Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow Official Strategy Guide [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Alicia Ashby (Author), Thomas Wilde (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2005

The official strategy guide for Castlevania, Dawn of Sorrow.

Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: DoubleJump Books (2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974170070
• ISBN-13: 978-0974170077
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #282,126 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a strategy guide worth buying, October 13, 2005

By 

Shawn Long (Aberdeen, North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow Official Strategy Guide (Paperback)

The internet has pretty much led to the death of the need for a strategy guide. With a few simple clicks, you can get every code, learn secrets to every boss, find out item locations, so on and so forth. However, some games are just....better with a strategy guide. Castlevania DS is a prime example of this. Sure, you could get an FAQ of the game, but pictures are worth a thousand words. It's much easier to look at a detailed map, read detailed descriptions of enemies to learn their weakness, items, and soul ability then it is to just read it online. This book will probably be a collectors item, with beautiful art work and a nice, thick, compact design. Tons of hints, tips, and secrets lay within the many pages of this quality strategy guide. I purchased this strategy guide after have 99.1% soul completion and 98.3% game completion. I just wanted to buy it for the sheer beauty of it. A great strategy guide and collectors item for Castlevania fans, don't let this book slip away!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy the book... Own the Game!, October 13, 2005

By 

S. Rhodes - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow Official Strategy Guide (Paperback)

Never has a Castlevania guide been so honest, clear, and to the point. With the Double jump Books Official Strategy Guide to Castlevania Dawn of Souls you'll conquer more than you could possibly imagine! This comprehensive guide gives you everything you need in a user friendly way, without holding your hand, and keeping you informed every step of the way!

The guide begins with a run down of the basics. Character Bios and all the mechanics you need to get started. If you're like me you hate instruction manuels because they're too vague. This guide is not vague, and if you're new to Castlevania, this helps any gamer out.

Onward we get details on more how-to details. This time talking about synthesizing and giving hints on what to buy and why sometimes buying from Hammer (the shopkeep) is a bad idea.

The walkthrough is astonishing! Never has a walkthrough for Castlevania been so easy to use. Each section begins with a map and a number. Thanks to the DS's Duel Screen, the map is ALWAYS displayed, and therefore can ALWAYS be used with this guide. Don't want it to hold your hand? No big deal. The map has a number, and if you get stuck you can just find the number that coresponds on the map. They give you a short, brief and very indepth explanation on what to do. No more reading useless paragraphs of things that don't relate to what needs to be done in certain areas (if you read the Lament of Innocence Guide by BradyGAMES you know exactly what I'm talking about).

Crystal clear screenshots, and a huge detailed fold out map are perhaps your best companions. Don't assume there are no maps in the guide, there are. The fold out map just makes getting around all around easier. Yes, this guide has just about all you could want. The boss strategies are perhaps the best part of the detail. Each boss strategy tells you a precise pattern (with screenshots along the way) and just what to do to combat them. Excellent. No longer will you be plauged by some bosses because you don't know what their pattern is. This guide is straight-forward and to the point.

All the details on Hard Mode, every key difference is explained in full detail. Plus, a nifty trick to level up Soma, and even a checklist of everything that needs to be done to master the game!

Then we go on to all the items list, the monster list, soul list and whatnot. Each of which is expertly detailed and easy t0 use. Nothing should confuse you.

Then we move on to the extras like the Enemy Set Mode and Boss Rank Mode. Each area is, you guessed it, detailed to the fullest extent of a gaming guide.

Perhaps the most perplexing thing is when you get to the spoilers. If you were fortunate enough to get a hold of the Double Jump Books "Phantom Brave" guide, then you know the secrets and spoilers section is upside down. This is done purposely to keep readers from ruining the meat and experience of the game. Things like, story plots and whatnot. Don't want it to be ruined, by the time you flip there it's upside down so you KNOW you shouldn't be looking just yet.

And finally, we're treated to an interview with the creators of the game. This is one hefty interview where you can learn about not just Dawn of Souls, but the other games as well. Learn about the History.

What is execellent about this guide besides all that I said above, is how it doesn't hold your hand. How not every little thing is explained to you as if you're a six year old. It makes the guide easier to use, and it helps it get to the point faster. This guide is crafted for experts and beginners alike!

Don't use any other guide, use Double Jump Books. No guide is more detailed, or informative.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Castlevania (Dawn of Sorrow), May 22, 2008

By 

Larry "Larry" (Grand Junction, CO) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow Official Strategy Guide (Paperback)

Awesome game> If you are a fan of Castlevania then this is a must have game. This is by far the best Castlevania game I have ever played. And on the DS I was totally surprised at the graphics. I would give it a 9.5 easy.
The shipping was fast and game was in excellent shape. I would reccomend the guide book as there are tons of secrets I would not have known about.