Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
 

http://www.the-magicbox.com/gaming.htm

According to Magicbox, the latest Castlevania game has been announced for a November 16th release, and it titled Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin

Based on the subtitle, I think it can be implied that it will be different from the Aria/Dawn of Sorrow series. I, for one, can't wait, since Dawn of Sorrow is my favorite DS game.

Yeah, lets hope it stands up to Dawn of Sorrow, that game is one of DS's best, and is the closest thing to Symphony of the Night quality ever (I kinda like it more, but its hard to choose). I wonder if they'll use the touch screen more, or if they should even bother with this game...

- WraithTwo -

Great news, without a doubt. I don't own Dawn of Sorrow yet, though I've seen enough to warrant an imminent purchase. The fact that it retains some good ideas originally showcased in SotN, that alone marks this product and this oncoming sequel as two rather appetible titles.

Because SotN is still quite *the* game, to me.

Shit, sounds really nice (at least about the release of a new Castlevania game for the DS). I loved DoS, except that there was that crap about upgrading weapons by using souls and then you pretty much had crap weapons until you beat Abaddon (if you wanted Chaos Ring). It was nice though, because you could still beat the game with a knife from the beginning, which is what happened to me.

Still, good news. I thought that after DoS they weren't gonna make anymore. Didn't the DoS do fairly poorly? Don't know, which is why I'm asking.

Ooh exciting. I wonder if it will be a continuation of stuff that's happened with Soma, or be totally different. DoS was pretty awesome, so if they still use the soul concept, then I hope they put a whole bunch more, whether or not they are useful.

a wise man once said,

"i heard that this was gonna be the 1999 battle where julius finally defeats dracula."

-me

Hm... I seriously think that Konami is milking themselves with Castlevina and MG/MGS serises.

If the games got progressively worse, I would agree with you. I, however, ejaculate everytime a CV game is announced :biggrin:

Yea, some of CV was REALLY horrible. BOTH of CV for PS2 was HORRIBLE.

They're going to work on two DS titles at once, apparently.

Ehhhhhh I wouldn't say HORRIBLE. They pale in comparison to the 2D games, but Lament was great overall, and Curse of Darkness had an incredible soundtrack and badass story. They weren't complete wastes.

I hope so, a Julius game would be awesome.

color me wrong.

This is great news! Aria of Sorrow is my favorite handheld game of all time, and Dawn of Sorrow was great as well. Even one new game would be great, but two would be fucking awesome!

The only thing I worry about is the developers stretching themselves too thin. I hope the next two games aren't too similar. This is truly a series that I would hate to get stagnant right now. DoS was excellent.

Man, another game that's grabbed my interest. I haven't played a Castlevania game since 64 (i loved it, hit me how you will). I really need a good place to start from. Where's the best place to start with the recent titles?

The game sounds awesome, i can't wait to start with this franchise again.

This is very good news indeed. Dawn of Sorrow was one of my first games for the DS and my first Caztlevania game as well. Since then I got AoS, HoD, SotN, CotM, and CVIII, so I'm looking forward for another helping of CV. My only question about it is what kind of gameplay gimmick they'll use for the Julius game. He seems just like any other Belmont but just a bit stronger than most others.

If you have the GBA, grab Aria of Sorrow, and then follow it up with the DS's Dawn of Sorrow.

If you haven't played Symphony of the Night, get out and dont come back until you do :biggrin:

The 3D CV games are OK, but nothing comes close to the 2D experience. Lament of Innocence is the better of the 2 PS2 games, but Curse of Darkness has the better soundtrack and story for longtime CV fans like myself.

The other 2 GBA games are good and I recommend them, they're just not nearly as polished as Aria.

Honestly, you can't go wrong.

Or better yet, buy a DS because they play GBA games as well!

Aria of Sorrow is a great game. Albeit, the bosses are pretty lame, especially Balrog and Dracula, but the soul system and level design is top notch. You really can't go wrong with the Castlevania titles, unless you step into the mysterious world of the 3D Castlevania's, and then there's no telling what could go wrong in there. If one of the DS titles turns out to be 3D, I'll be sad.

I've yet to play Symphony of the Night, but that's because my PS2 is incapable of reading burned PS1 discs. Well, no, wait, I lie. I've played up to the first real boss in SotN, but that didn't really go far.

You could play your burned SotN on your PC with a PSX emulator, though, assuming your computer is halfway decent.

I was late to the GBA game, so Harmony of Dissonance and Aria of Sorrow were long off the market by the time I needed them. A couple of months ago, though, both games were released on a single cartridge. It was nice getting to play through AS before playing DS. Well worth the $25 I paid.

Whoa, what? Circle of the moon was a VERY successful leap to the GBA, and sports the music that is the most symphonic in any of the latest portable Castlevania games, including Dawn of Sorrow. Also, the bosses were more unique and awe inspiring in comparison to either of the Sorrow games (Seriously, Andramelech was one bad-ASS).

Also...

Why have there been no games like Simon's Quest? Honestly, I liked traveling to different towns and finding weapons and going on an adventure. If they can fit 2 Castlevania GBA games onto 1 cartridge, they sure as hell aren't making the games as big as they ought to be. I mean, why do you HAVE to be in pretty much the same goddamn castle EVERY time (that has a: dance hall / guest room, clocktower, chapel, underground reservoir, underground cemetary, highest tower / observation tower, and chaos realm). This is especially stupid when in Dawn of Sorrow you're in the cult's castle, not Dracula's, yet they are still the same.

I really hope they improve the battle system for the upcoming Castlevania games. This is particularly bothersome when they made the weapon-swings in Dawn of Sorrow slower than Aria of Sorrow. I mean, really, why does Soma have to stop every time he attacks? Can't he walk and attack at the same time?! Such a stupid limitation just makes me come up with equally stupid ways to negate said limitation, like land-canceling, backdash-canceling, and crouch-canceling. I want strategy! I want mobility! The recent 2d Castlevania games have been way too easy and feature NO strategy whatsoever, and I find myself simply pressing the attack button over and over again.

