Castlevania:
The Adventure Rebirth
- Added: 10/20/09 -
Unbeknownst to the majority of fans
not from Japan, the Castlevania series had an already-established
canon as early as its very first entry--Akumajou Dracula for the Famicom
Disk System. The game's manual notes, "With world of darkness now controlled
by Dracula's ambitions, a hero named Christopher Belmont set out to defeat
him." Too, Vampire Killer's manual mentions this "legendary"
hero Christopher Belmont with much the same reverence. It wasn't until three
years later that Konami thought to chronicle the exploits of this famed hero,
whose adventures preceded Simon's by 100 years; Christopher was thus the star
of two Game Boy titles, the more infamous of which is Castlevania: The
Adventure, the inaugural entry.
Castlevania: The Adventure is
infamous not for its content but for a number of technical issues that severely
hampered the game and clearly distracted from what was to be the tale of a
man whose heroic efforts cemented him as a legendary figure. It didn't help
that Konami of America's localization chose to altogether ignore the
character's history, his connection to an ongoing lore, and hang the title
out there as a sort-of remake of Castlevania. Let's just say that things
just weren't working out as Konami had hoped.
Fortunately for the veteran company,
the video-game industry is all about second chances; we see this occurring
daily with the releases of enhanced ports, remakes, and the reimagining of
games whose older concepts lend themselves to the current climate, where everything
old is again new. Konami hopes, especially, to lend a hand in bolstering of
the current retro-style movement with Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth,
which offers the company an opportunity to propose a back-to-the-basics Castlevania
game while giving the original Game Boy title a second chance at life--a chance,
also, to redeem the good name of Christopher Belmont where the much-improved
Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge might have failed.
Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth
is classically styled (featuring stage-by-stage action with a intentionally
limited hero) and reminiscent of entries predating those from the adventure-RPG
era of Castlevania games. The download-only title, available exclusively
for the Nintendo Wii's WiiWare service, is a 1-player game whose story unfolds
over several stages, which may or may not be directly patterned after those
explored in 1989's Castlevania: The Adventure. Japanese gamers will
find out for sure on Oct. 27th, 2009. The rest of the world will have to wait
just a bit longer.
Castlevania:
Lords of Shadow
- Added: 6/4/09 -
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A little more than seven months ago,
venerable series director Koji Igarashi took the stage and to the delight
of the enthusiast crowd announced that Castlevania would be returning
to consoles in the form of a direct Symphony of the Night sequel, a
quick trailer confirming his words. Logic, then, insisted that E3 of 2009
would serve as the perfect platform to finally give form to what had only
been an idea. No such follow-up occurred; rather, to the surprise of the gaming
press, longtime Konami employee Hideo Kojima took the stage and announced
as part of Kojima Productions' future projects Castlevania: Lords of Shadow,
which is being developed by the Spanish company MercurySteam under the studio's
guidance. What followed was a spectacular trailer showcasing action-heavy,
cinematic gameplay directly in the mold of God of War and Ninja
Gaiden but not far removed from Lament of Innocence or Curse
of Darkness--obviously elevated to a much higher level.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
marks a turning point for the enduring Castlevania series. For one,
the development houses involved in its creation have been afforded a noticeable
increase in budget, which is the antithesis of the rather stingy allocations
reserved for the previous creative team. More startling is the absence of
Koji Igarashi, who is responsible for the previous fourteen titles and many
other related ventures; it's instead Hideo Kojima, most revered for the creation
and nurturing of the famed Metal Gear series, who's been handed the
reigns, which begs a few questions: Is Kojima Productions now the bearer of
the Castlevania license, or is this a one-time deal? Are Koji and his
team out? Was the rumored Symphony of the Night II (working
title) canceled in favor of this project, or will its development continue
as planned as complement to Lords of Shadow?
Of greatest relevance to the series'
legacy is Lords of Shadow's story, which is not an extension
of the existing timeline and instead a reboot--a gaiden-type entry described
bluntly by Konami's Dave Cox: "Forget what you know about Castlevania--this
is what a next-gen Castlevania game should be." It's MercurySteam's
continuing mission, then, to successfully bring the series into the world
of three dimensions. Will the high-octane, action-focused formula, with its
combo-heavy fighting mechanics, this time nail the concept? Players will find
their answer when they take control of Gabriel,
our typical series hero; armed with the Combat Cross (a combination of a chain
whip and a stabbing weapon), Gabriel seeks revenge for the murdering of his
wife at the hands of the very evil that roams the land unabated. Pure of heart,
the grieving warrior will attempt to do
what few men are brave enough to try: Claim the power of the Lords of Shadow
as his own and put a halt to evil's reign. This will undoubtedly entail his
scouring the countryside and raiding the haunted Castlevania in search of
an ultimate evil (though, we've seen no sign of a main villain or even Dracula,
whose absence would certainly cement this "new direction"). Most
importantly, we'll discover the true context of the power known as "Lords
of Shadow" and what it means to the future of the series.
