"Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin"

Reviewed by Crunkman2000 - 6/11/07

Some of my fondest memories in gaming stem from Castlevania Bloodlines, way back on the Genesis/Mega Drive. CVB was the first game I ever saw in my life, at the tender age of 4. While I was too young at the time to realize it, this would later have more impact on me than anything else. Today, I am a rabid fan of the series, going so far as to waste hours on end finding an MSX emulator ROM of Vampire Killer just to say "I've played Vampire Killer." (Don't worry: I deleted it within 24 hours!)

Anyways, when I heard that a sequel to Bloodlines was being developed for the DS, a sudden surge of joy overcame me (not to mention the urge to squeal like a little schoolgirl). I had hoped for a game worthy of containing the awesomeness of Eric Lecarde. Did Portrait of Ruin live up to this lofty expectation?

STORY: 8/10

As I stated, this is a semi-direct sequel to Bloodlines. The plot is set in 1944, a severe departure from the previous two CV titles, Aria and Dawn of Sorrow, and their "Dracula 2034" concept. A vampire named Brauner is seeking to exact "revenge" on humanity for their sins. Two hunters, Johnathan Morris (son of Bloodlines' John) and Charlotte Aulin (who, according to my sources, is a descendant of the Belnades family: someone correct me if I'm wrong) travel into Brauner's castle to stop him. The setting could have been put to much better use (specifically, a level set in WWII Germany would have been nice: who doesn't want Nazi Skeletons to make a comeback?!), and as far as Castlevania plot goes, it's standard fare, save for an unexpected cameo near the end that I don't think was really necessary. I also found some slight translation errors (Grand Cross = Grand Cruz? Whaa--), but nothing game-breaking. It's at the very least an attempt to bring back some of the fans that were turned away by Aria/Dawn's "Dracula is reincarnated an effeminate Japanese teen" plot.

GRAPHICS: 8/10

While I'm a fan of Chi no Rondo, I wish that Konami would stop using sprites ripped directly from it. The new sprites (which are few and far between) are greatly detailed and well animated, and some of the CnR sprites have new animations. Still, I just can't get past the fact that they've been using the same 2D Skeleton and Medusa Head sprites for 14 years now. The spell/Dual Crush animations are beautiful, and the levels are visually breathtaking (especially the Egypt stages).

As for the art…Ayami Kojima's famous "bishie" art is replaced by a generic anime style, more like something you'd see from Akira Toriyama. It works, but honestly, I miss Ayami-san's art.

GAMEPLAY: 9/10

Standard Castleroid fare here: run around pummeling monsters, gaining EXP, money, weapons, and what have you, progressing more of the story as you explore. As they say, "if it isn't broke, don't fix it."

The most noted new feature is the dual character system. The second character is controlled by a simple AI routine, fights when needed, and can be dismissed/called at will. When the AI partner is damaged, your HP does not decrease, but rather MP (unless you have a specific item equipped). This leads to slight tactical decisions during combat ("Hmm, will having Charlotte whack that guy with a book be worth losing a ton of MP if she takes a hit, thereby rendering my crosserangs inaccessible?").

The Dominance system from Aria/Dawn is slightly reworked here, giving way to the Skill system. Certain enemies drop skills or spells, some of which can be bought. Charlotte's spells strengthen the longer they are charged, while John's skills grow as they are used. The weapon selection is large, though not up to Symphony size and not as varied. There are also Dual Crushes, which are essentially team Item Crushes. Most of these are new (Volcano, Greatest Five), and a few are returns of Richter's ICs from Rondo (Divine Storm = Holy Water, 1,000 Blades = Knife). There are a few puzzles, but nothing too taxing. Also, there is an extra stage similar to Circle of the Moon's Battle Arena, dubbed the "Nest of Evil", where some powerful enemies (as well as a certain classic boss encounter (or two)) can be found.

The challenge level has greatly improved since Dawn. I actually saw the game over screen more than twice on my first run through New Game +!

AUDIO: 10/10

I really want to give this higher, but logic won't allow it. The audio in this game is perfect, save for the horrible English voice-acting (which seems to be the norm for this series). Some really classic songs appear here, such as Opposing Bloodlines, Iron Blue Intention, and Simon's Theme. Even long-forgotten tracks return, such as Devil's Revival (named "Victorian Fear" here) and Cross Your Heart ("Crucifix Held Close"), both from Haunted Castle. Heck, even non-Castlevania music found its way in ("Sandfall" and "In Search Of The Secret Spell", both from King's Valley 2 on the ancient MSX/2 system)! As for the sound effects, they work. Whips, bones falling to the ground, even flesh tearing from a sword slash, every sound is rich and used to the greatest extent. The only problem I had with the audio was that there's no Bloody Tears.

REPLAY VALUE: 9/10

As expected with every new Castlevania, there is a plethora of extra modes, including New Game +, three levels of Hard (each of which give a stat boost in New Game + mode when cleared) and three sets of hidden characters. My only gripe with the replay value is that there is no "Bloodlines" mode (that being John Morris Sr. and Eric Lecarde), and that after about ten playthroughs in each mode, you'll be searching for something else. Also, did they HAVE to put Axe Armor Lord (Old Axe Armor) as a hidden character again?

 

So, did this game live up to my expectations as the sequel to Bloodlines?

Sadly, no. I was slightly disappointed with the result, but still recommend this game for anyone who has a DS, no matter who they are.

BUY OR RENT: I wouldn't choose this over Rondo or IV, but I'd gladly pay for it if I didn't have it already. It's well worth your money. And who knows? Maybe your contribution will go towards IGA hiring someone to design a new Medusa Head.

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