Don't get me wrong. I really like the Castlevania games. I bought Dawn of Sorrow because I knew it would be fun, and I know that I can expect the standard of quality for the Castlevania series to be higher than most any other sidescrolling action-rpg games. It just pains me to see when a great opportunity is missed, especially when the GBA games could have been way more than they are.

Again, I never said they were bad, I'm just saying that Aria is more polished. CotM had the best music, but it's visuals were bland. HoD had amazing visuals but the music was god-awful (the melodies were great, the sound itself wasn't). Aria took the best of both games, plus added the GREAT soul system. It is clearly the most well-rounded of the GBA games.

Could Soma move and attack at the same time in Aria, because I don't remember him being able to. I don't think any hero in any CV game could move and attack at the same time. I think the land canceling and all that stuff is good strategy and adds to the game. it makes it more difficult for you since you can't move, so you need to figure out better ways to do it yourself.

Dang, I still have two Castlevanias to play (one of the GBA ones and the one on the DS). Nevertheless, I can't wait to play this. The series has been ridiculously fun lately on these portables.

More like Castlevania: More of the Same right?

I mean sure it'll be a good game, It's like a cake, even if you stuff it up it's still cake and still tastes good. But in ten years we wont be able to remember which Castlevania game was which or what order they came out in.

I don't know about that, Symphony of the Night has always stuck out over the rest.

I found screens recently of Konami's Castlevania which was in progress for the Dreamcast, which just puts me off the thought of 3D Castlevania titles. I've yet to buy (or play, for that matter) Dawn of Sorrow but it's looking nice. But this is good news, because playing as Julius in Aria wouldn't be half as fun as him having his own storyline and game.

That's not really fair to say "more of the same". It happens with almost every game that follows a series. They are either too alike or too different. No one seems to be very good at striking a balance these days.

I'm optimistic. The Castlevania series (particularly in recent years, on the GBA and DS) has rarely disappointed. Two games, you say? Excellent.

No, he couldn't. And no, no Castlevania game features any hero being able to attack and move at the same time, with the exception of the Valmanway. You say that you think land-canceling and all that stuff is good strategy, but I disagree. I don't mean to get into an argument, but in Castlevania, I find myself mini-jumping and attacking in the air a whole lot so I can keep moving while I'm attacking. Have you ever seen somebody in real life do mini jumps to cancel their stop-movement when attacking? No! What I'm talking about is intuitive strategy, not my ability to press buttons.

When programming enemy A.I. in a videogame, the developers have to take into account what the hero's attack limitations are. The more a hero can do, the smarter the A.I. has to be, and the less a hero can do, the less the A.I. has to do as well, so as to balance the difficulty out. What Konami has done here with Castlevania is put attack limitations on Soma so that the enemy A.I. has to do less.

Wow! I've just been back to these forums since the crash, and am now hearing lots of excellent news! Good to hear of an imminent next-cv release.. here's hoping it's 3D...

no not like the ps2 versions, but something akin to Maverick Hunter X. That would be damn nice. And a whole new system without Soma would be a nice break too.

:doggy: woof!

Well, Alucard could swing the Holbein Daggers and the Crissaegrim without stopping...but that's beside the point.

I would actually like to play an old-school Castlevania game. I hope one of them is a pretty straight forward game and the other is an adventure/rpg one. And playing as Julius. Finally.

All we need is a Grant-like Hammer and we've got ourselves CV3

Just to get this clear, i believe that "Dual Moons" was an April Fools joke. Portrait of Ruin is the only confirmed Castlevania title to be released anytime soon.

There's nothing wrong with more of the same, as long as each game lives up to the proper quality standards. The Megaman series sold on that concept for a while before Capcom stopped giving a shit and started having all their interns make the games.

Two concerns, though. There's a finite amount of space in the timeline, and eventually it's going to get to the point where someone's fighting Dracula every year, which would be a little silly. And, it would be nice if they expanded the environment past the castle for a change. It wasn't until Symphony that Drac's castle was anything other than the last level of the game. There's plenty of room for the same Metroid-style exploration in the outdoors, and it would let them vary up the environments a little more.

Vary the environments you say?

I'm willing to bet there'll be a clocktower, a ballroom, gardens and some kind of undergound sewer system.

Just a vague guess.

Good sir, I do believe you've just described a castle of some sort!

I like how Dawn of Sorrow wasn't supposed to be set in Dracula's castle at all but apart from the urban setting at the beginning might as well have been. Well down at originality Konami.

Someone buy this and scan it for me please, I will not give you a dollar if you do!

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/2...475e1849we.jpg

http://img419.imageshack.us/img419/8...1bbaa376mx.jpg

I guess they're going to continue the BeybladePokemonDigimonYu-Gi-OhTotallySpies style art with DS and keep the awesome art for the 3D games that smell just a bit like poo.

Er, not quite. The ice village area inside the castle was pretty nice/unique. (unless that was what you meant by "urban" but I assume you were referring to the very beginning before entering the castle) Past that, it may as well have been Dracula's castle, though, because it definitely looked like it.

Yes the ice village was my urban setting. It's like Konami laughed at their chance to offer something new.

I'm playing through Dawn of Sorrow right now. I don't think Castlevania games are very well if they aren't centered around some castle of some sort. As for them being the same, perhaps the same could be said of all religionsgames. A proper sequel takes the original, upgrades it, changes it around and makes it better. If I wanted to play some sort of Castlevania title that didn't have it's theme based in a castle, I'd play DMC3.

Konami is huge. Pop'n Music, Metal Gear, Castlevania, all Bemani titles, Goemon, Suikoden, the list goes on. I'm sure the team that focus on Castlevania can only do so much.

source: ds-x2.com

AHA! CAUGHT!
You see Castlevania sequels don't take the orignal upgrade them and make them better. They ONLY change things around. Seriously. There's no better proof of this than the way we keep hearing ad nausem that while the new ones are good, "Symphonia of the Night was the best."

Welcome to the "Whatever I watch first is the favorite" syndrome. You see it alot with movie remakes. Whatever one you see first is always the best. I played Aria of Sorrow first and played Symphonia later. I can tell you with a straight face that I enjoyed AoS more than SoN. But hey, SoN was still a bloody good game.

