The new Castlevania game, Castlevania Judgment, is about as far as you can get from what made the series popular. The Wii-only title takes characters from the universe and throws them into a fighting game. I know there must be some slash fiction that pitted Alucard and Simon against each other, but did we really need a fighting game? Finally, your dreams of pitting Dracula against Maria can be fulfilled!
To be fair, the game will be doing a couple of interesting things. The levels will be interactive, with different items that can be picked up and used against your enemy, and even wandering monsters (like the zombie above) and traps that can be used to your advantage. Also, check out the icons on the bottom of the screen- looks like the
Axes, Holy Water and other items will be making a comeback (although
let’s face it, the Axe was always the best weapon by far.)
Since this is a Wii title, the game will of course use the controls as weapons, where you’ll stab and parry and possibly whip your enemies with realistic motions. The game will also allow online multiplayer and connectivity with the upcoming Nintendo DS (and far more exciting) title Order of Ecclesia.
But one other thing that bugs me about this, besides the innate weirdness of using this license for a fighting game? It’s using art from Takeshi Obata of Death Note fame, who unfortunately designed the characters as the horrifically androgynous weirdos they’ve slowly become over the years. For example, this is Simon Belmont, a bad ass vampire hunter.
Try not to laugh. It was so much better when he was just a mess of pixels, or appearing on Nintendo Power covers and scaring the shit out of kids.
In any case, the game is set for release early next year, and will possibly be playable at E3 next week. We’ll get impressions up if we get them.