Customer Reviews

Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I was greatly impressed by the last GBA Castlevania which was Aria of Sorrow. I even went on to call it the greatest Castlevania of all time. Well, now theres a new king and its the latest for the Nintendo DS.

If youve played the previous game, Aria of Sorrow, then you will be right at home. Everything in Dawn of Sorrow follows Aria very closely. From the maps, enemies, souls, weapons, and graphics. But this time everythings better. The amount of polish in this game is ridiculous. Everything looks, plays, sounds, and acts perfectly. This is one refined game.

The amount of depth to this game is crazy too. From the hundreds of souls you can gather, which is insanely addictive, to the numerous awesome weapons you can forge, this game will keep you item gatherers busy.

And if youre just a casual player then this game has what you want too. A nice story, fun gameplay, and some challenge thrown in for good measure.

Also, sealing the monsters away for good with the stylus is surprisingly fun. It adds a great deal of tension to already tough boss battles. Its such a simple and fun idea that its brilliant.


Right now Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow is the greatest game available for the Nintendo DS. If you have a DS you HAVE to own this game. This is the type of game that you would buy a system or portable for. Its that good.

I never played any of the previous castlevania games so this is my first time. I have to say even without using the stylus much in this DS title, you really appreciate the top screen especially with the persistent map. The castle is huge and that map really helps you to get around to places. It is surprisingly addictive for an adventure game. I find the bosses are not terribly difficult to beat and the game doesn't cause me frustrations due to unbeatble bosses so that is good. The background music as well as graphics is first grade for 2 D. I for one don't like 3 D games as much as 2 D's. But within the realms of 2 D gamss, this has to be one of the best ones out there. Since it is a DS game, the graphics is greatly improved from the GBA games. Everything is beautifully illustrated with details on all monsters and background. ANyway, this game got super high rating on some major gaming websites and magazines and I think it totally earned the rating after playing it for about 2 weeks now. If you love action adventure side scrolling games with great music and graphics then you would love this game. Highly recommanded for everyone, gamers or non-gamers.

Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow was my first experience in the Castlevania series (even though it dates all the way back to the original NES days). Without a doubt, this is one of the best games available on the Nintendo DS. This classic platformer hearkens back to the gaming days of yore, where ultra-realistic graphics played second fiddle to fun gameplay. And boy is this a fun game!

There are two interesting points about this game, as compared to other similar platform games:

1. When you die, it's "game over." This caught me a little off guard when I started playing (I expected to have another "man" available). Thankfully, you can save your progress at any time via a number of save points throughout the castle; you just have to remember to actually do it (especially after the tough boss battles).

2. There's really only one level. Well, call it one and a half. The castle itself is the primary level, and "The Abyss" is the final (what I'll call) half of a level. Don't get me wrong, however; the castle is gigantic! It will easily take most players 15 to 20 hours to get through this game (possibly even longer; I know it took me a long time to beat).

There are so many abilities (over 100) and items (nearly as many) to pick up throughout the course of the game, that it quickly becomes a completist's dream. Getting 100% soul (ability) collection is really tough, and something I have yet to do. Which makes this game all the sweeter; there's always some goal to reach.

If you live under a rock like I do, and you've never checked out any of the Castlevania games, I highly recommend picking this one up. The sequel to this (Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin) is also fun, but this one takes top billing. Highly recommended for platformer fans!

In my opinion this is the 2nd best castlevania sequel to date. While Symphony of the Night holds the title; Sorrow is still top-notch entertainment. The graphics are on par (if not better in someparts)than Symphony, but the overall length of the main-game falls a bit short. You could take hours trying to collect all of the souls of the 100+ monsters in the game, but only a handfull of them real help you proceed further in the game. Sorrow has about half the boss count as Symphony or Dissonance for example. And once you uncover the full 100% of the castle map; you will be surprised to see that it's not all that big. Other than that one flaw, Castlevania:Dawn of Sorrow is the reason to own a Nintendo DS. This game has Gigantic bosses, great music, challenging gameplay, and the 2nd best experience in the Castlevania universe. If anyone has a DS you would disservice yourself in not picking this one up ASAP because the price of this one is gonna go up in the years to come.

