Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow materializes in Steam registry]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/18/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-materializes-in-steam-registry/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/18/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-materializes-in-steam-registry/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/18/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-materializes-in-steam-registry/#comments
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow may swing onto PCs, given its appearance in Steam's registry. As spotted by NeoGAF, the entry's full name is "Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Early Access Comp," with no '2' in sight - the upcoming sequel was announced last August as coming to PC as well as PS3 and Xbox 360.

When a series comes to new platforms we tend to see previous entries follow suit, so it would make sense to whip up a PC version of MercurySteam's reboot. Our only ask is publisher Konami somehow infuses the PC port with even more Patrick Stewart, because you can never, ever have enough Patrick Stewart.

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow materializes in Steam registry originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowkonamiLords-of-ShadowmercurysteampcsteamMon, 18 Mar 2013 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate review: Symphony of the Fight]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/13/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-mirror-of-fate-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/13/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-mirror-of-fate-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/13/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-mirror-of-fate-review/#comments If the multi-tiered title didn't make it clear, "Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate" is a heavy thing. A glut of gothic gravitas manifests in a huge quest that peels out of its handheld frame, even while anchored by burly protagonists and sullen environments. It's a fine action game fueled by fervor, but in need of some finesse.

Mirror of Fate invites a fair comparison to older Castlevania games like Aria of Sorrow, which made light of a somber premise with whip-smart heroes, Michiru Yamane's upbeat score and a crisp, unfurling map of interconnected rooms. Dracula's dire abode was buoyed by brisk exploration, by coloring in each room on the diagram and expanding your navigational knowledge as you went about the business of slaying monsters. The combat found complexity in a large variety of swords, lances, axes, maces and daggers, each of which offered simple, easily decipherable changes.

This trip through the horror catalogue curtails the equipment to the chain-whip "Combat Cross," brandished by Gabriel Belmont in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, as well as a small but powerful set of exhaustible sub-weapons. There's more interest in ferocious fighting than traversal, and a far greater demand for concentration and finger gymnastics than you might expect.

Continue reading Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate review: Symphony of the Fight

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate review: Symphony of the Fight originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dscastlevania-lords-of-shadowcastlevania-lords-of-shadow-2castlevania-lords-of-shadow-mirror-of-fatekonamimercurysteamnintendoWed, 13 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MercurySteam surprised by Castlevania success, says DLC was 'rushed']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/29/mercurysteam-surprised-by-castlevania-success-says-dlc-was-rus/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/29/mercurysteam-surprised-by-castlevania-success-says-dlc-was-rus/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/29/mercurysteam-surprised-by-castlevania-success-says-dlc-was-rus/#comments Developer MercurySteam and publisher Konami weren't expecting Castlevania: Lords of Shadow to be as successful as it was, which ultimately resulted in its poorly received downloadable content, according to producer David Cox. "The problem was that the game's success caught everyone by surprise," Cox recently told Gameranx, "It caught senior management by surprise and they wanted us to do DLC."

The team "never planned" to create DLC, and the content that they created was then "rushed" to market, Cox added, referring to the whole situation as a "mistake." If it could be done again, he said, DLC would have been planned from the get-go, and what was released would have been more of a "side story," as opposed to content that adds to the ending. This appears to be Cox's philosophy for downloadable content in general, as he noted further, "Instead of giving players a part of the story and giving them the other part as DLC, I think the DLC has to expand the universe of an already whole product."

Presumably, if Lords of Shadow 2 has any DLC - which Cox won't admit just yet - it will be handled with much more care.

JoystiqMercurySteam surprised by Castlevania success, says DLC was 'rushed' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowLords-of-ShadowMercurySteammicrosoftplaystationps3xboxFri, 29 Jun 2012 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Castlevania: LoS sequel publicly playable at Gamescom]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/28/metal-gear-rising-revengeance-castlevania-los-sequel-publicly/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/28/metal-gear-rising-revengeance-castlevania-los-sequel-publicly/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/28/metal-gear-rising-revengeance-castlevania-los-sequel-publicly/#comments Metal Gear Rising Revengeance, PES, Castlevania LoS sequel playable to public at GamescomKonami is bringing some treats to Germany's Gamescom this August, whipping up playable versions of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance for attendees. The company will also have a studio on the show floor, where it will broadcast news, interviews and other content; all available through various social media networks.

Gamescom will be the first time the public has the chance to cut up the competition in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, which will be avaiable "in the beginning of 2013" for Xbox 360 and PS3. This fall's 3DS game, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate, which takes place 25 years after the events of the console Lords of Shadow, will also be available in a "playable version".

There's also a soccer game called PES 2013. You know, if Europeans would be into such a thing.

Continue reading Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Castlevania: LoS sequel publicly playable at Gamescom

JoystiqMetal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Castlevania: LoS sequel publicly playable at Gamescom originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dscastlevania-lords-of-shadowcastlevania-lords-of-shadow-mirror-of-fategamescomgamescom-2012kojima-productionsKonamimercury-steammetal-gear-rising-revengeancemetal-gear-solid-risingmicrosoftnintendoPES-2013playstationps3xboxThu, 28 Jun 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: New 3DS Castlevania to debut at E3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/rumor-new-3ds-castlevania-to-debut-at-e3/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/rumor-new-3ds-castlevania-to-debut-at-e3/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/rumor-new-3ds-castlevania-to-debut-at-e3/#comments Image
A new Castlevania game will be announced for the 3DS during E3 next month, according to Dutch site n1ntendo, as translated by neoGAF. The project will reportedly be exclusive to Nintendo's handheld and already has Castlevania: Lords of Shadow producer David Cox and director Enric Alvarez attached - according to information that supposedly comes from a leaked E3 schedule for Konami.

