The Charge:
Dark times need a dark hero!

Opening Statement:
Konami’s Castlevania series is no stranger to dabbling in the 3rd dimension, usually with mixed results. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow marks the first entry in the series for the high-def generation, and the latest attempt at bringing the monster-slaying opus into the 3rd dimension. Does Spanish developer Mercury Steam (Clive Barker’s Jericho) triumph where others fell short? Or is this one another whip to the face for classic Castlevania fans?

Call me "Emo" one more time...

Facts of the Case:
The tenuous link between Heaven and Earth has been severed. The souls of the dead linger on the mortal plane while creatures of vile darkness prey on humanity. In these dark times, the faithful huddle fearfully in walled settlements and villages, fighting desperately to survive. Into this gloomy scene steps Gabriel Belmont, Knight of the Brotherhood of Light. Gabriel seeks the means to resurrect his late wife, a recent victim of the evil plaguing the lands, and if he can banish the darkness that curses humanity, then mores the better. He isn’t the only player on the board however, and standing in his way are the demonic Lords of Shadow.

The Evidence:
I’ll get this out of the way immediately: What links there are in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow to previous games in the long running series are tenuous at best. Outside of some offhanded references to 2003’s Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, this is very much a completely fresh approach to the series. Forget about Dracula and Death, Alucard and Simon Belmont. They aren’t here, and they aren’t coming.

So now that you know what NOT to expect, I can tell you that Lords of Shadow is primarily an action platformer in the same vein as God of War III or Dante’s Inferno, however there are elements included that elevate it above either of those peers. The combat system delves closer to the Devil May Cry/Ninja Gaiden side of things by leaning on timing rather than the mashing of buttons. Beyond that, after the first section, the combat becomes all about balancing your extremely potent dark magic and your recuperative light magic. These respective powers can be used to inflict a healthy portion of extra damage or heal Gabriel depending on whether you go dark or light. Said magic can be recharged periodically, but to get the full use, you’ll need to gather orbs by killing opponents and then deciding which of the types you want to recharge via a click of the right or left analog sticks. It sounds complex, but it’s effortless in the heat of battle, and one good recharge of your light magic can get a near death Gabriel back into the fight with a dose of whip-powered healing. One good dose of dark magic can quickly decimate an otherwise powerful foe. It’s a great way to mix things up, and really causes you to think about what you’re doing in the heat of combat.

"Nathan Drake is a pansy!"

Thinking is very necessary, as Lords of Shadow can be downright vicious when it wants to be. Even weaker foes are threatening in numbers, and while many of the fights can be lengthy melees, the game thankfully doesn’t throw wave after wave of fodder at you to whittle you down. Enemy designs and attacks feel great, inspired even, and keep you on your toes (mastering the dodge mechanic should be your first priority). There are a ton of earned abilities and sub-weapons, each of which adds new combos or magical abilities to the lengthy list, and a variety of tactical approaches that one can take to make life easier. Sure you can mash and pray for salvation, and you may even succeed, but the experience will be that much more frustrating for it. The experience itself is an epic trek through 10 diverse chapters of game that should run you in the neighbourhood of 20 hours or more to finish. There’s very little in the way of backtracking, the puzzles are pretty well thought out for the most part, and the locales you visit remain unique and interesting throughout. The game, amazingly feels stuffed to near bursting with content, and the presentation never falters.

Right from the game’s lavishly beautiful opening sequence, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow should make one hell of an impression. Gorgeous texture work brings the beautiful art design to life in smashing fashion. Every character in the game looks absolutely gorgeous in motion, with wonderfully unique designs that hearken ever so slightly to Castlevania’s past, and yet remain wholly fresh. Some of the creatures look as though they could have been ripped from Pan’s Labyrinth director Guillermo Del Toro’s warped imagination, and the lush lighting sets a wonderful mood in each and every corner of the vast world. The game remains smooth throughout, with no noticeable drop in framerate or screen tearing, even when bosses get huge (and they get HUGE) or multiple enemies come out to play. The sound is equally fantastic, filling the room with booms and bone crunch. The voice acting features several notables, including Robert Carlyle, Patrick Stewart, and Jason Isaacs, and all of them do a phenomenal job (Stewart does a particularly fantastic job as the game’s chief narrator). There’s a ton of dialog in here, and all of it sounds perfect.

"Must... resist... urge to yell like Tarzan!"

The music is suitably gothic and epic, and continues the trend by being top notch stuff. Longtime fans may lament the lack of their favourite symphonies or harmonies (see what I did there?), but honestly, the music included just sounds so damn good that I didn’t miss a thing.

Konami doesn’t often grace us with a package this well presented, but this is easily the best thing they’ve put to market for sheer production value and presentation since Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

Rebuttal Witness:
I wish I could say that Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a perfect game, but alas, there are a few chinks in the armor. The level design isn’t always logically sound, and hidden passages that should be clearly visible are hidden off screen or behind obstructions, while other clearly visible paths are barred by invisible walls and actually exist solely as backdrop. This slightly bipolar design also extends to some tricky jump situations where in one level, a certain approach works fine, only to grant you a quick return to a checkpoint when attempted in another area. It’s a little sloppy to be certain, and I did hit one or two roadblocks along the way. The fixed camera sometimes exacerbates the issue, but it’s usually something you needn’t fret over. The game works far more often than it doesn’t and what flaws that do exist are pretty common in the genre as a whole.

