Despite these criticisms, the game's art style and atmospheric presentation are often highlighted as strong points, contributing to an enjoyable experience.
- “The remastered HD graphics are simply stunning.”
- “The graphics beautifully combine classic elements of the franchise while infusing it with fresh mechanics and visuals, making it a worthy addition to the series.”
- “The graphics are killer, the controls are smooth, and the cinematics are awesome with unique animation that enhances the dark gothic atmosphere and storyline.”
- “Starting with graphics, the game looks ugly.”
- “The graphics and animations are horrible due to it being a DS port.”
- “It's a port of a handheld, so the graphics are terrible.”
music
159 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
50%
8%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its atmospheric and haunting qualities that complement the game's setting, while others find it bland, repetitive, and forgettable compared to previous entries in the Castlevania series. Many players appreciate the orchestral score and its ability to enhance the mood, but express disappointment over the lack of memorable tracks and the absence of iconic themes from earlier games. Overall, while the soundtrack is seen as fitting for the game's tone, it fails to leave a lasting impression for a significant number of players.
- “And, as always, the soundtrack delivers, setting the perfect mood.”
- “The musical score is hauntingly beautiful, perfectly complementing the atmosphere of the game.”
- “The music is fantastic, adding a lot to the atmosphere of Dracula's castle.”
- “Like the original Lords of Shadow, this game's OST is boring, bland, and ultimately forgettable.”
- “The music is so dull it may as well not exist.”
- “My main complaint is that the music is a slow, dull, repetitive set of maybe two or three songs; the music in the Lords of Shadow series just doesn't compare to previous Castlevania games and Mirror of Fate takes the cake for the most boring soundtrack.”
atmosphere
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
27%
7%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its rich gothic essence, detailed character models, and immersive environments that evoke a hauntingly beautiful ambiance. The musical score, while varied in tempo, enhances the eerie and moody setting, contributing significantly to the overall experience. Despite some critiques regarding the pacing and variety of the soundtrack, the game's visuals and sound design effectively capture the dark fantasy elements characteristic of the Castlevania series.
- “The character models and environments are richly detailed, and the atmospheric design truly captures the gothic essence that Castlevania is known for.”
- “The musical score is hauntingly beautiful, perfectly complementing the atmosphere of the game.”
- “Few games managed to conjure the gothic atmosphere and sheer solitude of a moonlit Carpathian castle like Mirror of Fate did.”
- “Remember the opening of Symphony of the Night: the fast-paced gameplay, the lively music, and the atmosphere. What if we remove it and replace it with slow, boring gameplay slower than Act 1? I quit the game.”
- “It also lacks the atmosphere that other Castlevania games have at some points in the game.”
- “Visuals, music, gameplay, even atmosphere felt subpar.”
grinding
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
95%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, with combat often described as slow and lacking impact. Many reviews highlight the excessive backtracking and the feeling of enemies being damage sponges, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the game's atmosphere and story, the grinding and combat mechanics are frequently criticized for being monotonous and unengaging.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Enemies are just sponges and the combat style is slow and tedious.”
- “Overall it is an okay game, I had fun half the time, but half the time I was annoyed by the combat and tedious backtracking.”
- “The combat is largely tedious; they pretty much directly ported the combat for Lords of Shadow into a 2D game, so you have direct attacks that hit a quarter of the screen, and area attacks that do less damage and hit about half of it.”
replayability
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
59%
18%
The game's replayability is mixed, with some players appreciating the inclusion of a boss rush mode and various difficulties that can enhance replay value, while others find it limited after achieving 100% completion. Many users express a desire for additional modifiers or content to encourage further playthroughs, citing a lack of variety and linearity as drawbacks. Overall, the game offers moderate replayability, primarily through collectibles and challenges, but may not sustain long-term interest for all players.
- “For replayability, the game has a boss rush mode, where you face all bosses from the game (QTE-based excluded) and leaderboards.”
- “It also has great replayability with an unlockable boss rush mode and a 100% ending.”
- “Its riddled with secrets and places/objects to collect when you are able to later on, making the replay value high.”
- “Little to no replayability - after getting 100%, there is no point to redo the game, except for the achievements. I would love to see some modifiers like in Blasphemous.”
- “Just too linear, too much sameness, and little replayability.”
- “Has nearly no replay value.”
humor
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
91%
27%
The humor in the game is described as a mix of unintentional comedy and slapstick, with players finding amusement in its awkward cutscenes, poor voice acting, and a convoluted story that tries too hard to be clever. While some aspects, like character dynamics and gameplay, can be entertaining, the overall execution often leads to a humorous yet frustrating experience, leaving players amused by the game's shortcomings rather than its intended narrative depth.
- “The most hilarious is how the story tries to be really clever with a plot twist and it's painstakingly obvious what it's gonna be well before you're halfway there.”
- “I don't mind that much about the laughingly pitiful cutscenes; I do mind how ugly the game looks, but that would be alright if the game didn't play so badly.”
- “The voice acting is in most cases funny instead of being good.”
- “The cutscenes feature horrid dialogues with awkward pauses, making the characters seem like statues. It's just strange, if not outright unfunny.”
- “The attempts at humor fall flat, often feeling forced and lacking any real wit or charm.”
- “Many of the jokes feel outdated and rely on clichés, making it hard to find anything genuinely funny.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its character development and heartfelt story, which resonates deeply with players, often leading to tears during key moments. While the narrative includes impactful cutscenes and relationships, some players feel that certain story elements lack sufficient development for a fully satisfying emotional payoff. Overall, the game successfully combines engaging gameplay with an emotional journey, despite some pacing and voice acting critiques.
- “I will continue playing beyond the end, having shed a tear with Dracula at the very end.”
- “The character development is intriguing, adding emotional weight to the journey.”
- “A fun metroidvania-style hack-and-slash 2.5D platformer that manages to keep a touching narrative, although the voice acting isn't top-notch.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with most users reporting it as functional and not overly buggy. However, some players have experienced significant issues, including crashes and freezing, which can detract from the experience. While the graphics are praised for their clarity, minor glitches do persist.
- “It's not buggy, it's functional.”
- “It's not broken, it's not buggy.”
- “Crappy bugs and glitches make the game unplayable and freeze the PC.”
- “Personally, I'm playing this more because Lords of Shadow 1 is a buggy port, although a fantastic game I'd recommend people check out first.”
- “The graphics are very clean, though with some minor glitches.”
character development
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Character development is noted as intriguing and emotionally impactful, particularly enhanced by the narrative depth provided in "Mirror of Fate." However, the character designs and animations receive mixed reviews, with some criticizing them as generic and unattractive, while others praise their quality. Overall, the character development is a highlight, despite the visual inconsistencies.
- “The character development is intriguing, adding emotional weight to the journey.”
- “- Character designs and animations are pretty damn awesome.”
- “There’s good environmental art mitigated by some ugly character designs and bad animation.”
- “The new character designs look like generic Western RPG characters—big, bulky, and ugly—there is nothing original or elegant to be found here.”
- “Mirror of Fate helps to flesh out character development and some unanswered questions from the story.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
Overall, the optimization of the game is mixed; while some players report smooth performance at 60fps, others have encountered bizarre performance issues that detract from the experience, particularly when compared to the 3DS version.
- “No performance issues that I saw.”
- “The optimization is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay.”
- “The game runs flawlessly, showcasing excellent optimization.”
- “And there's a performance issue, which is very bizarre.”
- “Such performance is kind of unacceptable.”
- “With that out of the way, what a difference playing this at 60fps compared to the poor performance of the 3DS version.”