If ever there was proof that a game can be simply too long, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is just that. Set over two discs, the initial 'wow, look how much there is to do!' eventually downgrades to more of a 'how the hell am I going to get this all finished?'. It's still an incredible accomplishment, with some fantastic style gaming on show - it's just that around half of the game could have been potentially cut out, and we'd have been left with a more refined and focused experience to deal with.

Playing Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a little like watching a fireworks display. Initially you find yourself in awe of what you're witnessing, with gorgeous sights and plenty to keep you busy, but gradually it all grows rather tiresome as repetition sets in. Then BANG, something new explodes and your mouth is left wide open again. Fortunately most of Castlevania's extra back-tracking content isn't essential to the game's completion, so it's not always necessary to go back and visit the boring Catherine wheels again.

This reboot of the franchise sees a new character stepping up to the plate. Gabriel Belmont's story is told through a storybook, wonderfully narrated by Sir Patrick Stewart. The attention to detail here is staggering - pause the game at any point, and the static image will be used as a picture in the book, along with words describing exactly what you're doing at that moment.

Yet this is but a mere sign of just how much content is crammed into Lords of Shadow. Over 20 hours, you'll hack and slash your way through a linear set of levels, clearing dozens of enemies at a time and taking on epic boss battles. Explore the world map, however, and you'll find that completing the game is only half the struggle - each level has its own challenges, collectables and unlockables to find. There are so many different paths to discover that you could easily play through the entire game twice and still not have seen everything Lords of Shadow has to offer.

Of course, quantity does not equal quality, and developer would do well to recognise this fact. For the most part Gabriel's journey is perfectly enjoyable, but every now and again you'll come across a level that isn't so glorious, filled with generic combat set-pieces and dull level design. By the time we were halfway through the game, we found ourselves saying a little prayer in our heads every time we entered each new level. 'Please don't be shit, please don't be shit'.

The combat is a proper hack n slash affair, with plenty of button combos and special moves available to dish out the hurt. Apart from hammering the X and Y buttons, you've also got Light and Dark magic at your disposal, each activated via the shoulder buttons. Light magic allows Gabriel to convert kills to health, while Dark magic boosts his strength. Both can be topped up via orbs dropped by enemies, and finding a balance between the two is very clever gaming indeed.

It all looks so goddamn pretty too, with stunning visuals and bloom effects. The cutscenes in particular are the definition of slick - there are no pauses between the main and the real-time videos, but rather the cutscene finishes and you're thrown straight back in. Hence, it feels more like clever camera work than actual cutscenes.

The camera isn't so great elsewhere, however. You have no control over your viewpoint at all, and the camera instead follows behind, frequently jumping into positions that the developer has deemed appropriate for each encounter. For the most part it does a fine job, but sometimes we just wanted to take it by the neck and throttle it. For example, backtracking is made incredibly awkward due to the fact that the camera refuses to spin around and display the area you're running into, and will instead show Gabriel running straight towards you. Quite the opposite of useful, really.

Apart from the standard fighting, there's also plenty of wall-scaling to occupy your time. It's no or Uncharted, but does a satisfying job of breaking up the button-bashing. You've also got a whip for swinging across chasms and rappelling down walls and these sections can be effortless fun. Lords of Shadow isn't too fussy about death either - fall down a pit, and you'll simply respawn on the edge you fell from a moment later, allowing you to focus on enjoyment via progression.

Perhaps the most epic side to Castlevania is the boss battles. These are usually souped-up affairs, with an extravagant entrance that will cause you to mouth the word 'whoa', followed by a series of set moves that need to be pulled off in order to bring the sucker down. While there's no denying that these encounters epitomise everything Lords of Shadow is hoping to provide, they're not always such great fun. Following a script of moves and button presses, then getting knocked back at the last hurdle and having to go through it all again gets tiresome after the third of fourth time.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a fantastic journey that you'll be exploring for weeks on end. With tens of hours of content and challenges to overcome, this may well be the epic saga you've been waiting for. If only the experience was slightly condensed down and given just that little bit more focus, we'd be recommending it outright.

84%

By Mike Rose