Joystiq hands-on: Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
by Majed Athab 
{ Sep 18th 2008 at 8:00AM }
One of the elements that stands out the most in this new Castlevania is the glyph system. In order to carry out actions, characters absorb glyphs (which are usually either weapons, i.e. a rapier, or magic, i.e. flying fire balls) and assign them to the X and Y buttons. You can equip the same glyph more than once, making things slightly more economical. You have a green bar under your red health bar -- this is a magic gauge. This depletes as you use your glyphs, but refills quickly as soon as you stop performing any actions with them; it basically regulates your attacks, so you won't be able to mindlessly breeze through the game.
Gallery: Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
The R-button glyph is set for special abilities like the magnetic bubble -- the very first one you'll come across in the game. Holding down the R button creates this magnetic bubble around your character. If there are special metal spots around, your character will be pulled into them, but not far enough to reach them. Instead, you'll have to release from the bubble which will create a force and propel your character; you can adjust the direction and climb up to high platforms, or sail across large ravines. As for stylus control, there doesn't seem to be any. Control seems to be entirely made up of face buttons, shoulder triggers, and the d-pad.
In Order of Ecclesia, you'll have several places to explore. You'll be brought to an overview map, where you can choose a destination. Aside from vampire-infested castles, you can visit forest and towns ... or at least just one town, Ecclesia. While that's an interesting bit to take note of, this next one takes the cake. Those who love Japanese voice acting can breathe a sigh of relief: the game has dual audio for English and Japanese. By now you've probably seen some screenshots of the game; you can tell that the action is all on the bottom touch screen, while a mini-map conveniently sits on the top screen. There's not much else to say about that really,, except that the result of this setup means the mini-map will quickly become a very useful tool.
There are extra modes in the game like Practice mode: this requires you to choose from three different stages and make a speed run through them. Boss Battle takes you on a series of timed boss fights. We faced off against a giant crab-like monstrosity in a vertical tunnel, and then a guy with a large wolf-like shadow. There was also a gargantuan red-shelled thing, which required the use of the magnetic bubble to dodge attacks. These are just some examples of boss fights you'll find scattered around the main game.
While we didn't get to really delve into the game's storyline, all we can tell thus far is that you play as Shanoa -- a sultry vixen with long, flowing ebony locks who's looking for ... something. So, all right, we focused more on the gameplay, but that should tell you that we've had our healthy portion of fun with this one. This is definitely a title to keep an eye on for both Castlevania fans and Nintendo DS owners alike. It's creeping up soon -- October 21 to be exact.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
StarFoxA @ Sep 18th 2008 8:03AM
I'll definitely be picking up this game.
Fernando Rocker @ Sep 18th 2008 8:14AM
Very nice... definitely picking this game.
Now, where is my hinted WiiWare Castlevania? =p
FOXHOUND @ Sep 18th 2008 8:20AM
And I had just commented on ARIA OF SORROW yesterday too... ORDER OF ECCLESIA just might be that CV game I've been itching to play since CV:AOS.
AwesomeTown @ Sep 18th 2008 8:29AM
Awesome. You can never have too much Castlevania.
Megadanxzero @ Sep 18th 2008 8:32AM
Eeeh... I dunno... From what I've seen it looks a bit more Portrait of Ruin than Dawn of Sorrow, which is NAT good
Still, a girl who can create enormous magical swords? Hawt
Da Rabid Duckie @ Sep 18th 2008 9:37AM
Pre-ordered and paid for, baby!
... wait, crab boss?
Can you hit its weak spot for massive damage?
jimmygotsmack @ Sep 18th 2008 10:20AM
And I Thought My Jokes Were Bad.
Also, Crab battle!
ZippyDSMlee @ Sep 18th 2008 10:02AM
Is this mroe more like Castlevania and less like a generic side scrolling adventure fantasy game?
DOS was so so and its gone down hill from there..like the 3D titles....
Vidikron @ Sep 18th 2008 10:23AM
What are you talking about? These have all been similar in gameplay to SotN. What exactly is a "generic side scrolling advernture fantasy game" anyway? Exactly how many games do we have like the Castlevania series? If there are bunch more out there I'd sure like to know. I love these games.
ZippyDSMlee @ Sep 18th 2008 10:40AM
Vidikron
Put in a email for the replie feature to work.
SOTN is the shining star of Castlevania, White night concerto(Harmony of Dissonance) dimed the formula some but every since Aria of Sorrow its been getting dimer and dimer you have nearly the same worn out skill sets,weapons and themes, Circle of the moon is much more of a CV game than the few last attempts at one.
