Metareview - Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin [update 1]
by David Hinkle 
{ Dec 4th 2006 at 3:55PM }
We've been waiting for this one a long, long time. And, finally, it has arrived. Arrived and been well-received by the critics. Taking over as two heroes in Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, Jonathan Morris the vampire hunter and Charlotte Orlean, his magical sidekick, this latest adventure takes place during World War II. Of course, Dracula comes back into the picture and the ever-familiar conflict once again presents itself. The difference this time around, according to the game's critics, is that the adventure is the best the franchise has ever seen, presenting new gameplay mechanics and touch-screen interaction that lacks that gimmicky feel it did in Dawn of Sorrow.- GamePro - 90%: "A game that not only reaffirms the series' greatness, but is easily one of the best handheld games released this year."
- Game Informer - 93%: "Putting two characters in the player's hands proves to be an ingenious way of expanding on Castlevania's bread-and-butter action. It's been done before, but Portrait of Ruin's system is particularly smooth in execution."
- Nintendo Power - 90%: "Portrait of Ruin provides a whole lot more of a very good thing, and Castlevania fans won't be disappointed with the results." [Jan. 2007, p.114]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
GOB @ Dec 4th 2006 5:44PM
B-B-But the box art!
Tobias @ Dec 4th 2006 4:28PM
A game that not only reaffirms the series' greatness, but is easily once of the best handheld games released this year.
Cyryl @ Dec 5th 2006 12:02AM
B-B-But...WTF about it?
Lemme guess. You've got a problem with it. You're one of those IDIOTS who judges a book by it's cover?
You're one of those CASTLEVANIA n00bz... Aren't you?
Don't say ANOTHER WORD, f00l.
Freakin' new-schoolers... GAH! They DISGUST me!
My only question is...WHEN THE HELL are we FINALLY going to get a REAL Castlevania compilation!? That's right. ALL of the old-school Castlevania games in a single compilation!! How about a re-release of Symphony of the Night on DS? That would REALLY kick some ass. I wonder if Konami has ANY idea how many people would freakin' buy BOTH of those concepts!
Come on, Konami! You're doin' GREAT...but your head isn't QUITE out of your ass, YET. You're ALMOST there!
Just a LITTLE BIT FARTHER...
*waits for the "POP!" sound to crescendo across the void*
But while I wait for THAT... At least I have my Portrait of Ruin AND that SWEET-ASS 20th anniversary pack reserved and ready to snag TOMORROW! Can't wait!
Damon @ Dec 4th 2006 9:46PM
Um.. #3, I think #2 was making fun of all the people that were complaining about the box art. Also, it's best not to use leet-speak when trying to ridicule somebody. You tend to look dumb. Very, very dumb.
Hung @ Dec 5th 2006 4:14AM
Um, I think GOB was being sarcastic Cyryl...anyways, planning on getting this game. Was worried that it wouldn't be as good as Dawn of Sorrows, but from how the reviews look, it surpasses it. =D
Matters @ Dec 4th 2006 9:42PM
I'm not 100% about this but I think he was making fun of the people who made a big deal about the direction the art was taking in this game....
I don't remember the debate that well because it was stupid back then and it's stupid now. Looks like the game rocks regardless of what those douche bags were saying.
Senkasui @ Dec 4th 2006 11:29PM
"(...) presenting new gameplay mechanics and touch-screen interaction that lacks that gimmicky feel it did in Dawn of Sorrow."
I personally think Dawn of Sorrow is good as it is. I didn't feel that it needed the touch-screen interaction to be good. Or maybe I just haven't played much "touching" games yet...
By the way, is the link in that image correct? Shouldn't it link to this one http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ds/castlevaniaportraitofruin instead of http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ds/castlevaniads?q=dawn%20of%20sorrow?
Cyryl @ Dec 5th 2006 12:17AM
What's the matter? Afraid that you might not be able to interpret? Let me water it down for you then...'NEWBIE'.
Geez. As if I obviously don't have perfectly viable skills of literacy to accompany it.
It only looks 'stupid' if you obviously don't have any real literacy, idiot.
Old habits die hard. 6 years of off and on "LEET SPEAK" does that to you.
Don't ridicule me for THAT shit, lame-ass.
And fine. If he/she was talkin' about other folks whining and complaining about the box...then whatever. I just might be WRONG in that case then. Wouldn't I?
But how many people do you think I witnessed bitching and complaining about it, eh?
This fool didn't even bother to notate that he was KIDDING.
Now STFU.
Cyryl @ Dec 5th 2006 12:19AM
WOW.
I don't know what the hell happened...but my comment (#6) suddenly slipped from #3 to #6 when I went to post my last comment.
Let it be known that my first post was ORIGINALLY #3 and that it was ME who was being ridiculed! LOL!
Interesting. I've NEVER seen that happen in a forum before...
Kia @ Dec 5th 2006 1:10AM
Wow, someone needs to calm down -real- fast! Too much speed in your Wheaties this morning, Cyryl? A PCP chaser, perhaps?
Ryoji @ Dec 5th 2006 1:41AM
Cyryl. Chill. It's not like some horrible wrong was done here.
You're the one who sounds childish here.
Ryoji @ Dec 5th 2006 2:00AM
Also, um, it doesn't help that you're trying to defend the fact that you were wrong. :D Just a friendly note.
Lazy American @ Dec 5th 2006 3:53AM
Picked up my preorder bundle today. it came with a sick extendable castlevania stylus and game case besides the cd, timeline and art collection.
ps I totally agree that konami should release a compilation of past games, it'd be f#$%in tight
GOB @ Dec 5th 2006 11:40AM
ROFL.
Anyway, Game Crazy just called and I was going to pick up the game and bonus tonight. Can anyone tell me how extendastylus plays? I need something better for EBA.
strider_mt2k @ Dec 6th 2006 5:45AM
Ugh, it stinks like a PS3 line in here today.
Matters @ Dec 5th 2006 1:07PM
Wait wait wait. When I responded last night I wasn't #3... I was responding to what is now #6... How #6 jumped from being #3 to #6 is beyond me. I wasn't responding to #2 I was responding to #6 just to be clear.
What the hell happened?