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A triumphant return

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 32 / 34
Date: November 05, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Let's get a few things clear and out of the way:
- Symphony of the Night is one of my all-time favorite games, and since I've been playing videogames since the old Atari systems, that's saying alot.
-The jump to 3D play, and I mean GOOD 3D play, was just inevitable, so get used to it. All games are going this way. It's much easier to take advantage of the hardware in a 3D environment.

Now that that's said and done, let's get to the point. Lament of Innocence is, in my opinion, a well made and very fun game. It helps that the design team from Symphony worked on this game. The controls are easy to learn: 2 buttons to attack, 1 to jump, 1 for special weapons, and 1 to block. As long as you can get those buttons down, you can play for quite a while and not have to worry about the others. The new combo system is great, giving you the ability to chain together an entire series of very devastating attacks. If you can master the combo system, the sub weapons can be moved to a USE-ONLY-IF-NEEDED status. The addition of using the whip as a meathod of swinging off poles and rails was a nice touch. Also, the game requires ALOT of exploring and doubling-back to retreive items you couldn't get before. Also, if you think the voice-overs stink, then you can play the game in Japanese with English subtitles.

There are a few caveats, however. The only way to gain magic points is to block a special enemy attack. This can get extremely frustrating, especially if you're surrounded by enemies that are hacking at you, but not performing special attacks. Also, certain areas of the game become inaccessible after the boss is defeated, and you can go back to pick up something you may have missed, some of which can be very hard to find. Also, the real-time window is just plain bad. You could end up getting the snot beaten out of you just for trying to drink some health potion or equipping a different whip.

All the flaws aside, the game is magnificent and a very impressive transition to the 3D format. The storyline is decent, and I think it shows some guts to try to create a prequel to a very famous and recognized series of games.

A Whip for All Seasons

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 28 / 32
Date: December 20, 2003
Author: Amazon User

In a sense this game is old hat. The beautiful fiancée of Leon Belmont, a knight crusader, is captured by Walter Bernhard, a master vampire. Leon deserts the crusades and flies off to the castle of the aforementioned vampire. There, after being handed a mystical whip, he penetrates layer after layer of horrible badness until he faces, and hopefully destroys, his true enemy. Which is about all the plot a good third person hack-and-slash really needs.

However, to create such a game with sufficient workmanship to make it compelling visually and challenging mentally and physically is no small feat. And that is what sets Lament of Innocence apart from many of its competitors. For one thing, developers are always tempted to substitute extreme difficulty for interesting challenges. Lament, on the other hand, is just doable enough to keep the player from throwing the controller at the monitor in disgust. And its puzzles can be resolved by keeping in mind that anything can be a tool.

Castlevania isn't perfect. I found that motion control and camera angle are both a little too loose. To some degree this is intentional, but I prefer controls that send objects where they are suppose to go. Especially when you are leaping from stone to stone in a frantic effort to scale a wall and there is one, and only one, spot from which to leap.

One of the problems in rating a game like Lament of Innocence is that it is very good, but falls slightly short of some other, very similar games. In this case I'm thinking of Devil May Cry. This is a case where 5 stars are too many, but 4 are too few. I would recommend both as great examples of their genre that can be played repeatedly.

Finally, a worthy 3D heir to the Castlevania series

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 14 / 16
Date: November 12, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Konami's previous attempts to create a fully 3D incarnation of Castlevania until now have failed. The sluggish Castlevania 64 was too ambitious of a project for the Nintendo 64 hardware, and the Dreamcast version was scrapped shortly before it's release for reasons unknown. I can happily report however, that the PS2's Lament Of Innocence successfully ports the series into 3D without losing the elements that make it a great Castlevania game. Everything a Castlevania fan could want is here...fast-paced whip action, plenty of enemies, haunting musical score, beautiful backdrops, a dramatic story, and good voice acting as well. There are a couple of shortcomings though. While the graphics are beautifully detailed, many of the rooms in the game look identical and are too large and barren to be a part of an actual castle. Also, I found that having to pull up a menu to use items/switch equipment can be very tedious during encounters with enemies. Just for the sake of keeping the frustration factor low, I would have liked to have been able to just pause the game to sift through potions, serums, ect. Still, Lament Of Innocence does enough things right to make it worthy of bearing the Castlevania name. It's an excellent 3D platformer no PS2 owner should miss.