This is the best 2D scroller out there. The controls are intuitive, responsive and the game play never gets boring. The sound/music is very well composed and plays well over the DS's speakers Highly recommended.

A continuation of Aria of Sorrow for the GBA, this game picks up the story where that game left off, with you playing the same character, with the same demon soul powers. Basically, this character, instead of welding a whip like the Belmonts, uses armor and weapons similar to Alucard in the (awesome) Playstation version, and has special abilities based on enemies killed. Every so often when an enemy is defeated, your character will aquire its soul (in one of three different types of soul catagories) and be able to equip it. Souls will give you status increases, magic spells, missle attacks, etc.
The story, like most Castlevanias, is good, but sparse.
The soul collecting made this a 25+ hour game for me, because I just HAD to see what they all do. Some souls are MUCH more rare than others, and it can take a few hours to get one. Four hours was my record... Fortunately, the souls are personal preference, and you'll get enough good ones without toiling too much, if you choose. In fact, I passed the game using some of the most basic souls of all.

Not much added to this game since Aria. A "seal" system which is the incorporation of the touch screen. You will get a design you have to draw to beat bosses, after knocking down all their health. Can be tricky to get a handle on near the end as they get more complex, but not bad.
There is a weapon upgrade system based on soul fusion, which also added many hours to my game... fun.
Soul powers also upgrade as you get more of them. Which is nice for easy to grab souls, but not so fun for souls that drop every few hundred kills...

Really, even though not much important was added to this game from the last, and the touch screen is really not utilized.... this is the most fun game I've played in a long long time. I loved it. I recommend you pick it up, if you run across it. You won't regret it at all.

I keep worrying that Castlevania is going to run out of steam soon, and every time I pick up the latest 3D installment my worst fears are confirmed, but then I pick up the 2D sidescrollers that I have been most worried about and find myself relieved.
Very little has changed by way of overall game play style. The game still plays like a medieval Metroid, similar to the classic Symphony of the night, but where as the 3D Castlevanias feel stale, and tired somehow the GBA (and now graduating to the NDS) games have managed to remain fresh, and wonderful for more than 5 games in a row even though the core game play has remained unchanged.
Dawn of Sorrow may have a bit of an odd name, lie its predecessor it's not really an emotional story, but one thing that it does have over Castlevanias of yore, your character, Soma, IS Dracula (reincarnated), and I thought playing Dracula's son was neat. The story isn't very deep, or involved, but the characters therein are still quite cool, and there is just enough story to keep you playing for the 8-12 hours it'll take to complete the main quest. Additionally, one advantage CVDS has over Aria of Sorrow, is that this one is quite challenging, where as AoS was a little on the easy side. Best of all the game features a new weapon synthesis system, which enables you to combine weapons with the souls Soma has stolen to create a new and more powerful weapon. I ended up getting the Grim Reaper's scythe, which, while slow, is insanely powerful. It's quite cool.
Additionally the level designs are quite intuitive, and beautiful. The game incorporates a number of tricks to give the appearance of a depth that I haven't noticed in a side scroller before. It makes me wonder what a 2D side-scroller could do on a next gen system. On top on that, the game also has some of the finest graphics I have seen in a side scroller with very little aliasing, and no grain to the DS picture.
Another innovation I appreciated was the ability to see the castle map on the top screen, which helped keep the action more consistent rather than breaking it up the way past installments did any time you needed to look at the map.
This game also features the best alternative play mode, which allows you to play as Julius Belmont, Yoko, and Alucard, regretfully, however, this mode does not permit for the player to collect or purchase healing items, which would be tremendously helpful when up against some of the game's tuff bosses.
In all, however, this game is the 2nd best 2D Castlevania to date, and the 1st game that has made me pick up my DS again (after both my DS and my PSP have been collecting dust for a while) and thankfully this game seems to have ushered in a flood of must have games for the system, as it was the first of a huge handful of new titles for the handheld that I've picked up over the last few weeks.
If you had previously dismissed the DS as a viable handheld, this is the game that will change your mind!

