“The God of War comparisons really pissed us off”

Producer Dave Cox is in good form, as he usually is when we meet. And why not? Under the ballsy Englishman's guidance, Spanish developer MercurySteam has reinvented the Castlevania series, deftly navigating the tricky transition into modern day gaming so many have struggled with.

That reinvention began with Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, a PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 hack and slash action game that sparked scepticism when it was announced but pleasantly surprised critics when it was released. Its sales success spawned a 3DS 2.5D spin-off, a HD remake of that spin-off and a Collection. Now, nearly four years later, MercurySteam's tenure as custodian of the Castlevania reinvention comes to an end with Lords of Shadow 2.