"This might take a while..."

Closing Comments:
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is the real deal; A true triple-A production and a glorious new beginning for those who can get past the legacy of the past games. The technical polish and top drawer presentation are held aloft by rock solid mechanics, an intelligent plot, and some surprisingly deep features. Forget what you think you know about Castlevania, and step into the shoes of one of the best games of 2010.

The Verdict:

Platform: Sony Playstation 3/Microsoft XBOX360 (PS3 Version Reviewed)
Developer: Mercury Steam
Publisher: Konami
Release Date: Oct 15th, 2010
Rated: M (17+) for Mature

Steve and Jon are joined by fellow Newfoundland resident (oh great… another one!) and recent addition to the crew, Blair Farrell. After mangling the intro, we get right into what’s been fed into our gaming machines, chiefly Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, Batman: The Brave and the Bold and Steve samples some Medal of Honor.

Jon then takes control and delivers a missive regarding current review trends. Are games being overscored on hype and underscored due to nostalgia? How do you feel?

Give a listen, let us know how you think Konami fared with their Castlevania reboot, what’s up with those low Castlevania scores? Does IGN stand for “I Got Narcotics?” Tell us what you think! Share in the comments below, over in the DVD Verdict Jury Room forums, or by emailing feedback@pixelverdict.com.

Blast Processing theme song by Dan “String Vulture” Moore.

You can listen to the show with the player above, download it here, or subscribe through iTunes or by adding our feed to your podcatcher of choice.

Steve and Jon tackle this episode Co-op style while Adam ventures across the frozen tundra of Greenland to rescue rare sea birds. Jon’s been playing a lot of Ys Seven on his PSP, and Steve got a little quality time in with Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days, Mafia II, and makes a second attempt at Final Fantasy XIII. They both have some early thoughts on the first hour or so of Metroid: Other M to share as well.

After that comes discussion of Gamescom, Europe’s biggest video game conference. What rocked? What sucked? Listen and learn. This one is much better than the last time we let these two run an episode.

How do you feel about obscure Japanese action role playing games? Are you jonesin’ for some Metroid? Did you dig what you heard out of Gamescom? Share in the comments below, over in the DVD Verdict Jury Room forums, or by emailing feedback@pixelverdict.com.

Blast Processing theme song by Dan “String Vulture” Moore.

You can listen to the show with the player above, download it here, or subscribe through iTunes or by adding our feed to your podcatcher of choice.

To celebrate Halloween, the Pixel Verdict crew—minus a sick Adam—invite you to dip your hand into a bowl of fun-size audio candy, as they discuss their favorite scary games. Get into the spooky spirit with talk of abandoned schools, chainsaw killers, deep space monsters, grim boss fights, and Jonathan Coulton. Plus, take part in a gaming-themed version of “name that tune” with five scary snippets from classic games. How many can you guess without peeking at the answers (posted after the break below)?

What’s your favorite scary game? Let us know in the comments below, over in the DVD Verdict Jury Room forums, or by emailing us at feedback@pixelverdict.com.

You can listen to the show with the player below, download it here, or subscribe through iTunes or by adding our feed to your podcatcher of choice.

Click through for the answers to our Halloween audio quiz …if you dare!

Songs in this episode:

• Transylvania Theme, from DuckTales
• Stage 1 Theme, from Splatterhouse 3
• Ghost House Theme, from Super Mario World
• Cabin Theme, from Friday the 13th
• Graveyard Theme, from Ghosts ‘N Goblins
• Stage 1 Theme, Super Castlevania IV
• “Re: Your Brains,” by Jonathan Coulton

It’s a wild and wooly return to our normal podcast format this week, as Erich, Dave, Adam, and Steve ramble their way through tangents, technical difficulties, innuendo, and the occasional video game talk. Dave hacks his way through a bargain bin purchase of Devil May Cry 4, Adam gets sucked back into World of Warcraft, Erich replays New Super Mario Bros., and Steve talks Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings before laying into Prototype. The crew puts a bow on E3 with final thoughts on games like Just Cause 2, Castlevania: Lord of Shadows, and Assassins Creed 2, leading into a discussion of which games they actually plan on buying before year’s end. (Spoiler: Steve’s going to buy everything.) And if Dave’s Skype connection hadn’t reduced him to feeding text messages for Steve to read aloud, there might actually have been a discussion of this week’s Symposium Ad Nauseum topic: Favorite Capcom Game. Where’s “that guy from Saved By the Bell” when you need him?

What do you plan on picking up this year? Add it to the comments below, or join the discussion in the Jury Room forums. Afraid of public scrutiny? Email us at feedback@pixelverdict.com.

You can listen to the show with the player below, download it here, or subscribe through iTunes or by adding our feed to your podcatcher of choice.