Castlevania: From Death to the DS

Castlevania has been around for over 20 years delighting gamers with great gameplay and a compelling plotline. While some of the games have been less than stellar, namely the fully 3D ones, the last couple of years have been great to the series; it has returned to the format of its glory days.  The newest game in the Castlevania family, and the third Nintendo DS title, is shaping up to be yet another amazing addition.

Set after Symphony of the Night, Order of Ecclesia’s story picks up after the disappearance of the famed vampire hunter, Richter Belmont.  Dracula’s power once again sweeps over the land, people begin to yield to the darkness, and those who have the ability are searching for a remedy to the situation.  Enter the game’s main character, Shanoa.  She belongs to the Order of Ecclesia.  And suffice it to say, it’s up to you defeat the darkness by beating the living daylights (or would it be undead moonlights?) out of every monster in your way.

Hands-on previews have already passed down judgment.  While some have said that the game only features slight changes here and there, others have called it the closest thing to a perfect Castlevania title thus far.  This kind of talk only fuels a fan’s desire to get their hands on it as soon as possible.  Not to mention the new Glyph system allows for some amazing combo chains, crazy puzzle solving, and a level of badassery that has not been seen since Symphony of the Night.  Hunting for all the glyphs, trying all the combinations, and picking a favorite will surely keep fans occupied for a good chunk of time.

Being a huge Castlevania fan, I’m waiting with bated breath for its release.  However, if you just cannot get enough Castlevania it may be worth your time to order the special edition of the game from the Konamistyle store.  Not only do you get the game, but also the soundtrack and a leather bound book cover with a notebook!  Just be prepared to drop a good chunk of change if you want it; the price is a whopping $84!

Featuring a nearly perfected action-RPG format, classic Castlevania difficulty, and a heroine who will surely go down in history as one of the coolest female leads in a game: Order of Ecclesia is shaping up to be the greatest in a long line of greats.  However, there is one big flaw. To finish 100% of the game, you’ll need to link Order of Ecclesia and the Wii’s Castlevania Judgment via the DS/Wii Wi-Fi connection to get all the extra goodies. Bummer.  But with all that it has going for it, I’m sure that Order of Ecclesia will delight both fans and newcomers to the series anyway.

Even Shanoa agrees with me!