Castlevania: Lords of Shadow announced for Xbox 360 and PS3 due 2010

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow screenshot
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow has been announced for Xbox 360 and PS3 due Q4 2010. The action title is in co-development at MercurySteam and Kojima Productions.

At Konami’s E3 2009 press conference the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow announcement trailer was shown (see below). This next-gen HD 3D Castlevania’s gameplay looks like a mix between Devil May Cry and God of War. It’s said to be fantasy-heavy action and not considered to be connected with the story of previous Castlevania games, although fans will still find it familiar.

About Castlevania: Lords of Shadow:
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow takes place at the end of days. The Earth’s alliance with the Heavens has been threatened by a dark and malevolent force – the mysterious Lords of Shadow – darkness reigns the world. Across this shattered land, the souls of the dead wander unable to find peace, whilst creatures of evil roam free wreaking chaos and death upon the living.

Gabriel is a member of the Brotherhood of Light, an elite group of holy knights who protect and defend the innocent against the supernatural. His beloved wife was brutally murdered by the evil forces of darkness and her soul trapped for eternity. Neither living nor dead she realises the horrific truth of what is at stake and guides Gabriel to his destiny – and hopefully salvation for the world… but at what cost?

Thus, Gabriel must travel the destroyed world, defeating the evil tyrants in order to use their powers to bring balance back to the world. Armed with the versatile Combat Cross – the world’s last hope must encounter the three factions of the Lords of Shadow and end their unholy rule.

Mercury Steam has created a rich, open game world that traverses snowy mountain ranges, Gothic castles, and undead-strewn wastelands in a devastated Southern Europe during the Middle Ages. The production is being overseen by the European Product Planning office with advice and support from Kojima Productions. This multi-cultural dream collaboration will move the Castlevania brand to a whole new level, with rich storytelling, innovative gameplay and state-of-the-art technical elements brought together to form a revolutionary new direction for a modern 3D fantasy action epic.

The voice cast is phenomenal: main character Gabriel is voiced by Robert Carlyle (28 Weeks Later, Trainspotting, The Full Monty), and Patrick Stewart (X-Men, Star Trek: Next Generation) stars as the mysterious Zobek. Natasha McElhone (The Other Boleyn Girl, Californication, The Truman Show) and Jason Isaacs (Black Hawk Down, The Patriot, Harry Potter series) round off the talent.

Watch the first next-gen Castlevania trailer. Afterwards, the creator of Metal Gear Solid talks about his work on the new Castlevania game.