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Castlevania: Lords of Shadow had an excellent soundtrack. Did Oscar Aruajo top it with Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate’s soundtrack? Well, the short answer to that is “yes.” A big bold yes. But this deserves more than just a short answer, of course.
Mirror of Fate’s soundtrack is my favorite of the two, and I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Lords of Shadow 2’s soundtrack surpasses it. Which means that this soundtrack is one of the finest you’ll find in recent games, regardless of your opinion of the actual game itself (it’s not meant to be Symphony of the Night, dammit!). It has a more gothic style, making it sound closer to what fans expect, but still keeping that cinematic approach, which works wonderfully. And for fans of the classic games, the Super Castlevania IV influence continues with a certain theme during the caves segment here.
Almost all of the game (except Simon’s opening segment and the prologue) takes place within Dracula’s house of horrors (and adorable chupacabras). Oscar Araujo’s soundtrack brings the eerie and brooding nature of the castle to brilliant life here. The only downside to the game’s music is that some tracks have been re-used from the first game, mostly for combat against regular enemies. It’s not a downside in the traditional sense, it’s just that it would’ve been nice to have some brand new battle-friendly tunes for the game. I would’ve also loved to have seen a new version of “Belmont’s Theme” here. Perhaps one major theme for each playable character, especially since the plot revolved around this beloved vampire-hunting family. This was the only time where I actually thought a full-on remix of a classic tune, in this case “Simon’s Theme”, would’ve been perfect and right at home. But those are the only minor quibbles I have with what’s otherwise an amazing soundtrack.
It goes without saying, but the Castlevania series always produces some of the finest music in gaming, right up there with Nintendo’s first party offerings. More so than the original Lords of Shadow, Mirror of Fate’s music nicely blends MercurySteam’s cinematic sound with the series’ heavy gothic aural signature. The “Theatre” theme is one such track, and one of the defining tunes in the soundtrack. It matches the demonic structure you’re in perfectly, along with its nice use of minimal vocals. The “Reaver” , “Necromancer” and ” Night Watchman” themes are also other excellent, equally dark, tunes that serve as both moody and exhilarating pieces for the boss fight scenarios they’re featured in. It makes the battles feel like beautifully orchestrated bouts that utilize music to show its dire conflict and each baddie’s sense of evil.
It wouldn’t be a Lords of Shadow game without some sadness. And Mirror of Fate also boasts some somber tracks that illustrate the tragedy some of the characters face, like “Gabriel’s Farewell” and “Trevor’s Farewell” themes. Even the small amount of puzzle segments pack a strong musical punch, with memorable themes playing along as you’re faced with the cleverness of each brain teaser’s design. I found myself taking my sweet time solving them as the music was just amazing during these moments. The soundtrack consists of some really haunting, moody and atmospheric pieces like “Carousel” while also jumping to epic tracks like “The Final Fight.” It’s a nice range of sounds that Araujo shows his musical prowess through, making the game’s music worthy of the Castlevania name.
Mirror of Fate is an amazing game and a sum of its equally amazing parts. The presentation and story is brought to life with Araujo’s musical genius at play, making for a soundtrack that sits comfortably beside the ones found in classic entries in the series (Symphony of the Night and Super Castlevania IV just to name a couple). It’s fitting of a tale portraying the tragic Belmont bloodline, as their sadness and opposition with darkness is brought to life beautifully with music.
A review code for the soundtrack was provided by Sumthing Else Music Works. You can purchase the soundtrack by clicking here.
