Castlevania Order of Ecclesia

[chairmanlove]

When Koji Igarashi appears with that iconic whip on his hip, he wants us to believe that he IS Castlevania. But considering how the series has developed through recent handheld iterations, I often wondered why he would want to perpetuate that idea. And then when I initially heard that Order of Ecclesia would be radically different BECAUSE you play as a female character, I wondered if I should get back to that novel I’ve been working on from time to time. I wasn’t alone in my early disinterest, which may well serve as Konami’s theme for 2008. BUT finally taking the time to play Ecclesia, I’ve discovered an immense void between what Konami PR focuses on and what the game actually achieves. Perhaps developers do a poor job explaining their creations, having worked in the absence of a journalism that presses for the rationale behind creative decisions. [Honestly, can you believe no one questions these statements?] BUT, as a favor to Konami, for a nominal charge, I present the following marketing assistance;

Order of Ecclesia IS a glorious Bitch-Goddess.

http://www.torontothumbs.com/2009/01/01 ... -ecclesia/

[Kevman]

Nice review.

Castlevania: OoE is definetly a return to it's roots. It feels nice to be challenged for once. You definetly need to watch your health. I've died many tims due to ignorance and thinking the enemies were mere pawns. Even the skeletons give me somewhat of a hard time.

[Gamerforlife]

I've only just started(got it for Xmas), but it's pretty cool. The music and art direction are nice and the bosses are pretty cool. Proper use of relics can turn a cheap, annoying area into a suddenly easy one. I have to say though, not quite feeling the old Symphony of the Night magic. There's just something about that classic. This is actually my first Metroidvania title since SOTN. Even so, I am definitely enjoying Order of Ecclesia and I really love seeing a Castlevania game with a female lead.

EDIT:meant glyphs, not relics

[elvis]

"Whether daydreaming or musing, I’m increasingly curious of what would come from the marriage of Vanillaware’s lush palettes with the viciously addictive game-play of Castlevania?"

Whilst generally graphics are my last concern, I can't help but agree with that. Imagine Konami sticking with 2D, but bringing out a Castlevania title on one of the current power consoles in HD. Drool-worthy.


OoE is an insta-buy for me. I loved Dawn of Sorry, and needless to say Symphony of the Night as well. For some reason I totally missed Portrait of Ruin, so I need to get my butt in gear and track that down too.

[Kevman]

"Whether daydreaming or musing, I’m increasingly curious of what would come from the marriage of Vanillaware’s lush palettes with the viciously addictive game-play of Castlevania?"

Whilst generally graphics are my last concern, I can't help but agree with that. Imagine Konami sticking with 2D, but bringing out a Castlevania title on one of the current power consoles in HD. Drool-worthy.


OoE is an insta-buy for me. I loved Dawn of Sorry, and needless to say Symphony of the Night as well. For some reason I totally missed Portrait of Ruin, so I need to get my butt in gear and track that down too.

Meh, PoR wasn't all that great. It tries to be unique with the partner system but I never felt the need to use my partner. I only used her when I needed to use her for puzzles. If anything she got in the way and sucked all my MP.

Is Dawn of Sorrow any good? I played Aria of Sorrow and loved it. Probably my 2nd favorite Castlevania so far. I really never heard anything about it that justified a purchase.

[elvis]

Is Dawn of Sorrow any good? I played Aria of Sorrow and loved it. Probably my 2nd favorite Castlevania so far. I really never heard anything about it that justified a purchase.

Well I also missed Aria of Sorrow. Yet another game on my list to go back and get. I loved Dawn of Sorrow a whole bunch. Heaps of fun. The touch magic seal gimmick was a bit pointless I thought, but it's a small niggle for a great game.

In general I love the fact that Konami have modernised the Castlevania series without doing stupid things to them (and yes, I'm totally ignoring the 3D games). I've seen Sonic and Mario go from awesome to retarded in a single platform jump, but this series is staying true.

[chairmanlove]

Nice review.

Castlevania: OoE is definetly a return to it's roots. It feels nice to be challenged for once. You definetly need to watch your health. I've died many tims due to ignorance and thinking the enemies were mere pawns. Even the skeletons give me somewhat of a hard time.

Thanks! I had a hell of a time and surprise with monsters that curse you / using up hearts before getting to the boss battle. But like I say, I just can't put the game down for very long.