Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia

"Probably the best of the DS Castlevania trilogy"

If you enjoyed many of the old-school Castlevania games, here's a new title that will suit your tastes.

Controls: 10/10
The controls are fluid and tight. Nothing has really changed from the previous games, and that's a good thing. No complaints here.

Gameplay: 10/10

Previous entries in the series felt somewhat bland in this department. While CotM and HoD went for whip-based gameplay, most post-SotN entries stayed with the ho-hum weapon system from SotN. This worked eleven years ago...not so much today, especially when many of the weapons were just clones of each other. Rather than give players a hundred samey weapons with only a few real exceptions, OoE is more honest and will you give a smaller, yet more unique arsenal of weaponry. What's really new is the glyph system. Rather than pick up physical weapons, Shanoa absorbs glyphs. Their locations vary; they can be found scattered throughout levels, dropped from slain enemies, or 'stolen' from enemies whilst they summon attacks. You can switch between three at any given time, which helps spruce up combat. Speaking of which, using glyphs drains your MP; once it hits zero, you have to wait for it to recharge. This brings back some desperately-needed difficulty longtime Castlevania fans have yearned for since 2001's Circle of the Moon. Combat is nicely hectic at times in an almost Contra-like way. If you're wondering, the meter refills within seconds, so you aren't wandering around getting pummeled by enemies. Strategy for once(!) is key; attack wisely instead of barreling through enemies.

Level Design: 9/10

The level design varies. You have expansive, large levels like the few manor and building-like areas, and then you have your shorter forest stages. It's interesting to see some of the contrasts, and keeps things interesting.

Plot: 8/10

The story line isn't this sprawling spectacular RPG plot, but it's pretty good. It starts out with a surprising revelation about the famed Belmont clan that has starred in so many past Castlevania games. Basically, the first half starts out as a game of cat-and-mouse with a rouge member of Ecclesia, but things certainly pick up the pace quickly. Expect a few interesting twists here and there.

Graphics: 9/10

Beautiful. Many of the background and foreground graphics surpass even Symphony of the Night's. The sprites have excellent detail, such as how Shanoa's dress flutters in the wind.

Music: 9/10

Castlevania's got a reputation for having great music, and this title is no exception. Previous titles ditched the musical variety found in Aria of Sorrow and other past titles for...some rather childish stuff. 'Horn' synths were prevalent, and several songs wound up sounding like someone farting into a trumpet accompanied by a backbeat (I'm looking at you, Portrait of Ruin.) Suffice to say that unless you were a pre-teen, you were probably disappointed. Order of Ecclesia, on the other hand, opts for the musical refinement previously seen in Curse of Darkness. From the disco-esque "A Prologue" to the rocking "A Clashing of the Waves", to the occult "Tragedy's Pulse" to the atmospheric "Malak's Labyrinth", if you're a fan of the better Castlevania soundtracks you're adore this one.

Replayability: 9/10

The main game takes about...eight or ten hours depending on your skill. After that, several modes open up. There's the obligatory hard modes are there, and boy are they intense. Instead of giving you the exact same game as the normal mode except with tough enemies, enemy placement and attack patterns have been altered. So what was once a lightly-populated hallway with a few skeletons, expect some angered Axe Armors to join the fray. Also, traps will be improved; instead of a single guillotine, rows of them will be placed for some challenging old-school-like game play. An extra character mode will also be unlocked, as well as boss rush and sound mode. Definitely check out the sound mode; there's several excellent unused tracks you may find intriguing. Though really all the extra modes should be explored; you won't be disappointed.


Overall: 10/10

The 1up guys weren't kidding when they said this could be the best Castlevania in a while. If you're a veteran of the series, expect to see Order of Ecclesia right some of the various wrongs of the past; namely, crappy artwork, happy-go-lucky endings straight out of a Disney movie, and shallow, easy gameplay. The music is great, the plot is good, and the challenge factor is excellent. I most definitely recommend this title.


-Final Recommendation: The game is definitely worth buying.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 12/04/08

Game Release: Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (US, 10/21/08)