We warned you it was looking a bit special. Konami's Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow has today fulfilled its promise of becoming 'the sleeper hit of 2010' - by racking up two 90%-plus reviews.

The game has been given GamesMaster's Gold Award, along with Xbox World 360's Star Player accolade. Both are only bestowed on games that crack the elusive 90% barrier.

'Water Castlevania's roots and a rollicking adventure sprouts forth," writes Xbox World 360. 'Brilliant, bloody fun... Lords Of Shadow feels like 16-bit design filtered through 20 years of innovation. there is passion here for the old ways - all buffed to a 2010 gleam.'

GamesMaster adds: 'A strong contender for action game of the year. The triumphant reimagining the series has always deserved.'

The Awards were revealed as part of a promotional insert in today's weekly industry bible, MCV.

LOS, which features 50 levels and a campaign that lasts 20-plus hours, is set in Southern Europe during the Middle Ages.

You play Gabriel Belmont, voiced by Robert Carlyle, who is looking to bring his wife back from the dead - by defeating the titular Lords and piecing together the magical God Mask.

The game wears the obvious influence by God Of War, Devil May Cry and Shadow Of The Colossus. It's been developed by Mercury Steam and overseen by Hideo Kojima.

Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow is due for release on October 8 on Xbox 360 and PS3.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=266241

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Congrats to Konami and the team (heart Kojima)

Two 90% ratings to start of with is great news!!

Edit: Scores might be OVER 90% since those awards are only given to games which are over 90% (and not all games over 90% get those awards)

So news gets even better!

Always knew this would be good.

Anybody who watched the gameplay trailers will tell you the same.

20 hours campaign is impressive.

Yeah 20 hours sounds so great

people who played the demo are saying you get this book in the game with amazing animations and art work

This is a MUST BUY!

Thank you Kojima for making the Castlevania series actually GOOD!

I always told badgenome Kojima-San would rejuvenate the series!

i'm excited !!!! I'm hungry for more GoW like action...

Well it looks like I have found a replacement for Quantum Theory, and LBP2 moving to Jan 2011

Hold on, I'm trying to stop from going into a rage

Okay, okay, I got it

1. I don't think Kojima actually had anything to do with the game design

2. The Castlevania games on the DS (particularly Ecclesia) are [insert superlative]

Amazing! Looks like that's another $60 to the gaming industry this holiday.

Hats off to Mercury Steam for doing what many thought impossible.

The thing about video games is that the amount of money spent on the game determines how good the game looks on previews and essentially how "good" it actually is...therefore no one doubted this would be a "quality" product. It looks like konami took out a second mortgage to make this game.

I am glad just that the reviews are saying its retaining the casltevania spirit. No one wants another god of war clone like Dantes inferno...