Great sequel! Ties in perfectly with the first one. I just wish we could get to see more of how he became Dracula. I downloaded the DLC for the first game and that explained some of it, but not everything.

Thanks to Xbox for supplying this game for review.

Open world environment delivers more than predecessor; Strong boss battles are challenging and entertaining

Feels similar to other action adventure titles on the market; Combat can sometimes feel repetitive

Competent but not essential, it isn't the massive fanfare sendoff to a generation that the series would have hoped for.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow was surprisingly a hit amongst fans. I use the word ‘surprisingly' because it's often quite rare for developers to digress from the original formula without alienating the people who grew up loving what the original games had to offer.

Being a huge fan of the original Lords of Shadow I couldn't wait to get my hands on this game and it hasn't disappointed me. The game kicks off with Gabriel sat upon his throne as the Brotherhood of Light are attempting a siege on his castle.

Good game, but not as good as the first one. Still worth a play.

Despite all the mixed and negative reviews I found a lot to like in this game. The combat is fast and responsive, and there is quite a lot of depth in the levelling and upgrade system.

The original Castlevania: Lords of Shadow was a bit like Downton Abbey for me – a guilty pleasure. I'd set Steam to invisible mode while playing it, so my pals couldn't see I was spending so much time with a game that was critically panned.

Far from perfect and a disappointing step backwards from the first game, Lords Of Shadow 2 still manages to offer an engaging and rewarding action experience … so long as you can look beyond its disappointing story.

+ Great battles and combat; + Free-roam lifts restrictive feel of the original; + Beautiful settings

- Story lacks punch of the original; - Stealth missions ruin pacing

Brilliant game already hooked!!