![]() Checkpoints are regular and never leave you having to repeat long sections after a misplaced jump when some idiot nudges you on a crowded commute. That Mirror of Fate uses the 3DS hardware-specific tricks to its advantage is obvious within minutes, but there is also a strong understanding here of what makes a great handheld title in general. Nothing too off putting, mercifully, but definitely noticeable from time to time. There are occasional framerate issues in some of the more open areas, and also during hectic combat sequences. Unfortunately, such beauty comes at a price. There’s also some particularly nice-looking stylized cutscenes to keep the story ticking over, which make fantastic, subtle use of the console’s hardware. The way that MercurySteam uses the 3DS’ 3D to create some of the nicest environments on the system, reaching well into the background and foreground, is almost like the Spanish firm is finally realising the ideas Konami had way back in 1991. It appears that the biggest influence here is the SNES’ Super Castlevania IV, a game full of rich backgrounds, layers of parallax scrolling and other graphical tricks here and there. It is also lovely looking game, right up there with the very best on the 3DS. Forgiving, but also a big part of why having this fast-paced action on a portable console is rad, not utterly frustrating. Every enemy telegraphs their attacks like you’re watching Hulk Hogan in slow motion, and the window for successfully dodging or parrying an attack is quite generous. It is all about knowing when to block, parry, dodge and when you have the opportunity to deliver a massive whip combo chain. The combat system has been lifted from Lords of Shadow almost wholesale, with a few tweaks to ensure it works on the 2D plane. It makes for a much more focused game, channelling you from setpiece to boss fight to new location. ![]() The result is a game that balances ‘classic’ Castlevania with direct action, emphasised by the permanent waypoint marker on the touchscreen map. Not just in narrative – it is set between Lords of Shadow and its upcoming sequel, and features Simon Belmont squaring off against Gabriel Belmont – but also in mechanical terms. But Mirror of Fate also takes its cues from more modern instalments. Players can jump between time periods and characters, and each one has their own unique abilities which can open routes others cannot, but also leaves them open when you return to one of the others. It’s got the exploration and RPG-lite elements of older instalments, letting players wander around the titular castle, beating bosses and finding magical powers that allow you to reach previously inaccessible areas. Castlevania Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate feels like an amalgamation of Castlevania’s history. ![]()
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