Cox did tease that he was spending time "in the land of Dracul" last April, though his Twitter responses to this latest rumor call the idea "misinformed," reiterating that "the truth is ALWAYS better than fiction!"

JoystiqRumor: New 3DS Castlevania to debut at E3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 May 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dscastlevaniacastlevania-lords-of-shadowdavid-coxE3-2012Enric-AlvarezkonaminintendoMon, 21 May 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow producer teasing new game, namedrops Dracula]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-producer-teasing-new-game-namedrop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-producer-teasing-new-game-namedrop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-producer-teasing-new-game-namedrop/#comments ImageKonami's European Production Studio head and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow producer, David Cox, isn't much for ambiguity in his tweets. "Today and tomorrow I am in the land of Dracul... What am I doing there?? You will see...." he wrote earlier today. Despite his teasing, Cox wouldn't tell us anything beyond "No comment."

This is hardly the first indication of a sequel to 2010's Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, and it seems likely that Konami is once again working with Spanish studio MercurySteam. One employee posted the teaser image seen above to his website back in late January, specifically pointing out the connection to Konami.

Another staff member, taking to Spanish radio (via Eurogamer ES), mentioned his involvement with a sequel in late 2010 (though it's possible he was just riding high on the first game's then-recent debut). Konami's official line on the matter is ... well, nothing. The publisher hasn't made a peep regarding a new Castlevania.

Regardless, with PAX East just a few days away and the upcoming preview season, we expect it won't be long before Konami's tune changes. We'll keep an eye on Cox's Twitter feed as well, just in case.

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow producer teasing new game, namedrops Dracula originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-Shadowdavid-coxkonamiLords-of-Shadowmercury-steammercurysteamsequelMon, 02 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Resurrection' DLC out this month]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-resurrection-dlc-out-this-month/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-resurrection-dlc-out-this-month/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-resurrection-dlc-out-this-month/#comments The final piece of downloadable content for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow will be released next week, according to Konami. Entitled "Resurrection," the new chapter follows on the previously released "Reverie" DLC and "lays bare the fate of both Gabriel and the Belmont clan." The DLC sees Gabriel facing off with a demon known as "the Forgotten One" -- he's the large fellow pictured above -- and promises a "stunning finale" to the story.

"Resurrection" is scheduled to arrive on Xbox Live on June 7, and PSN on June 8, for $10.

Update: The "Resurrection" DLC on PlayStation 3 has been pushed back to June 14.

Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (Resurrection DLC)

Continue reading Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Resurrection' DLC out this month

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Resurrection' DLC out this month originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowdlcLords-of-Shadowmicrosoftplaystationps3psnresurrectionxblmxboxThu, 02 Jun 2011 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' DLC coming to Xbox Live, EU PSN next week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/15/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-dlc-coming-to-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/15/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-dlc-coming-to-xbox-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/15/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-dlc-coming-to-xbox-live/#comments After its impromptu delay, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow's DLC, Reverie, is suited up and ready to attend the monster's ball -- er, actually, bad phrasing. The point is that it's coming next week and Xbox 360 users worldwide and PAL PS3 gamers will finally be able to get a taste of it.

Confirmation comes via game director David Cox's Twitter account, where he apologized for the delay and thanked fans for patience. Sadly, Cox didn't reveal an exact day of the week, but we'll be sure to whip out a post when it's known. See what we did there? Huh?

...

Okay, yes, we're totally sorry we did that.

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' DLC coming to Xbox Live, EU PSN next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Apr 2011 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowdlckonamiLords-of-Shadowmercurysteammicrosoftplaystationps3psnreveriexblmxboxFri, 15 Apr 2011 22:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' DLC released 'in error' on PSN]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-dlc-released-in-error-o/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-dlc-released-in-error-o/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-dlc-released-in-error-o/#comments David Cox, producer on Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, has been all over Twitter recently, responding to complaints about the DLC delay. When he was asked by one disgruntled European gamer wondering why the Xbox 360 delay was holding up the Reverie DLC on PS3 in his region, Cox revealed that the initial DLC launch on PSN was "put up there in error." In other words, Reverie wasn't meant to be released on PS3 in North America (whoops!).

Cox also said that it's "too late to take it down" meaning that presumably whatever bug is keeping it from a larger release isn't catastrophic enough to require it be pulled from Sony's service. Currently the DLC is still available on the US PlayStation Store for $9.99.

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' DLC released 'in error' on PSN originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-Shadowdavid-coxdlckonamiLords-of-Shadowmercurysteammicrosoftplaystationps3reveriexboxThu, 31 Mar 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' DLC delayed for Xbox 360]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/30/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-dlc-delayed-for-xbox-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/30/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-dlc-delayed-for-xbox-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/30/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-dlc-delayed-for-xbox-360/#comments We just did a double take when we heard that Konami has delayed its "Reverie" DLC for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow -- hadn't we heard this before? We had ... just one month ago when the add-on, originally slated to arrive in February, was delayed until March. Now it's been delayed until -- well, Konami isn't saying exactly.

Once again using Facebook as its conduit for bad news for Lords of Shadow fans, the publisher cites "a last minute issue which we hope to have fixed shortly" as the cause of the delay. "[W]e are working with Microsoft to resolve it as quickly as possible and give you the level of polish you deserve," the statement reads.

Given that the PSN version of the DLC hit the North American PlayStation Store a week ago, the issue must be platform-specific to Xbox Live (though European PS3 players are still waiting on Reverie, too). Whatever the cause, Konami will send word "as soon as a release date has been finalized."

