Lords of shadows is a great and criminally underrated. Finally Vinny played it and gave all the people that like it sweet vindication.

Nah, it's right where it belongs. The story wasn't too good, and it would have made more sense as a Golden Axe game than as a Castlevania game. Then again, Gabriel is fucking sexy.

I loved that game and for the most part it was well received. The only time I saw or heard major negativity from it was the forums and the GB crew.

Nah, it's right where it belongs. The story wasn't too good, and it would have made more sense as a Golden Axe game than as a Castlevania game. Then again, Gabriel is fucking sexy.

@kingzetta said:

@Video_Game_King said:

Nah, it's right where it belongs. The story wasn't too good, and it would have made more sense as a Golden Axe game than as a Castlevania game. Then again, Gabriel is fucking sexy.

castlevania existed before sotn you know.

NEVER FIGHT THE KING! no. YOU'RE BOTH KINGS!

• Focus on combat
• Focus on mounts
• A magic eagle you ride to a castle
• Those fucking chupacabras
• The world map

Did Vinny talk about it on the bombcast?

@kingzetta said:

@Video_Game_King said:

Nah, it's right where it belongs. The story wasn't too good, and it would have made more sense as a Golden Axe game than as a Castlevania game. Then again, Gabriel is fucking sexy.

castlevania existed before sotn you know.

NEVER FIGHT THE KING! no. YOU'RE BOTH KINGS!

Look, if you don't whip any Draculas then it is no Castlevania I want a part of.

Really me and him are about the same person but I'm right more often.

@kingzetta: 
 
What does that mean? That a whip and a red outfit is all you need to be Castlevania? Well, let's look at what Golden Axe shares with this game:
 

• Focus on combat
• Focus on mounts
• A magic eagle you ride to a castle
• Those fucking chupacabras
• The world map

Hell, the vampire Lord of Shadow isn't even Dracula! They had to add some weird ending to jam him in. How can you call it Castlevania if Dracula's only important at the end?

@kingzetta said:

Really me and him are about the same person but I'm right more often.

You don't know the mistake you just made.

Also I play a lot current games, you play the classics.

@Video_Game_King: I have no idea what your talking about. When did I talk about the PS2 games?

@kingzetta said:

@Video_Game_King: I have no idea what your talking about. When did I talk about the PS2 games?

When I originally blogged about Lords of Shadow. Or am I remembering somebody else?

Yep, I already said this in the bombcast comments:

I think it's great that a (less jaded) crew member finally gives Lords of Shadow a chance. It's a fucking great game and even more of a Castlevania game than any of the post-SotN-DS-games (too much weird Anime shit). And Vinny just got to the good part (granted, the first two chapters are not that Castlevania-ish).

Their mindless hate for LoS has always bugged me, as did the poor QL with Ryan and Alex. They should just stop talking shit about a game they don't really know. Listening to Brad declaring the cross not being a whip was painful, it's obvious he doesn't know a thing about the game. It's a fucking chain whip that retracts into a cross. Every single move is a whip move. Sigh...

@CptBedlam: Take a slow, deep breath...calm down. :)

Ontopic; I absolutly loved LoS (most of it anyway, the camera was sometimes fucking up hard), and it's great to hear a bombcast member giving the game a good try. I'm hoping a sequel is in the making!

@Cincaid said:

@CptBedlam: Take a slow, deep breath...calm down. :)

Yeah, as I said ... that was just my first reaction that I copied from the comments. It had to be said because the crew (minus Vinny) bashed the game whenever it came up without knowing shit about it. ;)

It looks pretty but I wrote the game off In the demo when I had to hold l2 or l1 and use the stick to dodge.  Fuck that.  If you're going to ape God of Wars controls - just go all the way.
 
I still really want to play it, I think I want someone to tell me how wrong I am or that I can change the controls around in options.

