There is no
greater event than the time when a new Castlevania arrives. Game Boy Advance
was gifted with three of Konami’s finest, and although it’s still a viable
platform, it’s time for the series to move onto the next generation: Nintendo
DS.
Castlevania:
Dawn of Sorrow does not follow the lead of Kirby and Yoshi by turning the
series into a game where the character or environment must be touched to be
controlled. There is one major touch screen addition, and it’s not a cheap
gimmick created just for the sake of marketing. Primarily this is a direct
sequel to the last game, Aria of Sorrow, developed exclusively for the Game
Boy Advance. If you’ve played it or the other 2D Castlevanias then you already
know what’s in store: the best side-scrolling gameplay, the best weapons, and
the best RPG features in a game that isn’t an RPG.
Dawn of
Sorrow’s gameplay is a modern-day take on the 16-bit action games of the early
90s. The controls are quick and feel great with the Nintendo DS’s reliable
D-pad and its small and flat buttons. The whole game is made up of one
enormous, consistent world that links levels together via doors that are not
easily opened. Make sure you have a few tissues when all the doors are opened
– ’cause then the journey is coming to a close. Until that time you’ll have to
search high and low and examine every area at least twice to uncover the
game’s secrets.
The new
weapons are exciting and the upgrade system means never having to settle for
what’s in your inventory. More than one piece is needed to forge a new weapon.
Sometimes you’ll have to sacrifice the best weapon you have to create a new
one.
Weapons are
based on strength, weight, and flexibility. Generally the stronger weapons are
the heavier weapons. It’s harder to swing heaver swords, therefore fewer
strikes may be dealt to a boss before he has the chance to retaliate. Lighter
weapons are of course weaker and cause less damage, almost defeating the
purpose of getting those extra hits in before your opponent moves.
The rule for
Nintendo DS seems to be that, no matter what the game is about, it must have
touch screen features. Konami had to come up with an interesting way of adding
this, and they couldn’t rely on a half-baked mini-game to satisfy the fans. We
expect a lot and they know it. For the fourth game in a row, the series did
not disappoint.
Bosses
cannot be destroyed as in previous Castlevanias; they must be sealed away with
unbreakable magic. Get your stylus, walk three steps forward, turn around and
draw! The Magic Seal screen appears when a boss is weakened. Draw a pattern
that matches the one shown and the monster will be sealed away for good.
Example: draw lines from the top right corner to the bottom left corner,
bottom left to bottom right, and bottom right to top left.
Dawn of
Sorrow’s touch screen mechanics are responsive and registers quick, uneven
lines. Scribblers won’t succeed unless they slow down. Given the time
constraints you don’t have a second to make a mistake. One incorrect line and
the seal will fail and you’ll have to deal additional attacks.
Magic seals
aren’t the only time you’ll have to touch the screen. Early in the game you’ll
notice what appears to be a wall of ice cubes. Nothing can penetrate the wall
at this point, but once you’ve acquired the proper ability you’ll be able to
scratch the screen to make them disappear. Scratch select blocks to leave
behind platforms so that Soma Cruz can navigate through the area. There aren’t
too many of these moments, but there are just enough to explore the new touch
screen territory without repetition.
Whenever I
was lost and couldn’t figure out what to do next I’d touch the screen to see
if anything would happen. Nothing ever did. That meant that I had missed
something along the way, or that I hadn’t tested out a new ability or magic
seal that had been discovered. I needed to take my own advice and re-examine
every location.
Dawn of
Sorrow’s visuals blow its predecessors out of the water. The 2D imagery is so
intricate and so perfectly refined that you could squint all day and not find
any flaws. Bosses are enormous and disgustingly gorgeous. Special attacks fill
the screen with the brightest and most detailed colors possible. Whereas the
GBA editions were almost on par with Symphony of the Night, Dawn of Sorrow
surpasses it with some of the most immersive environments ever seen in
handheld game.
Dawn of
Sorrow is unquestionably the best action game for the Nintendo DS. Castlevania
fans will be consumed like a vampire feeding off a slayer. But let’s not limit
the consumption to the fans – those who haven’t yet experienced the wonder
that is Castlevania should takes this opportunity to purchase Konami’s
masterpiece. The combat is deep and attack-heavy without being repetitive. The
levels are interlocked for one of the most interesting mazes you will ever
have to navigate. And the replay value, when all is said and done, is so high
that you will impatiently wait for the moment when you can go again.
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Gameplay: 9.5
The biggest (but
not necessarily the toughest) Castlevania yet. Dawn of Sorrow is an absolute
joy to play. It’s everything you grew up loving on the SNES, everything you
continued loving on the GBA, and has just the right amount of new features and
enhancements to make you give into its prowess.
Graphics: 9.5
Dawn of Sorrow is
the best graphical depiction of the series. You’ll see better 3D effects –
there’s no avoiding that. But you will not see better 2D visuals for a long
time.
Sound: 9.0
Beautiful and
unforgettable, Dawn of Sorrow’s soundtrack captivates players with the series’
best score on a handheld system. Every element is crystal clear and
wonderfully simulates the experience of surround sound.
Difficulty: Medium
If it weren’t for
the fact that you can level up, Dawn of Sorrow would be hard enough to rival
Ninja Gaiden (Xbox edition) and Metal Slug 3. The challenge is brought down a
bit by leveling. You have the option to level up and beat most enemies fairly
easily, just as you do with an RPG.
Concept: 8.0
Aria of Sorrow
with significant improvements and a few elements that nearly innovative (touch
screen magic seals and the like).
Multiplayer: 8.4
Two-player races
(where you must get through the level as quickly as possible) add a little
multiplayer fun. More than one game card is required.
Overall: 9.5
Bigger, tougher,
meaner, and more next-gen. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow fills every part of the
Nintendo DS’s two-inch screen with new bosses, levels, and dozens of backdrops
that are drop-dead gorgeous. The top screen is reserved for your map and for
battle statistics. Having statistics readily available wasn’t a must, but
you’ll be surprised how much easier it is to look up at the map than it is to
press a button every time you want to see it (as in every other action title,
including console games).
