It is this element of exploration and free moving that I sorely missed in the first part.

A good action game with fast-paced combat, beautiful visuals plus a welcome emphasis on exploration. However the experience is held back by some noticeable flaws: Annoying stealth sections, uninspired environments and the abstruse story are significant letdowns in a game that could have been an incredible sequel.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is a solid entry for the series, delivering an intense, visually stunning adventure that is best experienced on PC.

For third person action veterans it probably won’t quite cut the mustard, but for Castlevania fans who are still digging the reboot this will be another good title in the reimagining of a classic series.

When Mercury Steam seemed to be about to produce a new successful title with very little effort, something went wrong and what we've got is not even the shadow of what we've been expecting in all these years. A conclusion that well-deserved another fate.

The developers have put too many different ideas into Lords of Shadow 2, and the end result is a bit messy. We have a great combat mechanic that is flawed in a very important place. There are cool special powers that are useful only in certain parts of the story. Stealth gameplay bores instead of being exciting. Still - for every mediocre idea there's a great one. Lords of Shadow 2 is a lesser game than its predecessor, but still generates many hours of fun.

The PC version of Lords of Shadow 2 has the same shortcomings of its console variants, improved graphics and an easy-to-use camera do not change our disappointment with the sequel.

A good game with a satisfying conclusion to the MercurySteam saga that sadly falls short of its predecessor, thanks to the puzzling inclusion of unwanted stealth elements.

Underneath the unfocused, ramshackle design decisions and incomprehensible story there's a decent action game - but how much of it you're willing to endure for closure depends on how deeply entrenched you are into Lords of Shadow's lore.

It’s a tragedy to see Lords of Shadows 2 arrive in this form. Rather than focus on what made the first game so much fun, the designers seem to have totally misunderstood what gamers wanted from the sequel, and delivered something that was utterly alien to the first game.

The creators have looked everywhere and were inspired by everything, but unlike the competition there's no quality in their endeavours. Instead of a great hack and slash title they serve us a merely stereotypically dull piece without brains. On top of that, the game looks off colour.

A miserable blend of flawed game mechanics that's a giant leap backwards from its predecessor.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 looks gorgeous and could have been wildly original, but it squanders its polish and potential on archaic contrivances, banal writing, and an overall shallow experience. It's fine if you want a factory standard combat game, but in the year 2014, it's just plain dreary.

A massive disappointment. It tells a confusing and uninteresting story in a bloated game that works against you at every angle. The combat can be fun at times, and reaches its high points during the various boss fights.

A mediocre button masher at best, brought down by absurd design choices and low production values. [Issue #240]

An unfortunate conclusion to a once promising trilogy.