Castlevania: Lament of Innocence - Reception

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator Score
GameRankings 78.72%
Metacritic 79 / 100
GameStats 8.0 / 10
Review scores
Publication Score
1UP.com B+
Computer and Video Games 8 / 10
Edge 8 / 10
Eurogamer 7 / 10
Game Informer 8 / 10
GamePro
GamesMaster 83%
GameSpot 7.7 / 10
GameSpy
GameZone 9 / 10
IGN 9.0 / 10
Official PlayStation Magazine (US)
Play Magazine B+
PSM 9 / 10
X-Play
Awards
Entity Award
IGN Editors' Choice

On GameRankings, the game has an average score of 78.72%, based on 59 reviews. On Metacritic, the game has an average score of 79 out of 100, based on 45 reviews.

Overall, the developers' attempt to re-transition the series from a 2D side-scrolling style of gameplay to a 3D one with Lament of Innocence was positively received by English-language critics. Reviewers praised it for the gothic atmosphere, detailed graphics, enjoyable, though not complex, gameplay, and a fitting soundtrack. Reviewers compared the system of pairing orbs with a sub-weapon to strengthen it to the 2002 Game Boy Advance title Harmony of Dissonance's magic system.

Criticism focused on repetitive hallways and rooms, unhelpful camera angles when platforming, the difficulty of uncovering the secret items, a relatively short length of gameplay, and that the player had to search for and use inventory items as a battle was occurring. Eurogamer wrote that the absence of a map for the overall castle and an "overall feeling of being in one huge coherent structure", and less emphasis on exploring of the castle weakened the game since those elements were crucial to previous Castlevania titles.

The game's hack and slash gameplay drew comparisons to the 2001 release Devil May Cry, though Lament of Innocence introduced several unique features to set itself apart from Capcom's title. The game has also drawn comparisons to the 2002 release Rygar: The Legendary Adventure and 2005 release God of War, both of which use similar chained-blade weapons, while the latter also used similarly flashy and smooth attacks that could change direction in the middle of a combo.

Read more about this topic:  Castlevania: Lament Of Innocence

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