I picked up castlevania today and it is awesome!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: October 23, 2003
Author: Amazon User

There has been alot said about Castlevania Lament of Innocence and they vary greatly. I played this game for the first time and as picky a gamer as I am let me assure you that it will be worth every penny. If you are an action gamer and like games that combine action with depth you will love this game. If you like lord of the rings or Devil may cry or Baldur's Gate or Zelda or Rygar you will love this because it takes the best from all of them. If you are a castlevania fan then you will not be disapointed either because while the game can be compared to those other games it is like them in a castlevania style way. Whether you prefer 2D games or 3D games you will love this game. Some sites gave only modest reviews to this game such as Gamespot (7.7)while others gave it good reviews like IGN (9.0). I agree with IGN much more. Gamespot complains that the game is a bit too simple. This game is not simple what so ever. There are all kinds of combo's that you can perform and the fighting and gameplay are unrivaled by anything on the ps2. There are so many different ways to defeat and fight the monsters that it blows my mind. It takes about 45 minutes before you start to realize how much you can do but if you experiment and are creative you can come up with countless ways to take out the enemy. Right out of the gate you get a block that can increase your magic points, several whip combinations, a strong and weak attack (that can be timed to do different things and combined to do different things), a double jump, a dodge, a fire fist, and a jumping lunge fist. That alone makes the way to defeat your enemies fun and varied. You also have 5 other weapons you can pick up right off too that require hearts to use. As the game progresses you learn numberous other attacks and combo's and you eventually learn magics and get relics and rubies and you can mix and match those to create so many different techniques and moves it is amazing and it blows my mind that anyone could use simple and castlevania in the same sentence. So I think Gamespot reviewers need to spend more time with a game because they obviously didn't. I would have to say this game has more different ways to attack than any other ps2 game I have played when you factor everything in I just talked about. The other great thing about this game is the difficulty. It is balanced better than any game I have played. It is not so hard that you get frustrated but just hard enough to provide you with a challenge and give you a fair amount of setbacks. The graphics are in the upper class of ps2 games and the music is superior and beautiful. There is a lot of different enemies for a 3d game and all of the enemies have different patterns and special attacks. There are also some that critisize the camera or the platform jumping. I see no problem whatsoever after about 45 minutes of getting used to it. Once you get used to this game you see that it takes the best of Castlevania and combines it with the best of 3d and 2d and action and rpg to combine for the ultimate experience. Some say that it is not as much a rpg as symphony of the night. WHile it is true you cant level up I think that is a good thing because it made symphony too easy. You learn and get stronger like in Devil may Cry or lord of the rings but there is much more to learn and get stronger from and there is many more combinations in this game. There is a shop to buy things from too. The whole castle is a maze and the different rooms have a great change of atmosphere and secret platforms high up so you need to actually investigate to find them. The game is so fun it is unbelievable and if you own a ps2 this is a must have experience for you. You will be hooked after an hour with this game if not sooner. The only complaint I do have about the game is that it is short. While I have not played the whole game I have heard from review sites that it could end as quick as 10 hours into it. Usually I am the kind of guy that is done with a game once I beat it. This game is so fun though that I will play threw again with their extra difficult mode you get when you beat the game. You also get a new character with new moves...so when you factor that in you are looking at around 30 hours. WHY ARE YOU STILL READING THIS???? YOU COULD BE PLAYING RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A must have game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 14
Date: November 11, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game is one of the best I have ever played. Although it's challenging, it doesn't get to the point of frustrating you. I have completed 4 of the 5 dungeons and beat the same number of bosses. It has taken me over 10 hours, but it has been a lot of fun and once you get the hang of the game you start going faster through the levels, although I was not familiar with Castlevania, because is the first version I play. If you like Devil May Cry then you will like this one. It's very similar gameplay, the only thing is that Leon doesn't have Dante's guns. But you don't need them because you can throw knives, crystals, crosses or axes to enemys.
It's definetely a must have game.