Aria of Sorrow,Dawn of Sorrow,Portrait of Ruin are very generic fantasy games compared to any of the CV games before them including the 3D ones.... now Aria of Sorrow I can give some breaks to as like Harmony of Dissonance its ok to a point but they went and made 3 games out of it diluting the series....
Vidikron @ Sep 18th 2008 11:07AM
"Put in a email for the replie feature to work"
Huh? My reply did work.
Anyway, I just don't feel the same way. It seems that your complaint isn't really that's it's a generic fantasy game, but rather that the forumla has gotten old to you. I can see that. The DS games are indeed very similar. But I guess for me I just don't care. There just aren't any other good games out there like this.
Basically, this series gives me one good 2D adventure game to play every year or two. Maybe if there were other options out there I'd feel the same way as you. The only similar series was the 2D Metroids, but we haven't seen one of those since the GBA.
I think my only complaint so far would be that I would like to see a greater variety of enemies between games. I don't mind so much that the skills and items are often the same, but I would like to face off against largely new set of foes in each game. But they seem to take the easy route and just recycle the sprites from the previous games and make a new one. Still love the series though.
Yourself @ Sep 18th 2008 12:10PM
The only two since SOTN I would complain about are Circle of the Moon and Dawn of Sorrow. Circle of the Moon had a near-broken magic system that relied on random drops of cards. Because of the fact that I never got these random drops, I finished the game with 4 cards - it was painful. The idea was there, but the implementation was horrendous.
Dawn of Sorrow was the only one that didn't come up with a new system of side-weapons. While I loved the soul system, and the Pokemon-esque element it introduced into AoS, Dawn of Sorrow felt like a slower version of the same game, even sharing a lot of the same areas. I also feel like the music started to weaken with DoS, to the point where Portrait of Ruin didn't have a single catchy tune in it.
Portrait of Ruin was saved by the alternate modes. While the dual characters did almost nothing for the game, playing as the sisters was a blast, and Richter really made the game feel like a speedy platformer. As of yet, I haven't seen anything that makes Order of Ecclesia look even remotely different from the main mode in PoR, which may not be a great thing.
ZippyDSMlee @ Sep 18th 2008 12:21PM
Yourself
I got a good bit of magic in COTM so it was not so bad plus without most of the magic it was kinda fun I replayed it a few times and enjoyed it,AOS was a mild SOTN all in all good, DOS I am still trying to play I just can't get into it and POR is worse its liek the FF effect of dragging the same theme into the ground....god 'll kill to have a coherent and fun equipment system in a FF game again, FFX was not so bad but other issues drag the game down and FF12 is a joke with the broken skill system and MMO fcktarted equipment...
Yourself @ Sep 18th 2008 12:28PM
:shrug: I just think it was a poor choice to make your main weapons 100% random in CotM.
As for Portrait of Ruin, I can agree that the gameplay isn't exactly thrilling, but you just have to tough out the main games to play as the extra characters. Like Castlevania III, that's where the fun's at.
ZippyDSMlee @ Sep 18th 2008 12:44PM
Yourself
I do not tough it through entertainment to try and enjoy it in the end. A game is either fun or too flawed POR is boreing and Bioshock(must get claws in deeper :P) is fcktarded in pacing/balance.
Devs have to do better with gameplay and I won't put up wit a bad game unless its fun to play (time shift and only the first play though :P).
I am ze game nazi who wanders the streets at night in search of bwwaqiinnssssss..mmmmmm bwains R 4 noming........
BBWWAAIINNSSSSS!!! *shuffle shuffle*
Yourself @ Sep 18th 2008 1:20PM
I meant tough it out so that you can be rewarded with the fun characters.... Personally, if I spend 35$ on something, I want to make sure I'm getting the most of it.
The rest of what you said, I don't even begin to comprehend.
ZippyDSMlee @ Sep 18th 2008 1:30PM
Yourself
Mmm my zippy to english translator broken :P
One dose not have to force oneself to enjoy a game, and thats what today's devs are doing with their gammeplay design by focusing so much on graphics or brandizing(cashing in) they are forgetting games are fun things to play not annoying things to learn and play.
FSK405K @ Sep 18th 2008 2:27PM
There's two types of 2D Castlevanias. The ones I think he's alluding to as being far more interesting are the non-linear ones, the ones like Castlevania 2 but without all the mind-splitting memorization. These are the ones that helped coin the term "metroidvania", which used to have its own wikip' page. The other 2D Castlevanias are the linear ones, like Castlevania 1. These are good games but not nearly as fantastic.
Which DS Castlevanias fall into which category?
ZippyDSMlee @ Sep 18th 2008 6:15PM
FSK405K
The DS ones fall to metroidvania, but thats not the problem the nuances of DOS/POR feel meek and watered down and overused, they need to keep things fresh by changing things more, I really enjoyed COTM because it was random,AOS was ok but DOS felt off and POR amplified it more.
