User Reviews (1 - 11 of 34)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

Portrait of Disappointment

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 1 / 17
Date: December 16, 2006
Author: Amazon User

A disappointing outing for the Castlevania franchise, especially considering Dawn of Sorrow's more or less excellent offering. While the initial premise brings to mind far superior entries such as the classic Dracula X or Legacy of Darkness, this pales in comparison to those and, even more insultingly, taints the characters from a previous entry, Bloodlines, with their insulting inclusion in this extremely lacking and excessively dull Castlevania. While graphically superb and good sound-wise for the most part, pretty pictures and good music (with mostly good voice acting) do not excuse the terrible story, lacking gameplay, and outright frustrating attempts at accommodating the gimmicky insertions. After a point in the extremely predictable and groan-worthy story, I put it down permanently. Save your money and buy something more deserving of it instead.

Comes up short in a few key ways

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 12
Date: December 11, 2006
Author: Amazon User

An okay and challenging Castlevania that comes up short in a few really annoying ways.

1) The dual character mode isn't implimented nearly as well as it could've been. There's a very low rate of puzzles and abilities that utilize this new feature.
2) The quest mode can be really frustrating. Sometimes you'll need an item that you have previously sold and can't get back unless you know someone selling it on the WFC shop mode or start the game over. They should've made any quest releated items non-sellable, or allow you to complete the quest even if you do sell them. Also, you can take on 5 quests at a time max, so if you have that quest and can't complete it, you're just stuck and can't pick up any new ones.
3) Selling items is a huge pain, as you are forced to keep one item of everything to prevent the above mentioned quest problem. Even if you did want to sell a bunch of stuff, it doesn't remove your equiped gear from the "to sell" list, nor put an E or anything next to it, so you may accidently sell your equipment if you're not paying attention.
4) Way too many enemies (and bosses) are reused...again
5) The story is really comedy/anime driven and this proves to be a major distraction and seems very out of place given the timeframe of the game (WW2).
6) Promise of co-op play is only limited to boss rush mode.
7) 95% of the items and abilities are worthless or just clones of one another.
8) Re-used stages (or similar looking levels) within the game. You'd think the portraits would bring in some new variety, but the only really different type of level is the pyramid level. Most of the others just look like any other CV castle.

While still playable and sometimes enjoyable, this game definitely is the worse CV title since Harmony of Dissonance. Some of the levels and all the new enemies are cool, and so is the dual character mode. But for the above mentioned reasons this game fails to live up to Castlevania's previous body of work. The biggest improvement in this game, though, is it's back to the Circle of the Moon difficulty level.

Pretty generic in gameplay, rather disappointing graphics

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: March 05, 2007
Author: Amazon User

CPR, as this game has come to be known, is, frankly speaking, a generic game in the Castlevania series. I'm glad I played it as a rental instead of shelling out $30 of good money for it. The storyline is both nondescript and nonexistent, and the game plays straightforwardly. The graphics, like other Castlevania games, is rather poor, little improved over the old GBA versions. Overall it makes a worthwhile play for hardcore Castlevania fans -- and Amazon's super-low price is a big help.

Pretty fun but it's beating a dead horse at this point.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: May 04, 2007
Author: Amazon User

From the second I played Castlevania: Symphony of the Night I knew that I strongly desired a sequel to the game. I had really wanted something with top notch 2D work like Guilty Gear Isuka for PlayStation 2 and for it to be on a console but I suppose my hunger was sated by the various Gameboy titles. I've had mixed feelings about the series since Symphony of the Night, some of the titles seem to get close to being as good and others totally missed the mark but the fact stands that none of the additions are on par with Symphony of the Night yet. This game is no different.

You play with two characters which you can use individually, simultaneously, and you can switch around on the fly. This works rather well and adds some depth and strategy to your character set ups. I found the girl to be kind of boring on her own though. She only gets one weapon type and it's rather ineffective. Her spells can be pretty cool but they aren't particularly great for dispatching enemies and remaining mobile. The cool thing here though is that I didn't have to use her. I could use the male character and simply spam the girl for spells when the mood struck me. You can leave both characters out and the one you aren't controlling will attack automatically but if they get hit your magic bar is depleted much like your health would be. The bad news here is that eventually the dual character system begins to strike you as very gimmicky. I would much rather have had one character with all of those abilities rather than having to drag along a second character simply for the occasional puzzle. It starts off as a cool idea but eventually just becomes annoying and you'll most likely stick with one as the game goes on.

