“It isn’t the best Castlevania game to be launched but you must indeed get out and buy this ambitious release.”
The Good: Portable Castlevania have one of the most enjoyable ways of fighting… It’s incredible. The graphics look great, especially the background and the characters. Music is varied. Bosses prove to be tough to master and the numerous puzzles require thought. There are assorted portraits (locations) to visit. Weapons and spells are all enjoyable to test out. The Wireless mode includes Shop Mode which is a definite positive.
The Bad: Other modes (Boss rush mode, and Co-op Mode) are very poor. Expect a maximum 2 hour thrill out of these modes. No souls to be collected are a downer as well. Lastly, there aren’t many multiplayer modes that you will enjoy with a friend. Shop Mode is the only one that appealed to me.
Castlevania is an old series that has been improving with additional tweaks over the years. Circle of Moon proved to be original and addicting. Dawn of Sorrow followed the same roots as Circle of Moon and it improved. Portrait of Ruin was then the next installment to the portable series and it wasn’t as good as the previous two, yet it was still a well worth purchase.
Game-Play: Portrait of Ruin succeeds when game-play comes around for the most part. As far as the combat system goes, this game is simply extraordinary. Following Dawn of Sorrow, the fighting is simple and varied. There are numerous weapons for you to use as well as numerous enemies to defeat. In combat, you dodge moves by jumping and moving away from the blows. You fight back by using your equipped weapons, casting spells, or even hurling certain weapons. Once you defeat a set number of enemies, you then are rewarded with a level up which promises more health and magic power. Additional challenges include spikes and traps in your path. The game proves to be difficult particularly in the beginning. After beating the first three or four bosses you won’t have problems breezing through the rest of the game. The bosses all are significantly fast or gigantic and they fight using their own attack methods and strategies. It is up to you to learn how to dodge their attacks and to time everything right. The bosses prove to be challenging (well at least the beginning few) and you must work hard to defeat them.
The story is alright. It isn’t like you will be in suspense, but it is enough to leave you in some kind of interest. Characters are encountered and each is cool and mysterious-you don’t always know if they are good or bad. In Portrait of Ruin, you learn moves outside of battle. Slide-kicks and double jumps are great examples. Learning these techniques enables you to get to a portrait you have never discovered. This adds to even more of the puzzling predicaments the game has to offer, enabling you to actually use that brain of yours. Other than the main story mode you will NOT have fun with the additional game modes. Let’s start with Boss Rush Mode… If you like running your tail off by slicing enemies and trying to get a good time then look somewhere else. Yes, this is what Boss Rush Mode is, but it is so repetitive and very dully thought out you will have a 1 hour thrill. There are three stages and the first is the easiest, the third the hardest. I don’t know what it is about this mode; I just found that it didn’t appeal to me remotely. The only pro on all of this is that you start with the first stage right from the top.
Next comes Co-op Mode… Ah… This is the dumbest feature ever. You do meet friends from afar and nearby, but it is downright sad. You don’t play through the game with each other you just play selected stages that are almost as dully presented as Boss Rush Mode.
Lastly comes Shop Mode which consists of you selling weaponry for a selected price. This is good for making tons of cash, but it takes time for your item to be purchased by another user. I liked this feature but it is only fun if you find a weapon you like.
That’s it on game-play. Overall, game-play is above average. The junky less significant modes are monotonous, but the story mode is well worth playing.
Graphics: The graphics of Castlevania Portrait of Ruin are beyond my personal expectations. It improves off of Dawn of Sorrow and even that game had some nice visuals. The characters for one, look great and they are all various whether it be their clothing or their facial expressions. There are over 120 enemies, including the bosses. Each looks different and excellent. The many different locations are varied and the scenery seldom gets repetitive. Weapons and items are all fairly detailed and therefore, look good. This game has some nice graphics; however, it is not 3-D and the 2-D graphics are well presented but I have seen much better from other Nintendo DS games of the same price and if not, cheaper. Sound: The music is nothing special but there is such a variety that you will recognize each and every location by its original tunes. The noises such as clashing of weapons and yells uttered by enemies, sound good and are well projected through the microphone of the Nintendo DS. Sound is great and nearly perfect due to originality and variety.
Value: Whatever this means…I have no clue but I consider value by saying “was it worth its price?” I would say yes to most. You have a decent and long game in the story anyway. Other modes are good to have provided but aren’t as entertaining. This game is new so it is the well known 35 dollar DS pricing. I will tell you that fans of Wi-fi will not be as turned on as those who like to play single player games. But nearly everyone plays games for the campaign, story, or whatever and I’m sure you are that kind of person; thus, this game is for you. Overall, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin is a remarkable experience, but it isn’t as good as Dawn of Sorrow. I suggest that newcomers get this first and have as much fun as they can and then enjoy the improvements Dawn of Sorrow has to offer. All in all, I think this game was meant to be created before Dawn of Sorrow and not after. That’s just my opinion on things though. It’s a good game that is well worth a purchase or a rent in the least. I really hope this helped and this is all I have to say. Peace out.
-OblivionGuy07