Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate is an action platformer that brought the dark gothic world of the rebooted Lords of Shadow series to the 3DS, setting its story between the events of the first game and its later console sequels. The player alternates between three generations of the Belmont family – Gabriel, Simon, and Trevor – each wielding a different repertoire of weapons and abilities, from the classic Combat Cross whip through fast secondary weapons to magic attacks, which adds variety to the gameplay despite the linear, 2.5D level design reminiscent of the classic entries in the series that preceded its move to three dimensions.

The combat system relies on fluid combos, dodging, and the gradual unlocking of new abilities and weapon upgrades through collected experience and artifacts, while Dracula's castle is full of hidden paths, locked doors, and nods to the metroidvania tradition from which Castlevania originally sprang. The atmosphere is rounded out by gothic scenery full of gargoyles, chapels, and underground crypts, gloomy orchestral music, and a raw, occasionally bloody take on battles with vampires, werewolves, and other monsters, which places the title among games for a more mature audience.

Contemporary reviews praised the atmosphere and combat system, but many players criticized the title for its shorter length than expected from the series, and for a certain split between the old linear approach and Castlevania's newer, more action-oriented style. Looking back, it's a solid and atmospheric action platformer that works surprisingly well on a handheld and offers some of the best-crafted combat the 3DS library has to offer, even though it remains more of an insider tip for series fans than a widely known title. The fact that the game was developed in parallel with the console entries is evident in how carefully it ties together the visual style and mythology of the entire rebooted trilogy, something that will be especially appreciated by those who also played its sequels on the big screens.