Castlevania: Lament of Innocence

System: Playstation 2
Release Date: 2003
Published By: Konami
Reviewed by: Darien
Rating:

Castlevania games are my dirty little secret. I buy whole consoles just to play them, and, indeed, this game is the whole entire reason I own a Playstation 2. I have a feeling that a Castlevania game will be what sells me a PSP sometime down the road. And a Playstation 3. But I digress.

Lament of Innocence is a Belmont-led Castlevania game, which means one thing in particular: whip. You can collect all kinds of armours and accessories and special moves and especially food, but your weapon will remain whip. And, indeed, your weapon does remain whip for the entire game, though there are five different whips to collect and play with. All the whipness doesn't become too bland, though, since the combat system has just enough depth to offset it.

Subweapons are, of course, a major part of the game. You get the standard Castlevania collection of Dagger, Axe, Holy water, and Cross, plus the curious new addition of Crystal. This isn't bouncy diamond like in Symphony; this is crystal like in time bomb. Each subweapon can be used on its own or combined with one of seven coloured orbs for a different effect, giving a total of forty possible efective subweapons. Some are good. Some are crap. Them's the breaks.

For once, I actually have good things to say about the cinematics in a game! The cinematics here are well done to the point of foolishness. I've never seen cutscene models in a video game actually act before, but they sure enough do here. Leon and Rinaldo are totally believable, which is high praise. Walter is fine and dandy, I suppose, but I simply can't have much respect for a vampire lord called goddamn Walter. The actors are even pretty good. Note that I say actors. Masculine. The actresses are varying degrees of apalling.

So is this game worth buying a whole console for? Well, if you can get the thing for fifteen bucks like I did, definitely. God bless eBay.

Buy this game from Amazon.com!