Metareview -- Castlevania Judgment (Wii)
Nobody seems to have been whipped into a frenzy by Konami's recent stab at a Castlevania fighting game. A small group of reviewers has finally passed judgment on the Wii-only release, and, by-and-large, the consensus is a resounding groan – and it's not coming from Frankenstein's monster.
- IGN (75/100): "In the list of games I'm dying to play in the Castlevania series, a 3D fighter was about as far from the top as possible, but Judgment was a pleasant surprise."
- G4 X-Play (20/100): "The soundtrack is the only thing in Castlevania Judgment that does proper homage to the series."
- 1UP (D-): "As a fighter, Castlevania Judgment employs too many design ideas that are neither well planned nor well executed. It's a strange misstep for the beloved series, one that Konami hopefully learns from."






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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Lord Negatron @ Nov 24th 2008 3:54PM
Im starting to wonder about IGN staff.
It seems the cyborgs that handle their reviews need maintenance.
pwnetheus @ Nov 24th 2008 10:09PM
So says the robot. You took 4 minutes to reply to this post. I think YOU need maintenance.
Shagittarius @ Nov 24th 2008 3:57PM
Castlevania IGN Judgment: The Payola-ing
sinai @ Nov 24th 2008 4:49PM
no, IGN ratings usually are way the hell off. their reviewers are morons.
Donald @ Nov 25th 2008 12:46AM
Any site that rates God Hand the same as Corey In The House (DS) needs to take a long, LONG look in the mirror.
Sami @ Nov 25th 2008 1:22AM
Yeah, it's not like Joystiq just happened to pick the two lowest reviews besides the IGN one, and the other from G4 no less... The haters are out on full force with this one.
BananaBoat @ Nov 25th 2008 3:50AM
The X-Play review. G4 just happens to be on X-Play. Believe it or not, there are still people out there that trust the reviews given by X-Play, even if the entire G4 network is circling the drain.
That said, the other two (IGN and EGM) are huge players in the games review sector, with millions of readers. I don't know what you want Joystiq to do if two of the largest publications really hated the game....oh right, you want them to find the highest review (let's face it, 75 probably IS the highest score for the game) and put it on there, no matter where it comes from.
BananaBoat @ Nov 25th 2008 5:07AM
Err, reverse that. X-Play is on G4, not the other way around. You guys knew what I meant dernit.
Sami @ Nov 25th 2008 5:53AM
BB, have you even looked at the reviews? IGN was indeed fairly positive, the 1up review was just hate over it not being SotN2, but there are middle of the road reviews too like the one from GameTrailers, so choosing two of the lowest ones is just Joystiq playing into the hatin'.
Titanium_Orchid @ Nov 24th 2008 4:01PM
that won't be good for business...
WiNG [Life in a Game] @ Nov 24th 2008 5:05PM
that won't be good for anybody!
Genius @ Nov 24th 2008 5:20PM
+1 for the Seinfeld reference lol
Moptimus Slime @ Nov 24th 2008 5:27PM
KJ is right: The Wii could only hope to produce building and gravel textures that blurry
Moptimus Slime @ Nov 24th 2008 5:30PM
you know, its times like this I wanna beat up the guy who made this comment system
Haggard @ Nov 24th 2008 6:08PM
I can't see why this game was even made. Who's gonna buy it? Did the executives think that the team might turn out a triple-A 97%-metascore big hitter or something?
Sami @ Nov 25th 2008 1:32AM
Those guys reviewing this in the 70s or more enjoyed the game, and many gamers are enjoying it even more. But then you've got the hype machine reviewers who judge a game according to their preconceptions and go onto full hate mode with their ridiculously low scores, just because it isn't a new console SotN. I bet this game is more fun than GTA4.
Killjebus @ Nov 24th 2008 4:05PM
Behold....the power of the wii. But graphics don't matter, it's all about the gameplay.....waggle waggle.
Some of those textures would be at home on the PS1.
Wiinterfang @ Nov 24th 2008 4:12PM
This one would be terrible regardless of console, the waggle just add a layer of suckage to the game.