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' DLC delayed for Xbox 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowdelaysdlckonamimicrosoftreveriexblmxboxWed, 30 Mar 2011 14:55:00 EST<![CDATA[PSN Tuesday: Swarm, Hoard and Castlevania: LoS Reverie DLC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/psn-tuesday-swarm-hoard-and-castlevania-los-reverie-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/psn-tuesday-swarm-hoard-and-castlevania-los-reverie-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/psn-tuesday-swarm-hoard-and-castlevania-los-reverie-dlc/#comments PSN delivers another week of interesting downloadable titles with PS3's Swarm and PSP's Hoard. If you haven't checked out the demo from last week's PSN exclusive Slam Bolt Scrappers, that's definitely worth taking for a test drive.

For something with a bit more machismo, the demo for WWE All Stars is available, along with Castlevania: Lords of Shadow's "Reverie" DLC. Konami kinda just snuck that release in this week for the States, but it should be available in Europe on March 30.

There's plenty more to peruse in the full update after the break.

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:
(Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)

Gallery: Slam Bolt Scrappers (3/2)


Continue reading PSN Tuesday: Swarm, Hoard and Castlevania: LoS Reverie DLC

JoystiqPSN Tuesday: Swarm, Hoard and Castlevania: LoS Reverie DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevania-lords-of-shadowdlchoardplaystationps3PSNPSN-Storepsn-tuesdaypsn-weeklypspsonyswarmTue, 22 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' DLC dated March 30 for Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-dlc-dated-march-30-for-eu/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-dlc-dated-march-30-for-eu/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-dlc-dated-march-30-for-eu/#comments Silly heroes, the problem with defeating the little bad guys is that they're usually keeping a bigger baddie in check. This will be Gabriel Belmont's "Reverie" revelation when the Lords of Shadow DLC becomes available on March 30 in Europe. Checking in with Konami for confirmation of a North American release date, a representative informed us the DLC should be available "near that date."

The publisher released a new trailer and screens for Reverie, the first of two planned DLC packs. Continuing the adventure will cost 800 MSP on Xbox 360 and $10 (€7.99/£6.39) on PS3. According to Konami, the download "spans three stages" and segues into the next pack.

Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (Reverie 3/8/11)

Continue reading Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' DLC dated March 30 for Europe

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' DLC dated March 30 for Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 02:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowDLCkonamiLords-of-Shadowmicrosoftplaystationps3release-datereveriexboxWed, 16 Mar 2011 02:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow wins best original game score from Film Music Critics]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/27/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-wins-best-original-game-score-from/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/27/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-wins-best-original-game-score-from/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/27/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-wins-best-original-game-score-from/#comments The Oscars still haven't deigned to give awards out to video game creators, but the International Film Music Critics' Association is much more open-minded. In among their awards given out this past week was a "Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media." And the winner goes to...

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Congratulations to composer Óscar Araujo, who got to take home the "Iffy." No, we just made that name up -- we don't really know what it's called. Probably just the IFMCA Award. His score beat out the music in Dark Void (by Bear McCreary!), James Bond 007: Blood Stone, Lego Universe, and the Legend of the Guardians games to win it all.

And apologies to composers Bill Elm and Woody Jackson. Why? Because their Red Dead Redemption score got robbed! Robbed, we say!

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow wins best original game score from Film Music Critics originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 27 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awardCastlevania-Lords-of-ShadowifmcaLords-of-Shadowmicrosoftmusicoscar araujoOscarAraujoplaystationps3scorexboxSun, 27 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' DLC delayed until March]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-dlc-delayed-until-march/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-dlc-delayed-until-march/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-dlc-delayed-until-march/#commentsCastlevania: Lords of Shadow's "Reverie" DLC, originally set to be released this month, has slipped into March according to an announcement on the Castlevania Facebook page. "Our apologies for the delay but it's going to be worth it!" That "unruly evil" that Gabriel and Laura track down in the DLC is only going to be more unruly the longer we let it stew.

Konami offered no reason for the delay, but a late, complete DLC pack is always preferable to a buggy, punctual release. It is also unknown whether this delay will cause the followup DLC to slip out of its April release window. We're checking in with Konami to find out when it has scheduled the "Resurrection."

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' DLC delayed until March originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowdelaysdlckonamiLords-of-Shadowmercurysteammicrosoftplaystationps3q1-2011release-datereveriexboxThu, 17 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow soundtrack nominated for 2 IFMCA awards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-soundtrack-nominated-for-2-ifmca/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-soundtrack-nominated-for-2-ifmca/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/12/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-soundtrack-nominated-for-2-ifmca/#comments The elegiac score accompanying Gabriel Belmont's action-packed emprise in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow has impressed the International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA). Spanish composer Oscar Araujo is nominated for the "Breakout Composer of the Year" award -- notably alongside French duo Daft Punk, who pounded cinemagoers into Grid-grout during Tron: Legacy. The Lords of Shadow soundtrack is also one of five nominated in the "Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media" category.

It's up against some stirring competition in the form of James Bond 007: Blood Stone (featuring Sega legend Richard Jacques) and Dark Void, which isn't usually written about unless it's in praise of Bear McCreary's distinguishing soundtrack. Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole earns a nomination, thanks to Winifred Philips, as do the themes of Lego Universe, assembled by Brian Tyler.

Though the majority of awards focus on film soundtracks, the IFMCA's sentiment seems just as applicable to video games. "The IFMCA strongly feels that a film score's strength lies in the combined impact of two important elements: the effectiveness, appropriateness and emotional impact of the score in the context of the film for which it was written; and the technical and intellectual merit of the composition when heard as a standalone listening experience." Winners will be announced on February 25, 2011.