For now I don't really mind Konami shuffling their 2D Castlevania card deck and calling it a new game but I'll be bored eventually.

Art looks a bit corny for my tastes, but I'll definitely be picking this one up. Dawn of Sorrow is still the best action title on the DS since it's release imo.

Games Are Fun has an update with two (tiny) gameplay screens. Neither of which are in a castle-like setting, hey.

Well, the graphics look pretty good, and the gameplay will probably be good, but so far the it sounds like the story is gonna be the worst part. At least it's not that important to enjoying the game.

Oh, come on, we're going to see canon Nazi Vampires.

Boom, best Castlevania ever right there.

It seems Castlevania's art direction has been shaken up a little, I think Dawn of Sorrow had similiar art style. Bu the game was still pretty solid. I think the game will turn out fine.

The art for Dawn looked a lot worse than this. Well, not worse than that magazine cover but worse than the piece of art for the main character. IMO anyway. The locales look nice in those two screenshots. Hopefully the rest will look good too.

What was wrong with Dawn of Sorrows' art?

Also, where are these screenshots of the newer games? I'm on 56k so I don't particulary feel like hiking off to other websites just for undersized preview shots of an upcoming game.

It was boring art. The box art was like "GOTTA CATCH 'EM ALL" but everyone looked constipated. Image Shack'd!

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/5711/010gx1.jpg http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/8278/021wl1.jpg

Also for whatever reason, the purple dude reminds me of;

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/5...rarcade7yx.png
This can only mean Sega are developing Castlevania, run for the hills!

Boring art, unfitting art... there are plenty of ways to describe it. I loved the game but the art felt totally out of place.

That too.

That second screenshot reminds me of the starting scene in Dawn of Sorrows.. I think? Or maybe it's just been too long since I last saw it.

Judging by the first screenshot, you can still fight as the guy while the girl is casting magic.. That will be cool.

Gameplay shots look very average imo, and not really a step up from Dawn of Sorrow. Hopefully it looks better in motion.

*prays to Konami*

please have co-op and get it right
please have co-op and get it right
please have co-op and get it right

Aside from Portrait of Ruin, wasn't the other CV ds game supposed to be a sequel to Circle of the Moon( Didn't know they were working on two cv games for ds..)? CotM was a good game as well u.u.

I thought someone said that the other game was just a joke or something. It makes sense, since Konami never said anything about it when they announced Portrait of Ruin.

Yeah, it was just an April Fool's joke.

I'm hooked.

The reason being is that I heard Portrait of Ruin is a sequel from Castlevania: Bloodlines, the Castlevania game that made me a Castlevania fan.

Trailer up at IGN

It looks pretty good so far, though I wouldn't say it looks better than Dawn of Sorrow.

Lots of videos at Gamespot.
http://www.gamespot.com/ds/action/ca...uin/media.html

The game looks really nice, and much better in motion than simply staring at the screenshots.

Where is everyone?

Well there are some new videos at IGN, just follow the link provided 2 posts before to see them. They show gameplay footage from the start til the end of the E3 demo.

The graphics look very sharp with a great palette. The dual-character mechanic looks highly promising and very cool with assist-moves (and whip-spinning is back). And I'm starting to like this new music too!

I do hope that Konami make the enemies more challenging and not have them take 5 seconds just to charge up their attack (at which point you'll have them beaten down already!) Preferably have a hard mode available at the outset to cater for series veterans, where the enemies are not stronger, but just attack quicker like in the classic games.

I was afraid that IGA decided to make the game too highly animated, but it seems this will probably only occur in the painting worlds to provide contrast and a change of pace from the standard puzzle/adventure elements in the Castle. It's looking mighty fine from all the vids I've seen (which is all of them) and looks to be the most-visually impressive addition to the legendary series yet.

Dawn of Sorrow was my first Castlevania game (I'm still playing it actually) and I think I'm gonna ride with this one. When's it gonna be out?

I don't think there is an official release date yet, but Iga said during an interview at E3 that he wanted to get the game out this year.

I looked at IGN and the release date for japan is slated for dec 31. 2007 and tba 2007 for the U.S. . I hope to god those release dates are tentative. I NEED THAT GAME NOW!!!

first post =P
 

I hope some new info of this game, shows up soon. I've been itching for some CV lately (replaying SOTN again).

Oh yeah, here's some tunes from the game. Enjoy.

I bought Dawn of Sorrow today (And I'll get my DS Lite tomorrow, so it's my first DS game), and it will be my first Castlevania since Symphony of The Night. I Just couldn't connect with the GBA-games, dunno why. I'm optimistic for the sequel, it may be like the older games, but it's a strong concept that many fans like.

http://www.gamespot.com/ds/action/ca...&mode=previews

Online co-op? Oh hell yeah.

Well, he said back at E3 that the game would have co-op, but that it would be something separate from the main game.

So unless it's changed since then (which that quote didn't indicate), that's nothing new or exciting. I still like that it has co-op, but I wish it had it for the main game instead of something on the side.

JESUS CHRIST, WHY?! WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE CASTLEVANIA SO MUCH?!? What the hell is so good about it?!? Please for the love of god, SOMEONE tell me what there is to like about it because I am utterly perplexed to this day as to what makes that game so damn popular. :tpg: I just don't know!!! Someone tell me!!!

What's to not like about it? It's a fun action game with decent exploration.

Thanks for the vague answer, I guess. For some reason I never found it fun and I want to know why you all do.

Why do people like the Mario games, the Metal Gear games, the violent dancing palm tree guro juggling seal hentai adventure games? Because they do! I don't know what kind of answer you're after, really.

I mean, Dawn of Sorrow. It's like a Metroid game, but with stabbing and whipping instead of shooting and rolling around like Sonic. You kill enemies, you find stuff, you use stuff, you walk around, you press start, you go to the toilet, you wash your hands, you stroll off somewhere else, you come back hours later to find the house on fire, it's just like every other game.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to this. I'm also looking forward to Atari Australia releasing like three copies of this game at launch. Then complaining that it didn't sell thousands of copies later on. Wai-

In that order: fun, deep, service for niche fetishists.


