Castlevania: Lament of Innocence

But then, this isn't supposed to be a review of the whole series, is it? My apologies.

All the elements that made those 2-D games so great are back in "Lament of Innocence", with a few added elements and a few drawbacks, too. And they are ... ("Drumroll, please.")

--I was disappointed that the whip is not upgradeable to a chain whip. Sure, you can get fire and ice and that cool purple glow for the "Vampire Killer", but I wanted a big-@$$ chain to wave around. I mean, how much damage can a leather whip (I don't care how much "alchemy" was involved) do against a creature made of stone? Oh, well.

--The ability to combine the spheres with the sub-weapons was really cool. Holy Water was always my favorite, and it still is.

--I'm glad that the platforming aspect of this game was toned down. 3-D games are notoriously hard when it comes to leaping about and landing on small platforms. The fact that Leon will not automatically walk off edges helps a lot, too.

--Why can't I destroy the Skull Pillars in this game? That bites.

--Visually, this game is at once beautiful and disturbing. All the lighting effects are nice, but zombies with venomous vomit? What mind thought that up? . . . The juvenile still in residence in my mind just says "Uh, that was cool," and chuckles.

--Yes, the cut-scenes and voice-acting are cheesy. But it's a video game, for cryin' out loud! Don't expect a fine work of art, here. Just something to waste a few hours on.

--OK, this is important. If this is a prequel, how did some guy named Walter somehow become Dracula? What happened to Vlad? The Castlevania games have always, ALWAYS been about hunting down Dracula. The fact that he's missing from this game draws a little away from the tradition. And yet I find myself thinking that this is probably the best game in the series. The only thing that would make it cooler would be if there was an upside-down castle waiting for you when you THINK you've beaten the game. (That was one of the best gaming surprises ever, by the way.)

If your gaming skills are really good or if you aren't the hugest fan of the series, just rent this one. But if you like the Castlevania franchise, pick it up. I found mine for relatively cheap. Possible Greatest Hits title?


Who would have known...   July 7, 2004
As a backdrop to the entire history of the already world reknown Castlevannia series, this game lives up to its predecessors. Only lacking in game length and depth of the story, the game mechanics are challenging at first, but after a short adjustment time, it can be easily mastered. While lacking in length, the difficulty of the game is one of its strong points since it escalates while you advance in the game, offering the player a variety of options with regards to the approach of the same.

Overall, this game is a must for Castlevania fans everywhere in order to read about the humble beginnings of the Belmont Clan, and most of all, brush up a bit on Castlevania Vampire lore.


The best in the Castlevania series.   June 24, 2004
Castlevania:Lament of Innocence is by far the best in the Castlevania series. This story is about Leon Belmont an eleventh-century nobleman, knight of the clergy and vampire hunter who is on an epic journey to bring back his fiancee Sara Trantoul who's been captured by a powerfull vampire, Leon will stop at nothing to bring her back. This game is excellent with a good story, great character design and some pretty sweet graphics. Most people will like this game because of the things i talked about above and also because this game tells how the Belmont clan began. I recomend it to fans of the series and to eneyone who loves video games.


A Worthy Successor to Symphony of the Night   June 22, 2004
I, myself, have been a Castlevania fan for several years and felt that the pinnacle of the series was Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Considering the low quality of the past 3D Castlevania games, I expected little from this game, but hoped for the best.

The game proved to be absolutley fantastic. Every facet of this game is well executed. The graphics are very good and, while not the absolute best graphics that can be found on the PS2, are beautiful nonetheless and are filled with detail. The lighting effects in particular are very impressive. The sound is also very well done. The sound effects are fitting, but where the game scores major points is the musical score. The music of this game is absolutely beautiful and adds a lot to the mood and atmosphere of the various areas of the game.

As far as the gameplay, Lament of Innocence is excellent. The combat in the game is fast-paced and frentic, yet retains a bit of strategy in the several moves one can use in battle. Since fighting is such an integral part of any Castlevania game, it helps that the combat is so well done in this game. The exploration aspects are also very good and have some light puzzles mixed in with the fighting. The game has just enough variety to keep it entertaining the whole time.

Admittedly, the game is on the short side and it will likely take you under 10 hours your first time playing through. However, there are several extras to be found throughout the game and you'll doubtlessly want to play through more than once to complete more of the game and earn some of these bonuses.

Overall, Castlevania: Lament of Innocence is a surprising gem and is definitely a game that worth buying. Whether you're a past fan of Castlevania fans or have never picked up a game in the series before, you'll be enthralled with this entry in the series.


Great Game...just a little short of excellent!!!   April 24, 2004
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I'm a great fan of monster/vampire games and this game does not dissapoint me in the least!!! It is a great game. There are only 3 things that would make this an excellent game. 1-The camera angles can be a bit tricky, and at some points in the game, downright hurtfull. 2-It's my sincere belief that 2 controls for the item screen are not necessary, right stick would be better used as a camera control or better yet, not at all. 3-The intro to the story is not bad at all, but during the game I expected more answers and non-player character development.