For those who don't know, or are unfamiliar with the Castlevania series, this is the sequel to the much raved and highly reviewed Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. This takes place a year after Aria of Sorrow has freatures a lot of the same characters, most apparent of which, our lead protagonist, Soma Cruz. Initially assuming his powers he received from the castle in Aria of Sorrow were lost over time, he finds out that he is able to use them when he is in danger. Supposed to be the next Dracula, he refuses the position, and there are people trying to kill him to get their chance at becoming the next Dracula.

This is the first Castlevania on the DS, and it is excecuted very nicely in 2D form. The top screen can be switched from map to character status via select button, and the menus are organized very nicely. There are a lot of nice touches in this game, and I'll get into that later in the review.

*THIS REVIEW DOES NOT CONTAIN SPOILERS OF ANY KIND* <-- so chill

Graphics - Although I don't really like how they made the characters in the cutscenes and dialogues anime-like, it doesn't really effect the overall experience. It does make the game less dark and gritty, until you use a Falchion and slice a zombie in half. A lot of the style of this game comes from Symphony of the Night (PS1 CLASSIC!) influence, which is a very good thing. 2D Games doesn't get too much better looking than this, and even though the top screen doesn't do a whole lot, it would have been destracting if it did. It would have been nice to see Konami use the top screen to make larger boss battles, but don't worry, bosses are plenty hard in this game (I can't say more... it would ruin it for ya ;) - 10/10

Gameplay - Responsive, and easy to figure out, but they could've been more fine tuned. The few times you have to use the touch screen its pretty awkward but once you figure out that you only need to use it on very rare occasions and to seal up bosses, it gets less of an annoyance. Once again the action/adventure elements of the game return, with a few extras for the fans. Also the weapon upgrades and things like that make it very cool. Alternate endings make for different varieties of gameplay for later, and overall makes a very fun experience. Constant framerate and no load times are great. - 9/10

Sound - Great soundtrack. Weapon sounds are kind of average, but everything is really good. You get the creepy eerie music when needed, but is not excess or annoying. There are no lame chimes of any kind and is very appopriate during each situation of the game. - 9/10

Replay Value - Would I play this again after beating it? Yes! As previously mentioned, multiple endings, items, faster times, and more, there is just too much you can that it'd ruin it for you if I told you it all. Any Castlevania fan should own this, and any fan of action or adventure games would love this too. This is by far one of the top games on the DS. - 10/10

Bottom Line: The best Castlevania game since Symphony of the Night, as well as the best action/adventure game on the Nintendo DS!

When you look back at gaming icons from the yesteryears, a few names keep popping up. There's the Mario Bros. There's the legend of Zelda. And then there's always Castlevania. Having wooed fans all around the world for almost 20 years, the legendary Castlevania makes its debut now on the Nintendo DS, and it looks better than ever. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, to put it simply, is an instant classic.

The events in Dawn of Sorrow are set in the year 2036, a year after the last GBA Castlevania game, Aria of Sorrow. The hero in that game, Soma Cruz, returns to fight another day. If you didn't already know, Soma is the reincarnation of the notorious Dracula, who was the villain from many Castlevania games of past. With an evil cult hell bent on using him to resurrect the dark lord this time round, Soma was forced to pay a visit to their headquarters, and generally take up the task of stopping the rebirth.

The process of taking on the bad guys, inevitably, happens in a labyrinth-like castle. The design of the castle is similar to previous establishments. Enemies, tough bosses, booby traps and environmental puzzles are littered all over the place, and as Soma, you'll need all your combat and strategizing skills to complete your ultimate objective.