Continue reading Castlevania: Lords of Shadow soundtrack nominated for 2 IFMCA awards

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow soundtrack nominated for 2 IFMCA awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bear-mccrearyBrian-TylerCastlevania-Lords-of-Shadowdark-voidjames-bond-007-blood-stonelego-universeLords-of-Shadowmicrosoftoscar-araujoplaystationps3richard-jacqueswinifred-philipsxboxSat, 12 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Best of the Rest: Ludwig's picks of 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/01/best-of-the-rest-ludwigs-picks-of-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/01/best-of-the-rest-ludwigs-picks-of-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/01/best-of-the-rest-ludwigs-picks-of-2010/#comments Vanquish
Shinji Mikami is still playing the game of Telephone he started in 2005. With Resident Evil 4, he revitalized Capcom's stagnant survival-horror franchise by turning it into a strictly paced shooter, where standing your ground (you couldn't move and shoot at the same time, remember?) was the only way to advance. The idea made it all the way across the ocean -- mostly intact -- and eventually found its way into Epic's Gears of War.

The Mikami-led team at Platinum Games, in turn, heard all the bits about military meatheads and enemies that can be demolished without remorse, but the part about lumbering man-tanks got garbled. Instead, we get a protagonist that can slide across the battlefield in the blink of an eye.

At its nuclear-powered core, Vanquish still honors Resident Evil 4's balance of risk and reward. It's an exceptionally hectic shooter where rocketing in and out of critical engagements is key -- but if your suit overheats, you're slow again. And then you're dead.

Even Gears of War's train level comes back a little warped. Now there are two trains, and one of them is upside-down.

Continue reading Best of the Rest: Ludwig's picks of 2010

JoystiqBest of the Rest: Ludwig's picks of 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bayonettabest-of-the-rest-2010blurcastlevania-lords-of-shadowdonkey-kong-country-returnsfinal-fantasy-xiiihalo-reachiphonelara-croft-and-the-guardian-of-lightmicrosoftmobilenintendopac-man-championship-edition-dxplaystationps3tilt-to-livevanquishwiixboxSat, 01 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Best of the Rest: Richard's picks of 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/best-of-the-rest-richards-picks-of-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/best-of-the-rest-richards-picks-of-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/best-of-the-rest-richards-picks-of-2010/#comments Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
There are more than a few complaints floating around that Castlevania: Lords of Shadow isn't a real Castlevania title. I would argue that Lords of Shadow is more Castlevania than many recent entries in the series. I think fans tend to forget (or overlook) that Castlevania began as a linear action title. For me, the series has never been about completing the map. It's about exploring wonderful and sinister places, which Lords of Shadow packs in spades. When I played the 8-bit Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest as a child, I saw lots of blocky pixels, but what I imagined is perfectly represented by Lords of Shadow. From stinking bogs to dark forests and forgotten castles, all is so meticulously and lovingly crafted that my seven-year-old self was enthralled with every moment.

I'll take that over the same 13-year-old sprites any day.

Continue reading Best of the Rest: Richard's picks of 2010

JoystiqBest of the Rest: Richard's picks of 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bayonettabest-of-the-rest-2010castlevania-lords-of-shadowdance-centralkinectlara-croft-and-the-guardian-of-lightmacmicrosoftminecraftpcplaystationps3xboxThu, 30 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Save on Castlevania, Naruto and more in Amazon's year-end sale]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/26/save-on-castlevania-naruto-and-more-in-amazons-year-end-sale/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/26/save-on-castlevania-naruto-and-more-in-amazons-year-end-sale/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/26/save-on-castlevania-naruto-and-more-in-amazons-year-end-sale/#commentsIf you thought Amazon would stop holding ridiculous sales because the holiday season is winding down, you are a fool. A hypothetical fool. Amazon's year-end sale (which technically started on Dec. 24) is as good as any offer the retailer had for Black Friday or the pre-Christmas shopping season!

The PS3 version of Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is over half off at $25.99, as is the PS3 limited edition of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow at $39.99. Enslaved is just $19.99 on either system, and Atlus hits Demon's Souls and 3D Dot Game Heroes can be picked up for just $16.99 and $14.99 respectively. FlingSmash on Wii is $39.99, which at that price is essentially a free game with a regular-price Wii Remote Plus.

Amazon is also offering a 75% discount on a large selection of downloadable PC games, and an even larger selection of casual PC games for $2 each.

JoystiqSave on Castlevania, Naruto and more in Amazon's year-end sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 26 Dec 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazoncastlevania-lords-of-shadowdsenslaved-odyssey-to-the-westflingsmashmicrosoftnaruto-ultimate-ninja-storm-2nintendopcplaystationps3pspsonysplatterhousewiixboxyear-end-saleSun, 26 Dec 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow screens slip into Reverie]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/23/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-screens-slip-into-reverie/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/23/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-screens-slip-into-reverie/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/23/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-screens-slip-into-reverie/#comments The first screens of "Reverie," next year's first downloadable add-on for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, depict Gabriel Belmont co-operating with Laura, the big-haired brat living in Carmilla's castle. She'll help you -- if you play.

Continue reading Castlevania: Lords of Shadow screens slip into Reverie

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow screens slip into Reverie originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowdlckonamiLords-of-Shadowmercurysteammicrosoftplaystationps3xboxThu, 23 Dec 2010 20:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' and 'Resurrection' DLC due in 2011]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-and-resurrection-dlc-du/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-and-resurrection-dlc-du/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-reverie-and-resurrection-dlc-du/#comments Ready to return to the castle? Konami has finally detailed the long-promised DLC packs for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. The first download pack, entitled "Reverie," sees protagonist Gabriel aiding Laura (the creepy mini-Winehouse you see above) in "destroying the unruly evil" that was kept in check by the vampire queen, Carmilla.