Kojima and his pals hope to repair
the series' damaged reputation and reintroduce a global audience to Castlevania.
They'll do this in 2010, when Lords of Shadow is slated to appear on
both the Xbox 360 and the PS3.
Other Media
(1) Konami has put up an official E3
site, which hosts the game's trailer: http://www.konami.jp/kojima_pro/e3_2009/castlevania.
Patrick Stewart, of Star Trek and X-Men fame, provides the narration--a
sure sign of how high Konami is aiming.
(2) Computer and Video Games has a shorter trailer
that gives us a closer, more impactful look at the troubled Garbriel: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/video.php?id=1856
Castlevania
Judgment
- Added: 7/18/08 -
Click on an image for a larger version
For people who have bemoaned that the
Castlevania series is like many of its contemporaries in how it's eschewed
growth in deference to riding the treadmill of success, Castlevania Judgment
is at the same time intriguing and highly curious--it's a bold move for a
series that has become a victim of its own working formulas. It's no shock
to longtime industry observers, then, that the majority reaction seems to
be venomous where you'd think the fans would delight at a sure sign that a
company is looking to expand the scope of a game series that has never strayed
from comfy confines of action-adventure; where expected was a return to classic
2D action on modern consoles emerges, instead, the Nintendo Wii-exclusive
Castlevania Judgment, fighting game that promises to pit against each
other an assortment of series characters.
Judgment looks to capitalize
on two trends: The reemergence of the fighting game genre due to the high
expectations for the likes of Soul Calibur 4, Street Fighter 4
and Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe plus the crossover appeal borne from
these and other such creations (Super Smash Bros. Brawl and other mascot
mash-ups), where characters who could never theoretically coexist are tossed
into the same arena in a veritable buffet of possibilities. Those who have
obsessively indulged in the Castlevania universe can finally answer
for themselves lingering questions: Which Belmont is the toughest? Could any
of them take Alucard in a fight? Just who is more powerful--Dracula
or his estranged son? While the final roster, numbering 14, is a closely guarded
secret (outside of those discussed plus Maria Renard), it's easy to imagine
that such luminaries as Trevor Belmont, Death, Soma Cruz and Frankenstein
will make an appearance and hopefully leave enough room for two or three unexpected
(Eric Lecarde, Grant Danasty, Nathan Graves, etc.).
As for the basics: Two characters are
thrown onto the battlefield, a familiar Castlevania locale where they'll
fight a number of rounds, as littered with monsters, candelabras, and possibly
interactive environments (or "special features," as described by
Koji Igarashi); the combatants will have to deal with such dangers, capitalizing
on any extracurricular activity by powering up accordingly, and at the same
time a bloodthirsty opponent. Fighting is controlled with the Wii remote-nunchuck
combo: The nunchuck handles character movement, jumping and defensive postures
while Wii-remote gestures launches the actual attacks, sub-weapons and any
subsequent combos, which can be further fueled by fighting maneuvers as executed
by holding in tandem certain buttons; other character abilities include item-crashes,
summons, exclusive special moves, and "some elements that will make fans
who are familiar with the series smile." Indeed, each character employs
a unique fighting style, ranging from fisticuffs to melee attacks to magic
to even the bizarre.
Modes include Arcade (standard fighting),
Story (the creators promise that each cast member has attached its own story
arc), and Internet Play--surely a source of great excitement for those seeking
endless replayability. Judgment will also feature wireless connectivity
with the DS' own Order of Ecclesia, a convention about which Igrashi
is not yet ready to speak. We'll learn more as the game's late-2008 release
date nears.
Judgment's development team
has a long road ahead if it hopes to win over the most jaded of series fans
who obviously oppose the series branching into other genres, but it has a
chance, if successful in producing a quality product, to surprise a lot of
people and take the first real step in its mission to appeal to a much
broader audience. As someone who's completely bored with the series' current
direction, I'm certainly rooting them on.
Castlevania:
Order of Ecclesia
- Added: 5/18/08 -
Images months ago leaked to the Internet
told us what we already knew--that a new Castlevania title was on its
way to the Nintendo DS. While the game's imminent announcement was a poorly
kept secret, in question was the screenshots' legitimacy, as the source was
untrustworthy and there was no immediate follow-up. Come May 14th, 2008, Konami
confirmed the previously dismissed screenshots to be the real deal courtesy
of Konami Gamers' Night 08'. What these screenshots confirm is that Koji Igarashi
and his team are sticking to the current formula but leaving behind Portrait
of Ruin's dual-hero setup and delivering to series fans a more traditional
adventure.