The "Metroidvania" CV games are good but if you get stuck in a quagmire of the same controls/setting/items things start to become the same game after game.
Levi @ Sep 19th 2008 7:47AM
From reading your other posts in this thread and your opinion of recent Castlevania games, I have come to the conclusion that you are retarded.
ZippyDSMlee @ Sep 19th 2008 6:22PM
Levi
Oooo I luzs it when the idiot is callings the moron names!!
WELL DONE!!
I roll zeros foo, deal with it ^_~
xGeneral DEATHx @ Sep 18th 2008 10:42AM
The very name "Castlevania" holds incredible power. They could release a new title every year and I'd still buy it!
I noticed some of the screens showed enemies that have been unchanged for years, and yet I don't care...wish I had that kind of selling power.
This game will still rock, although I have yet to finish Portrait of Ruin. I suppose I should get that done soon.
ZippyDSMlee @ Sep 18th 2008 11:19AM
I do not buy easily into brands or "franchising", I make damn well
sure my money is spent well and on throw away products.
The last half dozen Castlevania's have been bargain bin titles.....
(SOTN and COTM were the last great CV titles AOS was not so bad
better than HOD but not by much.)
People who buy mindlessly into gaming is helping status quo of crap games....
xGeneral DEATHx @ Sep 18th 2008 11:38AM
...or they just really enjoy those types of games. Don't get me wrong, I see where you're coming from here, but my comment had more to do with how much I love the gameplay aspects of Castlevania...the "power of name" part was meant to be humorous...along the lines of Madden-esque humor. I've got friends that continue to buy Madden titles yearly for the same reason: They love the gameplay, and the roster update is enough to sell them on buying another one.
ZippyDSMlee @ Sep 18th 2008 12:45PM
xGeneral DEATHx
True true, I am so tired of the watering down tho if thigns keep up only the noobs wont be jaded from a majority of bad and then what the industry is putting so much money into pretty it can not afford to lose older gamers.
I hope they are working on a new 3D CV game with revamped level design that and the combo systems used in LOI/COD are whats really keeping it down.
They need a sand box level design with more depth to the levels(more zelda like than CV64), the adventure levels they are using do not do CV3D justice....
gst @ Sep 18th 2008 7:07PM
The Metroidvanias are all digital crack and I am addicted. Yeah they recycle near-to the same enemies (sprites at least) and many similar game mechanics, but they also have released all of them at breakneck pace.
This will be 6 games in 8 years and, frankly, based on their game-making formula, I am amazed that the games are still so fun. I consider their strategy now to be similar to what was done with megaman back in the nes/snes days, basically add slight nuances onto the same addictive formula over and over. Sadly, megaman I think got much more stale much faster, and the Cv games continue to be relentlessly addictive if only because the basic formula is so fun.
(With that said, more 2D metroid as well please...or, hell someone add a new IP to the mix along the same lines. )
SOTN was a straight up 10/10 for me (seeing as my only complaint is that, despite how much game was there, I desperately wanted more...) and the CV games on the handhelds that try to follow that formula have been more like high 8s and low 9s but I am totally fine with that. Yes it would be nice to see a big fancy 2d castlevania in full HD that has a longer more involved dev cycle and less recycling, but I'm not one to argue with having fun games in the same series thrown at me almost every year.
But, about that 2d HD CV... I mean I still think SOTN is absolutely gorgeous if only because the design and artwork was so good, and that was two generations ago. Damn 3D aberrations wasting development resources...
Levi @ Sep 18th 2008 10:44AM
2D Castlevania in HD for PS3, please!
jimmygotsmack @ Sep 18th 2008 11:03AM
Not gonna happen, but wouldn't that be nice?
ZippyDSMlee @ Sep 18th 2008 11:27AM
They'll have to fix all the antiquated issues with the CV 3D titles.
First off they need to drop the flat panel level design, and use a better combo attack system.
vgxtremist @ Sep 18th 2008 11:05AM
Man, I just keep on coming back for more, my 3rd DS Castlevania game here I come!
xGeneral DEATHx @ Sep 18th 2008 11:09AM
Castlevania is truly the only reason I own a DS...the DS titles + the older DS has that nifty slot for the GBA titles.
Wiinterfang @ Sep 18th 2008 11:13AM
Those Sprites are horrible, Konami needs to step up.
DangerMouse @ Sep 18th 2008 11:17AM
Then all the old sprites they're reusing would look bad, too.
ZippyDSMlee @ Sep 18th 2008 11:20AM
Vidikron
*noogies*
I can not reply to your comment directly if you do not log into joystick without a email.