Dawn of Sorrow throws in a fair amount of enemies for you to fight. In fact, there're a total 116 to take on. Some of these are new enemies making their first appearance in the Castlevania franchise, but many are familiar faces that fans of the game will no doubt remember from previous instalments. To fight these enemies, you'll be given a wide range of weapons. Depending on the abilities of your enemies, different weapons are required. For example, a pole that strikes horizontally may not be effective in taking out a flying enemy, but a large sword that deals a vertical, frontal blow will do the job very well. This basically means that you'll have to master the advantages of your weapons, or face the possibility of being totally overwhelmed.

Weapons are sometimes found in hidden rooms of the castle, and you'll find it worthwhile to pick up some of them if you happen to see them. If you manage to gain your enemies' souls during fights, however, you can cast them into your weapons to form bigger and more powerful weapons as well. This process of upgrading, called weapon synthesis, is one of the most important features of the game. To get the upgrade FOC by killing enemies, then grabbing and casting their souls, the game allows you to increase your effectiveness in combat without the need of spending precious gold on buying these improved weapons. This is definitely a welcomed feature for any player of this game.

You may ask then, what's a soul? Well, if you've played Aria of Sorrow, the concept of souls should not be new. Basically, by killing enemies, you'll get the chance to grab their souls for your own use. Not all enemies give up their souls easily though. In order for you to get some of them, repetition is required. In fact, repeatedly killing an enemy just to get its soul is one of the most mundane parts of the game, and for completists who have to collect every soul, the challenge will be even greater.

Apart from improving your weapons, getting souls also allow you to utilise the special powers of your enemies. For example, if you've the Skeleton soul, you can use it to throw bones at your enemies. If you get the Waiter Skeleton soul, you can start attacking your foes by throwing plates of delicious curry (!). Well, you get the story. While some souls are practically useless, some, like the Axe Armor soul (which allows you to throw flying axes), are very useful in taking out the various bosses in the game. It's advisable to spend time grabbing these souls if you want an easier time in the castle.

Boss fights, like fighting enemies, are frequent occurrences throughout this game. You'll usually get more powerful abilities after taking out bosses, again in the form of souls, which allow you to proceed in the game. For example, you'll need to kill the first boss to get the Flying Armor soul, so that you can "hang" in the air while jumping. This is essential to reach a previously unreachable area because a high platform is blocking your way. Environmental puzzles like this are common in Dawn of Sorrow, and when you encounter one, you'll have to ask whether you've the required souls to solve them. So, even when grabbing souls could be tedious, you'd want to spend some time doing it, if only just to get what you really need to progress. In any case, if you're really out of sorts, you may consider trading extra enemies' souls with your friend through Wi-Fi.

Soul-searching is not the only thing that requires repeated effort though. Recent Castlevania games have included a levelling up element that is commonly found in RPGs, and Dawn of Sorrow is no exception. Fighting (and beating) enemies earns you experience points, and gaining these points will in turn make you a stronger fighter. For example, an enemy that takes you three strikes to destroy at level 1 will be a breeze at level 10.

Enemies in the later part of the game are very tough, so gaining a respectable level will definitely help your quest better. However, as the game is pretty short in the story mode, you may not reach a high enough level to take on the game's more powerful bosses. As such, you'll need to spend time killing enemies over and over again to raise your levels, and this gets annoying after a while. The good thing is, while soul-searching and levelling up take up a lot of time, at least the enemies will always respawn, thus speeding up the process a little. Still, if repetitive gameplay bores you easily, you may find these portions of the game really tedious.

Apart from weapons, you'll also come across a variety of items in the game. This could include healing items (potions, meat strip, milk, etc.), protective gear (tunic, scarves, breastplate, etc.) and even performance-enhancement rings (get more gold, increase luck, gain more experience points, etc.) Some of these items can be purchased at a permanent shop, while others require some exploration. Again, this gives you the incentive to check out the castle completely for any hidden rooms. Apart from these items, you'll also get seemingly useless items like rotten food, which reduces your health if you take them. But then again, if you gain a soul that allows you to eat unpalatable food, the same rotten food can become a healing agent when the going gets tough.