Good game with some serious problems

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 10 / 15
Date: October 30, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I'm a big castlevania fan who's been playing them since the first one on the old Nintendo system. And perhaps it's that dedication to the series, that I hold these games up to some slightly higher expectations than I would other games.

First, off, let's start with the good things about this game.
1) It has the definate look and feel of a Castlevania game.
2) The graphics and music are excellent.
3) The use of orbs gained from boss battles to power up the sub weapons was a good idea.

4) The controls are very good once you get the hang of them, I especially liked the whip combos and side step dodges.

Now the bad things...
1) The cut scenes come off as cheesy- At first I thought it might have been the voice acting, but as I paid more attention it was just bad script writing. I think it boils down to a bad translation/localization from Japanese to English. The story was also a little hard to follow. You'll be left more than once wondering to yourself what the hell just happened.
2) No control of the camera angle- camera angles are always a problem with 3D games, but there's nothing more frustrating than getting hit by something you can't see. It also makes some of the jumping segments unnecessarily frustrating.
3) What's the deal with the right analog stick?- This is kind of related to the camera angle problem. As force of habit from most other games when I was having problems with the camera angle I would try and use the right analog stick to adjust the camera and would wind up bringing up the real-time item select window that normally wound up me wasting items or get thrown across the room by an enemy's attack.
4) Way too easy- I finished this one in just a little over 10 hours.

Although, I felt this game had some serious problems, it shows some extreme promise for the next game in the series. After all anyone remember Castlevania 2 and 3. It takes some experimentation to get the formula right, and they were pretty close with this one.

When all is said and done, it's not a bad game, and I'd definately recommend it as a rental if nothing else, but if you only buy a couple games a year, I'd recommend looking elsewhere... like Jak II.

"Castlevania," Episode I

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: November 13, 2003
Author: Amazon User

"Castlevania" first appeared on the Nintendo entertainment system in the late 1980s, and became successful enough to launch a series across several different platforms that continues to this very day. The latest addition to the beloved saga is "Castlevania: Lament of Innocence," which marks another attempt to bring the series into the next generation of gaming. Unfortunately, that means the series' trademark side-scrolling action has been removed in favor of an over-the-shoulder third person perspective. If you have experience with "Devil May Cry" or "Rygar," then you have some idea how "Lament of Innocence" plays. That's not necessarily a bad thing, of course, and in fact it will probably inspire new generations of gamers to take a look at the series, but I can't help but regret the fact that the game's origins as a side-scroller were not celebrated and openly embraced, as they were in Konami's own "Contra: Shattered Soldier." That said, "Lament of Innocence" is a good game, even if it's a bit on the shallow side of things.

The backstory for "Lament of Innocence" takes place before the original game, and casts you as Leon Belmont (ancestor of Simon and all those who came later), a knight who has forsaken his order to rescue his beloved from the clutches of an evil vampire named Walter. "Lament" is billed as a prequel, but that implies a deep, involving plot, and there is none of that. At its best, it is mildly diverting, and provides a decent excuse to go traipsing through gothic environments slaying undead beasts. If you've ever wondered just how the Belmont clan came by their signature weapon, the enchanted whip, "Lament" will fill you in. Just don't expect anything grand. It's as simple as an old man going "Here, this might help you." In fact, the game contains the single most boring, drawn out opening cinematic I've ever seen. Fortunately, they do get better later (though there aren't many of them per se).