The lineage already packed, you would
think the team would explore possibilities beyond Dawn of Sorrow, the
last known tale, in a world where the Dark Lord powers are perennially contested,
but they instead choose to again squeeze in an entry between two existing
titles. Their newest creation, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, chronicles
events following the adventures of Richter Belmont and family's unexplained
and highly troubling disappearance. In a world still threatened by the forces
of darkness, several groups emerge to fill the void. Details are scarce, but
it appears that players will take control of a female hero (as of yet unnamed)
who's obviously in league with one such company.
Other than the storyline, which is
sure to unfold in the usual wacky style that comes define the modern entries,
the gameplay is tried and true: You'll explore a huge haunt and, as promised,
many outdoor locations; power up via an RPG system; dip into an unmatched
inventory; defeat many monsters, old and new; and discover multiple endings.
The additional screen will no doubt continue to function as your map and a
constantly updated stat-sheet. Most interesting is the news that the game
will support co-op play, of which we only saw glimpses in Portrait of Ruin's
rather-limited two-player challenge mode; if more ambitious, we might be looking
at an exciting prospect--the first instance of two players teaming up to navigate
Dracula's castle. As of now, though, there's nothing specific.
Of course, Order of Ecclesia
wouldn't be complete without its very own overcomplicated "system,"
which in this case is "Glyph Magic." Glyph Magic, in simple terms,
is a collection of magical powers that will help the hero negotiate the castle's
many obstacles and more easily tackle its assortment of foes. Glyphs come
in two flavors ("Light" or "Dark") and can be acquired
as procured from certain locations or absorbed from defeated enemies, similar
to how Soma Cruz steals enemy souls. Individual Glyphs can be assigned to
three separate body parts--right arm, left arm and back, each controlled by
its own button--and used in tandem to execute combos or special attacks, placing
heavy emphasis on combat that's sure to see the hero accosted from every angle.
Of more mystery is Ecclesia's
apparent connectivity to Nintendo's Wii console, information as gleaned from
screenshots seen in Famitsu and cryptically addressed by Igarashi.
Whether this speaks of a new console title or something more simple is a conundrum
whose unraveling can potentially reshape the series in more ways than one.
Castlevania:
Order of Shadows
- Added: 9/5/07 -
It's not so much that it's big news
when Konami brings a series title to a new or relatively untested platform--it's
that Konami had the gall to bring a new entry to mobile phones, a platform
that you never associate with serious gaming, a genre Castlevania certainly
inhabits. It's with the blessing of Koji Igarashi that lead game designer
Tyrone Rodriguez and his staff take on the daunting challenge of bringing
Castlevania: Order of Shadows to tech-challenged cell phones and finding
a way to capture the spirit of recent standouts and release a worthy and more
importantly "fun-to-play" (Koji advises) product.
In what should be a touchy subject
to legacy sticklers, Order of Shadows, though featuring Belmont warriors,
doesn't fit directly into the functioning storyline and is instead a "gaiden"
or "side story" placed sometime during the 1600s. Furthermore, the
random generator of fate has chosen Desmond Belmont and siblings Zoe and Dolores,
his sisters, to battle against the forces of Count Dracula, whose scheme will
no doubt implicate a twisted cast of supporting characters.
How it will all play out, in terms
of quality and fan acceptance, is anyone's guess, but Konami was kind enough
to supply a peek behind the curtain via a
quick Flash demo that shows off the storyline and gameplay basics. Order
of Shadows will see release September 18th of 2007.
Castlevania:
The Dracula X Chronicles
- Added: 2/1/07 -
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Begging, pleading, petitions, e-mailing
campaigns--they were all fruitless until February 1st of 2007, when on "Konami
Gamer Day" Koji Igarashi introduced Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles
for the PlayStation Portable. As the second entry into the Castlevania
Chronicles sub-series, The Dracula X Chronicles is a remake of
the famed Dracula X: Chi no Rondo, the PC-Engine: Turbo Duo title that
saw only a Japanese release due to the failure of the system's western counterpart,
the Turbo-Grafx 16. In contrast to the Akumajou Dracula X68000 remake,
in which the designers simply bolstered the presentation through the manipulation
of existing sprite-work, The Dracula X Chronicles is a true "remake,"
rebuilt from the ground up in 2.5D style--that is, a fully polygonal world
as viewed from a two-dimension plane a la Contra: Shattered Soldier
and New Super Mario Bros.
But not to worry, traditionalists:
Included on the UMD (the game's media) is the original-version Dracula
X: Chi no Rondo, which bore a superficial resemblance to the SNES' own
Castlevania: Dracula X and used the enemy templates as borrowed by
future titles like Symphony of the Night, Dawn of Sorrow and
Portrait of Ruin. The PC-Engine classic is said to be unlockable, rewarded
to those who play through the remade version.
