Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is probably one of Konami’s most memorable games of recent memory, and with the the Playstation 3 & Xbox 360 reaching their end in a few years from now (reported to be 6 which would be 2020). Konami is making sure they’re name is heard with not only the impressive as hell looking Lords of Shadow 2, but also last gen posts of Metal Gear Solid V and what only God & Konami themselves know what’s in store for Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo another 3 or so years from now. Lords of Shadow 2 will not only close the most recent entry of the Castlevania, but also Mercury Steams involvement in the Castlevania, as it was confirmed that the next entry would be handled by a new studio. It will run at 1080p on both console & PC and at 60fps on PC, while 30fps on console.

Dracula, formerly known as Gabriel Belmont, looks over his castle.

Lords of Shadow has been compared to God of War, gameplay wise in the past, but is that necessarily a bad thing? There’s plenty of games that seem to have had their gameplay modeled by the widely popular franchise such as Darksiders, and they were not only met with stellar reviews, but great sales as well. That’s not to say Lords of Shadow doesn’t have unique gameplay of its own, such as the light & dark magic system. This mechanic gave players different options to play and create different combos to rid themselves of their enemies.

A young woman kneels before Dracula.

The improved graphics of Lords of Shadow 2 is even further proof that the Playstation 3 & Xbox 360 are still powerful machines, despite their current-gen counterparts. Lords of Shadow 2 looks incredible and could easily be confused as a next-gen title to the untrained gamer’s eye. I’m really looking forward to seeing some of Dracula’s biggest moves in beautiful HD.

New weaponry is coming.

Dracula’s vampiric powers aren’t the only dangers his enemies have to face, in recent trailers and screenshots a slew of new weapons have been confirmed. These new weapons include a sword which seems to have some kind of special powers of it’s own, as well as a claw like weapon and others. These weapons will make Gabriel even more dangerous than ever, not to mention the fact that he is now a blood drinking monster who can transform into a dragon.

Dracula isn’t always all-powerful, there will be moments of weakness as well.

We knew what we were expecting from Lords of Shadow 2 after the final scene of the game, but during the release of one of the first trailers we we’re shown something we weren’t expecting. A weak and feeble looking Dracula, who could perhaps be easily bested by a skilled vampire killer. He was starving and seemed a bit insane, while also seemingly admitting that he lost his powers some how (likely due to Satan?).

Old enemies with new faces, and new enemies, from old places.

While Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is a brand new story, old enemies will be featured, including Gabriel’s mortal enemy Satan, who is looking to take over Earth this time around, but unlike their last encounter Satan, like Dracula is also all-powerful. That doesn’t mean Lords of Shadow 2 isn’t bringing in new baddies to face. Gabriel will have to face new threats such as the people who fear him, and even his own family clan; the Belmonts!

Two worlds, one character.

In Lords of Shadow 2, you won’t only learn Gabriel’s trials of becoming Dracula, you will also learn the future consequences he goes through as well. Lords of Shadow 2 will feature two different time periods that Gabriel lives through, the modern world and medieval times. Thusly, you’ll be getting two very different perspectives from the same character.

The Belmonts want Dracula’s head.

While the main focus of the story is Gabriel’s rise as Dracula, Vampire King, & Satan’s return to Earth, another threat looms in the distance. The aforementioned Belmonts, but just how significant are they to Lords of Shadows 2? Previously the Belmonts were featured in the interquel Mirrors of Fate, which had players playing as a Belmont. You again play as a Belmont in Gabriel, but what about the rest of his family who wants him dead? Just how often are they going to be a problem for him, compared to the likes of Satan?

What does the future hold for Gabriel Belmont?

How does Gabriel Belmont’s story end? Is Konami aiming to give Dracula a happy ending, are they trying to give Lords of Shadow fans an ending they’d be happy with, or are they going to try to please both? There’s still so many unanswered questions about Lords of Shadow, some of which that I hope are answered before it’s February 25th release. What about Alucard , why does he hate Gabriel? Is it because he was born into the world as a monster like his father?

Alucard as he appears in Lords of Shadow 2.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is looking to be a must play game for not only 2014, but the Playstation 3 & Xbox 360 life cycle as a whole. The new story, enemies, and abilities is making this game come off as perhaps the best Castlevania to date. With only three weeks remaining until it’s anticipated release, we’re hoping to get one last bit info hype inducing info before finally getting our hands on it ourselves. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 releases February 25, 2014 for PC Playstation 3, and Xbox 360.