We’re interested in seeing what happens with Gabriel.
Gabriel, the main hero of Lords of Shadow, went through quite a bit in the original game after fighting so much to revive his beloved Marie. We’d love to see the next chapter in his saga, seeing if the anguish over losing her is enough to truly break him, or if it makes him more powerful in his next adventure. He’s got quite the story to tell. Also, if Konami brings back the same excellent voice cast, including the return of Stewart, Carlyle and the others, we’d be all for it.
We want new weapons.
Castlevania has always been about using a wide scope of weaponry, and Lords of Shadow II could easily provide the opportunity to use new weapons, like a boomerang or other powerful tools. We’d love to see the throwing axes make a return, as well as more angry beasts to ride and bigger bosses to cut down to size. The first game certainly got it done, so why not a second?
The Castlevania franchise is still well-loved.
Even though it’s been ages since we’ve had a Symphony of the Night-style game, interest in the Castlevania series remains incredibly high. Lords of Shadow proved that with its release a couple of years back, and Konami has no doubt kept an interest in the series, especially with SOTN and Castlevania Chronicles being offered as freebies for PlayStation Plus subscribers. Also, since the company doesn’t really have any other Castlevania games in production (whatever happened to that Bloodlines revival, anyway?), we need whatever new they can throw at us. Lords of Shadow II would not only be a genuine surprise, but a welcome one at that.
The ball’s in your court, Konami. Make it happen.
It’s kind of amazing how far the Castlevania legacy has come, isn’t it? What started as an NES adventure way back in the 80s has somehow blossomed into one of the most respected game series out there, including such chapters as the much-heralded Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, as well as Super Castlevania IV and Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles.
But many of you would probably agree that one of the most surprising entries in the series would have to be Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Produced by the team-up of Kojima Productions and MercurySteam, the epic 3D adventure would turn out to be quite the shake-up for the series — and one for the better. Not only was it backed by a powerhouse game engine and solid play mechanics throughout, but also a voice cast that included the likes of Sir Patrick Stewart and Robert Carlyle, among others. It became quite the beloved classic, even if it was a change of pace from the usual Belmont adventures.
With that, we’ve been hearing rumblings regarding a special announcement that will be coming from Konami next month at E3, and while it could really be pertaining to anything, from a Dance Dance Revolution game to something Solid Snake-related in the Metal Gear lexicon, we can’t help but wonder… why not a Lords of Shadow sequel? Though the original game concluded in quite the epic fashion, the add-on DLC, Reverie and Resurrection, kind of opened a new door of possibilities in terms of a sequel. And honestly, we need it.
Why? It’s funny you should ask. There are a few reasons…
Lords of Shadow made Castlevania respectable in 3D.
Let’s be honest, before the release of Lords of Shadow, the 3D Castlevania games weren’t nearly as good as the classic 2D ones. Maybe it was the lack of depth (surprising considering the perspective) or the fact that the 3D games just weren’t as polished as the ones made by Koji Igarashi and his team (Symphony of the Night definitely rings a bell), or maybe it was just those damn Castlevania games for Nintendo 64. Regardless, MercurySteam and Kojima Productions managed to pull off the unthinkable, making Lords of Shadow not only playable, but well worth the transition to 3D. Getting more of the same would be a welcome treat.
Improvements to formula.
Sure, there were some slight flaws with Lords of Shadow — including the limited camera angles and occasional gameplay hiccups, like the timing system with crucial hits — but they weren’t enough to break the game. Regardless, a sequel would allow MercurySteam and their partners to iron out the kinks and deliver another chapter, one that could outperform the original. What’s more, think of the improvements they’ve made to the engine since that time. It could actually look better…
