Post by Nester the Lark on Feb 4, 2007 19:36:51 GMT -5
3PS #5
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
System: DS
It was 20 years ago on a dark and stormy night. The moon was full, the wind was cold, and Konami released the original Castlevania on the NES. To this very day, the series has continually revived over multiple platforms, haunting gamers year after year. In recent times, the best installments of the series have seen light on the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. This tradition continues with Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin.
Ever since the release of Symphony of the Night on the PlayStation in 1997, many games in the series have followed the Metroid-formula. While Portrait of Ruin doesn’t stray too far from this formula, it attempts to freshen it up with a few new twists. Most noticeable is the inclusion of two playable characters on-screen at the same time. You can switch between them at will, and they can interact with each other, teaming up for attacks. It’s a pretty fun gimmick.
The game map, itself, has been divided into several areas. Rather than just explore one huge castle (or two), you can transport to other areas (via magic paintings) that have their own map screen. These areas are generally much more linear and serve as a throwback to the classic Castlevania games of yore. Altho none of these individual maps are anywhere near as large as the castles in previous games, the overall game is about 50% larger than Dawn of Sorrow.
Portrait of Ruin also offers something that has never, ever appeared in a Castlevania game before. For the first time, two players can team up and take on the unholy minions in a special 2-player co-op mode. It’s restricted to a simple Boss Rush type of game, but it’s compatible over both LAN and Nintendo Wi-fi Connection. Your friend can hold the stake while you drive it in, and you don’t even have to be on the same continent!
So, as the wolves howl against a large, full moon, and the children of the night seek fresh prey in the unsettling darkness, keep your dual screens brightly lit. The tried and true gameplay, new features, and multi-player mode make yet another handheld Castlevania worth braving the horrors for. Whether you’re a newcomer to the series or a long time fan, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin is a frighteningly good game for the DS. And unlike Dracula, it doesn’t suck.
Release: 11-16-06 (Japan), 12-5-06 (NA), 2-23-07 (Europe), February 2007 (Australia)
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
System: DS
It was 20 years ago on a dark and stormy night. The moon was full, the wind was cold, and Konami released the original Castlevania on the NES. To this very day, the series has continually revived over multiple platforms, haunting gamers year after year. In recent times, the best installments of the series have seen light on the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. This tradition continues with Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin.
Ever since the release of Symphony of the Night on the PlayStation in 1997, many games in the series have followed the Metroid-formula. While Portrait of Ruin doesn’t stray too far from this formula, it attempts to freshen it up with a few new twists. Most noticeable is the inclusion of two playable characters on-screen at the same time. You can switch between them at will, and they can interact with each other, teaming up for attacks. It’s a pretty fun gimmick.
The game map, itself, has been divided into several areas. Rather than just explore one huge castle (or two), you can transport to other areas (via magic paintings) that have their own map screen. These areas are generally much more linear and serve as a throwback to the classic Castlevania games of yore. Altho none of these individual maps are anywhere near as large as the castles in previous games, the overall game is about 50% larger than Dawn of Sorrow.
Portrait of Ruin also offers something that has never, ever appeared in a Castlevania game before. For the first time, two players can team up and take on the unholy minions in a special 2-player co-op mode. It’s restricted to a simple Boss Rush type of game, but it’s compatible over both LAN and Nintendo Wi-fi Connection. Your friend can hold the stake while you drive it in, and you don’t even have to be on the same continent!
So, as the wolves howl against a large, full moon, and the children of the night seek fresh prey in the unsettling darkness, keep your dual screens brightly lit. The tried and true gameplay, new features, and multi-player mode make yet another handheld Castlevania worth braving the horrors for. Whether you’re a newcomer to the series or a long time fan, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin is a frighteningly good game for the DS. And unlike Dracula, it doesn’t suck.
Release: 11-16-06 (Japan), 12-5-06 (NA), 2-23-07 (Europe), February 2007 (Australia)