So really you have no clue why you like it? I mean all you do in it is jump and hit stuff with your tiny sword. This makes for stunning gameplay/the best game on the DS? Give me a break, I played it and found it terribly dull but I really want to see through that and find why people like it. I just can't see the appeal and knowing that this game is praised by many for some reason is eating away at my mind. D: This makes me see it as the Paris Hilton of video games: it's popular because... it's popular?

oh god my brain

I gave you an answer. It's fun. Do you want me to expand on that? Fine. The exploration is nice; The abilities and replay value is nice and high; The weapons and different enemies are interesting; The castle itself is fleshed-out and a nice locale; The combat is both simple and deep; The boss fights are memorable and give just enough challenge to make it worth-while; The music is great; The atmosphere is fitting and well done; The game, on a whole, is made for the fans and expands upon things the fans know and love.

It's a great game, in short, because it's fun and exactly what fans of the series wanted, while giving newcomers a great action title.

If you don't like it, that's fine, but why bother asking people "WHY DO YOU LIKE THIS SHIT?" when you know it's not going to change your opinion? Don't be an asshole just because you can't appreciate something others like.

Sorry, but I enjoy the SotN and later Castleroids for the same reason I enjoy Metroid so much. The biggest selling point to me is the attention to detail, which is greater than most games out there. This alongside an (IMO) above average soundtrack creates great atmosphere that sucks you into the game unlike many others.

You say Mario is good because its fun, we say that this game is fun, and then you want a reason as to why this game is any good? Give me a fucking break.

- WraithTwo -

Because it is fun, deep, and services niche fetishists. If you don't like it then there's really nothing anyone can do to change your mind about it. I can't for the life of me figure out why pople like fighting games but it's a massive and successful genre with millions of fans. Here's a better question: Why play video games at all? You just press a button and perhaps there's a visual reaction. Lame.

How am I being an asshole? All I said was that I can't comprehend why it's so popular; you're taking it as "OMG HE INSULTED THIS FUCKING AWESOME GAME MY INNER FANBOY CAN'T TAKE IT LET'S LYNCH HIS ASS YOU GUYS". But thanks for your answer anyways. I... just... I'll stop bothering you people now.

Er ok.. back to the topic.
Seems to be heavily action orientated this title seems.. more like the classic games. I like this a lot! Hope to see some crazy boss fights to go alongside, and wouldn't it be cool if you could ride vehicles (ie. tanks) in a metal slug fashion? Hehe.
But why does Jono still walk like Yoko?!

I loved SOTN and am really getting hooked on the hype for this one. I want to try Dawn of Sorrow though just to see how well CV on the DS works.

Does anyone know where I can buy Dawn of Sorrow for a reasonable price ( < $40)? I've purchased it twice online (Konami.com and Mwave) only to have them e-mail me two weeks later saying they are out of stock. And none of the local GameStop/EBgames have used copies either. I know eBay has it but I can't find a game that ends for less than $50 with shipping.

If not I will just have to pick up PoR when it comes out!

You probably know this already but DAMN!
This is a sweet preorder bonus!
http://www.gamesarefun.com/games/ds/...orderbonus.jpg

Damn I need this collector's set. I think I'm gonna preorder it from the website. That way I won,t get any surprises with my local EB games store, that will announce me "Oh sorry we don't have any info on that collector thing. We suck." For almost the same price as a regular game, why should I bother about the price anyway.

That's what they told me... and they don't know if they're getting the pre-order bonus or if it's Ameircan only... but I did pre-order it a week or two ago... so hopefully they DO get it...

I want it so bad. :(:(:(:(:(:(:(

(Don't pay attention to ze flag, I am a communist Canadian)

Where can that set be ordered other than at that EB Games link? I've got pretty much the same concerns as Cubed and Reznor. (Being Canadian and EB Games sucking balls. The usual.)

Pre-ordered. I can't believe how sick that set is. It's about time America got something sweet like that.

Check it:
The Music Collection Tracklist (from Wired)

Wow, AWESOME track list! Should please everybody with that!

Damn, I still haven't pre-ordered this, and I was just at Gamestop the other day. Has anyone actually confirmed that the bonus will be an in-store thing as well, or will it be online only? I wanna know for sure before I do go pre-order it.

I pre-ordered the bonus pack from Konami as i trust them more than the local eb or gamestop, hopefully they come through. I need to start selling things so i can pay for all these awesome games plus start shopping for Christmas! Anyone want to buy an ibook? ;)

Preordered the hell outta this yesterday. This is my most anticipated DS game right now, closely followed by Final Fantasy III.

The DS is surely ending 2006 with a bang!

Now we need a Metal Gear game and a proper Tenchu. And a headless clown. Maybe.

I pre-ordered this as well, something I have never done because I don't believe in paying full price for games. But the bonus is too good of an offer to pass up. Hopefully supplies last.

I just went to Gamestop today, and the guy didn't even know what I was talking about. He said they probably wouldn't even get it (despite not even checking the computer or anything), so I decided not to pre-order it from that store.

I'm gonna try another one and see if they actually know what I'm talking about, but if not I'm gonna have to find some way to pre-order it online. I don't have a credit card or anything, so this might be kinda hard to do.

I've been playing the the Japanese Version (Gallery of Labyrinth) on my DS-Xtreme. I have to say it's pretty sweet. Character switching between Jonathan and Charotte couldn't be better, you can make it so the secondary character stays in one position (Had to make the second character stay in one position on top of a statue, then I moved the statue to the ledge I had to get up to, then I had to switch characters, once I was in the second character's position I was able to get to the ledge while the first character's position was teleported up top along side with the first.) Having both characters present at once can get a little irritating and make the game easier, especially when your running through hacking all sorts of things. The Secondary Character AI follows you and attacks on it's own.

Touching the screen while both characters are present allows you to control the second character's movement, I was able to get Charotte to walk and jump with the Touch Screen. The only thing I haven't been able to do is crouching with the secondary character.