The second download pack, "Resurrection," continues the story after the end of the game and "gives some insight" into "Gabriel's ultimate destiny." According to the press release, "this will be larger in scope than the first add-on" and include a "final showdown with a very notorious enemy." Oh no, it's not the flying Medusa head, is it?

Reverie will be available in February, while Resurrection will launch sometime in April. While no pricing details have been offered yet, we're bound to find out more in the new year.

Continue reading Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' and 'Resurrection' DLC due in 2011

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow 'Reverie' and 'Resurrection' DLC due in 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowdlckonamiLords-of-Shadowmercurysteammicrosoftplaystationps3resurrectionreveriexboxWed, 22 Dec 2010 10:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Walmart offers 12 months of Xbox Live and a (good) game for $81]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/15/walmart-xbox-live-gold-deal/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/15/walmart-xbox-live-gold-deal/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/15/walmart-xbox-live-gold-deal/#comments Walmart has a pretty spectacular deal going on for Xbox owners. The chain is currently offering one year of Xbox Live Gold and a select game for $79. SlickDeals notes that shipping is only $1.97. Don't fret about that "select game" business in the previous sentence either, as the eligible games are actually pretty good, including Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and many, many others.

Considering a 12 month Xbox Live sub usually runs for $60 on its own, you might as well toss in a $20 game (that also usually runs for $60), right?

JoystiqWalmart offers 12 months of Xbox Live and a (good) game for $81 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assassins-creed-brotherhoodcall-of-duty-black-opscastlevania-lords-of-shadowhalo-reachmicrosoftwalmartxboxxbox-livexbox-live-goldWed, 15 Dec 2010 16:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Konami ships 1 million Castlevania: Lords of Shadow copies, coy about sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/22/konami-ships-1-million-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-copies/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/22/konami-ships-1-million-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-copies/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/22/konami-ships-1-million-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-copies/#comments Konami has announced the apparent milestone shipment of one million copies of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow to retailers across the US and Europe since the game's October 5 release. While the publisher didn't specify just how many of those copies have actually been sold, president Shinji Hirano patted his company on the back with a few vague words of encouragement, saying in a statement, "The remarkable sales achieved in such a short time are a true testament of the work and dedication that went into this project."

Clearly, for Konami to have shipped so many copies to retail, ongoing sales of Lords of Shadow must be reasonably strong, though the title failed to crack the top ten in US software sales last month, and it only lasted two weeks in the UK's top-ten rankings. But Konami is still declaring a victory for the series' "rebirth," adding that it's "extremely pleased at the positive response seen" to developer MercurySteam's effort. The game's Japanese debut is scheduled for December.

Continue reading Konami ships 1 million Castlevania: Lords of Shadow copies, coy about sales

JoystiqKonami ships 1 million Castlevania: Lords of Shadow copies, coy about sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowjapankonamiLords-of-Shadowmicrosoftplaystationps3retailsalesshipmentsxboxMon, 22 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow PS3 patch live]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-ps3-patch-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-ps3-patch-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-ps3-patch-live/#commentsNow that PSN is back in working order, we're happy to inform you that the patch for the PS3 version of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is online. It would be a really good idea to install it, too, considering that it addresses the random loss of your save data.

According to the Konami's announcement, the patch also institutes some minor changes, including the addition of scrolling text on loading screens in the interest of readability. It also seems the text will now be easier to read without being distracted by the fear for your save file.

Additionally, Konami said that an upcoming patch for the Xbox 360 version of the game would be detailed "shortly."

Continue reading Castlevania: Lords of Shadow PS3 patch live

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow PS3 patch live originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowkonamiLords-of-Shadowmercurysteampatchplaystationps3psnsave-fileFri, 29 Oct 2010 10:55:00 EST<![CDATA[You could import this Kojima Productions PS3 bundle ... or make your own]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/26/you-could-import-this-kojima-productions-ps3-bundle-or-make/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/26/you-could-import-this-kojima-productions-ps3-bundle-or-make/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/26/you-could-import-this-kojima-productions-ps3-bundle-or-make/#comments Konami's newly revealed Kojima Productions themed hardware slash software set isn't nearly as compelling as the previous limited edition Metal Gear Solid 4 PlayStation 3 bundle. That's because the new package is simply a stock 160GB charcoal gray PS3 console, a greatest hits version of MGS4 and a copy of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.

This admittedly not-so-special-edition offering (which is, technically, limited to an undisclosed run) hits Japan on December 16 for ¥37,980 ($467). You can get a 160GB PS3 ($300), MGS4 ($20) and Lords of Shadow ($60) by themselves for a grand total of $380 right now, without those pesky international shipping charges. The only thing you'll be missing out on: 20,000 Reward Points for use in Metal Gear Online. But if you really want to pay the $87 difference just for them, we're not going to stop you.

JoystiqYou could import this Kojima Productions PS3 bundle ... or make your own originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bundleCastlevania-Lords-of-ShadowjapanKojima-ProductionsLords-of-Shadowmetal-gear-solidmetal-gear-solid-4Metal-Gear-Solid-4-Guns-of-the-Patriotsplaystationps3Tue, 26 Oct 2010 16:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow PS3 patch incoming]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-ps3-patch-incoming/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-ps3-patch-incoming/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-ps3-patch-incoming/#commentsFiled under: , ,

These are dark times -- if you're paranoid about losing hours of game progress. Some users have reported an unusual save glitch in the PlayStation 3 version of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Affected players report being prompted with a message upon startup, which reads, "Save file corrupt, will now overwrite, press X to continue." Needless to say, pressing X leads to grim results.

Konami has acknowledged the problem -- which it says is restricted to a small number of users -- and promised a patch is en route to eradicate erroneous erasure. We'll let you know when we hear a firm release date, and recommend you keep a backup of your save file on a USB drive in the meantime.

