Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

GAME TITLE: Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
DATE LAUNCHED: 10.05.05 (North America)
09.30.05 (Europe)
# OF PLAYERS: 1 (2-player multi-play)
CONSOLE: Nintendo DS
DIFFICULTY: Normal / Hard
GENRE: Action / Adventure / Horror
EXTRA MODES / GOODIES: Sound-Select, Julius Mode, Boss Rush Mode, Wireless Soul Trade
PUBLISHER: Konami
DEVELOPER: Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo
RATING: T

A sequel to the GBA’s Aria of Sorrow, and the first game of the franchise to reach the DS, Dawn of Sorrow is namely the best game of its time. It surpasses the beloved classic Symphony of the Night.

- [ MUSIC & GRAPHICS ] -
the music to DoS is much like Aria’s, if not improved. It still has that rock-riff-turned-midi feel to it, which I think is awesome. as far as the graphics go, it still maintains the gothic-feel that was used in Aria of Sorrow, but have transformed into a more anime-ish feel, making it look somewhat like the classic games Dracula X (SNES) and Symphony of the Night (PSX). An awesome transformation if you ask me. though on the minus side, I was hoping the game could use anime-like cutscenes aside from the opening video shown somewhere during the main screen.
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SCORE - 9/10

- [ GAME-PLAY ] -
the gameplay is basically the same as the GBA Castlevania games, with the addition of a “power-strike” when pushing the X button for attack. There is also the addition of “magic-seals”, which are required to reach certain areas of the game as well as finish off bosses using a respectively specified magic seal. there are 5 seals total in which you will need to possess and master.
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SCORE - 9/10

- [ DIFFICULTY ] -
As with most games, the more you get into the game, the harder it gets … unless you’ve been powerleveling up like crazy. the only things I would actually find hard in the game are the later bosses.
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SCORE - 8/10

- [ STORY ] -
“Ever since the solar eclipse of 2035, my life has never been the same. It was then that I realized that I, Soma Cruz, am the rebirth of Dracula … It was in his castle that I learned the truth … that I possessed the power to seize the souls of my enemies … That evil almost engulfed me, but my friends pulled me out from the brink. About a year has passed and I thought my troubles were over …”

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ok, so basically, this game takes place a year after the events of Aria of Sorrow, and, like its predecessor, Soma finds himself in trouble as Celia Fortner, leader of a cult destined to ressurect the dark lord, will do whatever she can to either make Soma the lord of darkness, or kill him and use one of her recruits she picked up along the way. and as the story may or may not tell, those who were born in 1999 when dracula was destroyed by Julius Belmont and Mina’s father, they are to be the candidates for becoming the Count.

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SCORE - 9/10

- OVERALL SCORE -
9.5/10

By TurkMasterZero

Get your shtuff here:

Castlevania: Lament of Innocence(tm) Official Strategy Guide (Brady Games)