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[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[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 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[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[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<![CDATA[Amazon: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow LE out in October]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/13/amazon-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-le-out-in-october/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/13/amazon-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-le-out-in-october/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/13/amazon-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-le-out-in-october/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Amazon sent out word of a Castlevania: Lords of Shadow limited edition a bit early this week by releasing a mockup image of the package. Now the retailer has boldly tweeted (if one can do something called "tweeting" in a bold manner) release info for the limited edition, pricing it at $79.99 on PS3 and Xbox 360. The image is exactly the same as this week's mockup, meaning that we will get that nice hand-painted artwork on the box (that looks a lot like the work of longtime Castlevania artist Ayami Kojima) along with the soundtrack and artbook, that were shown before.

The Amazon listings also show a Halloween release date for both the standard and limited editions, though we're hesitant to confirm any release dates from retailers as "official" without checking in with Konami -- which we're doing now.

JoystiqAmazon: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow LE out in October originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 21:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CastlevaniaCastlevania-Lords-of-ShadowKonamiLimited-EditionLords-of-ShadowMercury-Steammicrosoftplaystationps3Release-DatexboxFri, 13 Aug 2010 21:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow special edition mockup outed by Amazon]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/11/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-special-edition-mockup-outed-by-ama/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/11/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-special-edition-mockup-outed-by-ama/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/11/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-special-edition-mockup-outed-by-ama/#commentsFiled under: , ,

An image spotted on Amazon (and since removed) suggests that there will be a special edition release of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow -- as if its status as a major game from a large publisher didn't already make that clear. The image shows a package comprising two Xbox 360 game discs, a soundtrack, and a "The Art of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow" book.

Lords of Shadow producer David Cox told Joystiq, "The images of the special edition leaked onto the net are mock ups and NOT final," before adding that the retailer "jumped the gun" by publishing early images. Though neither Cox nor Konami had anything official to announce about a special edition, someone at Konami is mocking up special edition images. Probably in advance of a real special edition. That would just be a weird hobby otherwise.

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow special edition mockup outed by Amazon originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AmazonCastlevania-Lords-of-Shadowdavid-coxKonamiLords-of-ShadowMercury-Steammicrosoftplaystationps3Special-EditionxboxWed, 11 Aug 2010 12:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Preview: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/22/preview-castlevania-lords-of-shadow/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/22/preview-castlevania-lords-of-shadow/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/22/preview-castlevania-lords-of-shadow/#comments It's difficult to comment on Castlevania: Lords of Shadow as a product of the long-running (and now rebooted) gothic action franchise. Abandoning large-scale exploration in favor of linear action -- which was itself abandoned when Castlevania: Symphony of the Night debuted in 1997 -- Lords of Shadow invites comparison to God of War more than any other modern game.

That's an admittedly tiresome shorthand as far as game previews go -- "It's like God of War but with whip-swords!" -- but it's still useful in conveying how Lords of Shadow plays. Your attacks are sweeping and imprecise, yet bolstered with enough combos and violent flourishes to make you feel in charge. Castlevania's sub-weapons return to your repertoire as well, with the first two levels of the game allowing you to quickly dispatch a flying dagger into approaching enemies. The resulting explosion of bloody mush is a fair indicator of the game's disgusting, wonderful violence.

Even the most trivial battle, such as Gabriel Belmont's tutorial tussle in a rain-slick village under siege, is given a certain gravitas by the game's tight camera and atmospheric visuals. And if there's one thing that brands Lords of Shadow as a promising 3D Castlevania game, it's the effort that's gone into creating dark, imposing environments that feel like they extend far beyond the boundaries of the level. Developer MercurySteam has delivered an impressive showcase of scale and animation here, with even the lowly warg becoming a pouncing cause for concern. So yeah, it's a few steps up from recycled Game Boy Advance sprites.

Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (E3 2010)

Continue reading Preview: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

JoystiqPreview: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActionCastlevaniaCastlevania-Lords-of-Shadowe3-2010Kojima-ProductionsKonamiLords-of-ShadowMercurySteamMercurySteam-Entertainmentmicrosoftplaystationps3xboxTue, 22 Jun 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Meet the cast of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/17/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-e3-trailer-and-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/17/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-e3-trailer-and-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/17/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-e3-trailer-and-screens/#comments Okay! So, forget everyone from those twenty-odd Castlevanias from the past three decades. Just crumple up that whole ludicrous timeline and throw it right in the garbage. Lords of Shadow is a reboot of the franchise, and with it comes a new Belmont, a new quest (his lost love!) and ... Patrick Stewart.

Get familiar with the rest of the cast in the E3 gallery below and trailer posted after the break.

Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (E3 2010)

Continue reading Meet the cast of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

JoystiqMeet the cast of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-Shadowe3-2010Kojima-ProductionsKonamiLords-of-ShadowMercurySteammicrosoftplaystationps3xboxThu, 17 Jun 2010 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow slays retail 'later this fall']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/16/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-slays-retail-later-this-fall/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/16/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-slays-retail-later-this-fall/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/16/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-slays-retail-later-this-fall/#commentsFiled under: , ,

During its keynote press conference, Konami confirmed that Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, the Kojima-assisted, MercurySteam-developed 3D reboot of the classic series set to vanquish the forces of evil on the Xbox 360 and PS3, would arrive "later this fall." Word came from producer David Cox, who emerged before a new trailer was shown to attendees. We'll try to get our hands on said trailer and whip it up on the site.

Get it? Whip? Anybody?

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow slays retail 'later this fall' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Castlevania-Lords-of-Shadowe3-2010Kojima-ProductionsKonamiLords-of-ShadowMercurySteamQ3Q3-2010Release-DateWed, 16 Jun 2010 17:59:00 EST<![CDATA[David Cox details the 'epic yet sad' score of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/27/david-cox-details-the-epic-yet-sad-score-of-castlevania-lords/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/27/david-cox-details-the-epic-yet-sad-score-of-castlevania-lords/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/27/david-cox-details-the-epic-yet-sad-score-of-castlevania-lords/#comments In an interview conducted last summer with Castlevania: Lords of Shadow producer David Cox, we found out that the much loved Castlevania: Symphony of the Night music composer Michiru Yamane wouldn't be joining the team at Konami to compose the upcoming game. What was unclear at the time, however, was who exactly would be assigned the task of creating the game's score. David Cox explained to Joystiq this morning that Oscar Araujo, a Spanish symphonist, has been granted that burden.

"Our composer for this game is Oscar Araujo who is a Spanish composer. He is creating a very epic yet sad and melancholy score that perfectly suits the game and emotion that we are aiming for." While Cox added that he's "a big fan of Yamane-san's work," he admitted that her music wouldn't have been a great fit for Mercury Steam's take on the Castlevania series. It certainly doesn't hurt that, according to Cox, she's no longer an employee of Konami. "Yamane-san left Konami quite some time ago as I understand it. She is currently working freelance, though I am not 100% sure.

"Yamane-san has a style that fits perfectly to the previous Castlevania games but this game is very different to those more recent 'vania's in style and direction. I don't think I would be doing her any favours by including her music in the game." He also pointed out that we'll understand his point more clearly when we "eventually get to see the game." With any luck, that'll be sooner rather than later.

Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

JoystiqDavid Cox details the 'epic yet sad' score of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-lords-of-shadowdavid-coxkojima-productionskonamilords-of-shadowmercury-steammichiru-yamaneMicrosoftmusicoscar-araujoXbox-360Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Why 'Lords of Shadow' wasn't 'Castlevania: Lords of Shadow' at first]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/27/why-lords-of-shadow-wasnt-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-at-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/27/why-lords-of-shadow-wasnt-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-at-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/27/why-lords-of-shadow-wasnt-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-at-f/#comments

Being Dave Cox, head of European development for Konami, can't be an easy job. For one, he's not Hideo Kojima, so he's already got that going against him. Worse yet, he's had to tow the company line and let his upcoming Castlevania: Lords of Shadow languish out of the spotlight while Castlevania Judgment got all the attention. It seems Konami didn't even have the confidence to allow Lords of Shadow the Castlevania license -- nor did fans. "It was quite a radical departure from what had gone before with Castlevania, and there was a little bit of nervousness that perhaps it wouldn't be accepted as a Castlevania game," Cox told GameReactor.

