Man, rifts in time cause the wierdest things to happen.
I am going to try to deliver an unbiased review of Castlevania: Judgement.
Graphics:
Now, I think the developers were going for more of an anime look, and if so, that's what they acheived. Firstly, the environments all look nice as do the character models. I kinda liked some of the redesigns of the characters, not all, but some. One that doesn't make sense is Grant Danasty. I will get into greater detail later, but he looks like a mummy. Anyway, attacks look nice, as do the "super" attacks I'm sure you've heard so much about. Oh, the inroduction is very cool. A solid effort. 8/ 10
Music/ sound effects:
There is a reason I'm not rating voice acting. I'll get into it later. So, most music in this game is remixed Castlevania tunes, and they all sound very nice, espeacially Aeon's theme. The sound effects are all right, the whips sound very powerful, certain attacks sound suitably nasty and painful. The music is the highlight, though. 8/ 10
Characters:
Okay, this is my first reviw of a fighting game, so I decided to reveiw each character separatley based on things like, visual design, the voice actor, the attacks and their storys. Keep in mind that I have not played all the games, so I'm not terribly familiar with all of them. They all take place in a "time rift, where people from all different eras come together, and this usually happens in the middle of the game that the character is from.
Grant Danasty:
As I stated above, his character design doesn't entirely make sense. He looks like a cross between a mummy and a zombie, and yet sounds like a cocky 35 year old and is the fastest character in the game. This being said, his design is pretty cool and as far as fighting, he zips around the stage, bringing the pain with his blades. His ultimate attack is also fairly neat, but I'm not going to spoil anything for any of the characters. Now, his story is strange. The introduction tells about how he defeated Dracula with Trevor Belmont and is rebuilding villages that Dracula's forces destroyed. But during the actual story, it's about something completly different.
Shanoa:
She looks like a cross between a nun and her design in Order of Ecclasia. She looks decent enough, if too skinny. Now, her voice actress did a good job of not putting emotion in her voice. You may say "but Turtle, voice actors are supposed to have emotion." Not this one. Given that she gets pulled into the time rift in the middle of the game Order of Ecclasia, she is supposed to have no emotions. She basically has a whole arsenal with her, given that she has glyphs to attack with and she controls fine. Her story is generic, though, just a test of her strength.
Eric LeCarde:
He looks like a rich little kid, with a huge &*$% spear. He looks something like a girl, and sounds even more like one. Seriously, just because the boy is young, doesn't mean that he sounds like he is a bored school girl. I mean this spear he has is like 6 feet long! Ugh... he controls alright and is actually a very good character, as far as attacks go. His story is okay, as well.
Trevor Belmont:
A favorite. He looks like a tough pirate crossed with a hunter and is fairly cool looking. He is also very powerful and controls well. His ultimate attack is very cool, as well. His story is pretty good.
Sypha Belnades:
She is a strange character. First, her design is questionable at best. Her staff that she carries is cool, but that's about it. Her hair is horrendous and there is a certain... quality about her that makes me wonder why in all Japanese fighters is neede on at least one female character. She controls well, and her magical attacks look okay. Her voice actress is good, as well. Her story is alright, though.
Maria Renard:
Oh my god, everything about her is annoying. She looks like a child super model gone terribly, horribly wrong. And don't even get me started on her voice. It makes me want to rip my ears off. As far as control, she is a little to loose for my tastes, and her story is so stupid... it's about her wanting to get the certain quality that both Sypha and Carmilla have. She makes me want to strangle who ever designed her... not really, but at least question what was going through their mind. Her ultimate attack is dumber than a monkey on cocaine.
Simon Belmont:
He looks like a physical trainer with red hair and armor. He's pretty cool, and his attacks are very good. (It must run in the family...) His voice actor is good, as well and his ultimate attack is also cool, if a bit predictable. Also, kudos to Konami for not making him a clone of Trevor or vice versa. They have a few of the same attacks, but for the most part, they have very different fighting styles. His story is generic, however.
Alucard:
Easily one of the most enjoyable characters to play as. His design is pretty cool, even if he looks something like a woman. Now, he has a big honkin' sword and he's a very good character to play as. He controls nicley, too. His ultimate attack is great, and his story is good.
Cornell:
Pretty much my favorite character. His design is very, very cool. He looks like a knight mixed with a wolf. He controls well and his final attack is cool, is a bit drawn out by the ending. His story is also good.
Golem:
He looks like what a golem should look like. A combination of flesh and machine. My problem with him is his controls. He was obviously supposed to be the "tank" character, but a tank moves faster than him. His ultimate attack is cool, though. His dialogue is the typical "Me no want fight" thing that happens with so many characters like him. His story is also kinda typical.
Carmilla:
She looks like a vampire countess with that quality I mentioned earlier. Seriously, that is so common in fighting games these days, it's not funny. Anyway, she controls fine and is a good character once you learn her attacks. Her ultimate attack is odd, though. Her story is good.
Death:
He is a very cool looking character, second only to Cornell. This guy is also a fighting machine, as well. He controls well and has a cool ultimate attack. His story is dissapointing, though.
Dracula:
Ah, the big man himself. I liked his design, it was very cool. The way he controls, though, makes him different to play as. He is a powerhouse, though, and his story is interesting. His final attack is awesome, too. He says "darkness" to much, though, and it always sounds exactly the same.
Aeon:
This guy is strange looking. He looks like a rich snob, sort of. His weapon is cool, though and his ultimate attack is cool, even though it is tough to pull off. His story is by far the most interesting and really ties the game together.
The characters in this game are interesting, to say the least. However, characters as annoying as Maria and Eric (even though he is insanely powerful) bog it down. 7/ 10
Overall story:
It is very interesting, and is actually tied together well. The reason that many don't like it is the presentation. It is presented through conversations in which the only thing that moves on the characters is their mouths. I can see how that would make some people hate the story. But I rather liked it, although I would like to know who the new enemy is that is mentioned so much in this but never explained. 9/10, but minus 1 for presentation. So, 8/10.
Gameplay:
The matches start off with the characters standing facing eachother and the announcer saying "Ready... FIGHT!" Then chaos reigns. The game controls smoothly enough. Oh, yeah, at the bottom of the screen is a meter that when filled by enough battle, you can unleash the above ultimate attacks. Some are almost immpossible to dodge, while others are almost immpossible to activate. Another thing is that the attacks activate a 20 second cutscene. The attacks are flashy, but the cutscenes get old after a while. There are a few different modes, as well, but they're nothing special. Although, the Castle mode is fun in that it assigns you specific missions. There are few unlockables, which is dissapointing. The characters are slightly off balance, as well, and the story mode gets very repetitive. 6/10
This game is a mixed bag, ultimately. I would buy it if you're a fan of the series or like fighters. The thing that I think many people have a problem with is that they go into it expecting a deep experience. It's a fighter. You can't do that. If you're unsure, rent it first.