When Castlevania is discussed today--at this point far-removed from any new games in the series--we often hear about the same few retro titles. The original game paved the way for other action-platformers. Symphony of the Night influenced decades of non-linear action-RPGs, including a long line of great games on the Game Boy Advance and DS.

However, another game rarely discussed in these conversations, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, was a radical departure from the series' past that drew more from Zelda and God of War than it did from Castlevania. Its departures from the series' conventions only helped make its big twist even more unexpected--and its ending was so badass that it only made Lords of Shadow 2 more disappointing.

Spoilers for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow series to follow!