Though he claims the project was approved originally as a Castlevania game and was built from the get-go with the vampire-hunting series in mind, the folks in charge at Konami had cold feet going into the big reveal at Games Convention 2008. "Senior management took the decision that we were going to announce it as Lords of Shadow, see what the reaction is, and if it's a good one then this would become a fully-fledged Castlevania." It was definitely a good one.

Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow


[Via VG247]

JoystiqWhy 'Lords of Shadow' wasn't 'Castlevania: Lords of Shadow' at first originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-judgmentcastlevania-lords-of-shadowdave-coxkonamikonami-europelords-of-shadowmercury-steamMicrosoftXbox-360Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Producer: Lords of Shadow was always a Castlevania title (also: new trailer!)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/21/producer-lords-of-shadow-was-always-a-castlevania-title-also/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/21/producer-lords-of-shadow-was-always-a-castlevania-title-also/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/21/producer-lords-of-shadow-was-always-a-castlevania-title-also/#comments We were a bit perplexed when Konami announced Castlevania: Lords of Shadow at E3 earlier this year. The reason: Konami announced the exact same game last year, minus the "Castlevania" in the title. Many of us here at the 'Stiq had assumed that Konami had seen an opportunity to raise the profile of the title by attaching the Castlevania name but, according to producer David Cox, that wasn't the case.

Cox tells 1UP that the game was always meant to be a Castlevania title, but the association was removed when it was first announced at E3 2008. It seems Konami didn't want to steal any thunder from its then upcoming Castlevania: Judgment. Probably a good call, considering Judgment's nominal thunder could be stolen by a reasonably large rubber ball.

Cox also revealed some fresh details on the game, most importantly saying that it will not follow the design of most of the recent titles in the theory, abandoning Metroid-esque exploration in favor of more linear action. In response to franchise purists, Cox pointed out that some of the best entries in the series (notably Castlevania II and IV) have been action-only affairs. Of course, it helps that the main character, Gabriel, is actually a Belmont. Head over to 1UP for more details and be absolutely certain to watch the new, extended trailer above.

JoystiqProducer: Lords of Shadow was always a Castlevania title (also: new trailer!) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-lords-of-shadowkonamilords-of-shadowmercurysteamMicrosoftXbox-360Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, minus the 'Castlevania']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/04/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-minus-the-castlevania/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/04/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-minus-the-castlevania/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/04/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-minus-the-castlevania/#comments
Lords of Shadow's Gabriel, circa 2008 If Castlevania: Lords of Shadow -- announced today during Konami's E3 press conference -- seems ... familiar, it should. The game was actually announced at last year's E3 -- by Konami -- as Lords of Shadow, minus the Castlevania. But, as far as we can tell by comparing what we saw today versus a year ago, that's the only difference.

Lords of Shadow was a gothic action-adventure game starring a character named Gabriel, who just so happened to wield a whip -- iconic weapon of Castlevania heroes -- that emerged from a crucifix. Castlevania: Lord of Shadows is -- in keeping with the series -- a gothic adventure, starring a crucifix/whip-wielding character named Gabriel (who, like the rest of the game, looks exactly as he did last year). Both years' trailers even feature the same giant, stone golem boss character. Oh, and look amazing. Only now, Kojima Productions is steering MercurySteam along the development path.

2009, where everything old is new again -- and carrying the Castlevania name. Check out the game as it appeared a year ago in trailer form after the break (and in original concept art below).

Gallery: Castlevania: Order of Shadows (concept art)

Continue reading Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, minus the 'Castlevania'

JoystiqCastlevania: Lords of Shadow, minus the 'Castlevania' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevaniacastlevania-lords-of-shadowe3-2009hideo-kojimakojima-productionskonamilords-of-shadowmercurysteammercurysteam-entertainmentMicrosoftXbox-360Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:30:00 EST