Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2: new gameplay details surface

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 has received its first hands-on preview. The article has only appeared in print so far, but details have started pouring out online. The piece covers Gabriel's new 'Blood Whip' weapon, bosses, camera control and much more.

Gematsu reports that the piece appeared in the new issue of OPM, and that the Blood Whip weapon is ranged like previous Castlevania whips and that combos can be strung together using light attacks that sweep across a wide area, and heavier blows that are more precise.

Magic has also been removed, replaced instead by 'Dracula’s Blood', which only regenerates each time you kill an enemy or rack up a more varied and higher ranking combo.

There are two separate weapons that can be summoned by spending blood on powers called 'Void' and 'Chaos'. The first mode summons a large sword that rewards you with health for every hit landed, while the chaos strain gives Gabriel a pair of claws capable of breaking through enemy shields.

These mechanics are backed up by Gabriel's new 'Focus' skill, which is rewarded for countering, blocking and rolling around attacks perfectly. It's not clear what it does yet, however.

Just like in previous Castlevania titles, Gabriel can also turn into a fine mist allowing him to pass through vents, fences and other obstructions. You also have full camera control, boss battles will be longer and more memorable, and the world will be more seamless.

There you have it. We'll have more once Konami is ready to share it. Are you excited for Lords of Shadow 2? Let us know below.