|
|
Castlevania Judgment
|
|
|
|
|
|
Graphics & Sound:
After Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy VII, the game I most remember playing in the first few months I owned my PlayStation was Tekken 2. I can also remember the thrill of discovering Soul Blade, with its great blend of martial arts and weapon combat. Both these games are a decade old, so even though both are revered as classics, it's not like a lot of people want to go back in time and play them again today. There are, of course, a few of us that don't mind slightly dated presentation if there's good, retro gaming on the menu. Castlevania Judgment may not meet the high bar for quality set by its predecessors, but it's an entertaining return to a style of game we haven't played in a while, much less on the Wii.
The graphics in Castlevania Judgment aren't terrible, but then again, there isn't much to tax the system's resources. The backgrounds aren't completely static; each level usually has something happening in the background, and you'll find out what objects or elements in the background can be destroyed by your fighter. The detail on each character is great, with lots of customization possible using items you uncover during the game. With the ability to change your fighters' looks by adding kooky accessories, it's almost like Castlevania Judgment is the love child of Tekken and Hot Shots Golf... There is an entire section devoted to the BGM and voice samples you hear during the game, in addition to unlockable concept art from the game. Castlevania Judgment contains characters from across the entire spectrum of Castlevania games, and it's nice to see a nod to the core fans with this special content, even as Castlevania Judgment appears to not take itself too seriously. |
|
|
Gameplay:
This brand of fighting game won't be right for all tastes. This isn't Street Fighter or Tekken in terms of the finely tuned controls that allow for multi-button combos and customized moves that take advantage of high/low or light/heavy attacks. There are at least the variant attack types (light/heavy) and several increasingly powerful combo moves available. Magic items and supercharged attacks round out the offensive slate, with good defense options and nimble characters that dodge, roll, and jump out of harm's way. The limited complexity makes this a pure Arcade fighting game, although you can get into some good depth by chaining attacks and working out how to cancel each enemies attacks. The point in Castlevania Judgment is to pick it up and have skills immediately. It's not very well balanced, but that makes it accessible for almost anyone.
The various modes in Castlevania Judgment help the pacing of the game, and greatly increase the replay value. There's Tutorial Mode, not to be confused with Practice. Tutorial gives you a chance to master the different controls in the game, which vary according to the style of controller you choose. After you clear each Tutorial segment and defeat your instructor, you'll be ready to jump in and start fighting. The Practice Mode lets you select another character and dial in custom settings for how the "dummy" character will react. This can range from no resistance to full-on fighting. Practice helps you master moves, get a feel for a new character, and suss out how an enemy will react before you're under pressure in the ring. If we were looking at the sequence for a new player, Castle Mode is the next best place to play. This mode feels a bit like Survival, where you run through wave after wave of enemy until you lose your health. Castle is different because you can save and even heal between battles. Items are collected in Castle Mode, as spoils of your battle, we presume. Players that have experience with the Castlevania series will recognize that Castle Mode (and Story Mode, to some extent) is a nod to the classic, side-scrolling style of exploration we've come to expect from a Castlevania game. The final single-player mode is Arcade, where you'll go through a series of enemies in order to register the best clear time.
Multiplayer was done right in Castlevania Judgment. Facing off against another player is great when that other player is human. Even better in Nintendo Wi -Fi Connection Mode, where you can engage in battles with matched friends, or let the system do the matching between you and another player. It's great to be able to crack open the multiplayer and find it well done, but we wish there had been some more creative options included, such as a co-op tag team style of play or the ability to trade items. You can connect to your DS, so long as you have a copy of Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia , and open up two characters for your Wii that aren't otherwise available. There's no doubt that playing against other gamers will extend the lifespan of Castlevania Judgment, but how many people in the Wii demographic will consider this a must-have title? If not many do, the multiplayer lobby won't have much business, and gamers will turn away from Castlevania Judgment. The single-player experience just isn't meaty enough to keep this on the shelf very long. |
|
|
Difficulty:
Unlike games that require heavy memorization of moves and combos, Castlevania Judgment keeps things simple. It ends up being about three styles of attack, and how you combine them with moves, jumps, and blocks. The block is powerful and in the lower difficulty settings, prevents enemies from damaging you 90% of the time. As enemies become more powerful, or as you dial up the difficulty in the game's settings, you'll find them sweeping you out of position or launching unblockable attacks to overcome your "wait and pray" strategy. The easy difficulty setting is perfect for first-time Fighter gamers, with enemies that don't do much damage and won't get out of the way of your fists. The exception would be Dracula, who is hard enough to beat on the Easy setting... The biggest learning curve you'll have to master is the movement of your character around the level, plus the special attacks and attack strategy of your opponents. After you master your own technique, you'll need to know how to use your skills effectively against the enemy. Maybe it goes without saying, but just as you can do some wild, button-mashing in Castlevania Judgment, your opponents can get off some cheap shots that will cause you to groan.
|
|
|
Game Mechanics:
The thing we loved most about Castlevania Judgment is that it includes reasonably well-planned and thought-out controls for the Wii-mote + Nunchuk, Classic Controller, and GameCube controller. As you switch out between these three, you'll encounter totally different control schemes. Being a fan of the retro stuff, I gravitated immediately to the Classic Controller, but the Wii-mote configuration ended up being surprisingly easy. Motion controls are used for attacks, so get used to a sore wrist! You use the Nunchuk to move your character around the level and jump, leaving attacks on the Wii-mote. In general, heavy attacks that miss expose you to the opponent, which might not be a problem with a big, heavy, and lumbering creature like Golem. Fighting faster fighters like Grant Danasty or Sypha Belnades this way will almost always get you smoked. In the case of more nimble characters, stringing attacks is critical. Since the buttons for controls are very simple, stringing attacks all comes down to timing. If you miss your chance, you can always try again, but you do build up a meter that reflects how much potential you have to launch a special attack. Saving these monster attacks for the finishing move sounds appealing, but some characters actually do have a finishing move, almost like Mortal Kombat. Each character occupies a unique fighting space where you will have to defeat them. Knowing how to "ring out" an opponent is a neat skill, somewhat like a one-hit kill in a FPS or something... Once you find these spots, launching a heavier attack and perhaps getting a chain that take you into the air with your opponent is a good idea. This allows you to attack from mid-jump, but you'll have to be sure that enemies don't use ranged weapons/items on you from the ground, or jump up to attack you from your perch.
The nostalgia factor is high in Castlevania Judgment. It's a testament to what a vivid brand Castlevania represents, and also a reflection of the small number of more mature games available on Wii since it came out. Castlevania Judgment isn't more bloody than the Mortal Kombat, but there's something dramatic and more expansive in Castlevania Judgment, as you fight across some large levels and engage huge enemies... Everything about Castlevania Judgment is derivative, which may seem like a negative. When it comes to reliving past glory, we don't mind derivative if it means the game will make it to shelves. Castlevania Judgment has certainly arrived, and deserves a place in every retro gamer's library. It's in the tradition of those old Arcade Fighters we loved, and even if there are plenty of areas where the game feels a bit thin, we're excited about the chance to battle friends, rivals, and perfect strangers.... all online. Nintendo definitely is getting it down with all the games coming out that take full advantage of high-speed Internet. Keep it up, because the market grows faster, so will the total number of quality games. Having a tricked-out game in the Castlevania series is worth the bumps and bruises on various parts of Castlevania Judgment. It's a fun distraction, but nothing you'll want to write home about, unless you eat, sleep, and breathe all things Castlevania. |
|
|
-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
