Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow Successfully Rebooted An Aging Series, And Its Sequel Ruined It

gamespot.com:

When Castlevania is discussed today--at this point far-removed from any new games in the series--we often hear about the same few retro titles. The original game paved the way for other action-platformers. Symphony of the Night influenced decades of non-linear action-RPGs, including a long line of great games on the Game Boy Advance and DS.

However, another game rarely discussed in these conversations, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, was a radical departure from the series' past that drew more from Zelda and God of War than it did from Castlevania. Its departures from the series' conventions only helped make its big twist even more unexpected--and its ending was so badass that it only made Lords of Shadow 2 more disappointing.

Spoilers for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow series to follow!

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow works because of the series' already-long legacy when it launched, not in spite of it. Starring Gabriel Belmont--a new character whose surname is recognizable to any Castlevania fan--Lords of Shadow spends much of its lengthy playtime focused on a story that doesn't feel quite like Castlevania. Gabriel's wife Marie has died, and he's determined to complete a mission that will apparently result in her resurrection. It's a story that wouldn't be out of place in any number of action-adventure games, including a major inspiration like God of War. The trick here, however, is that developer MercurySteam wanted longtime fans to feel a little frustrated while they were playing. Sure, Gabriel had a whip, but where were the spooky bats? Where was Death? And, of course, where was Dracula?

Those players would have to stick around for an after-credits cutscene to have those questions fully answered. Zobek--a magical man