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow PS3 patch incoming originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowkonamiLords-of-Shadowmercurysteampatchplaystationps3saveWed, 13 Oct 2010 20:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Facebook game lets you combat cross your friends]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/12/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-facebook-game-lets-you-combat-cross/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/12/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-facebook-game-lets-you-combat-cross/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/12/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-facebook-game-lets-you-combat-cross/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Hey, do you like to zap helpless humans with lightning? Then you're probably a super villain. Cool -- and we've got the perfect Facebook game for you: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Friend Challenge. Seriously, it's all about zapping helpless people ... and your friends! It really scratches that sadist itch, trust us.

Developed in-house at Konami, the Facebook game allows you to unlock various bits of content from the console game including "screenshots, videos and items" as you recruit Facebook friends to your army and level up your character. Sorry, it doesn't look like these unlockables are on a two-way street -- performance in the Facebook game doesn't impact your Castlevania: Lords of Shadow game.

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow Facebook game lets you combat cross your friends originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowfacebookkonamiLords-of-ShadowpcTue, 12 Oct 2010 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Konami bundles downloadable Castlevanias with Japanese Lords of Shadow special edition]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/11/konami-bundles-downloadable-castlevanias-with-japanese-lords-of/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/11/konami-bundles-downloadable-castlevanias-with-japanese-lords-of/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/11/konami-bundles-downloadable-castlevanias-with-japanese-lords-of/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Hideo Kojima as the Chupacabra isn't the only advantage the Japanese version of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow has over its worldwide contemporaries. Those who purchase the special edition in Japan will also have their choice of downloadable Vanias as bonuses.

The PS3 version of the game includes a code for the PSOne Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, playable on PS3 or PSP. The Xbox 360 version gets you a copy of the XBLA game Castlevania: Harmony of Despair. Which means there is now another reason the PS3 version will outsell the Xbox release by a massive margin (other than there being so few Xboxes in Japan).

The Japanese special edition isn't universally better: it carries a price tag of ¥9,980 ($122), and Lords of Shadow won't even be available in Japan until December 16.

JoystiqKonami bundles downloadable Castlevanias with Japanese Lords of Shadow special edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevania-harmony-of-despairCastlevania-Lords-of-Shadowcastlevania-symphony-of-the-nightjapankonamiLords-of-Shadowmicrosoftplaystationps3xboxMon, 11 Oct 2010 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Metareview: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/metareview-castlevania-lords-of-shadow/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/metareview-castlevania-lords-of-shadow/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/metareview-castlevania-lords-of-shadow/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Now that you've read our review of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow -- you have, haven't you? -- let's find out what other outlets thought of the series' latest stab at a 3D interpretation. Turns out, it would seem there are some issues reconciling this as a "Castlevania" game. If we had control of space and time (and, believe, we're working on it), we'd totally want to see the scores if Castlevania was completely removed from the title and the game was released just as Lords of Shadow. It may have scored just a little higher.
  • Game Informer (90/100): "This polished, action-packed adventure has me ecstatic to see not only what's in store for the next 3D Castlevania, but also what talented developer MercurySteam does next. Don't let the deluge of fall releases or the 3D Castlevania stigma keep you from this amazing quest."
  • Eurogamer (80/100): "In the future, we can only hope that a developer finds a way to deliver more of the core series components - of buildings that you piece together through exploration, of back-tracking that never seems like a chore. For now, though, even with a missing piece of that magnitude, MercurySteam has managed to deliver a game that's heartfelt, handsome, and quietly distinct."
  • Gamespot (75/100): "The combat is great and the boss battles are quite memorable, but it degenerates when those core ideas clash--when Castlevania ignores what it does so well (action) for the sake of creating a more diverse experience."
  • IGN (75/100): "Pretty much anything you would expect to find in a Castlevania game is not to be found here. But fans of combat-heavy action adventure games will have fun if they can excuse a lot of mindless button mashing and a couple technical issues."
  • 1UP (B): "This won't replace Symphony of the Night as the oft-argued greatest Castlevania, but it should finally at least put to rest complaints that there are no good 3D Castlevania games. If Lords of Shadow sees a sequel, there are lots of important, obvious improvements that need to be made, but Mercury Steam proves that they're at least on the right track."

Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (TGS 2010)

JoystiqMetareview: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowKonamiLords-of-ShadowMercury-SteamMercurySteamMetareviewmetareviewsmicrosoftplaystationps3xboxWed, 06 Oct 2010 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow review: Miracle whip]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-review/#comments Perhaps you're just not as bothered by basic home security when you've harnessed sinister, otherworldly energies and have a legion of vampires at your command. Who's going to march into the Lord of Shadow's spooky castle and tell him, "Sir, leaving the key to your front door in the garden maze outside isn't the smartest thing you've ever done." And what Lord of Shadow is going to believe his advisors when they tell him, "Look, there's this pissed off vampire hunter coming and he's going to demolish every single candelabra in your house. Yes, the nice ones with holy water in them."

Like some of the best video games, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow conceives its world around a hero, obfuscating illogical weirdness with empowerment and an old-fashioned sense of adventure. You might fall off a few cliffs or get trampled by a troll every now and then, but there's no doubting your eventual success. During the course of your journey, you'll get all the training, weapons and abilities you need to best the forces of evil. No jump will ever be too far and no enemy will truly be invincible.

