For me, some of the best games available on the Nintendo DS are those with a nostalgic flair. Sure, I can get interested in some new titles from time to time, but the ones that captivate me the most are ones that cash in on the their retro appeal. From New Super Mario Bros. to Tetris DS, these are the games for me. And that’s why Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia catches my initial interest.
While I did play the old Castlevania game on the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), I have yet to really explore the other two Castlevania titles on the DS: Dawn of Sorrow and Portrait of Ruin. Not exactly sure what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised with what Order of Ecclesia had to offer.
Dracula’s Back (But the Belmonts Are Not)
That super stylish vampire just doesn’t know when to quit! After seemingly being slain over and over again with all of these games from the Castlevania franchise, good ol’ Dracula is back to his blood-guzzling and havoc-inducing ways. Whereas the primary enemy in Order of Ecclesia is familiar, the protagonist is not. In the other Castlevania games, you typically took control of a male member from the Belmont clan, but that’s not the case here. Instead, we find a heroine named Shanoa. This is a fresh departure from the old formula and it’s largely for the better.
Overall, the gameplay will feel pretty familiar. I’m glad that Konami didn’t force this game into three-dimensions, because a side-scrolling 2D Castlevania is much more effective and totally cashes in our my desire for nostalgia. The graphics are simple and are SNES quality at best, but they’re quite effective nonetheless.
Abandoning the Whip, Acquiring Glyphs
Weapons play a big part in many video games. Mario just wouldn’t be the same without his magic mushrooms and Gears of War just wouldn’t be as thrilling without the chainsaw gun. Much of the same can be said about the Castlevania series and your ability to crack the whip as the protagonist.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Konami has decided to cast the whip aside, because the main character is not one of the Belmont clan. Instead, Shanoa is a more into the magical end of things and that’s how she gains a whole whack of different attacks and abilities known as glyphs. Through this glyph attack system, Shanoa is able to absorb the abilities of certain fallen enemies, adding these to her arsenal.
You are able to equip yourself with a couple of these attacks at a time, swapping them out via the pause menu. This also plays into the puzzle parts of the game, because there are instances where you’ll need to combine glyphs a certain way to defeat certain enemies. This system lends itself to a collect-a-thon, but this just adds to the appeal of Order of Ecclesia. It’s something a little different, yet it still retains the classic Castlevania feel.
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Navigating Got a Little More Linear
In some of the other Castlevania games, you were stuck having to backtrack through previously explored areas in order to complete your objective. The action in Order of Ecclesia, however, is a little more linear. As a result, you get a stronger sense of always moving forward. The platforming stages combine classic side-scrolling elements with the multi-tier jumping that you’d find in classic Metroid games, for example. You can track your progress through the upper screen on the DS, as it displays a basic map of where you are and where you’ve been.
There are over twenty areas to explore and these are slowly revealed you to you through the new World Map. You hop between locations to vanquish new enemies, gain new glyphs, and get a little closer to slaying Dracula once and for all. Or at least until he resurrects again for the next Castlevania game.
It’s an Action-Adventure RPG
Let me preface this by saying that I’m not a huge fan of role-playing games, because I find that they are too tedious for my tastes. However, RPGs can be richly rewarding, because you can track the progress of your player and his/her attributes. Such is also the case with Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia. In addition to unlocking the series of glyph attacks, you also get skill ratings, level ups, HP upgrade (health), MP upgrades (mana), and so on. This maturation gives you a good sense of progress.
Final Thoughts and Conclusion
If you are a fan of the other Castlevania games on the Nintendo DS, you’ll find a lot to enjoy in Order of Ecclesia. The developers have done a great job with recreating the eerie mood that we’ve come to expect from the franchise, but at the same time, they’ve tossed in some new elements that breathe new life into the franchise.
Yes, we have to cast the Belmont clan aside, but you do gain access to a new magical glyph attack system and you are introduced to a new character named Shanoa. Girl power and all that. The action-adventure elements will keep you interested to the end and the RPG elements will keep you trucking along.
With a touch of a nostalgia and a dash of novelty, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia makes hunting Dracula just as fun as ever.
Pros
- Glyph attack system is fresh and new
- Trusted and true Castlevania atmosphere
- Minimal backtracking during adventure
- Retro-style fun
Cons
- RPG elements can feel tedious for non-RPG fans
- Graphics are SNES quality at best
- Not enough long-range attacks
- Boss battles can be frustrating for novices
Overall Rating: 8.5 / 10.0
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