I’ve been meaning to do this story for quite a while, but the lack of time to actually sit down and write a good preview just hasn’t presented itself until now.
CURSE OF DARKNESS takes place three years after CASTLEVANIA 3: DRACULA’S CURSE, when Trevor Belmont and pals KO’ed Dracula. However, just because Dracula’s out of the picture doesn’t mean everything’s sunshine and lollipops, as chaos still roams the land. The story focuses on Hector, a Devil Forgemaster who was an apprentice to Dracula. With his master pushing up daisies, Hector tries to go back to a peaceful life, before Dracula came into the picture. Unfortunately, it’s not meant to be, as Hector’s old friend and rival, Issac, shows up and gets Hector’s wife killed. Filled with anger, Hector sets off to exact unholy vengeance.
Fans of the previous Castlevania console game, LAMENT OF INNOCENCE, are in for a bit of a surprise. Gameplay is quite different in CURSE, as the static camera angle that was used previously has now been dropped in favor of a viewpoint that follows from behind Hector. Also, you now have full control over it, and can use the camera to lock on to enemies to make the fights that much easier. There is now only a single attack button, which seems kind of disappointing after having the benefit of two attack buttons for LAMENT. As a compromise, Konami has introduced a combo modifier button, which when you combine in varying patterns, you can issue more-complicated attacks, like a spin-slash move or a sword throw. There are also several types of weapons this time around, ranging from swords to axes to spears.
The biggest addition to CURSE are the Innocent Devils, which is an evolution of the familiars from the now-classic CASTLEVANIA: SYMPHONY OF THE NIGHT. Using the directional pad, you can set three different modes. In the default mode, your devil hovers around on its own, attacking bad guys and generally helping out. Switching to attack mode lets you command your demonic pal to unleash specific powers on your foes. Support mode lets you use the devils for various skills – for instance, a flying creature will grab Hector with its talons and fly him over chasms. CURSE OF DARKNESS will also have an item synthesis system such that you’ll gain new “recipes” for weapons, armor, and accessories as you play through the game. You’ll pick up various component parts –everything from aluminum to wild memory (whatever the heck that is) — and you can jump to a synthesis menu at any time to see what recipes you currently have available and whether or not you have the required parts to make those items. To top it off, Michiru Yamane returns once again to handle the soundtrack duties. Expect the mixture of orchestral and hard rock that made SYMPHONY such a blast to listen to return.
From the sounds of things, Konami looks to have another winner on its hands. While it remains to be seen if the gameplay approaches the level of SYMPHONY OF THE NIGHT (which LAMENT tried to duplicate but fell short in some ways), at least you’ll have an excuse to stay home on November 8th, which is when the game is released.
For more info, including screenshots and gameplay movies, grab your holy water and head here.