The Equip System is like Dawn of Sorrow's in a certain type of aspect, since you have two characters it's basically an alternative set of weapons to choose, as well as things like Spells that only Charotte can use. As for the Up + X techniques. Jonathan is able to use some classic weapons like the Knives and Axe, while Charotte is able to use different types of casting Spells. With Charotte I was able to use a Flame summoning spell and a Bone Thrower Spell. The Spells for Charotte can be charged and in use of more MP, they'll be even stronger through Attack Power or duration. The game also has a Relic so you use the other player's Subweapon | Spell, although I haven't been able to charge up Spells while I was Jonathan calling upon the second player.

The Equip System has Weapon, Subweapon | Magic, Body, Head, Legs, Accessory1&2 (for Cloaks), and Dual Crushes which allow the two characters to do a Special Combo Attack.

Talk is a also a new option in the Menu System when the game is paused, which starts a dialouge between Jonathan and Charotte go into play.

Shop Mode allows one to setup there own shop as well as go browse through other shops through Wireless Mode and Wi-Fi Connection. Co-Op Mode also has the ability to select Wireless Mode and Wi-Fi Connection. Personally, I haven't tried any of these different Game Modes yet since I'm pretty much began my New Game just today. There's also Boss Rush Mode, which I've seem allows you to fight the Dawn of Sorrow bosses in Course 1, so far I've seen the first one. Courses 2 and 3 probably will need to be unlocked. There's also a Ranking Mode for the Boss Rush Mode which does not go online to see other player's rankings, only on the game's data of Boss Rush Mode.

There's also a Mission Mode talking to one of the other character's in the game (Don't know his name). My first Mission was to buy Map1 from the Monk selling items. After my Mission was done I obtained the Relic to slide-kick, which allowed me to go through another area in order to progress through the game.

It's pretty fun. With two characters it definitely makes up for not having the use of Souls, especially the spells for Charotte. I couldn't beat the first boss so easily without using her. Jonathan was pitiful, 3-4 hits and I was finished. I used Charotte's Bone Thrower Spell which summons green skeletons infront of her and they all throw bones. I definitely the rest of my week planned out. I'm also wondering if there's a Circle of Moon Slot-2 Bonuses like Dawn of Sorrow's usage of Aria of Sorrow. Personally, I have not tried this since I just wanted to see how Portrait of Ruin was.

As much as I know the other tracks are going to kick ass, Im dying to listen to Successor of Fate. It's been too long since we heard a remix of it (Or will it be the original? ) . Nice find,Matt.

Wow, I'm already loving this game more than I already did. In the first course, however, did you see if Malphas (demon that summons crows) was included? I was kind of disappointed that not all of the bosses were in Dawn of Sorrow's Boss Rush mode, and Malphas was one of the bosses that was excluded.

I've beaten this and I must say this is one of the best Castlevania games. PERIOD.

First off, I'm glad the soul system from AoS/DoS is gone. I hated it. Second, the difficulty level is right on target. And if you find it too easy on the main game? Come back on Hard Mode with a Lv cap (50/25/1!). Boss Rush has 3 different factions that make for some interesting strategy.

And probably the best part? The bonus characters. Yes, that YouTube video wasn't a hoax after all! Playing as them is absolutely fantastic, though admitably they're overpowered. I completely obliterated one boss in seconds at Lv 1 (gaining 5 levels in the process).



He is not in boss rush, but I did see him in the main game. Balore and that freaky laser guy from the tall tower are both in Boss Rush. Medusa got a nice revaming too.

Not one store in St. Louis has the pre-order goodies. Lame.

Sir VG, mind to rip the sound test for us ?

I know this is my first post but it might be of some information for those who are wandering if they can still get the bonus when they preorder the game.

This is a reply from gamestop concerning the bonus;
"Thank you for contacting GameStop.com. It appears that we have run out (bonus) and you are only receiving the game. Would you like to cancel?"

This is what i asked them;
"Im double checking to make sure that I am definitely getting the Bonus along with the game, i need to make sure of that, its the whole reason why Im buying the game online, please respond"

This is the dissapointment of the week for me along with not being able to get Twilight Princess. I'm def still getting the game but the bonus was one of those things i couldn't pass up, F@$K!!! now im gonna have to look on ebay until someone auctions it, I dont mind paying triple the price, I want all the goodies.

Was also looking forward for the pre-order bonus (due to the artbook man. ARTBOOK. Jesus!) and found nothing.

But I pre-ordered anyway and will be getting my copy at the 13th next month. Fucking hate this shit without the bonus.

I'll try. I don't know if I have any cables handy to do it but I'll see what I can find.

I think you can already get all the music rips here;
http://www.persona-world.net/cve/downloads.html

Of course, somebody finds it AFTER I'm like halfway through ripping it. ;_;

Sir VG, please resume your rip. The tracks are all 3:01 long. 4 exceptions on 36 tracks, though (for the tracks that don't loop)

Holy crap, this soundtrack is love. Quite possibly one of the best Castlevania soundtracks since SotN, but in an oldschool NES-style way! :D I'm digging it.

I played a little farther into the game's "depths of hell" portion.

For you Dawn of Sorrow players, you'll love it:

Beating those 2 f...s was one of the hardest things I've ever done in a video game, especially with a level 1 Rondo Duo :P Cccraaazy!!!!

Does no-one still not know how to unlock A.A.??

I got a few tracks recorded, but then my save file went corrupt so no more sound test open for me. I'll have to take some time when I have it available and beat the game again. :(

Holy shit!

Apparently you can play as Axe Armor after completing the game on Hard. I haven't tried out the game at the moment, since I'm waiting for the english version, but maybe I'll just download and proceed with importing.

(sorry if this has been mentioned before, I haven't been following the thread)

Not sure if anyone downloaded the thing but I uploaded for those who don't like torrents.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/t255m6

Definately a great tracklist. I only wish they remixed Successor of Fate. But both versions are fine.