@Quacktastic said:

It looks pretty but I wrote the game off In the demo when I had to hold l2 or l1 and use the stick to dodge. Fuck that. If you're going to ape God of Wars controls - just go all the way.

It's the superior Ninja Gaiden way of dodging and it's better because you don't have to take your right hand away from the attack buttons.

The game to me always felt like it took the best things from both games (GoW and NG) control/combat-wise and combined them.

Lords of Shadow..

Lords of Shadow

....... Lords of Shadow.

I've loved Castlevania since the first NES one but I still haven't bothered with this game, it's in my bowl (yes I have a game bowl, I wouldn't waste it on fruit) and it's been there since it came out. I just can't bring myself to even put it into the PS3. I opened the cover once. Maybe the lashes I got from N64 Castlevanias has me scared like a whimpy child but there it is. What's even more painful is trying to think of the PS2 Castlevania games, sure they were better than their N64 brethren, but their blandness somehow pains me even more.

Some day, LordsofShadow, some day I will play you..

I concur. I thought the game was quite awesome, and I never quite understood why the GB crew was always hating on it. I am very glad Vinny likes it.

Word up. It was fun.

Bosses were a biatch tho, but on the other hand rewarding.

I've never played any of the previous Castlevania games however, and respect the feelings of the fans of franchices, since frequently I have my own in regards to other games :)

@pepsimaxofborg said:

Lords of Shadow..

Lords of Shadow

....... Lords of Shadow.

I've loved Castlevania since the first NES one but I still haven't bothered with this game, it's in my bowl (yes I have a game bowl, I wouldn't waste it on fruit) and it's been there since it came out. I just can't bring myself to even put it into the PS3. I opened the cover once. Maybe the lashes I got from N64 Castlevanias has me scared like a whimpy child but there it is. What's even more painful is trying to think of the PS2 Castlevania games, sure they were better than their N64 brethren, but their blandness somehow pains me even more.

Some day, LordsofShadow, some day I will play you..

Play it. You have this great game lying around in your game bowl (awesome, now I want a game bowl, too) and you don't know it. And at least play it to chapter 4. It's a long game and the first two or three chapters are not very Castlevania-ish. The second chapter is a little overly long, they are not nearly as long afterwards. Also, the bosses of the first two chapters (the colossi) are a little tedious, after that the bosses are great. It's unfortunate that all this stuff was put into the beginning parts and apparently put a lot of people off this game.

@Quacktastic: Also, when you keep holding the block button, you are automatically blocking in between dodging (as long as you don't attack) which is pretty convenient. I'm not saying God of War controls bad or anything but I like the NG block/dodge system better.

That's a game I've really been wanting to get around to for a long time but never do.

Still hope to someday.

I absolutely adored this game. I bought it on both my 360 and PS3 and the ending is mind-blowing. I don't get the hate in this game, and the fighting (as the game progresses) gets a lot more tactile than mashy. In fact, button mashing will equal death in this game. I'm not sure where all the hate comes from, and I can't wait for a sequel.

At least the dudes at Game Informer were big promoters of how much they loved the game.

@kingzetta said:

Lords of shadows is a great and criminally underrated. Finally Vinny played it and gave all the people that like it sweet vindication.

Well, I ordered it from Gamefly the day before Vinny started praising it, so it made me even more excited to get into it. I always thought it looked good, but I thought it was short, so I didn't want to play full price.

@kingzetta said:

castlevania existed before sotn you know.

I disagree.

I was a huge fan of Lament of Innocence, I really should get this.

I only completed the first chapter, though that was enough playtime for me realise that I wouldn't of enjoyed the other 14. The combat felt pretty unsatisfying and weak (which can be linked to my own personal dislike of whip weapons), the platforming and traversal mechanics are horrendous, I found the camera too pulled back on occasion and the story, for however good it may get, left a bad first impression. Gabriel appeared to be incredibly dull and I've personally never been too much a fan of Patrick Stewart's Patrick Stewartness with his super Shakespearean delivery of everything.