Continue reading Castlevania: Lords of Shadow review: Miracle whip

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow review: Miracle whip originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 19:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowkonamiLords-of-Shadowmercurysteammicrosoftplaystationps3xboxWed, 06 Oct 2010 19:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow CE delayed in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-ce-delayed-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-ce-delayed-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-ce-delayed-in-europe/#commentsFiled under: , ,

What a horrible time to have pre-ordered the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow limited edition in Europe! Eurogamer reports that the limited edition has been delayed in the region. Retailer GAME initially tweeted that the LE had been canceled altogether, though Konami has since confirmed that it is only delayed and will be released after the October 8 launch of the standard edition. A GAME spokesperson informed Eurogamer that a new release date could be announced as early as today or tomorrow. With any luck, tomorrow's morning sun will vanquish this horrible news.

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow CE delayed in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowdelayseuropeLords-of-Shadowmicrosoftplaystationps3ukxboxWed, 06 Oct 2010 18:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow demo descends on XBLM]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/04/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-demo-descends-on-xblm-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/04/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-demo-descends-on-xblm-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/04/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-demo-descends-on-xblm-1/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Copies of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow will be whipped onto store shelves tomorrow, but Xbox Live Gold members can get a taste of the vampire slaying action today, thanks to a new demo on XBLM. Downloading it is easy. After all, what is a demo but a miserable little pile of kilobytes?

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow demo descends on XBLM originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowdemokonamiLords-of-ShadowmercurysteammicrosoftxblmxboxMon, 04 Oct 2010 11:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow trailer lays it all out]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/28/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-trailer-lays-it-all-out/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/28/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-trailer-lays-it-all-out/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/28/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-trailer-lays-it-all-out/#comments In this Castlevania: Lords of Shadow trailer, you're in for 11 minutes of footage and explanation of every facet to be found in the reboot. Go make some buttered popcorn first (and avert your eyes if you despise spoilers of any kind).

Continue reading Castlevania: Lords of Shadow trailer lays it all out

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow trailer lays it all out originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowKonamiLords-of-Shadowmercury-steammicrosoftplaystationps3xboxTue, 28 Sep 2010 14:40:00 EST<![CDATA[David Cox on rebooting Castlevania for a new generation]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/23/david-cox-on-rebooting-castlevania-for-a-new-generation/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/23/david-cox-on-rebooting-castlevania-for-a-new-generation/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/23/david-cox-on-rebooting-castlevania-for-a-new-generation/#comments With Castlevania: Lords of Shadow only two weeks from launch, we spoke with producer David Cox about rebuilding the franchise for a modern audience. How did developer MercurySteam look to overcome the failures of past 3D iterations of the franchise? And what role did Kojima Productions play in the creation of this new Castlevania? Cox reveals how Kojima urged him to redesign a once "barbarian" Gabriel and how the game was nearly canceled a year into development in our conversation below.

Joystiq: How did poor critical reception of past 3D Castlevania games influence perceptions of this project? How did you pitch this game to senior Konami management?

David Cox: I think there was always a desire to make the game 3D. I think people thought that in order to attract a mainstream audience, it had to be a 3D game. I personally love 2D games, but the fact is the market for 2D games is tiny. Most people want to play a 3D action adventure game with impressive visuals, etc. etc.

I think for us, one of the things we found in hindsight is that the previous games tried to emulate the 2D games -- basically: turn the 2D games into 3D. We felt that wasn't the way to go. We felt the way to go was to boil down Castlevania to its core tenets, and create a 3D game from there. Sure, it's a brave decision, but we needed to be brave, and we needed to have the freedom to do what we wanted to make.

Continue reading David Cox on rebooting Castlevania for a new generation

JoystiqDavid Cox on rebooting Castlevania for a new generation originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Sep 2010 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-Shadowdavid-coxLords-of-Shadowmercury-steamMercurySteammicrosoftplaystationps3xboxThu, 23 Sep 2010 13:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Hideo Kojima wants to show a game of his own at TGS 2011]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/20/hideo-kojima-wants-to-show-a-game-of-his-own-at-tgs-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/20/hideo-kojima-wants-to-show-a-game-of-his-own-at-tgs-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/20/hideo-kojima-wants-to-show-a-game-of-his-own-at-tgs-2011/#commentsFiled under: , ,

While a new Kojima Productions game was on display at TGS 2010 -- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow -- Hideo Kojima's direct involvement seems limited to providing the voice for a mischievous chupacabra. In a tweet, the game director expressed his interest in showing a true Hideo Kojima game at next year's event.

Kojima said "I think it would be nice if next year I can do not just editing, but introduce my own new game (game design, script and direction)." During the Metal Gear Solid cosplay event at TGS, he also jokingly said "It's 5! Shall we make 5! With this, I won't have to quit Konami. I'll be there for 3 more years." This was in response to a prompt to "say something shocking," however, and not "say something true." A grain of salt is advised.

JoystiqHideo Kojima wants to show a game of his own at TGS 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-Shadowhideo-kojimakojima-productionskonamiLords-of-Shadowtgs-2010tgs-2011Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Castlevania: Lords of Shadow screens: Witch you were here!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/17/witch-you-were-here-new-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/17/witch-you-were-here-new-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/17/witch-you-were-here-new-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-screens/#commentsFiled under: , ,

To go alongside the decidedly batty TGS trailer, Konami has released new screens of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. They show off Gabriel Belmont doing what Belmonts do best: Slaying demons, exploring castles and ... chatting with Baba Yaga? Even witches need some company now and then, right?

Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (TGS 2010)

JoystiqNew Castlevania: Lords of Shadow screens: Witch you were here! originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowKojima-ProductionskonamiLords-of-Shadowmercurysteammicrosoftplaystationps3TGS-2010xboxFri, 17 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Castlevania: Lords of Shadow trailer is positively nuts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/new-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-trailer-is-positively-nuts/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/new-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-trailer-is-positively-nuts/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/new-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-trailer-is-positively-nuts/#comments What's in this Castlevania: Lords of Shadow trailer? The more appropriate question might be what isn't? Werewolves, faeries, vampires, angels, giant chess boards, giant eagles, giant giants -- even the grim visage of Death makes an appearance. It is absolutely the nuttiest and most awesome thing you'll see today.

