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Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Genre: Platform
Region: NTSC
Format:
Release Date: 04 Oct 05
User Rating
10 (1 vote) -
- After the impressive Aria of Sorrow comes yet another hit sequel, with a deep character upgrade system, solid combat and slick presentation.
Overview
What is funny about the Nintendo DS is that you really never know what to expect from this platform. It seems like one minute the DS is on a total downhill ride, and then all of a sudden, a slew of pretty impressive games have come out for it, like games like Nintendogs. Well now a game that is actually not from Nintendo has come out onto the dual screen, and it is Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, the latest handheld version from the famous and extremely popular Castlevania series. So can Dawn of Sorrow turn your frown upside down and make you want to go run out and purchase this game? Read our full review to find out!
Gameplay
For those that are unfamiliar the Castlevania series, it definitely has what I would call a strong following who just live and breathe these games. The reason people love these games are really two-fold actually. The story behind the series has always been pretty interesting, and the gameplay has been very addictive. In Dawn of Sorrow, the storyline takes place a year following Aria of Sorrow, which was released onto the GBA back in 2003. In Dawn of Sorrow, you play as the young quirky character named Soma Cruz, who just recently escaped from the grasps of Dracula and basically the whole game revolves around this storyline. I have to say this is not my favorite storyline thus far for the Castlevania series, but it is one that has enough going on it that it makes for a pretty smooth story experience. Fans of Castlevania will enjoy the story, but I doubt anyone will call this their favorite plot line.
For those that did play the recent Aria of Sorrow, you will feel right at home with this game. Dawn of Sorrow moves at the same sort of pacing and style as what we found in the previous game, plus even more exploring. The game of Dawn of Sorrow starts you off as a pretty weak mediocre character that doesn't have a whole lot going on for him. Throughout the game when you kill an enemy, you need to gather its soul. This in turn will go towards upgrading your character, which gives this game its RPG element. There are three different types of souls that you can gather, which are stat-altering, projectile weapons, or miscellaneous. This means that throughout the game you will be collecting quite a few, and this in turn makes killing the bad guys even more of an adventure.
The game does try and use the DS's capabilities as much as possible by giving you a map of what is going on, on the bottom screen. There are times that the stylus comes in handy when you are in the boss battles, but for the most part it just seems as though the developers did what they could with the DS and stuck with what worked on the handheld. I think the one thing that the game did the best was its very smooth flow that had tons of action and plenty of upgrading of your character. The storyline also helped progressed the game especially for those who are fans of the series. The gameplay is smooth and solid, and although not the best thing the DS has seen, still impressive nonetheless.
Graphics
One of the most unique aspects of the whole Castlevania series are the visuals, which have always been known for a very different and interesting style. Well in Dawn of Sorrow, this tradition is surely upheld as the game has some of the best visuals I have seen on the Nintendo DS thus far. For example the games character models are fantastic, with plenty of great detail and the typical smooth look that we all have grown accustomed to in the Castlevania series.
The environments in the game, although not all that varied, still gather up enough great moments and enough great detail to really make the games presentation stand out in my mind. I can't say that the visuals are perfect, but when you take everything into consideration, this is a great looking game.
Fun Factor
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow is not all that different from the previous Castlevania games on the GBA, but that is not a bad thing. The gameplay in Dawn of Sorrow is extremely addictive, with a simple action/platforming style that quite simply just works. The game may not use all the technical bells and whistles that the DS has to offer, but it doesn't have to, simply because it is captivating from start to finish.
Overall
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow in my eyes is an obvious purchase for any DS owner, because of how enjoyable this game really is. Especially for those who have kept up on the Castlevania series, you will not be left disappointed because this game has a solid storyline, and an overall fun gameplay experience that is definitely worth the money.
- Gameplay
8.0 - Graphics
9.0 - Fun Factor
9.0 - Overall
9.0
