Castlevania: Lament of Innocence Impressions

Konami has released some new details on Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, which is in development for the PlayStation 2. In the game, which takes place in the 11th century, you'll assume the role of Leon Belmont, who is apparently the first in the line of Belmonts to undertake the task of hunting down Dracula. As such, the storyline will revolve around the origins of the Dracula-Belmont feud, and it will even explain why the whip has become the weapon of choice for the Belmont clan. However, the primary objective for Leon will be to rescue his fiancé from the clutches of Dracula.

The biggest difference between Lament of Innocence and the other Castlevania games produced by Koji Igarashi is that it's in full 3D. Leon can move freely around the environment while attacking enemies, which has helped the development team build a set of deep attack-combination mechanics that are similar to those of Devil May Cry. Not only can Leon use his whip to perform a series of attacks, but he can also use the traditional Castlevania secondary weapons (such as the cross, holy water, and axe) to inflict damage upon enemies. These secondary weapons can also be powered up over the course of the game. As far as the structure of the game is concerned, it seems that it's not entirely modeled after Symphony of the Night, as it's more linear and there are fewer RPG elements. However, you will be rewarded for taking the time to explore your surroundings and find hidden areas. This might prove to be a little difficult, considering that you can't manipulate the camera manually, but we'll have to wait and see how it works when we get some hands-on time with the game at the show.