As an extra bonus, the title will also
include the PlayStation classic (the aforementioned) Symphony of the Night,
which by its rightful name, Akumajou Dracula X: Gekka no Yasoukyoku,
completes the "Dracula X Chronicles." It will not like its
Chi no Rondo companion feature any remade elements, but it's as a standalone
a nice extra for those who might have missed the original. (There's nothing
to suggest that Symphony will feature any of Sega-Saturn version enhancements.)
(All images are credited to 1Up.com,
which also has featured a five-minute video of the remade Rondo in
action.)
Castlevania:
Portrait of Ruin
- Added: 4/21/06 -
Seen above are the first two official
screenshots for Konami's upcoming Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, which
will be the second series' title to find its way to the Nintendo DS. From
best we can tell, its aesthetics certainly point to it following the lead
of the past four handheld titles, with Dawn of Sorrow's influence most
prevalent, and landing in the expected genre of adventure-RPG.
Here's a collage shot - click on the image
for a larger version
Though, early details do confirm
in part what I hoped a Dawn of Sorrow follow-up would entail: Building
upon what transpired in the excellent "Julius Mode," you will control
more than character at a time--in this case, the duo comprised of the
whip-wielding Jonathan Morris, Jr., and the magic-using Charlotte Orlean.
The game is set to a World War II backdrop, which places the game in a post-Bloodlines
world. As you could guess by the the name, Portrait's Morris is the
son of Bloodlines' John Morris (though the anime-style artwork doesn't
paint the clearest of pictures). Familiar-summoning, afforded to both characters,
will apparently play a big part in the game's design.
The heroes' challenge is to put a stop
to the evil deeds of two vampire sisters, who are looking to resurrect the
overworked Count Dracula. Most disturbingly, in terms of storyline, Koji and
crew will use the war's very real consequence, "the deaths of thousands,"
as a subplot where the lost souls are seeking to escape limbo by rebuilding
Dracula's castle and using its demonic properties in an as-of-yet-unexplained
way. The two events will somehow tie together.
Videos from GameSpot: www.gamespot.com/ds/action/castlevaniaportraitofruin/
Videos from IGN: media.ds.ign.com/media/774/774649/vids_1.html
For this and more information, you
can find out more on Portrait of Ruin in the latest issue of Nintendo
Power. Thanks, also, to computerandvideogames.com.
Castlevania:
Curse of Darkness
- Added: 1/24/05 -
Click
on an image for a larger version
In following up the announcement of
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow 2 (as previewed on this page below), Konami
has finally confirmed the rumor of another title for the PS2. Yes--Castlevania:
Curse of Darkness is in the works. While the title is expected to closely
follow the blueprint laid forth by Lament of Innocence, it is said
that Curse of Darkness will feature a new graphics engine, a new camera
system, and a more nonlinear quest; also (as frequent contributor Carl notes)
the project has seen a boost in staff, as people who worked on Silent Hill
also show their wares here. However, don't expect the formula or the overall
style of play to change.
The game's placement is set in 1479,
three years after Trevor Belmont and his allies (Grant, Sypha and Alucard)
confronted and destroyed the Count. The story: Though destroyed, Dracula's
lingering curse has begun to take its toll, and people have begun to exhibit
a more deviant nature amidst the darkness, be it mob violence, pestilence
or through heresy. In order to escape from such a predicament, our main hero
Hector--described as a "Devil Forgemaster who had once refined his skills
under Dracula"--has fled the scene to find a more peaceful life. During
this journey, he crosses paths with his old friend Isaac, another Devil Forgemaster,
who reveals, mysteriously, that he's implicated Hector's wife in a deadly
conspiracy. Isaac hurries home only to find that his home has been "morphed"
by Dracula's dark magic, with there no sign of his wife. What will follow
is Hector's revenge, but his course of action against Isaac and the forces
of evil has yet to be explained.
Though, details confirm that Hector
will command "innocent devils," in what I assume is this game's
"system," that will afford him different powers, the most intriguing
of which is the ability to fly (on a winged dragon, perhaps?). There are also
rumors of an Alucard appearance, fresh off the first deadly encounter with
his father. And other questions arise: Will Lament's excellent fighting
system carry over? Will the sword-wielding Hector approach combat in the same
fashion? Will we learn more about what happened to Mathias? And will they
continue to employ watered-down Symphony elements, like Lament's
useless RPG system? The answers are mere months away.
All images and information were supplied
by the following sources: Carl "The Gargoyle," gamesarefun.com
and jeux-france.com.
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