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Awesome game! But not for the faint of heart
posted by heimburg (ORLANDO, FL) Jan 20, 2007
Member since Jun 2005
20 out of 21 gamers (95%) found this review helpful
This is easily the best Castlevania since the PS1 classic Symphony of the Night. And you can really tell that the designers sat down and asked themselves, "How can we really top our earlier games?" They didn't just rearrange the magic system like handheld Castlevanias usually do -- they also added a fighting partner with all sorts of partner moves, plus a quest system to give you even more to do while you're wandering the castle.
You get rewards constantly and the pacing is very good. The sound is beautiful and the visuals are often stunning. I would love to have this game's soundtrack.
There is one thing to be aware of, though. After about a half hour of easy-going monster stabbing, you'll run into your first boss, and you'll then realize that the kid-gloves are off. You'll probably have to fight that boss many times until you've memorized his moves. This boss is extra difficult because the first part of the game was so easy that you are totally unprepared for a hard boss! So now I've warned you. Keep it in mind, and practice your moves and timing at the beginning of the game. Buy a bunch of potions at the stor, and don't forget to save right outside the boss's door.
After the first boss, there are a few relatively easy bosses, and then some devastatingly hard bosses. If you hate the idea of having to fight a boss battle a dozen times to learn the moves, this is not the game for you.
Outside of the boss battles, the game gets slowly more difficult, eventually reaching a point where it's actually pretty tough just to survive from one save point to another. You can remedy this, though, by either getting better at the game or by leveling up your character, farming items and abilities.
This is a deep game with a lot of complexity and substance to master. But the real hook is the really strong feeling of exploration you get. You'll find yourself wondering what the game has in store for you after this next boss. And don't worry: you won't be disappointed.
You get rewards constantly and the pacing is very good. The sound is beautiful and the visuals are often stunning. I would love to have this game's soundtrack.
There is one thing to be aware of, though. After about a half hour of easy-going monster stabbing, you'll run into your first boss, and you'll then realize that the kid-gloves are off. You'll probably have to fight that boss many times until you've memorized his moves. This boss is extra difficult because the first part of the game was so easy that you are totally unprepared for a hard boss! So now I've warned you. Keep it in mind, and practice your moves and timing at the beginning of the game. Buy a bunch of potions at the stor, and don't forget to save right outside the boss's door.
After the first boss, there are a few relatively easy bosses, and then some devastatingly hard bosses. If you hate the idea of having to fight a boss battle a dozen times to learn the moves, this is not the game for you.
Outside of the boss battles, the game gets slowly more difficult, eventually reaching a point where it's actually pretty tough just to survive from one save point to another. You can remedy this, though, by either getting better at the game or by leveling up your character, farming items and abilities.
This is a deep game with a lot of complexity and substance to master. But the real hook is the really strong feeling of exploration you get. You'll find yourself wondering what the game has in store for you after this next boss. And don't worry: you won't be disappointed.
Another Classic Castlevania!
posted by drunkyb (FORT WORTH, TX) Dec 7, 2006
Member since Mar 2006
10 out of 12 gamers (83%) found this review helpful
Castlevania on the GBA and the DS continues to do one thing each time around : get better and better. At this point, there isn't much more that can be done to make these titles any more appealing than the previous ones, so to say the least PORTRAIT OF RUIN is on par, and a LITTLE BIT better than DAWN OF SORROW. The graphics are pretty much the same, the monsters have more detail and their deaths are a little bit more graphic than in the previous title. The story in this game is much better, and the ability to switch between and use two characters at once is absolutely incredible. The only setback that I have noticed is for me at least, the characters in Dawn of Sorrow were a lot more interesting than the ones available in this title, but thats a minor flaw. In short, Castlevania continues to claim the top spot for action-platforming, on console or on handheld. If you are a fan of violent action adventure titles, pick this up. If you have played any of the previous titles (especially Aria or Dawn of Sorrow) don't even bother renting this - you probably already know this is a must-buy. Definately one of my top five favorite DS games so far.
Castlevania Goodness
posted by lazygamer (Northridge, CA) Dec 12, 2006
Member since Jan 2003
1 out of 2 gamers (50%) found this review helpful
Once again, Dracula's castle rises up and must be dealt with. In this adventure, you can switch on-the-fly between a weapons-guy or a magic-girl. Instead of the levels being confined to the castle (reverse or not), you'll be fighting a catalog of monsters throughout the various paintings (hence the "portrait of ruin"). The story, taking place during World War 2, is written well enough.
Most familiar to the Castlevania franchise is the great gameplay. Platform games, especially 2D ones are of rare beauty and this title maintains it well. Also making a comeback are equipable weapons, secondary weapons, armor, spells, etc. What doesn't make an appearance (and sorely missed) is the monster soul-collecting from the "Soma" series games (e.g. Dawn of Sorrow). The idea of catching the souls just to see what power you would obtain gave the game a whole extra layer. Swapping characters doesn't seem to make up the difference either, since you tend to stick with one. But numerous save points and warp portals allow for a gamer-friendly experience.
Unlike the other DS Castlevania game "Dawn of Sorrow", I have yet to see any touchpad use in "Portrait of Ruin". No real loss, but it would have been interesting to see how it could have been improved (you can, however, create your own badge or logo).
Overall, this game maintains the great quality of the Castlevania franchise, trying new things by sacrificing others. No huge gain, but no loss either.
Most familiar to the Castlevania franchise is the great gameplay. Platform games, especially 2D ones are of rare beauty and this title maintains it well. Also making a comeback are equipable weapons, secondary weapons, armor, spells, etc. What doesn't make an appearance (and sorely missed) is the monster soul-collecting from the "Soma" series games (e.g. Dawn of Sorrow). The idea of catching the souls just to see what power you would obtain gave the game a whole extra layer. Swapping characters doesn't seem to make up the difference either, since you tend to stick with one. But numerous save points and warp portals allow for a gamer-friendly experience.
Unlike the other DS Castlevania game "Dawn of Sorrow", I have yet to see any touchpad use in "Portrait of Ruin". No real loss, but it would have been interesting to see how it could have been improved (you can, however, create your own badge or logo).
Overall, this game maintains the great quality of the Castlevania franchise, trying new things by sacrificing others. No huge gain, but no loss either.
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