Thanks! I preordered the game, so I should be getting the bonus for myself, but knowing my luck I'll probably be screwed out of it somehow. Even if I do get it, it's always nice to have a digital copy anyway.

I kind of want to get the Japanese version now, if only to have the "Game Ober" screen. That's awesome.

Yeha, I just got the extras package today from Gamestop - it rocks. Better than most extras, that's for sure. The game case and stylus it includes are cool, but the poster and soundtrack are the best.

@ Megalixir (btw nice upgrade dude)
Actually you gotta kill 1000 original Axe Armors to unlock the fiend.

anyone know if there are scans of the book anywhere online? Is the book cool? no one has really mentioned it.

The book is pretty meh. I'm suprised the N64 versions are in it. I thought Konami just wanted to make believe they never existed.

Picked up Castlevania today from Gamestop, and to be honest I was surprised that all the stuff was there considering how clueless everyone was on every level of the smucking company about whether or not I would get all the preorde schwagg. Needless to say, so far the game rocks, although it only confirms that gamers and programers alike are pussies and don't know or remember what "real" platforming is. The most pleasant surprise for me so far has been the telescopic stylus that fits perfectly in the DS Lite, no more hand cramps for me thank you.

I got the call to pick up my preorder today, so I go to the store only to find that it didn't arrive. :( They had the preorder gift though, so it wasn't too bad. Although, the Soundtrack CD arrived ruined. It looks like someone spilled some oil on it and it is not recognized in my CD player or computer. Oh well, I was just going to rip it anyway, so I'm downloading it here instead.

Its just not been a good day.

Haven't played for long, but i'm enjoying the game so far!

Collecting magic scrolls makes me feel like i'm hunting for souls again ^_^''

Good stuff

Not really. You only need 2 to beat the game (Frog and Owl) and it's not dependant on some super rare luck. Thank god for that.

Much less grinding, which is definitely a good thing. I mean, I liked the Somacula games but it would have annoyed me to tears if they had started making every game a grindfest.

I picked up the game yesterday from Gamestop as well. The preorder bonus is indeed cool, but it's even better now that I know the stylus is telescopic.

I just went through and beat the 2nd boss and I noticed that my Rate was over 100%. That's pretty retarded IMO. Why make it go over that?
The game is a blast though. I had some trouble fighting the first boss in the portrait, but no matter.

The differences between Jonathan and Charlotte are pretty funny sometimes. The way some enemies respond differently to the two of them is a nice addition.

Almost every Castleroid style game goes over 100%. This game takes it to ridiculous levels, though, since the max percent is 1000% instead of 200.

Like that aristocrat who either hands a rose or a slash of his sword, for example.

Anyway, I'm already at the third boss and so far, I haven't mastered a SINGLE skill yet.. so I'm sticking with knives.

When I first played it, I felt something new, something different due to the mastery skills, the tag-team horseplay and the quirkiness of the characters threw me off-guard at first but now, I'm having a good time with it.

Just that Charlotte's spell list right now has NOTHING worth mastering. Probably Jonathan's ONLY.

Playing now.

So far I'm meeting more save points than character and storyline (maybe cause i haven't lost yet ;p ) but Im sure it'll develop sooner or later. The game and OST are great so far. Definately Michiru Yamane material along with a touch of Yuzo Koshiro.

Sadly, I didn't get the bundle cause I had bought the game at my job instead of gamestop.

edit: nvm, i carelessly lost to :

I haven't read the whole thread yet but has anyone ripped the bonus cd yet? I have it and would be willing to do a rip if anyone is interested.

I just fought one of the sisters. Pretty easy boss fight. I just got my hands on the Nebula (great whip weapon!). One question. Where the heck is the town so I can talk to the Butcher for that sub mission?

Just go to the very first portrait you've gotten into (with the Dullahan) and go find a meat shop in there. Hack the meat hanging around and voila, ground meat.

Forgot the EXACT location though.

..Or I got it wrong? :(

No you got it right. I think it was at the start/top of the 2nd section.
And the bonus CD has been ripped already. Thanks anyway.

Just got my game + crushed pre-order bonus. Gamestop packing department FTL. Surely Konami could have put a little more into the outside packaging considering this is one of their major franchises. None of the inside materials were damaged though, so all is well.

Definitely going to be enjoying this game when I get the chance.

Can anyone confirm how many tracks the Sound Test contains?

*checks*
36 BGMs in the sound test.

Thanks ;)

You got it right. That's one of the missions early in the game.

As for my working on the rip, sorry guys. First my save got corrupted, then when I took off the Japanese version to put on the US version, I can't get EITHER of them to work on my M3 SD anymore. I'll have to try it on my new M3 CF version (yes, I have them both now).

Is this game realllllllly buggy or is it just my cart?

Sometimes using Spirit of Light freezes me.
Luck Boost + Javelin is instant game crash.

There's a bunch of other stuff that I'm not going to get into detail about.

SO yeah, is this just me or are you other dudes experiencing some freezes too?

Its in the City of Haze, i believe the zone is in the upper right room, there is just sacks of meat hanging off hooks and you just use your fist to punch them.



Double Post:
Certainly no freezes but every now and then when I use a fully powered spell my game's frame rate just drops to shit, although it usually recovers in a few seconds. But no crashes

Have Charlotte wait under the doorway you entered and cast the spell there. As Jonathan you will have to take the brunt of the sisters' attacks, while trying to keep Charlotte in view at all times (or else she'll warp). Do it my way and it's easy as pie. If they use the triple ice sword attack, you will probably have to try again later, or else they'll get you before the incantation is finished.

Flash cart or actual copy of the game? Cause flash cart players have reported numerous problems with crashing.

As for the looooong casting, I actually kept Charlotte close when a long ice column spell was casted and that seemed to work for me. I know it's hard and will take you a lot of tries...so hang in there.

Actual copy. A vast amount of people on GameFAQs seem to have the same issue too...

Oh well, it's nothing big really I just shouldn't do stupid things like activate two skills at once or try to use Jonathan's secondaries when I have a boost on.

Also for the lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng casting I just left Charlotte at the door and tried to break everything and take the hits. Barely made it, but it worked!