Lord Negatron @ Nov 24th 2008 4:15PM
lol
Wii = Trash! !!!
*runs*
Mr Khan @ Nov 24th 2008 4:23PM
Certainly isn't worth fighting the ignorance anymore.
Ignore me, let the hater circle-jerk continue.
Lucy Chel @ Nov 24th 2008 4:28PM
-Killjebus
exaggerating much? really, playstation one textures? look again my friend. have you played a playstation one game recently?
also, behold... the power of the hd consoles. overhyped hd 30 million dollar big budgeted triple-a mediocre games. mostly all were disappointments in some way and didn't live up to the crazy hype. but hd graphics are the future right?
Hyams @ Nov 24th 2008 4:26PM
"let the hater circle-jerk continue."
I've gotta find a way to use that phrase in casual conversation.
tmacairjordan87 @ Nov 24th 2008 4:29PM
Not even fernando could stop the rapidly increasing hate of the wii and the current gen nintendo here, so if that was your goal Mr Khan you never had a chance. Only Nintendo themselves can do that.
Killjebus @ Nov 24th 2008 4:30PM
"let the hater circle-jerk continue."
Perhaps you miss-understood my comment, I am not hating on the Wii and it's waggle waggle, I am LAUGHING at the wii and it's 1990's graphical prowess.
Killjebus @ Nov 24th 2008 4:39PM
"exaggerating much? really, playstation one textures? look again my friend. have you played a playstation one game recently?"
Oh but I have, I found something...I'd like to show it to ya....here it is....
http://www.gamershell.com/playstation/tekken_3/screenshots.html?id=120625
Like I said, textures that would be home (at least in the ballpark) on the wii.
Cesaria (GT: Cesaria360; PSN: Cesaria) @ Nov 24th 2008 4:43PM
You know how awesome it is to enjoy all three consoles? I get to play the best games that all three consoles have to offer without retarded bias. This is what we call being mature.
Killjebus @ Nov 24th 2008 4:45PM
"on the wii."
edit: on the PS1
Yes the wii's Castlevania Judgement looks better, but in my opinion this game is CLOSER to the PS1 than it is to the PS3 in terms of textures and graphics.
samfish @ Nov 24th 2008 4:52PM
If you honestly believe this looks closer to a PS1 game in terms of textures, you're a freakin' idiot.
Killjebus @ Nov 24th 2008 4:59PM
Here is a coupe of screens from KZ2, now Sammyboy, are you going to stand there like Forrest, Forrest Gump and tell me that the textures in this wii game are closer than the textures from Tekken 3 for the PS1?
Thanks for the laugh buddy.
http://www.psu.com/New-Killzone-2-shots-show-off-amazing-ground-textures-News--a4983-p0.php
StalkerB @ Nov 24th 2008 5:11PM
By the way, you're not far wrong.
Rein @ Nov 24th 2008 5:11PM
Jebus, we already know that the Wii is weaker than the other two system in terms of graphics. It would be stupid to compare it to a PS3 game, however, to compare it to a PS1 game is an entire different level of stupidity.
If you're trying to make an argument instead of trolling, why not compare it to a PS2 or Xbox game? Maybe even Gamecube? Come on now.
Moptimus Slime @ Nov 24th 2008 5:13PM
yes, because screenshots present accurate representations of games (COUGHCOUGHFINALFANTASYCOUGH).
Farseer (GDI) @ Nov 24th 2008 5:17PM
Killjebus, your trolling is fairly juvenile. The Wii more closely resembles the graphical level of the PS2. To say that the Wii more closely resembles the PS1 than the PS3 is a really silly statement.
Moptimus Slime @ Nov 24th 2008 5:28PM
KJ is right: The Wii could only hope to produce building and gravel textures that blurry
Moptimus Slime @ Nov 24th 2008 5:36PM
hate to form a comment c-c-c-combo, but really Jebs? Tekken 3? Tekken 3 made Virtua Fighter on the 32X look like Far Cry 2. I'd know, I played it this weekend (along with the last good inforgrames game, Test Drive 6)
Moptimus Slime @ Nov 24th 2008 5:45PM
Just thought I'd remind KJ of the last time Guerilla showed off really cool looking screenshots.
http://www.globaltimoto.com/Nav/SupMat/Guerrilla/Killzone_SCEE_Screenshot.jpg
Now THERES a PS1 game!
philmcphail @ Nov 24th 2008 6:00PM
Killjebus, would you kindly stop making all PS3 fanboys look like douche bags?