Well, maybe not, it is TGS week ...

Continue reading New Castlevania: Lords of Shadow trailer is positively nuts

JoystiqNew Castlevania: Lords of Shadow trailer is positively nuts originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowKonamiLords-of-ShadowMercurySteammicrosoftplaystationps3tgs-2010xboxThu, 16 Sep 2010 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow preview: The first two hours]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/26/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-preview-the-first-two-hours/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/26/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-preview-the-first-two-hours/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/26/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-preview-the-first-two-hours/#comments Lords of Shadow is going to be a great game and, more importantly, a great Castlevania game. The MercurySteam and Kojima Productions collaboration offers everything you'd want from a modernized Castlevania adventure: platforming, puzzle solving, and, yes, even some backtracking and exploration, with a level of polish that catapults it all into a sublime experience.

At Konami's "Boot Camp" event, I was able to spend time with a near-final version of the game and play as much of it as I wanted to. This wasn't a cleverly cut demo reel, highlighting the game's best moments. This was the full game -- all I had to do was press the Start button. Immediately, I was drawn into the world through the powerful soundtrack, beautiful graphics and the spot-on narration.

As the game begins, the solemn protagonist approaches a rain-soaked town besieged by werebeasts. He's not as flamboyant as Kratos or Dante, but no less deadly. The game immediately throws you into battle against the beasts as tutorial on the basic mechanics of the game. It's no surprise that comparisons to God of War have been made: Gabriel's whip feels a lot like Kratos' Blades of Chaos. With Square, Triangle and X performing the same functions as in Sony's brawler, it's very easy to get a feel for the combat. (There's even a counterattack that works just like GoW's Golden Fleece.) But it's not just the combat that invites comparison to other games. The violence is no less graphic and gruesome than in God of War.

Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (NYC Preview)

Continue reading Castlevania: Lords of Shadow preview: The first two hours

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow preview: The first two hours originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowLords-of-Shadowmicrosoftplaystationps3xboxThu, 26 Aug 2010 15:40:00 EST<![CDATA[How disc swapping works in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow for Xbox 360]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/26/how-disc-swapping-works-in-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-for-xbox/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/26/how-disc-swapping-works-in-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-for-xbox/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/26/how-disc-swapping-works-in-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-for-xbox/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you haven't heard, the Xbox 360 version of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow will ship on two discs (Limited Edition pictured above). Here's a tip: You can save yourself some precious disc-swapping time if you install at least Disc One to your hard drive.

Although Lords of Shadow's story is told in an episodic, linear fashion, you'll want to revisit earlier levels to find missing collectibles and beat any additional challenges. Without installing, you'll have to swap discs every time you want to revisit earlier levels. However, if you've installed the data, you won't ever have to swap discs again; you'll be able to continue playing with just Disc Two in the drive. It's an interesting way of overcoming the DVD format's size limitation -- a clever trick that could be employed by future multi-disc releases.

JoystiqHow disc swapping works in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow for Xbox 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniaCastlevania-Lords-of-ShadowdiscdvdinstallationkonamiLords-of-ShadowmercurysteammicrosoftxboxThu, 26 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow sinks teeth into North America Oct. 5, DLC planned]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-sinks-teeth-into-north-american-oct/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-sinks-teeth-into-north-american-oct/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-sinks-teeth-into-north-american-oct/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Konami has announced that Castlevania: Lords of Shadow will be whipped onto North American shelves starting October 5. This puts the American launch just shy of the October 7 and 8 release dates for Europe and the UK, respectively.

In related news, Lords of Shadow Producer David Cox informed 1UP that two DLC packs are planned for the game. Cox offered few details, though both packs will feature new areas to explore and enemies to slay. He also attempted to assuage fears that the revelation of DLC means the full game will be less than complete, saying that it "absolutely has an ending." Check out the full interview for Cox's thoughts on working with Kojima Productions and how Mercury Steam approached making a 3D Castlevania title.

Update: Check out some new screens, renders and box art in the galleries below!

Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (Gamescom 2010 screens)


Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (Gamescom 2010 renders)


Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (box art)

Continue reading Castlevania: Lords of Shadow sinks teeth into North America Oct. 5, DLC planned

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow sinks teeth into North America Oct. 5, DLC planned originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-ShadowKonamiLords-of-ShadowMercurySteammicrosoftplaystationps3release-datexboxThu, 19 Aug 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow whipping up Oct. 7 EU release date, Oct. 8 in UK]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/18/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-whipping-up-oct-7-eu-release-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/18/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-whipping-up-oct-7-eu-release-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/18/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-whipping-up-oct-7-eu-release-date/#commentsFiled under: , ,

During a Konami press conference at Gamescom, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow producer David Cox took to the mic to announce European and UK release dates for the forthcoming game: October 7 in Europe and October 8 in the UK. Furthermore, Konami UK rep Richie Churchill revealed via his Twitter account that the game will be getting a distinct collector's edition for (at very least) the UK, featuring the game's original soundtrack and a "replica God Mask in awesome packaging."

Wait a minute -- why don't we get a God Mask?! Anyway, given the way European and UK releases work, it's fair to guess that Lords of Shadow will land stateside on October 5 (as compared to the Halloween release date Amazon gave it), sans God Mask. That's exciting enough, we guess.

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow whipping up Oct. 7 EU release date, Oct. 8 in UK originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-Shadowgamescomgamescom-2010konamiLords-of-Shadowmicrosoftplaystationps3q4-2010release-datexboxWed, 18 Aug 2010 17:20:00 EST