Both of the DS games have gone artistically downhill since Ayami Kojima (the character designer for many of the games) didn't work on them. Maybe some kids got spooked by the slightly dark theme to the games and they had to brighten it up but everything seems a little softer to me. The enemies aren't as demented. The environments are more colorful. The blood is toned down, long gone are the days of gushing zombie soldiers. Maybe some people appreciate this but I think it sucks. The ambiance of the series is something I always enjoyed and it's just not here anymore.

The level design is alright, they kind of pulled an upside-down castle move by repeating previous levels only slightly different. That is one of my only complaints with Symphony of the Night and it remains true here, flipping and barely altering a level is lazy. If it wasn't for different enemies you would be bored to tears. It's kind of neat that you go to some different corners of the world but I really don't feel that they belong in this game. It's CASTLEvania, not TRAVELvania.

The music is tinny, cliche, and certainly more upbeat than other Castlevania games. It ultimately doesn't fit well for me. The Symphony of the Night, and Curse of Darkness soundtrack are worth owning regardless of how good the games are. I know the DS is capable of playing good music becuase Meteos and Nanostray have some jams in them, but the quality is pretty junky here. I guess since you go to some different locations it probably makes sense but, again, it just doesn't feel right to be in a Castlevania game.

The game presents plenty of the replay value that the newer titles are known for along with plenty to do in a single play through. Things like this keep the game fun regardless of its shortcomings.

The addition of Wifi is really nice but I have yet to really do a whole lot with it. The game isn't hard enough to do co-op and you can get all the items yourself easy enough without having to buy them off of people. Still it stands as a cool addition especially if they choose to develop it a bit more in the future.

In summary, I think it's the bettter of the DS Castlevanias, but Aria Of Sorrow is still the best of the Gameboy entries. Symphony of the Night is still king. At the end of the day though I think this game is a little weak, fun, but nothing super special about it. I think they need to focus on making one killer Castlevania game rather than churning out Symphony of the Night clones ever other year.

Dawn of Sorrow 1.5: Portrait of Ruin

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: May 08, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game would've score much higher if it wasn't a sucessor to Dawn of sorrow which is one of my favorite Castlevania games. It was still pretty fun, mind you, but I felt like I was playing Dawn of Sorry with differnt characters most of the time. It's mainly because both games use the same game engine, I believe. That is not that bad by itself but I had a problem with sooooo many enemies being lifted straight out of Dawn of Sorrow. With the game featuring many familiar enemies and the new "dual attacks" you can perform, the game seems so much easier. I had no problem mowing down the enemies and bosses alike! Maybe it's time to change things around for Castlevania because I can't really distinguish one game from another anymore. It's a fun game but if you played the Dawn of Sorry recently, it won't be anything special.

Fun, but not a classic.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: May 17, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Let me start off by saying that this game was pretty fun, and I would say that it's worth the money if it's something that's on your "might buy" list. But, it's nothing near a classic. It doesn't compare with Symphony of the Night. The graphics are pretty much the same style as SOTN, which is a good thing in my opinion. The gameplay is also very similar even with the ability to switch between 2 characters. Honestly, I rarely switched unless it was a small situation that required it. As for fighting, I found myself always sticking with the male character, so the new system doesn't really add anything extra. The story isn't bad, but is also nothing memorable which to me is really the only downfall to the game. Even though the game to me felt like a watered down rip off of SOTN, I would've considered it a classic if the story would've caught my attention more. But, like I said before, the story isn't bad, and I did find myself enjoying the gameplay quite a bit. If you're considering buying it, I would say go for it. If you're looking to be amazed or get the same experience that you got out of SOTN, don't hold your breath.

A for effort . . .

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 37 / 41
Date: December 10, 2006
Author: Amazon User

The Castlevania series has undergone its fair share of criticism; i.e., the Metroid-style structure has been done to death, and there simply aren't enough innovations to distinguish the games from each other. The 3D games have been particularly aligned, with poor level structure being the widest complaint.