The shop also sells items like periodicals, which include stuff like tabloids and maps. The tabloids will inform you about rare souls that hide in the background of the screens they appear, and how you can get their souls. These are important if you want to achieve 100% souls. But the most important periodical to buy is no doubt the castle map. The map will appear on the top screen of your DS, which means that the days of pausing the game just to check your map are over! This is definitely a handy improvement from previous versions of the game, thanks to the DS' dual screen.

Dawn of Sorrow also utilizes some the DS' touch screen, even though not in abundance. After earning the soul of Balore, you'll be able to break ice crystals that block you path by touching them with the stylus. The game also introduces the concept of Magical Seals, which are essential in completely destroying a boss. When a boss' health reaches zero during a fight, a magical seal will appear on the touch screen. You'll need to draw the seal with your stylus so as to "seal" the boss for good. If you don't do it properly, the boss will regain health, and you'll have to fight it again. This is a nice little idea that makes use of the DS' feature, but it's not entirely user-friendly for left-handers. Thankfully, you don't really need to draw the seal in an exact fashion. As long as you get the strokes right, the game will register it, and you should be fine.

The graphics of the game are also top-notch. Yes, they're 2D, but they're also as good as you can get for a 2D presentation. The background of each level of the castle, for example, is simply breath-taking. The levels are also separated by various themes, so you'll end up visiting an eerie garden, a creepy playhouse, a dark chapel, and even hell. The designs for each area are drawn to such perfection that you'll find yourself immersing into the background as you go along. Also, while the characters do look a little small on screen, the details on them are still amazingly rendered. The mood of each level is also aptly complemented by some great music. In fact, the music is so good that Konami decided to include a Sound Test as an unlockable if you manage to complete the game with the "good" ending. This allows you to listen to the various tracks without having to play the game. Ideal for enjoying them without worrying about the dreaded Medusa Head floating around on screen!

Recent Castlevania games have a similarity. They all have a "good" ending, a "bad" ending, and a completely "fake" ending. Ideally, you should achieve every one of them if you intend to watch all the possibilities, but you'd really want to achieve both the good and bad ones, because they unlock some really awesome goodies.

As I mentioned, the good ending unlocks the Sound Test, which is really cool. It also triggers a brand new play mode called the Boss Rush Mode. In this mode, you'll take on the bosses that you fought in the story mode in quick succession, and beating the specific time requirements will earn you special items not found in the regular game. Sounds good? Well, there's more.

Completing the bad ending will unlock the Julius Mode, which allows you to engage the current castle with characters like Julius Belmont, Yoko Belnades and Alucard, who're established characters in the Castlevania universe. Telling more about this mode will spoil the fun, so I'll just leave it at that.

Apart from these special modes, completing the game will also unlock Hard Mode, which is essentially the same game you've played, only with a host of tougher enemies and environment. And if you fancy playing the game with a friend, you can take the Enemy Set Mode, which allows you to design your own castle, and then take on your friend through Wi-Fi to see who can finish the areas faster. Regardless of what additional modes you decide to play, they've all been included to encourage replayability, and they should add to the 10-12 hours of estimated play time you can clock on the main story mode.

This game is named Dawn of Sorrow as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the DS, but it's really a dawn of a brighter future for the Castlevania franchise. Dawn of Sorrow has the potential to be the game of the year, at least for the DS, and it's not difficult to understand why. Great gameplay, impressive graphics, awesome audios and a whole lot of goodies to boot - what do you mean you don't have a DS?

This game is excellent. I have beaten it three times and each time I beat it I find out cooler things. You can Upgrade weapons using monsters souls that you get when you kill things. My favorite weapon is the Golden Axe. It takes a while to get though. To go farther in the game you have to wear that one talesmen that girl gives you or else you just turn into a monster and lose. Once you get that far you get to battle the grim reaper(extremely hard to beat). This game is very fun and I love the hand painted backrounds. Portrait of Ruin(the sequel to Dawn of Sorrow)has tons of new monsters and many different bosses. It looks awesome. I'm buying it the day it comes out because I loved the first one so much. Buy this game! You'll love it! I bought a Nintendo DS just to play this game and it was so worth it!