The Castlevania series first began its life on the 8-bit Nintendo system. Like many gamers, I was hooked the moment I played. The series has seen many incarnations (the best being SOTN on PSOne), but this latest release offers something entirely different. Labeled a ‘Reboot’, CVLoS changes everything familiar with the series. The traditional 2D graphics have taken a backseat to a lush, 3D world; the story line no longer revolves around Dracula, and instead of fighting an onslaught of undead minions, you fight Likens, Troll-like beasts, and other strange oddities.
As the story unfolds, the hero of the story – Gabriel Belmont – is chosen to rid the land of the Lords of Shadow and somehow resurrect his lost love from the dead. There is a strange familiarity to the story. Despite taking a severe right turn and ignoring Castlevania lore, there is almost an iconic, vintage approach to Gabriel’s woes as he battles the dark forces that stand between him and victory.
This is no longer the game we remember. CVLoS is an action-based hack-n-slash that is very reminiscent of Devil May Cry and other similar games from the genre. The exploration aspect of the 2D games have been replaced by linear, single-path environments that constantly push you forward. Battle encounters are very arcade-like in style. When attacking creatures, they will drop Elemental Orbs that will replenish certain meters that can enhance Gabriel’s skills or replenish health.
Certain items in the environment like pottery and stone pillars can be destroyed to reveal things like throwing weapons (i.e. daggers). Gabriel’s main weapon is a Combat Cross whip that can be upgraded throughout his adventure. Upgrades are pretty straight-forward, enhancing the whip’s attack power and abilities. Each whip upgrade comes with its own lore which can be viewed inside a book that keeps track of Gabriel’s skills, magic, and items. The Spiked Chain, for example, can be used to saw through large pillars that block passageways.
The only drawback to this new system is the limited arsenal that Gabriel wields. There is no armor or new weapons, so the Combat Cross is all there is from start to finish. It is difficult to avoid the SOTN comparison, but seeing how it was one of the best Castlevania games ever produced — it is very difficult to leave such diversity and character customization behind. Alucard could equip different armor and weapons; level based on experience points; and he had access to food and potions (which also doesn’t exist in CVLoS). CVLoS focuses on upgrading Gabriel’s combo / move arsenal and his light / dark magic meters (which become unlocked during the adventure.)
The Light Magic meter – when activated – will heal Gabriel as he strikes nearby enemies with his whip. The meter eventually empties and cannot be re-used until replenished at a Light Magic statue. The second option to healing Gabriel is using healing statues, but they are sparingly placed in each chapter. The Dark Magic meter increases Gabriel’s attack power, and like The Light Magic meter, needs to be replenished once depleted. Slain creatures will drop Dark Magic Elemental Orbs to replenish the meter, so seeking out a statue to replenish the meter is not necessary even though they exist. This new concept in gameplay requires a short adjustment period (especially if you’re familiar with the older games), but it ends up working quite well.
The game mechanics do everything possible to make the transition to 3D as painless as possible. There’s plenty of climbing involved, and ledges will glow to separate them from the scenery. Areas that require Gabriel to use his whip will also sparkle. By pressing the R2 button, Gabriel will use his whip to either scale tall walls or swing across to a platform,.
Despite being in 3D, combat flows without interruption. Gabriel uses two sets of attacks — a standard whip attack that can be executed by pressing Square button, and an area whip attack that hits every enemy within a certain radius when Triangle is pressed. Combos can be achieved by rapidly pressing each button, but pre-determined combos can be purchased as Gabriel earns points throughout his adventure. These combos will unlock inside a book that can be viewed by pressing the Select button. This book also contains information regarding Gabriel’s Advanced Moves, Cross Whip, Magic, Mounts (more on this in a minute), Relics Skills, and Secondary Weapons.
Throughout Gabriel’s adventure, it may be required to use a mount of some type to jump a large ravine or break through blocked passageways. These mounts are temporary, and are only useful for a set task. Once you have reached the location required, traveling on the mount is impossible, and your are required to strangle the mount to death by pressing L2 and R2 respectively. This is a meager sacrifice; the mount’s demise usually releases Elemental Orbs to replenish Gabriel’s magic meters.
As a standalone game (forgetting for a moment that this is a reboot of a classic series), CVLoS can stand on its own. It is a fantastic example of modern gaming with an intuitive combo / move system that urges the player to upgrade Gabriel’s abilities. The magic meter system – while not new to the action genre – is competent and works well. The 3D camera on the other hand can be frustrating at times. Since the camera angle is always fixed on a certain location, it is sometimes difficult to see incoming enemies or ledges that can kill Gabriel. While this doesn’t happen often, it causes tongue-in-cheek moments that make you beg for control over the camera.
Everything else – including the photorealistic backgrounds and life-like character models – really add a certain appeal to the adventure. Recognizable Castlevania tunes also make an appearance, delivering fan service along the way.
Even though this is not the Castlevania fans were expecting, it still offers solid gameplay and a worthwhile adventure. It may not have Dracula, a large, spooky castle, or the traditional creatures we’re familiar with, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth your while. CVLoS by Konami is a ‘Reboot’ in every sense of the word, but it is still worth the price of admission despite some of the issues mentioned. Buy it; you won’t be disappointed if you approach it with an open mind.
Mike ‘STGuy1040’ Pittaro
Platform: Playstation 3 (Also available for Xbox 360 – Read review here)
Developer/Publisher: Konami
Price: $59.99
| Review Score | |
|---|---|
| Graphics |  |
| There's no questioning the graphics in CVLoS. They are simply beautiful; Konami did an incredible job. | |
| Sound |  |
| Classic Castlevania tunes make the occasional rounds, but new soundtracks round-out the experience. Regardless, the music is still well-worth listening to. | |
| Gameplay | |
| The 3D camera issue needs to be addressed. Otherwise, CVLoS is a well-balanced action title with plenty of giant bosses to challenge and creatures to kill. Now, if Konami could only bring back Simon Belmont and Dracula... | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Reboot is one word to describe it, but that would be doing the game an injustice. CVLoS is far better than some critics are giving it credit for. A Castlevania fan like myself will find it hard to conform to the changes at first, but once you open your mind to the experience, you are pleasantly surprised by what is being offered. | |