Does anyone know where I can get a New York Steak?

I seriously hope Stonewall will work against the two. Because it's like, my fourth try against them.

But yeah, keeping Charley out of range for Sanctuary to actually work. Those twin Suiseseki's are a pain in the ass.

I used that purified spell the first time I fought those Rozen Maiden sisters. Guess it was luck or something.

Right now Im in one of those paintings and going through the many boss rooms of hell. Just freakin' classic.

The strategy actually worked. Charley was near the door while Jones had Stonewall up in progress. Suffered 2 ice shard blows (about 180 HP damage each) before it worked. Bam. The Rozen Maiden twins are history.

Just wondering about the sidequests (put in spoilers):

**Hidden Content**

Man, I am so going to have fun over this game this season since I have a shit-ton skills to master.

I'm on the grind to Lv. 99 since I've already beaten the game and just want to feel like I've 100%'d the main thing.

There is a rough sidequest guide over at GameFAQs for anybody needing help. Though it is based off the Japanese version, but it should be mostly the same, just some minor wording.

Completed the game 2 days ago. I'm pretty sure there's nothing much if you play as the sisters so I'm having fun playing as the great Richter XD.

Question: Other than the Vampire Killer, Alucard's weapon remains 2nd best or no ?

Sisters Mode made me so mad...



It was still kind of fun just floating around and wasting almost everything easily.

Richter mode was cool but Maria is too overpowered. I think the only time I used Richter was when I needed that super jump.

I think Alucard's Spear is the second strongest, I'm not really sure. Its special is pretty cool, but the VK's is just crazy.

I kind of wish they left Maria's singing attack in :(

There are tons of weapons that are stronger if you mean raw attack power-wise. The Vampire Killer is holy element with Fire tacked on to it's horribly overpowered special though, so I'd still say overall it's the best. I had no problems going through boss rush 1 in under 30 seconds using it and a hercules ring to null damage impact. Just F+F+Y and anything on the ground level was taking ridiculous amounts of damage. Everything else got nasty shurikens to the face. =D

I just got this game yesterday and I love it way more than Dawn of Souls even though I sort of miss the soul collecting. I'm really liking the teamwork element, present but for some reason I wish that Jonathan and Charlotte were brother and sister instead of just growing up together. Less than 15 minutes in and you already have 4 spells and 4+ weapons to choose from!

I actually had to retry several times for the first boss since I wasn't rushing it enough and didn't have time to actually guess whether he'd poke up, straight or cause spikes to erupt. Quite a bit more elaborate than the first boss of DoS since this armour also had two other nasty attacks. I was taking 40 per hit, so maybe I didn't level up enough.

You level up quickly as you progress through a different room and you're able to defeat a boss like that. If you rushed like you say you did then damn lol.

As Richter, How the hell do I do that awesome dash? It's getting annoying cause i dont know what to press and all im getting is that stupid kick.

Um, I'm guessing you are referring to that dash he does with his whip?

Might as well post a whole move list for them I suppose!

Thank god my copy of this finally arrived today. I've been wanting to get into some Castlevania action and I've been trying to find a good excuse to avoid paying the high price of SotN.

Hopefully this will be a little more interesting than Dawn of Sorrow, which was quite fun and my first "completed" DS title, but I couldn't be bothered going through the levels again getting the souls. The Soul Eater Ring didn't feel like it was doing anything, either.

So apparently level 58 and over 500,000 in cash in just 3 hours or so. Either way it wins.

**Hidden Content**

Now I'm bummed because I'm only 882% of the map and badly wanted to go to the Nest of Evil.

Protip: Use Jonathan's Taunt spell.

What the hell? I press X and the character switch doesn't happen.
Did somebody else experienced this? AM I DOOMED?

You cant do it right off the bat.

Just wanted to drop in and say how much I love this game. All the 2D Castlevanias, really.

I feel, though, my experience ended up being extremely different from everyone else's. In one of the first dungeons, I got one of the rarest drops, the Eye of Decay, which allows you to see where there are breakable walls. So I got 100% on every map I visited the first time (or just barely from missing where I needed to be able to do Owl Morph or High Jump). Kind of ruined the exploration bit of the game a little.

Yeah, but without those areas, you probably won't get the extra dungeon on your own.

You should go back to EB and tell them your game's broken.

Nah, it's OK, I figured it out.
I got this game on saturday (20th Anniversary package too), but didn't play properly until sunday (played most of the day) and then clocked some more hours yesterday, and I'm already near the end (13th Street). I remember Circle of the Moon, the last Castlevania I bought, lasting way longer. Either my skills are getting 1337er, or the game is just short.
Fortunately, it's an awesome game, so it's really a minor complaint. The soundtrack is incredible!

Hey everyone, just wanted to say I managed to snag a 2oth Anniversary set from Singapore on Christmas Day! Woohoo I'm so happy this year! It's been a great year in general and I'm stoked and looking forward to 2007. Happy New Year in advance to all, as I won't be online again for the next few days or weeks. Shame that the earthquake screwed up connections in Asia-Pacific but oh well. Peace.

Hey guys, telling you I've gotten the game and beaten it. Twice.



This game is slightly easier than Dawn of Sorrow, yet has harder bosses. I say this because the lategame monsters and areas don't screw you as badly (13th Street/Throne Room has like no booby traps, Abyss has the damn fire holes and trickly placed foes. oh, and an iron golem.)

It has a much harder hard mode, though. I went in expecting DoS hard mode and I was very surprised. Har har.

This is uber late, but just to warn anyone getting this, but some of the boss themes are incorrectly labeled!

what it is ----> what it should be

Destroyer ----> Great Gate to Darkness
Piercing Silence ------> Destroyer
Great Gate to Darkness -------> Piercing Silence

Well I think I ran into a game-ruining bug. I'm on hard mode, level cap 25, and I just beat Death for the first time in the tower. I went back to the save room on the right, saved the game, and went back through the room where Death was. For some reason there's just an image of one of those portal things that come up when he uses that move with the four arms that try to grab you. Its just floating there in the center of the room and I can't leave the room on either side once I enter. Anyone else come across something like this? Guess my file's kinda ruined huh?

