KONAMI takes wraps off epic rebirth, as playable version is unveiled for Cologne event
18 August, 2010, SYDNEY: Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH will use this year’s gamescom event in Cologne, Germany, to flesh out key parts of its eagerly-awaited Castlevania: Lords of Shadow title, with further information on the game’s sheer scale, ingenious magical elements and combat system revealed.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow will be released for PlayStation®3 and Xbox 360 in October, and is the most ambitious revamp of the popular series imaginable. Overseen by KONAMI’s European Product Planning department, Madrid-based developer Mercury Steam, in association with Kojima Productions studio, worked to produce a breath-taking epic that will amaze, thrill and delight in equal measure.
Visitors to gamescom will be able to play the game for the first time, and KONAMI has pulled out all the stops to give them something to look forward to. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is an epic tale of love, despair and hope. The game is set in a ravaged Europe of the middle ages, where souls of the dead are trapped on our earthly plane unable to find peace, and inhuman creatures of nightmare wreak havoc. Gabriel Belmont (voiced by Robert Carlyle), hero of the peace and part of the legendary Belmont clan from Castlevania lore, has witnessed the brutal slaying of his wife Marie (voiced by Natascha McKelhone).
Gabriel pledges revenge against those responsible: the mysterious Lords of Shadow, and learns from his one ally Zobek (Patrick Stewart) that each of the Lords possesses pieces of a relic called ’The God Mask’ that, when assembled, can purify the world and has the power to bring the dead back.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow follows Gabriel as the player battles to confront the three factions of the Lords of Shadow, traversing over 50 diverse and beautifully realised stages, coming up against over 45 enemies, and defeating huge adversaries that dominate the screen and must be fought in real-time, demanding skill, power and timing as the player scales these enormous creatures.
Within Castlevania: Lords of Shadow’s stunning 3D worlds lie a mixture of gameplay elements. Combat and action see Gabriel using his powerful Combat Cross weapon to cut a swathe through the enemy, while secondary weapons can also be used against foes: silver daggers to kill werewolves, or holy water to scald and destroy vampires, for instance. In total, the game boasts over 40 possible combo attacks, which are learned constantly throughout the game.
Similarly, Gabriel grows ever more powerful with the use of the game’s Light and Shadow magic elements. During the course of his quest, the hero collects orbs left behind by felled foes. These can be attributed to either Light or Shadow magic, with the former used to enhance Gabriel’s physical wellbeing, and the latter to bolster his offensive capabilities.
As befits a game with Castlevania: Lords of Shadow’s enviable heritage, the areas containing the eponymous Lords of Shadow also require players to show skill and ability with both platforming and puzzle-solving tests. Gabriel’s Combat Cross can be used to swing across gaping chasms, or rappel up sheer surfaces, while narrow ledges, thin walkways and high ledges must also be skillfully negotiated. Similarly, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow offers a wide range of puzzles, with larger adversaries that require a specific means to exploit weaknesses, or object-related puzzles that will open doors or give access to previously unreachable areas.
“Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a remarkable title, and one that represents a welcome rebirth of one of KONAMI’s most enduring and hailed series,” enthused Martin Schneider, European Marketing Director, for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. “Gamescom will offer gamers their first chance to experience the sheer epic variety and scale the game offers, and we are extremely excited about taking the wraps off one of our most important titles for 2010.”
About Konami Group
KONAMI CORPORATION was established in 1973, and became a holding company of the Konami Group on March 31, 2006. KONAMI CORPORATION covers the fields of “Digital Entertainment Business”, “Gaming & System Business” and “Health & Fitness Business”. KONAMI CORPORATION went public on Tokyo Stock Exchange in 1988, the London Stock Exchange in 1999, and the New York Stock Exchange in 2002. Home Page URL: www.konami.co.jp. Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH is a wholly-owned subsidiary, responsible for popular franchises like Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill and Pro Evolution Soccer amongst other top sellers. Konami Group is also the manufacturer of the wildly popular Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME, which has sold more than 22 billion cards worldwide. For more information concerning Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH and its products, please visit www.konami-europe.com.
KONAMI is a registered trademark of KONAMI CORPORATION.
Developed by Mercury Steam S.L.
About Mindscape
Mindscape develops, publishes and distributes kids, family and NextGen games, productivity and reference software on the PC, Mac, DS, Wii, Playstation, XBox and online platforms. The company’s rich portfolio of award-winning products include Broderbund, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Endemol, Hoyle Games, IMSI, Konami, Legacy Interactive, Mark Burnett Productions, Myhorseclub, Nancy Drew, Nuance, Playfirst, PopCap, Punch, Roxio, The Learning Company and Universal Music. Mindscape is a publicly listed company on the Paris Stock Market – Alternext since December 2007, with offices throughout Europe and Australia. www.mindscape.com.au