The specific toys that Mirror of Fate's characters wield give each act its own peculiar tilt, even if the basics of the combat never really change. Bosses, meanwhile, slowly grow reliant on camera stunts (some of which, when coupled with the 3D effect, are really lovely) and QTEs (which generally aren't lovely at all). It's a reminder that, as fighting systems go, Castlevania's isn't particularly deep, but it is punchy and bluntly thrilling. Even when creativity fails, you've still got a beautiful game to look at, stereoscopic 3D working with the golden glow of torches to turn the gothic real estate into little pools of light, each one depicting an artful tumble of stones, a lofty crenellation or the antic zap and fizz of an ancient laboratory bubbling away in dormancy.
Stones, crenellations, laboratories! Castlevania, for all its moody horrors, has always been a comforting sort of experience, and while Mirror of Fate might willingly fumble the classic structure somewhat, it's still got a touch of that familiar vampire-hunting charm to it - a charm that comes to the rescue whenever the developer's invention or polish fall short. This 3DS outing can't match the smart assurance of the first Lords of Shadow, then, but it remains a decent action game with some lovely art to keep it chugging along. It's something of a makeweight, as handheld games far too frequently are - but there's just enough here to satisfy until the true follow-up to Lords of Shadows is ready.