Yeah that's a major glitch - if you skip the cutscene after you beat Death you will be unable to go through that boss room, ever.

Ah fantastic...was really lookin forward to gettin through hard mode and playin online and such....ah well..maybe some day

Shit, well I'm still in the very EARLY stages of this game, some where in the 2nd portrait in Egypt. It's a pretty fun game so far, but some of the bosses do get on my nerves.

Protip: Use 1000 BLADES!!! on the bosses that get on your nerves.

I'm having a hell of a time with the Egyptian bitch that keeps confusing either Jonathan or what's her face and they turn on me, despite equiping charms as accessories, or whatever the fuck they're supposed to do. So I've seen the game over screen 5 times now. WTF. Will the 1000 blades work fast enough to take her down before she uses her charm spell?

It's impossible for Charlotte to be charmed by her. Just switch to her when the boss says "Temptation!".

1000 Blades hits something like 50 times within that 5 second period... most bosses won't last through more than 2-3 of those. Just time it so that you start it right when the boss is near the ground, and stops moving (usually to attack you.)

It's a good weapon to use against tougher bosses.

The 1000 Blades got me through Boss Rush ;)

About Stella & Loretta with Sanctuary:

I guess I have to set sails and quest for the stupid

and the stupid

Because

Huge freaking stupid question:

I'm in the 3rd painting (clowns, lol) and have yet to find my way back to unload some of this gold I've got and perhaps, complete the first quest (yes, several hours into it)

Where the crap do I go?

Are you unable to return to the castle, or are you asking for help progressing with the game?

For those of you having trouble with Whip's Memory, the tactic i used was pretty stupid but it worked. Between normally whipping him there is a relatively easy way to avoid harm. I just jumped on his head with Jonathan using the down+A move, you can do this almost forever. There are times where you have to avoid the holy cross crash but other than that he can't touch you.

I was thrown off by the fact that "Wind" was at that save point. I just couldn't figure out where at in the castle he was (the next painting required me to go to him anyway)

All you really need to do with a subweapon is land one hit on the target with it, and then you can kill the target with whatever other means you want. You need to make sure to have a Master Ring equipped when you kill the target to earn the double points. Each monster has an SP (Subweapon/Skill Points) rating (you can see it in the bestiary) that determines the number of points you'll get on a particular subweapon for defeating it. Alura Unes (at 11 points a piece) seems to be the most efficient way possible to master weapons before you have access to the other areas of the game, because of the location of the one I mentioned and how weak they really are.

EDIT:

Can someone tell me what the purpose of wifi is.

I haven't started this game properly yet (only 2 hours in) but I'm thinking of thrashing the hell out of it when I'm ready.

The wi-fi essentially has 3 different functions:

- Co-Op mode online is basically a boss rush, but with a few normal enemies at the beginning of it. It's really easy as long as you get the right partner, and there's an item at the end depending on your time. Usually it's just food, but I've gotten some nifty things like the Invisibility Cloak.

- Shop mode has two different functions. You either go into another person's shop and buy items from them at ridiculous prices that the game itself sets, or you put items on a display list and connect as the shopkeeper. As I said, the prices are already set for each item, but they're a great deal higher than what you'd get normally. You also don't seem to lose the item after it's sold, but I'm not completely positive on that.

The problem with setting up your own shop is that it's the same as Co-Op with partners. It connects you to someone else and you're forced to disconnect after your last customer leaves (I've had two at once before). It would've been great if you could just set up shop and leave your DS sitting there while customers come in and out, but noooo.

The only good usage for the shop is buying up items you don't feel like unlocking or obtaining normally. I was able to fully complete the bestiary getting every common/rare drop in the game, but there are several items that require Boss Rush records or items that don't drop twice in the game that you can buy in that manner.

I never really bought anything from the online shops, though was tempted to buy a second Thief Ring. In the end, I didn't need it.

I couldn't resist buying a pair of Gambler Glasses towards the beginning in an online shop. Seeing percentages rather than stars is so helpful.

The online shop was incredibly helpful for me because I had sold some of the "only-one-in-the-entire-game" items like the Long Sword and the Nun equipment because I had absolutely no idea the were needed for some of the quests.

THe way I did it was to use Charlotte and cast Sanctuary there while Jonathan distracted them. It takes a few tries but it works.

CAUTION: This strategy WILL fail if you give Jonathan ANY powerful weapons.

Sorry for reviving this thread, but I need some help with the game. Could anyone sell me an Ancient Armor? I'm trying to beat hard mode with the lvl 1 cap, and I can't beat the very last boss ;_; Two of his attacks spell instant doom for me (And the wing one is specially hard to avoid @_@;;; ).

So, if any of you is kind enough as to sell me that armor, I'd be very very grateful. (I don't know if this was mentioned before in the thread, but you don't lose what you sell in your wifi shop, so even if you have just one Ancient Armor you will still have it in your posesion after the sale)

---
EDIT= Nevermind, killed the bastard already xD

Not too much into necromancy these days, but I've got good news and bad news.

For those whom missed it, the official soundtrack is out.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/1omr3s

Bad news is I can't get it, sendspace hates my guts. Please help!

hey, this might be slightly off topic but for those who have not played the first DS castlevania, Aria of Sorrow. I just happened by my local Best Buy yesterday and it is now one of "Konami's Best" and Best Buy was selling it for 9.99 so I picked it up.

Just thought I would post this somewhere relevent, even though it is a stretch. :)

I'm horrible at Sisters mode. I'm left handed and its impossible to hit all the buttons while playing left handed. My co-ordination isn't as good with my right hand as left.

I know that feelkng. Why couldn't they just make the xyba buttons also move them /sigh.

So I bought this just recently. Sunday infact.

Looking abck at earlier screens, It's pretty cool that http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/5711/010gx1.jpg didn't even turn out to be a boss. Tutancarmen was jsut some enemy you fought and yet, still huge. In fact from what I've seen, most of the bosses seem to be a little, small. And also, sexy.