It is this element of exploration and free moving that I sorely missed in the first part.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is a solid entry for the series, delivering an intense, visually stunning adventure that is best experienced on PC.

When Mercury Steam seemed to be about to produce a new successful title with very little effort, something went wrong and what we've got is not even the shadow of what we've been expecting in all these years. A conclusion that well-deserved another fate.

Underneath the unfocused, ramshackle design decisions and incomprehensible story there's a decent action game - but how much of it you're willing to endure for closure depends on how deeply entrenched you are into Lords of Shadow's lore.

The creators have looked everywhere and were inspired by everything, but unlike the competition there's no quality in their endeavours. Instead of a great hack and slash title they serve us a merely stereotypically dull piece without brains. On top of that, the game looks off colour.

A massive disappointment. It tells a confusing and uninteresting story in a bloated game that works against you at every angle. The combat can be fun at times, and reaches its high points during the various boss fights.

A mediocre button masher at best, brought down by absurd design choices and low production values. [Issue #240]