Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 679 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD Game Cover
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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.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 679 reviews
story131 positive mentions
grinding15 negative mentions
  • The game features a compelling story that ties together the events of the Lords of Shadow series, providing depth to the characters.
  • The graphics and art style are visually appealing, especially for a port from the 3DS, with well-designed environments and character models.
  • The combat system is engaging, allowing for a variety of combos and special abilities, making battles with enemies and bosses enjoyable.
  • The game suffers from linear level design, which can make exploration feel limited and repetitive, with backtracking often required to collect upgrades.
  • Some gameplay mechanics, such as jumping and platforming, feel clunky and imprecise, leading to frustrating moments during navigation.
  • The soundtrack is underwhelming and lacks the memorable themes found in previous Castlevania titles, making it less impactful overall.
  • story357 mentions

    The story of "Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate" is generally well-received, praised for its ability to connect the narratives of the first and second games in the Lords of Shadow series while introducing new characters and perspectives. However, some reviewers find it simplistic and lacking depth, with criticisms aimed at its non-linear storytelling and occasional predictability. Overall, it serves as a decent bridge for fans of the series, though newcomers may find it less accessible without prior knowledge of the lore.

    • “The story is nice, as you're split between 3 different acts which have their own maps, and can switch between them in chapter select (although you must play them in order on any save file).”
    • “Mirror of Fate takes the place of Castlevania III-CVI-SOTN in the Lords timeline, merging all three stories into one that serves the plot, and the plot is this: your protagonist just became the antagonist of Castlevania and now you must play as Simon, Trevor, and Alucard.”
    • “The game's story has some powerful moments that fans of the series will definitely love.”
    • “The story is linear from start to finish and the plot is predictable and dull.”
    • “With no real progression, the story never getting any better, and some uninspired level design, this 7-to-8-hour experience feels like it drags on forever.”
  • gameplay171 mentions

    The gameplay of "Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate" is a blend of classic metroidvania elements and modern combat mechanics, offering a nostalgic yet fresh experience for fans of the series. While many players appreciate the engaging combat and exploration reminiscent of earlier titles, some criticize the controls and repetitive mechanics, noting that the gameplay can feel clunky or frustrating at times. Overall, the game is seen as a solid entry in the franchise, though it may not fully satisfy those expecting the depth and complexity of its predecessors.

    • “The gameplay and exploration felt much more in line with Castlevania compared to the previous entries, and I found myself actually going out of my way to 100% each character’s map.”
    • “The gameplay is a mix between platforming and hack'n'slashing like in the previous game.”
    • “Gameplay was a blast, combining Castlevania: Lords of Shadow beat'em up with puzzle and old metroidvania elements, like finding secrets, shortcuts, and some backtracking.”
    • “The gameplay is basic and mindless: timed blocks and other feints are useless, you just button mash your enemies into oblivion.”
    • “The controls are pretty frustrating, especially the grappling mechanics.”
    • “Though one can see the developers tried their best to pack as much as possible into the game, the truth is that the gameplay is lackluster in quality, not quantity.”
  • graphics157 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the art style and detailed backgrounds, particularly for a title originally developed for the Nintendo 3DS. While some players appreciate the nostalgic 2.5D visuals and the gothic aesthetic, others criticize the graphics as dated and subpar compared to modern standards, noting that they reflect the limitations of a handheld port. Overall, the visuals are considered decent for their origin, with a blend of beautiful artwork and some technical shortcomings.

    • “Graphics are absolutely amazing; some of the backgrounds are pieces of art.”
    • “Lords of Shadow is an excellent game, has perfect graphics, nice music, and the pictures and videos are very artistically detailed!”
    • “The graphics are killer, the controls are smooth, and the cinematics are awesome with unique animation that enhances the dark gothic atmosphere and storyline.”
    • “The graphics are pretty standard for what you see on the Nintendo DS, the sound and voice acting are decent, and the storyline is also decent overall.”
    • “The graphics look very dated with low resolution textures and on a 1080p monitor there are black bars on the sides.”
    • “The graphics are obviously not as pretty as other PC games... but they're not jarring either, in fact they're quite nice for a port.”
  • music126 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its atmospheric and orchestral qualities that enhance the overall experience, while others find it repetitive and lacking the memorable, catchy tunes characteristic of earlier Castlevania titles. Many players appreciate the cinematic feel of the soundtrack, though some express disappointment over its failure to evoke the same excitement as previous entries in the series. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance, it often falls short of expectations set by its predecessors.

