Re-release Information

(1) 2009: The DS title is re-released in Japan under the Konami the Best series

Manual Story Description

The year is 1944. The world is filled with chaos. The second global war holds the entire world in its grip of terror, creating hatred and fear along with countless numbers of lost souls. The agony and hatred of those souls summon the castle of evil. The castle that has appeared many times throughout history only to bring terror and destruction upon its surroundings, the castle of the dark lord, Dracula... The demonic castle.

Objective/Overview

In following the trend of yearly releases, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin hits the Nintendo DS just fourteen months after the system's own Dawn of Sorrow. Inspired by the previous title's innovation, the well-received "Julius Mode" extra, the creators sought to include in the main game a similar team concept, which manifests itself as the new "Partner System." It's here where the player can control two characters at one time in experiencing Konami's latest RPG-adventure.

Your mission is to guide Jonathan Morris (son of John Morris) and Charlotte Aulin through Dracula's segmented castle and into eight paintings (with an extra painting optional) to destroy a series of bosses and unlock a special painting where hiding is antagonist Brauner. Other challenges met within the game and its familiar map system include assault from the series' largest-ever assortment of unique minor enemies; devious tricks, traps, and other platforming perils; and the satisfying of "quests" that will earn from Wind special skills, weapons and other goodies. To counter, you can gain levels via the RPG system (the current level shared by both characters), equip the heroes with more advanced weapons and armor (which accounts for their sub-weapons and dual-crush abilities), and earn specific skills that provide the usual accessibility moves. Such processes and the paying of attention to events will corral the game's best ending.

Not surprisingly, Portrait has plenty of extras presented in "modes," which grow more robust as your main mission progresses and is ultimately completed: (1) The Shop Mode, using which you can play shopkeep and sell to others items from your inventory using the DS' local wireless or Wi-Fi Connection. (2) Co-op Mode, where you can use said wireless to connect with friends and play through a series of short levels. (3) Boss Rush Mode, where available are three levels of challenge--each infested by minor enemy and boss alike. And (5) the Sound Mode, opened after game's completion. Additionally, earning the game's best ending will unlock for the main mode other character pairs for play: Richter Belmont and Maria Renard plus Stella and Loretta; both pairs' unrelated missions play out in their own way, without storyline, and offer unique ending sequences. You can otherwise take control of Old Axe Armor by defeating one thousand of the enemy of the same name; the surprisingly nimble Axe Armor, like the others, has its own mission.

Japanese/European Differences

The European version, also named Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, comes packaged with a two-sided poster--the front of which matches the artwork seen on the alternate side of the timeline found in the U.S. pre-order bonus package. Also, in addition to being bereft of most of the glitches as found in the other-territory versions, this version's inventory screen is free of certain typos and misspellings (Charlotte's name, Jonathan's leggings, etc.).

Soundtrack and Credits

Soundtrack
Opening and Ending Themes: 1 - Portrait of Ruin | 2 -Name Entry | 3 - Birth of War | 4 - The Night Flows | 5 - Portrait of Destiny
Stage Themes: 1- Invitation of a Crazed Moon | 2 - Silent Prison | 3 - Jail of Jewels | 4 - The Gears Go Awry | 5 - Gaze Up at the Darkness | 6 - Hail from the Past | 7 - Victorian Fear | 8 - Chaotic Playground | 9 - The Hidden Curse | 10 - Sandfall | 11 - In Search of the Secret Spell | 12 - Iron Blue Intention | 13 - Behind the Gaze | 14 - Crucifix Held Close | 15 - Troubled Times | 16 - Overture
Battle Themes: 1 - Destroyer | 2 - Piercing Silence | 3 - Dance of Sadness | 4 - Esquisse of Violence | 5 - Banquet of Madness | 6 - Bloodlines Bequeathed | 7 - Great Gate of Darkness
Miscellaneous Themes: 1 - The Looming | 2 - Awakening from the Nightmare | 3 - Birth of War | 4 - Name Entry | 5 - A Small Prayer | 6 - Operation "VK" | 7 - Game Over | 8 - Meeting of Destiny | 9 - Thirst for Blood | 10 - Faraway Days | 11 - Simon's Theme

Links
Music Files: MP3
Soundtrack Release: Official Soundtrack and Castlevania Best Music Collections Box
Game Credits: Available