Meh CV has been getting away from CV with he god alwful villains/settings and over genericness in...everything... AOS is great for what it is(a one off CV title) but as a series it takes the CV series away from what it's meant to be.
Its good to see they are trying to get away from the redundancy of AOS/DOS/POR but its still effected by it to much.
Vidikron @ Sep 18th 2008 11:37AM
"I can not reply to your comment directly if you do not log into joystick without a email. "
Unless I'm missing something, I don't think it works that way. You can only reply to the top level post. So to reply to what I said you have to actually reply to yourself since your post is at the top level. AFAIK there are only two levels of posts on Joystiq: the top level and the replys to the top level. You can't directly reply to replies. When I make these replies I am using my e-mail + password.
As for Castlevania, it will have to be an agree to disagree situation. I love them. If we didn't have these 2D Castlevania games there would be no place to get a 2D fantasy game fix.
xGeneral DEATHx @ Sep 18th 2008 11:54AM
Zippy: Please don't use a computer.
ZippyDSMlee @ Sep 18th 2008 11:56AM
Vidikron
You are missing something.
This is how comments work without putting in your email when you sign into joystiq.
Coment poster 1
this sucks
Comment poster 3
yay!!!
Coment poster 2 in reply to 1
you think?
Comment poster 4 in reply to 2
WWEEEEE!!!!!
Comment poster 5 in reply 1
aw come on its not that bad!!
When you sign in with your email you can be replied to in your posts so the conversation flows like so
Coment poster 1
this sucks
Coment poster 2 in reply to 1
you think?
Comment poster 5 in reply 1
aw come on its not that bad!!
Comment poster 3
yay!!!
Comment poster 4 in reply to 2
WWEEEEE!!!!!
------------------
When you sign in everyone can reply to each other in a orderly fashion without having to skim through the mess of comments to find a reply to the comment you made.
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CV is suffering from the FF effect by trying to be different they use more redundant and flawed gameplay designs that get watered down over time. Much like FF sometimes it works (like F9) and sometimes it dosen't(F8,FFX,FF12) LOL :P
My point it feels more generic and watered down lets go back to pre modern times for CV settings and use more traditional CV story's, bad or not killing off Dracula and making a new cast of main villains that suck more than all the villains of the past CV games is not a good thing........ it would be nice if they based a game around the Belmont from AOS/DOS, give him different whips with different attacks and moves to learn in a quest to retrieve or master the Vampire killer anythign is better than the system from DOS/AOS.
ZippyDSMlee @ Sep 18th 2008 11:59AM
xGeneral DEATHx
you first :P
Oh I see they updated the comment system again I thought replies can only be made back and forth when you sign in with your email address.... altho you still need it in order to properly reply to a comment the first time......
xGeneral DEATHx @ Sep 18th 2008 12:00PM
You're either giving a tutorial on something you have no clue about, or you can see into other dimensions where things don't have the same form or function as this one. Just stop.
Spartacus @ Sep 18th 2008 12:05PM
I'm just curious about the title.
I usually don't read into game titles (Infinite Undiscovery?), but what might "Order of Ecclesia" mean?
Ecclesia is a New Testamant era Greek word meaning "government" which we translate as "church".
Not everyday you hear the word in a modern context, so I was just curious...
umm....hello??? @ Sep 18th 2008 12:15PM
yay for making a traditional 2D game that doesn't rely on the stylus. this is one Castlevania game I'm looking forward to...
ed @ Sep 18th 2008 1:32PM
Holy fuck yes!
And screw them knobheads up there talking about the series going downhill. Standard Castlevania is rubbish, it's slow and has shitty stairs. AoS and DoS are 2 of the greatest games going. AoS for it's execution and DoS for the refined gameplay and better music.
PoR wasn't that great but 1 bad game isn't sign of a series going downhill = It's a sign of a bad game. And by the look of things OoE looks like another high quality DoS romp.
And no PS3 version, no total BS like that. Keep it on the DS and then the DS2. And also screw the 3D games. And the 3D models in these games.
TheNoid @ Sep 18th 2008 3:41PM
TheNoid says you all bitch more than his mother! TheNoid
will play this game and reserve his bitching for afterward. If TheNoid feels as though he's been ripped off, than he will take it out on the little scottish dweeb at GameStop.
Sam @ Sep 18th 2008 4:22PM
Sweet. Definitely picking this one up.
Abscissa @ Sep 18th 2008 4:35PM
I'll get this IF (and only if) THEY EVER PUT IT ON A FUCKING *TV*-based system! I'm so fed up with this "good 2d games are typically handheld-only" crap. The last SIX Metroidvanias (including this one), Contra 4, New Mario, Sonic Rush, Metroid Zero Mission, I mean, goddamn...what's wrong with these people?