Castlevania: Curse of Darkness Xbox Review
Konami, November 2nd, 2005
Review by Raffman, November 11th, 2005
The latest in a long standing series by Konami, Curse of Darkness mixes old with new to create an action RPG that will really make your thumbs smile. That is, if your thumbs have mouths. By no means is this game a remake of an old NES game; please don't get that impression. The impression I do want you to get however, is that this is a fun game. Is it a great game? In many different ways, it definately is, but overall it falls a little short. Castlevania has depth, solid gameplay, and some very cool features that make this game a great pick. On the other hand, there are quite a few things that hold this game back such as the camera, graphics, and presentation. So for this review I'd like to take a different route and tell you exactly what I liked, and disliked about the game without beating around the bush. First though, let me tell you just exactly what this game is exactly about.
The original Castlevania games were action/adventure sidescrollers, with not a whole lot of depth to them. Konami decided to take the original series and mold it in an entirely new direction, that of the action RPG. Now as you hack and slash your way through the dangerous areas of Castlevania, you will gain experience, grow stonger, and level up. In Curse of Darkness, you have the ability of Devil Forgery which allows you to summon Innocent Devils to fight along side you as allies. Another new feature is the forgery aspect of the game; no longer will you find new weapons and armor in treasure chests. Now instead, you'll have to build your own weapons and armor with the items and current weapons you have in your inventory, which allows you create some very cool stuff to really customize your character. Curse of Darkness is complex, but in a good way. So this game sounds amazing doesn't it? Well, lots of ideas look incredible on paper, but how it plays is what really matters. So on that note, let's start off with the bad news first, so we can end with the good stuff. I like sending my readers off happy.
Although Castlevania: Curse of Darkness is a very fun game, it's got some issues that for lack of a better word, suck. First and foremost, you will hate the camera. I mean it. If Konami would have spend a little extra time fixing the camera issue, this game would be delicious. Since you honestly have to play the game to know what I'm talking about, let's just say the camera is a major problem. It's never where you want it to be, and when you're fighting the bosses, you'll be swearing and spiking your controller because it will put your life in danger. Your character's life that is, for all you smart asses out there. To help you understand just how bad the camera is in this game, I'm literally getting pissed off just writing about it, so you've been officially warned. With the camera issue dealt with, the other areas that are lacking are much more minor, but still noticeable. The graphics for example, are up and down. During the first few levels, I thought I was playing a regular Playstation game or an N64 game. As I progressed through the game, the levels and the environments got a little better, but the characters and the bosses were the only things graphically that impressed me. The sound is another issue that is up and down, and for a wierd reason. You see, they used the original sound effects from the NES games for this one, which is very cool in it's own way. On the other hand, ten years later, it gets old very quick and sounds like shit. But then again I enjoy it, and along with the old school menu presentation, it really feels like I'm playing my old NES again. And that's a good feeling.
So now that you've heard the bad news, let's finish with the good news. If I could sum up Castlevania: Curse of Darkness in one word, it would be "fun". This game is very hard to put down, and with the incredible depth and the old school design incorporated this has not just become a game, but an addiction. My favorite part of the game is the bosses without a doubt. Graphically, the bosses look fantastic, and they're a blast to take down. To add icing to the proverbial cake, the bosses and mini-bosses are placed perfectly throughout the game, so just when you think you're getting bored, one jumps through the stained glass at you and once again you're hooked. Video games are supposed to be fun, and fun is the best word to describe Castlevania: Curse of Darkness. It may not bring home any "Game of the Year" awards, but it's definately worth the purchase price and a spot in your collection.
Graphics - 7.0
Sound - 8.0
Gameplay - 8.7
Overall - 7.8 (Good)
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