Portrait of Ruin was Konami's answer to those complaints. While the design of the game has been restructured, the overall execution is somewhat lacking.

For example, the game's protagonists, Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin, must use paintings, much in the style of Super Mario 64, to enter new worlds. Here's where part of the problem lies--there are only five distinct levels (Dracula's Castle, a city overrun with monsters, a dark forest, Egypt, and a twisted circus sideshow.) You can find restructured and more difficult versions of these levels later on in the game, but the overall lack of diversity is disappointing. Instead of offering different versions of the same levels, Konami could have delved into Castlevania's 20-year history to deliver us mountain ranges, or sleepy villages, or haunted docks, or sunken ruins . . . the list goes on, and its rather aggravating to find such a lack of effort in this title.

However, the dual-hero system works well for the game. Sadly, there aren't very many puzzles in which you must rely on your partner--yes, there is a segment in which the two characters ride motorcycles and the player must shift between the two to clear the course--but events like these are few and far between. Most often, the only reason you'll switch to Charlotte is to turn into a frog or an owl, or to cast a specific spell. You'll spend the other 90% of the time as Jonathan.

The difficulty is also somewhat skewed. Most enemies can be ripped through quickly and easily, but boss battles can be intensely difficult, with bosses often using attacks that can drain as much as 200 hit points. Attention to patterns and a plentiful supply of potions are necessary to win the day, and while its refreshing to have boss battles reminiscent of the old-school 8-bit Castlevanias, players who entered the series with Symphony of the Night are in for a rude awakening.

However, the story is top-notch, and follows roughly thirty years after the events of Castlevania: Bloodlines for the Sega Genesis. The characters are well-written, and the player will become genuinely intrigued by their stories and their pasts.

Sounds, as usual, are one of the highlights for the game. The voice-acting is present, but generally minimal, and the melodies and sound effects continue to be haunting.

Enemy design is also one of the game's highest points. The sprites are well-animated, and, in many portions of the game, comical. For example, the Persephone enemy shuffles back and forth with a vacuum cleaner; if Jonathan gets too close, he'll be sucked backwards and get his bottom lodged in the end of the appliance. Charlotte, conversely, will be momentarily inconvenienced as she struggles to prevent her skirt from being blown up. One boss enemy can also seduce Jonathan with one of her attacks, causing him to attack Charlotte.

In conclusion, Portrait of Ruin is a game that belongs in every Castlevania fan's library. It's just not particularly memorable.

Story: A
Level Design: C
Music: A
Sound Effects: A
Enemy design: A
Character design: A
Difficulty: B
Overall: B+

It's like Dawn of Sorrow, but with different characters!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: December 11, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Well, I was actually quite pumped up to play this game, so much so that I went and pre-ordered it at EBgames and managed to get some bonus goodies along with the game. But that's another story altogether. Let's make no bones about it, Portrait of Ruin (POR) is a solid entry to the Castlevania franchise that is definitely going to live up to many fans'expectations. It's the same gaming formula that was introduced in the earlier PS2 hit, Symphony of the Night, and was reused in many of the later sequels.

And that is exactly why, while it is a good game, it doesn't succeed in becoming an excellent game. It's the same tried and true offering with minimal changes. There are a lot of reused character sprites, reused music and even reused plot developments (no real surprise there, a descendent of the Legendary Belmont clan and his partner encounter the evil of Dracula once more as his castle once again casts its menacing shadow across the land. Ho hum). Even some of the game's boss fights are reused from previous outings (I won't mention which one in case it ruins the surprise). In short, the game plays a lot like something you may have played before.

However, that is no reason for anyone to dismiss this game out of hand. The new partner system, while not being groundbreakingly innovative, is a good example of clever game design, opening up multiple choices as to how to dispatch the unholy dead. The level designs, though familiar, are wonderfully crafted and gorgeous to a 2D affecionado (or anybody, for that matter). There's solid action and RPG elements to keep any gamer happy for hours on end (I ended up playing more than 6 hours straight on my first day...even through my class lectures).

Ultimately, the game doesn't really offer anything deviously new and doesn't really tread away from the tried and true Castlevania formula. But if you're looking for a good game that is more than worth your buck, then this is surely one of the games you must get, even if you're not a huge Castlevania fan.

If you're already a fan of the series, then this is another good reason to delve into the world of Castlevania again to fight Dracula another day.