Other Characters

Lesser Enemies: Zombie, Bat, Skeleton, Axe Armor, Death Mask, Zacchino, Student Witch, Slinger, Mini Devil, Mud Man, Merman, Une, Skull Archer, Ukoback, Forneus, Peeping Eye, Skull Bartender, Wight, Frozen Shade, Andras, Invisible Man, Golem, Persephone, Mimic, Larva, Lerajie, Spittle Bone, Ghost, Red Skeleton, Armor Knight, Ectoplasm, Bone Pillar, Fleaman, Great Armor, Catoblepas, Slime, Mummy, Dragon Zombie, Killer Clown, Coppelia, Hanged Bones, Flying Skull, Sand Worm, White Dragon, Ampheisbaena, Elgiza, Great Ghost, Devil Wheel, Crossbow Armor, Lilith, Skeleton Flail, Skeleton Gunman, Hill Guard, Imp, Harpy, Corpseweed, Medusa Head, Skelerang, Gaibon, Slogra, Flying Armor, Blue Crow, Frog, Killer Doll, Killer Bee, Dogether, Bee Hive, Moldy Corpse, Tombstone, Treant, Red Axe Armor, Maneating Plant, Skeleton Blaze, Razor Bat, Wyvern, Malachi, Spin Devil, Succubus, Flame Demon, Dead Crusader, Heavy Armor, Malphas, Final Guard, Glaysa Labolas, Ghoul, Ruler's Sword, Witch, Skeleton Tree, Buster Armor, Armored Fleaman, Amalaric Sniper, Old Axe Armor, Gorgon, Jack O'Bones, Tanjelly, Dead Warrior, Toad, Aliorumnas, Dodo, Vice Beetle, Alura Une, Lightkeeper, Black Crow, Mandragora, Wakwak Tree, Guillotiner, Nyx, Minotaur, Mothman, Laura, Yorick, Dragonfly, Quetzalcoatl, Ripper, Poison Worm, Ghost Dancer, Demon Head, Lesser Demon, Ghoul King, Vapula, Iron Golem, DoubleAxe Armor, Demon, Bone Ark, Skeleton Farmer, Alastor, Gold Skeleton, Cave Troll and Amducias
Bosses: Behemoth, Dullahan, Keremet, Astarte, Legion, Dagon, Death, Stella, Loretta, Brauner, The Creature, Werewolf, Medusa, Mummy Man, Whip's Memory, Balore, Gergoth, Zephyr, Aguni, Abaddon, Fake Trevor, Fake Grant, Fake Sypha and Doppelganger
Dracula Forms: Dracula and True Dracula
Supporting Cast: Wind, Stella, Loretta, Brauner, Vincent Dorin and Death

Character Lists

Lesser Enemies | Bosses | Dracula Forms | Supporting Cast

Limitations: In terms of mobility, Charlotte is about equal to Jonathan sans his propensity for special abilities; this finesse fighter has a much smaller selection of weapons but more in the way of skills and much higher nonphysical attributes. And while Charlotte is not as equipped as her counterpart, either, in terms of this physical nature, her importance is twofold: For one, Charlotte commands many of the more useful spells (elemental attacks, healing, attribute boosts, and some tight-squeezing accessibility skills like the Toad and Owl morphs) that help in certain scenarios. Her presence also allows the pair to overwhelm foes in ways previous heroes couldn't, wherein they can attack together to stifle even the largest foes; this is accentuated by their use of Dual Crushes--combined attacks designed to devastate. While the duo shares the same health and magic meters, Charlotte in the lead yields for the two different effects: She'll no doubt take more damage, which in turn more quickly drains health, but her very selection helps to more rapidly refill spent magic.

Limitations: Maria Renard, the overpowered beast from Rondo of Blood, returns as the partner of Richter Belmont (though, she, unlike Richter, has no storyline purpose and is purely an "extra"). Maria has all of the abilities that you remember from the PC-Engine title with two minor differences: Her basic bird attack is now continuous and rapid, and she can switch between four animal-based sub-weapons at any time. Still, she'll rely mostly on Richter for accessibility (except for tight squeezes, in which she specializes), and her overall usefulness as a solo or lead fighter isn't as great as you may think--rather, highly dependent on the current enemy set or boss; while her bird attack can overwhelm some bosses, she serves better as an assistant during battles like those against Keremet and other giants. Paired together during slugfests, where they excel, the duo's offense is simply insane. Maria, like Charlotte, takes more damage but by her very presence serves to rapidly replenish (even more so than Charlotte) lost magic.