Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2

[Suntory_Times]

Originally Posted by Snake_XRS

Apparently there's been some sort of internal venting from a dev at MercurySteam. While this may be totally bogus, the mediocre reviews and questionable gameplay decisions could easily be signs of internal tension and a communication breakdown between the team. Then again, it could easily be just a disgruntled worker (or ex-employee) but there does seem to be a consensus among reviewers and players that this game is unfocused and brought down with bad decisions.

Here's a direct link to the post in Spanish and some translated key points:

http://zonaforo.meristation.com/anal....html#40384572

-The entire team is aware that game we made is a complete piece of s**** , we wish it was fit to lick the boots of the original game.

-Enric Alvarez is to be blamed. Without a doubt he's the one who screwed up the development of this game, basing everything on his own personal criteria, ignoring programmers, desingers and artists.

- There's no corporate culture, just a handful of people working in the blind and at the mercy of the whims of an alleged visionary.

- Absolutely all design decisions are approved, appropriated and cut by Enric Alvarez.

- Future expectations are pretty much null. The publisher, Konami, isn't happy at all with the mediocre game we've made.

I call bogus and even if it isn't it would just be disgruntled employee (proabably ex employee). If this is the case there timing means they really where not very confident that the game would be a let down as they would be breakin an nda both up to and after release at this stage I would imagine. I still would say with near on certainty that it is just made up by some random.

[mike79]

Originally Posted by Moefiz

Talk about adding salt to a open wound, I think I will wait a bit for the price to drop.

I don't know how true that is. So far I really like the game. It feels like a continuation of the first. It's different because he's Dracula this time, however it seems good what I have played so far.

[Moefiz]

Originally Posted by mike79

I don't know how true that is. So far I really like the game. It feels like a continuation of the first. It's different because he's Dracula this time, however it seems good what I have played so far.

I totally loved the first game and I was waiting for this to get release but with more negative than positive reviews still not sure..I did love the demo for LOS2 thou.

[mike79]

Originally Posted by Moefiz

I totally loved the first game and I was waiting for this to get release but with more negative than positive reviews still not sure..I did love the demo for LOS2 thou.

I think it's good. I can see where the complaints are, from the stealth stuff. I honestly found it kind of cool. Maybe if it needs to be done over and over it would get annoying. So far though the boss fights have been great, and I am loving it.

If that article were true, I would think it would be a really bad game. Most of the reviews say the good outweigh the bad, and the bad just bring the score down, but it's still worth it to play. If it were that bad, it would be getting 3's and 5's I would think. The character's so far also seem like they would fit right in with the first, so I don't know. To me, it's a good continuation. Obviously things will be different this time with him being Dracula.

[Taipan]

[Show spoiler]Frickin Carmilla is tough. I can get her barrier down the first time with chaos claw bombs/whip, but after that my whip doesn't affect her after the chaos bomb.

Any ideas?

[mike79]

Originally Posted by Taipan

[Show spoiler]Frickin Carmilla is tough. I can get her barrier down the first time with chaos claw bombs/whip, but after that my whip doesn't affect her after the chaos bomb.

Any ideas?

Did you ever finish that part? Agreus is tough too. The sneaking. I had to youtube it. I have never done that in a game before.

[Taipan]

Originally Posted by mike79

Did you ever finish that part? Agreus is tough too. The sneaking. I had to youtube it. I have never done that in a game before.

Yeah, I figured it out eventually. I did have to search through gamefaqs forum for Agreus though. That was more challenging than I thought it would be. Mist is definitely needed there.

[mike79]

Originally Posted by Taipan

Yeah, I figured it out eventually. I did have to search through gamefaqs forum for Agreus though. That was more challenging than I thought it would be. Mist is definitely needed there.

Yeah I was ready to give up the game during the sneaking part with agreus. Then I watched the YouTube video and saw the guy do it in less than 2 minutes and my first try from there I got it.

[Moefiz]

OK, so I cave and bought this and so far I like it...the combat is awesome once you get the button configuration down reminds me alot like the new DMC... don't really like the stealth stuff especially when Gabriel changes into rat form he is hard to control especially when you have to guide him thru certain areas...

[mike79]

Yeah, the stealth parts get kind of lame. I think I am about half way through and haven't had to do any stealth in a while, but I know there is more. Overall, I like it a lot still. There are a lot of parts that I found frustrating and annoying, but they are few and far between I think.

[Moefiz]

Originally Posted by mike79

Yeah, the stealth parts get kind of lame. I think I am about half way through and haven't had to do any stealth in a while, but I know there is more. Overall, I like it a lot still. There are a lot of parts that I found frustrating and annoying, but they are few and far between I think.

The castle areas is where the game really shines, so far the modern day stuff I could do without...granted I just finish the Medusa fight and is about to leave the parking garage

[mike79]

I agree about the Castle, it's the best parts. Not too much a fan of the modern day either. The only part I liked was the Acolyte, not sure how to spell that, the girl. She was pretty crazy.

[Snake_XRS]

Beat the game last night, and started my Prince of Darkness NG+. I really had a great time with this one. The stealth sections didn't really bother me because they were too short to get aggravating in all honesty. I didn't quite get the ending, but there were some parts of pure genius like

[Show spoiler]the Victor fight when he summons the crystal

Very cool to be on the opposite side of that lol.

The Lieutenant reveal was pretty cool too, as well as the backstory he reveals. This was definitely an 8.5/10 for me. I really don't understand the backlash. The Amazon pre-order bonus was also really awesome (Dark Dracula with black/gold trench coat and white hair). Much better than the standard red outfit.

[RJ MacReady]

I beat it last night too, and I agree with most of your points. I'd give it a 7.5 though. The first LoS is one of my favorite PS3 games and this one just didn't quite live up to it.

Looking forward to the Alucard DLC though.

[mike79]

It seems much shorter than the first one, not sure though. What do you guys think who finished it? I hope to finish it before Infamous next Friday. I believe the Agreus fight was the half way point from walkthroughs I looked at for that part. The only part that I needed it so far. I just got past

[Show spoiler]the Victor fight when he sacrificed himself

so I am not sure how much I have left.

[Snake_XRS]

Originally Posted by RJ MacReady

I beat it last night too, and I agree with most of your points. I'd give it a 7.5 though. The first LoS is one of my favorite PS3 games and this one just didn't quite live up to it.

Looking forward to the Alucard DLC though.

Personally I wish the DLC was with Carmilla--Alucard seems too similar to Gabriel/Dracula. Not to mention she's a lot easier on the eyes lol

IMO LOS1 had more enemy variety (trolls, ogres, werewolves, vampires, etc) better bosses, and a better overall story (even though it made no sense without the dlc). The only negative I could think of was the fixed camera system.

2 would have been better with Wargs, trolls, etc instead of the Zone of the Ender robots we ended up with. I did like the rat parts though, it was a cool perspective to experience.