Like I said, maybe the story evolves into an endearing and entertaining tale, but the first impressions put against the boring gameplay turned me off it.

@kingzetta said:

castlevania existed before sotn you know.

I disagree.

@Abyssfull said:

I only completed the first chapter, though that was enough playtime for me realise that I wouldn't of enjoyed the other 14. The combat felt pretty unsatisfying and weak (which can be linked to my own personal dislike of whip weapons), the platforming and traversal mechanics are horrendous, I found the camera too pulled back on occasion and the story, for however good it may get, left a bad first impression. Gabriel appeared to be incredibly dull and I've personally never been too much a fan of Patrick Stewart's Patrick Stewartness with his super Shakespearean delivery of everything.

Like I said, maybe the story evolves into an endearing and entertaining tale, but the first impressions put against the boring gameplay turned me off it.

My thoughts exactly, except I love Patrick Stewart's Patrick Stewart-ness.

@Video_Game_King said:

Nah, it's right where it belongs. The story wasn't too good, and it would have made more sense as a Golden Axe game than as a Castlevania game. Then again, Gabriel is fucking sexy.

At this point you're reviewing the marketing, not the game.

@AlexW00d said:

@Abyssfull said:

I only completed the first chapter, though that was enough playtime for me realise that I wouldn't of enjoyed the other 14. The combat felt pretty unsatisfying and weak (which can be linked to my own personal dislike of whip weapons), the platforming and traversal mechanics are horrendous, I found the camera too pulled back on occasion and the story, for however good it may get, left a bad first impression. Gabriel appeared to be incredibly dull and I've personally never been too much a fan of Patrick Stewart's Patrick Stewartness with his super Shakespearean delivery of everything.

Like I said, maybe the story evolves into an endearing and entertaining tale, but the first impressions put against the boring gameplay turned me off it.

My thoughts exactly, except I love Patrick Stewart's Patrick Stewart-ness.

The first chapter is not really representative of the game. Neither is the second. The game really picks up after that.

All of this goes for the combat as well which is actually one of the most refined, satisfying and varied combat systems in the genre (just not yet at the very beginning) - and I play all of these games, from GoW to NG.

Really guys, you got the wrong impression of this game. Try it and play at least to chapter 4. You missed a great game.

Bottom line: you can't judge this game by it's first or second chapter. That's just how it is. People who finished it love it, people who hate it usually only played the first chapter. It's a shame. I'm absolutely certain the GB crew would change their opinion on this game if they knew all of it and not just a few scenes from the first chapter. I just hope Vinny sticks with it.

Yeah it was good for a action game. But man, the checkpoints, load screens, and un skipable cutscenes were the most brutal part of the game.

I loved this game.

Lords of shadow is an awesome, awesome game. I played through it twice, only the DLC was a little underwelming. As far as the main game goes it is ranked place two on my GotY list from last year letting behind Red Dead, God of War 3 and all the other great 2010 games I played. There was only one game I enjoyed more and that was Mass Effect 2. I don´t fucking care if it says Castlevania or not, it´s a great game and that´s all I need. Vinny should really play through it.

Didn't like Lords of Shadow at all. :3

But VInny said he wasn't close to finishing it and if the variety doesn't stop and if he's stuck with boring combat he can see the game going bad.

What will you do then? Are you going to make a topic talking about how Vinny's wrong?

@Doctorchimp said:

But VInny said he wasn't close to finishing it and if the variety doesn't stop and if he's stuck with boring combat he can see the game going bad.

What will you do then? Are you going to make a topic talking about how Vinny's wrong?

The game has a ton of variety. More so than any other games I played of this type. And as I said earlier: the game's combat is great, too.

But yeah, the game is long, maybe a tad too long for some (I enjoyed all of it). I trust Vinny's perseverance though. He actually seems to play a lot more and longer games than the other GB guys.

Played it and loved it. I hope he talks about the ending next week.