Nearly three years ago, MercurySteam and Konami released the reboot of the classic Castlevania game on the PS3 and Xbox 360. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is the game Castlevania fans have been waiting for as it totally gave the series a new life but unfortunately, PC gamers were left out when the game was released. Several years following its release, Konami has finally decided to release the game on PC packed with visual upgrades and added DLC. Should PC gamers pick it up?
Let’s take a look at what’s HOT and what’s NOT in our review of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Ultimate Edition.
HOT
The Series’ Secrets Unveiled
The Lords of Shadow follows the story of Gabriel Belmont, a man who is a member of the Brotherhood of Light, which sole purpose is to hunt down the Lords of Shadow that’s been plaguing the land. In this fifteen to twenty hours journey, fans can expect many twists and shocking events that will answer the questions that fans have been longing to have. Gabriel will be facing many adversaries that will lead to a jaw dropping conclusion. As someone who has been playing Castlevania games, I was pretty pleased to the story of this reboot as it finally put all of the speculations to rest in regards to a certain character that’s been appearing in mostly all of the previous Castlevania games. Prepare to meet interesting characters along the way that Gabriel will meet. By the time you finish the game, your knowledge in the lore behind the Castlevania games will increase.
Stylish Combos and Takedowns
From the traditional side-scrolling action game we’re all accustomed to in a plethora of Castelvania games in the past, the style in Lords of Shadow was changed. Gamers who are fond of hack and slash games will be pleased that the Lords of Shadow somehow adapts and refines its gameplay to make it stand out. In the PC version, it’s better to play the game with the controller as playing a game like this on a keyboard can be quite tough.
In the early hours of the game, Gabriel will be limited in the moves and powers that he can use. As you go through the story and clear out enemies, you will expand the combos that he can use. Through the in-game currency that you receive from slain enemies, you can use those points to upgrade and buy Gabriel’s attacks. Just like Kratos (from God of War), Gabriel knows how to exactly take down his enemies with style. Combined with either dark and light powers, the power of Gabriel shines very bright.
All DLC included
Back when the Lords of Shadow was released several years ago, the game received two downloadable content that further expanded the story of the game. Well, since the game is now on PC and it’s called the “Ultimate Edition”, gamers who will pick up this copy will score the two DLC included; Reverie and Resurrection.
Those who enjoyed the overall quality of the game and are intrigued to know more about what happens to Gabriel after the climatic ending, playing both DLC will reveal more shocking revelations. These two DLC is worth to play as the definitive ending can be seen in the Resurrection DLC. As soon as you see the true ending in Lords of Shadow, you will get even more excited to play the sequel early next year.
Smooth Frame Rate in 60fps
One of the biggest selling points that I think PC gamers should take into consideration in picking up this game are the visuals. Those who have a decent rig that can max out the settings for this game, you will see how a three year old game can look so much better on PC. Expect textures to be more refined and frame rates to be more smoother. Compared to the locked 30fps found on console, the PC version will have at least 60, making the movement and actions of the characters/bosses within the game looks rather realistic and solid with no hiccups. If you have played the console version before, the difference between platforms are very noticeable. Running the game in full 1080p at 60 frames per second, the performance is beyond beautiful.