    • “The music is amazing; it adds a lot to the atmosphere of Dracula's castle.”
    • “The soundtrack is beautiful when listened to, but in-game it feels slightly repetitive, which makes all of the beautiful work of Oscar Araujo melt into a single video game orchestra track.”
    • “The music is wondrous, being ambient when it needs to be, and powerful when it comes to boss fights.”
    • “I find this game to be slower and not as fast-paced as classic Castlevania games; the soundtrack is also more cinematic and moody to go along with that.”
    • “The music is the worst factor.”
    • “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.”
  • atmosphere38 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its gothic, vampiric elements, enhanced by excellent visuals and a fitting soundtrack that evokes a sense of solitude and exploration. Many reviewers highlight the immersive quality of the environments and the effective use of sound design, although some note a lack of variety in the music. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered one of its strongest aspects, successfully capturing the essence of classic titles in the genre.

    • “The atmosphere is very much in the realm of being 'gothic, vampiric, Castlevania, light horror'.”
    • “Few games managed to conjure the gothic atmosphere and sheer solitude of a moonlit Carpathian castle like Mirror of Fate did.”
    • “The graphics are killer, the controls are smooth, the cinematics are awesome with unique animation that enhances the dark gothic atmosphere and storyline.”
    • “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? So I quit the game.”
    • “Visuals, music, gameplay, even atmosphere felt subpar.”
    • “Although the soundtrack fits the mood and atmosphere of the game, it is not that kickass metal/rock soundtrack I would have expected.”
  • grinding16 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, often describing it as tedious and time-consuming, particularly in the early stages and during combat. While some appreciate the depth and variety in gameplay, many feel that the grinding can detract from the overall enjoyment, especially with sluggish movement and repetitive combat mechanics. Despite these criticisms, some players acknowledge that the game can still be completed without extensive grinding, making it more accessible for those who prefer a less grind-heavy experience.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Really, there are many different Castlevania games; you shouldn't buy this one. It's not a bad game, but the start is boring and tedious even on lower difficulties.”
    • “The movement when navigating the map is relatively sluggish, making it slow and tedious to explore.”
    • “It feels like they tried to import the attacks from the 3D games, but those don't lend themselves well to the 2D format, mostly making combat very long and tedious.”
  • replayability13 mentions

    The game's replayability is mixed, with some players appreciating the inclusion of a boss rush mode and various difficulties that can enhance the experience. However, many feel that once the game is completed and 100% achievements are obtained, there is little incentive to replay, citing linearity and repetitiveness as drawbacks. Overall, while there are elements that can encourage replay, such as secrets and collectibles, the consensus leans towards moderate replay value.

    • “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.”
    • “Not much replay value.”
  • emotional7 mentions

    The game features emotionally impactful cutscenes and a heartfelt story that resonates with players, evoking strong feelings, including tears. However, some reviewers noted that certain relationships lack sufficient development for a satisfying emotional payoff, and pacing issues detract from the overall experience. Despite these flaws, the emotional depth and engaging narrative contribute significantly to its appeal.

    • “10/10 love it, made me emotional”
    • “It has depth capturing the game's heartfelt story, although shot differently with cartoon cinematics and not as long as the other titles.”
    • “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.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a mix of slapstick and unintentional comedy, often clashing with its darker themes and serious plot elements. While some players find moments of humor amusing, particularly in the cutscenes, others criticize the overall execution as inconsistent and poorly integrated into the game's narrative. The humor tends to feel out of place, contributing to a sense of confusion about the game's direction.

    • “I find it funny that Trevor is the more overpowered character you play as, even more than Alucard.”
    • “The first 25% of the game is hilariously non-compelling, but past that it starts picking up and actually is more like I was expecting.”
    • “The game is filled with dumb slapstick humor and is way too PG-13.”
  • stability3 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally positive, with users noting that it is functional and mostly free of major bugs. However, some players have experienced significant issues, including freezing and unplayable glitches, despite the clean graphics.

    • “It's not buggy; it's functional.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it never feels like it's going to fall apart.”
    • “Crappy bugs and glitches make the game unplayable and freeze the PC.”
    • “The graphics are very clean, though there are some minor glitches.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    Players have noted a significant improvement in optimization, particularly highlighting the smooth 60fps performance compared to the problematic 3DS version, with no reported performance issues in the current iteration.

    • “No performance issues that I saw.”
    • “The game runs smoothly on my system, even at high settings.”
    • “I appreciate how well-optimized the game is for various hardware configurations.”
    • “With that out of the way, what a difference playing this at 60fps compared to the poor performance of the 3DS version.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development has received mixed reviews, with some users criticizing the new character designs as generic and unoriginal, while others praise the animations and overall aesthetic as impressive. This divergence highlights a lack of consensus on the quality and creativity of character representation in the game.

    • “The character designs and animations are pretty damn awesome.”
    • “The new character designs look like generic Western RPG characters - big, bulky, and unattractive - lacking any originality or elegance.”
    • “Character development feels shallow and uninspired, making it hard to connect with any of the protagonists.”
    • “The lack of meaningful choices in character progression leaves the experience feeling flat and unengaging.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD

Play time

12hMedian play time
12hAverage play time
10-13hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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