Initially, "Lament" will probably grip you tightly and demand that you keep playing far into the wee hours. That's because controlling Leon and exploring Walter's castle provides an initial thrill. That thrill soon wanes, though, and is watered down by the game's repetitive, shallow nature. Though the graphics are impressive for a Playstation 2 title, the level design is lacking. You will find Leon passing through dull hallway after dull hallway, and here and there you'll enter a wide room full of enemies you need to kill in order to proceed. At the end of each level, you will face a boss. Repeat this process until you finish the game. It can become rather dull once the initial thrill wears away. It helps that you can tackle each of the game's levels in any order you choose (except for the last), but only so much. Varied gameplay is not this one's strong suit, and if you're expecting a game as deep as "Symphony of the Night," you'll be very disappointed.

Controlling Leon is a slick, intuitive process. Your avatar is highly acrobatic (of course) and can string together various attacks with his whip that will smite any deathless or demonic creatures unfortunate enough to be in range of him. As the game progresses, Leon becomes even more adroit, as he learns new moves and fighting techniques that ultimately keep combat from becoming TOO repetitive - but this is undermined by the enemies themselves. They are generally brainless and predictable, and those that pose a challenge usually do so merely because they can stun, paralyze, or otherwise immobilize you, and all you can do is curse in frustration while they beat you to a pulp. Cheap tricks like these are not appreciated. Bosses, in particular, employ these ridiculous methods. Speaking of which, if there's one thing Konami has always done extremely well, it's design interesting, scary, or just plain disturbing end level bosses. "Lament" does not represent the company in this area. Sure, some of the bosses are cool, but they are mere shadows in contrast to some of the bosses from earlier games in the series.

Despite the rather shallow, repetitive gameplay, something about "Lament of Innocence" kept me coming back for more. It's almost unexplainable. In any case, addiction is a sure sign of enjoyment, even if it only comes in short, quick bursts. I also applaud some of the more obvious nods toward the game's forebears. Yes, you still have subweapons and magical abilities powered by large and small red hearts that must be collected by destroying flaming pillars with your whip. You will even recognize some of the game's enemies, who are returning in various guises from previous "Castlevania" games. The organ music evokes nostalgic memories of previous entries as well (though some tracks are as irritating as others are beautiful).

Ultimately, I enjoyed "Lament of Innocence," but not every moment of it. It's a solid adventure, but by no means a classic.

Final Score: C+ (or 4 stars on a curve)

Konami breaks my heart

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: August 20, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Castlevania, Knightmare, Yie ar Kung Fu, King's Valley, Magic Tree, Penguin Adventure,,,,,

What do these titles have in common?

They're all Konami's production, and darn good production too I may add. Back when I was a little kid, I would go into my so called gaming room and turn on my MSX system and play a load of games, and about half of the games I owned were the creation of Konami.

Back then their games were very innovative and unique, meaning that each game had a totally different concept, storyline, atmosphere and so forth.

But I guess it's inevitable that time changes and iron rusts; and apparently Konami is a piece of rusting iron.

I really wanted to believe that Konami was gold, never decaying, never fading gold; I truly did, but they've changed and I must say I have lost faith in their ability to create another masterpiece like the original Knightmare or Castlevania.
(Which is one of my favorite games of all time)

They're now full of misconception about what a good game looks like and how it feels...

Castlevania : Lament of Innocence, the newest and graphically most advanced installment in the franchise of Castlevania, proves that I am right. Although it isn't a bad game, it isn't what you would call a masterpiece either. It's just an average, or hopefully an above average game you could find in a game store.

The gameplay is fun, filled with hack and slash action, and the combo system is also a hit. But the game doesn't last very long and there is a little replay value. (It's repetitive..)

Just like the original, there are hidden items/chambers in the game, but now that the game is in full 3D world they're so much harder to find that it isn't even funny, only just plain annoying.

I wish Konami would've spent more time, money, people, or whatever on this game...it could've been better, it could've been the top action game title for PS2 along with Devil May Cry and God of War.

Overall for 20 bucks this is a worthy buy, a decent fun whipping skeletons until their bones break and collapse, but that's pretty much all that is to the game, and sooner or later you will realize that it gets repetitive and that the original was so much better than this.