BPMOmega [gamertag] @ Nov 25th 2008 12:20AM
Why the hell isn't KJ banned already? No, seriously, how does a troll like him stay unbanned?
I think this'll be my last month at the Joystiq if they don't perform some much needed cleaning up around here...
Anam @ Nov 25th 2008 10:35AM
Why would he be banned? It is an article about a Wii-only game that Killjebus is suggesting looks like something from the PS1.
Do we get banned for being wrong now?
Anyway, as others have pointed out, if you were to compare the Wii's graphics to a Sony console, it should be the Playstation 2. Though I should point out that Resident Evil 4 looks better than anything on the Playstation 2, so the correct assessment is that the Wii is capable of a level of graphics somewhere between the Playstation 2 and Playstation 3.
tmacairjordan87 @ Nov 24th 2008 4:11PM
A 20/100??? Even most of the shovelware on wii is laughing at that.
Titanium_Orchid @ Nov 24th 2008 4:14PM
The IGN and G4 reviews are almost polar opposites. Its like they didn't even play the same game.
The 1up review seems to be the most accurate. Unfortunately, the entire review is roughly three paragraphs long.
I give these reviews a 4/10
Rhinosaur @ Nov 24th 2008 4:15PM
That's quite the discrepancy, don't you think?
Guess IGN is the only one running their ads.
Sami @ Nov 25th 2008 1:38AM
I've only seen Judgment ads at 1up...
baby sea tuna @ Nov 24th 2008 4:16PM
On one of the 1up podcasts they were saying that to play, you basically shake the remote until your combo meter fills up and then press down on the d-pad for an automatic win. Rinse, repeat. Sounds like loads of fun.
Looks like this game is embarrassing to the Castlevania franchise, the Wii, and fighting games everywhere. Good work Konami!
Mr Khan @ Nov 24th 2008 4:21PM
You lend some sort of credibility to 1up's podcasts?
.......
tmacairjordan87 @ Nov 24th 2008 4:25PM
Mr Khan don't tell me you're hurt from when John Davidson went off on Wii Music a couple weeks ago, even saying his 5 year old thought it was retardedly boring.
The only other people who rip 1up podcasts are usually butt-hurt pc fanboys.
Mr Khan @ Nov 24th 2008 4:28PM
Taking console bias completely out of the picture, i find them to be hideously pretentious.
baby sea tuna @ Nov 24th 2008 4:29PM
I share the opinions of several of their staff members, yes. Plus, it's hardly unbelievable when someone says that you can get through the fighting portion of a Wii game by simply shaking the controller indescriminately. I mean, just look at Star Wars, Soul Calibur Legends, or even Twilight Princess.
It's twice as believable considering that most of the games Konami has released recently (that aren't called MGS4) are pretty terrible.
TwEE @ Nov 24th 2008 4:53PM
Whoa tuna, you can get through Twilight Princess by "shaking the controller indescriminately"?!?!
Full of crap much?
Moptimus Slime @ Nov 24th 2008 5:05PM
I enjoy many 1UP pods, such as 1UP FM, Legendary Thread (even though I no longer play WoW), LAN Party (formerly 97.5 The Brodeo), Retronauts, Broken Pixels, The 1UP Show. Pretty much everything but 1UP Yours. Why? Well, time for 1. I don't have 2 hours to spend listening to Shane or Garnett pretend to argue over whether or not a game is good. And thats also my second reason, most of the time they rehash things I read on their site days ago (I realize its a week-in-review, but give me a break) and the way they "debate" over games just seems so forced and out of placed. Finally is humor. Yes, I realize not every podcast can be funny, but listening to Shane when he shows up on FM then hearing him later in the week has me convinced that there are 2 Shanes.