Bottom line: great game, and a good buy, but if you've played a lot of the previous incarnations don't expect anything fabulously different.

A half-step to the next step in Castlevania.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: January 04, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game is fun- very fun- and much more streamlined than, say, the GBA Metroids. It's probably a lot more accesible to new Castlevania players than Dawn of Sorrow, too. But for veterans, this game may be a little staler than expected- I can see how it could be, as this is definitely the same Castlevania that Konami has shown us before. The WiFi is a little strange- Boss Rush mode basically works like an arcade version of Castlevania. I understand the complexity of co-operative Castlevania, or multiplayer Castlevania in general, but there was much potential that could have been explored. Heck, 16-bit online anything is amazing. Either way, if you've been getting tired of Castlevania and platformers in general, may I kindly point you to many of the other more innovative titles on the DS?

The castle got a new paint job

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: January 02, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Just about 15 months ago I was whipped with Konami's Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, which was at the time and still is one of the best Nintendo DS games. With its only flaw being a severe lack in touch screen support, Dawn of Sorrow was a game that even the most jaded gamer would have trouble complaining about. Just weeks ago, Konami released their second DS Castlevania, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin. Does this second attempt manage to replicate the same greatness of Dawn of Sorrow?

Jonathan, who's inherited the Belmont vampire hunting mumbo-jumbo, is joined by spellcaster Charlotte in yet another journey to explore Dracula's castle and defeat the bloodsucker himself. The pair finds out that Dracula isn't the big boy in charge, however-that would be the daunting Count Brauner, who's filled the castle with enchanted portraits that take Jonathan and Charlotte to different worlds. Jonathan and Charlotte have to stop Brauner and his minions. The story is very Castlevania-ish and won't surprise anyone who's played a game in the series before.

Two characters can be controlled at once on the game screen. Jonathan primarily attacks with weapons found throughout the castle, while Charlotte uses magic abilities that can be found randomly in the souls of defeated enemies. You have the option of playing with just one of the two characters or both at the same time, and both styles of play yield different benefits. Playing with two characters requires you to watch out for the health of the CPU-controlled second character, which is actually represented by the Mana bar that also limits your magic attacks or skills. If the Mana bar depletes, the second character disappears and you continue on normally with a single character. This system works but I felt at times that it made some battles too easy. Castlevania has, for years, been a game where even a single large enemy posed a huge threat. Now, with two characters attacking at the same time, that's not such the case.

Still, everything looks and feels just right. Both characters control very well and special attacks are done easily with a simple button combination. Throughout the game you'll find all sorts of special abilities that allow you to move around the environment even more than before-just like in every Castlevania, getting the double jump ability opens up a large amount of real estate, and it's quite exciting to find any new ability. I've always put Zelda, Metroid, and Castlevania in similar places for their adventurous progression; it isn't until you find a new item or ability that you can truly proceed or unlock every nook and cranny. I like this design, it's simple but still forces you to look around and play with everything.

Replay value is extended beyond the normal kill-the-boss-and-proceed progression of past Castlevanias. You can now accept mini-quests and side missions to earn special moves, weapons, and the like. Some of these side quests are very simple, but others aren't explained well and will have you searching high and low through every area of the castle just to complete. The rewards are well worth the trouble, making this distraction a worthy addition to the game.

Portrait of Ruin, like Dawn of Sorrow before it, has beautiful 2D visuals with a ton of detail. Enemy sprites seem to have several layers that react independently, making the animation that much better. Some of the 3D effects used are very, very nice, like 3D enemies and backgrounds. The only thing I'm starting to like less and less is the anime character style. What happened to the gothic style of Harmony of Dissonance, Circle of the Moon, and Symphony of the Night?

Overall, Portrait of Ruin is a good game that doesn't outdo its predecessor but definitely deserves some attention from action, adventure, and Castlevania fans. In future Castlevania games I'd like to see Konami tinker with more 3D effects and less anime-inspired art, and I'd also prefer if they'd stick to a more traditional design. The portrait idea was cool but just seems like a cheap way to introduce levels that are dramatically different than Drac's castle. So the final word: it's good, even great, but not as good as Dawn of Sorrow.

Review Page: 1 2 3 4 Next 

Actions