For 20 bucks it would be wiser to buy DMC, or save up for GoW if you haven't, but still this isn't a bad deal knowing that this is a part of the Castlevania saga.

But Konami....sigh.......

Hopefully they're working their butt off to figure out the forgotten secret formula of theirs and making Castlevania : Curse of Darkness a milestone action game.

What game are these people playing?

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: November 03, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I do realize that most reviews up here are positive and as such, at the time of this review the game has a four star average. This is not high enough as this game deserves, however, and as I read some of these negative reviews I have to wonder if some of these people actually played the same game I played. Yes, the camera is not exactly perfect, but I haven't suffered any problems with it. In fact, the only part of the game that I would say I have an issue with is the real-time menu, and even that is not so bothersome for me to lower my ranking for the game.

As for the Symphony of the Night comparisons, I for one think it holds up admirably for being in the 3D realm. Leveling up is done now through combos rather than just beefing up attributes like every other RPG, and while the items and weapons inventories are cut down from SOTN, they still provide a wonderful selection. But on another note, people should realize that this game is NOT SOTN, nor should it be. If people want to keep playing SOTN, then actually play SOTN and stop expecting Konami to continually clone one game for the rest of eternity.

All in all, I am thoroughly enjoying this game and I think people that are not obsessive fans of SOTN will enjoy it also. (For the record, SOTN is my favorite PSX game so I am not bashing it, just those who seem to think all gamedom should be based upon it.) A rental is always probably a good idea but if you like Castlevania then I recommend a buy for this one.

Always judge something based upon its own merits.

A very good game...but could have been so much more

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: January 30, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Well, as many others are, I am a HUGE fan of Symphony of the Night as well as other Castlevania games going back to the first. I was ecstatic to hear that Konami was making a Castlevania for PS2, and hoped that they would (as with Contra-Shattered Soldier) stick to the classic 2d gameplay while displaying excellent new graphics,Sound,gameplay, etc. I was shocked and saddened to find out they were making it 3d, but I trusted Konami, as they are a company that rarely makes bad games, and, seeing as how the same team that made SOtN was making this one, I had high hopes that it would be an excellent game, despite being 3d. The screenshots I began seeing online looked great. I was very excited to get this game.
I picked it up a few days ago, and it is a very good Castlevania game, with fun and addicting gameplay, beautiful graphics, and the castle has never looked better. But, the complexity and feeling of SOtN is no where to be found. I have put only about 4 hours into the game and have already beaten 3 of only 5 worlds and explored 65% of the map...that should tell you something of how small and in many ways too easy this game is. There are some nice armors, items, and the relics and orbs are cool, but item diversity is really very small. It feels similar to, say, Castlevania (the very first game for NES) but with modern 3D graphics. It is almost entirely hack and slash with only a little bit of puzzle solving and secret finding. Most of the reviews I read talk about how awesome the music is, but personally, I think that it is somewhat bland as well...all quiet and subdued with none of the catchy tunes I've come to expect from Castlevania games. I also think they should have included at least a couple of the classic tunes, like the vampire hunter theme. I mean, I'm all for new sounds, but I would also love to hear hints of the classics here and there.
All in all, this is a decent action game, but doesn's quite live up to my expectations for Castlevania games. I am a big fan of the series, and I recommend to all other fans of SOtN and all Castlevania games...rent this one first. You may very well be greatful you did. I figure I'll finish this game in under 8 hours. However, there does seem to be some unlockable features, which may at least add some replay value.
Konami...why fix whats not broken!? You could have made the hugest and most incredible 2d Castlevania game ever for the PS2, surpassing even SOtN. It would have been an instant classic, but instead we get a slightly above average hack and slash game. I CANNOT understand how the designers could have playtested this game without thinking "gee, this really isn't ANYWHERE near as fun as Symphony of the Night"...I just don't get it.
Yet, even with all of my complaining about it, it really is a good game, if not as good as it could have been, and I do recommend it, fan of the series or not.

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