In Retro: "Castlevania: Lament of Innocence" Review (PS2)

Here is my review of the Playstation 2 version of "Castlevania: Lament of Innocence," as written upon my first playthrough of the game in the mid-2000's...

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"Castlevania" first appeared on the Nintendo entertainment system in the late 1980s, and became successful enough to launch a series across several different platforms that continues to this very day. The latest addition to the beloved saga is "Castlevania: Lament of Innocence," which marks another attempt to bring the series into the next generation of gaming. Unfortunately, that means the series’ trademark side-scrolling action has been removed in favor of an over-the-shoulder third person perspective. If you have experience with “Devil May Cry” or “Rygar,” then you have some idea how “Lament of Innocence” plays. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, of course, and in fact it will probably inspire new generations of gamers to take a look at the series, but I can’t help but regret the fact that the game’s origins as a side-scroller were not celebrated and openly embraced, as they were in Konami’s own “Contra: Shattered Soldier.” That said, “Lament of Innocence” is a good game, even if it’s a bit on the shallow side of things.

The backstory for “Lament of Innocence” takes place before the original game, and casts you as Leon Belmont (ancestor of Simon and all those who came later), a knight who has forsaken his order to rescue his beloved from the clutches of an evil vampire named Walter. “Lament” is billed as a prequel, but that implies a deep, involving plot, and there is none of that. At its best, it is mildly diverting, and provides a decent excuse to go traipsing through gothic environments slaying undead beasts. If you’ve ever wondered just how the Belmont clan came by their signature weapon, the enchanted whip, “Lament” will fill you in. Just don’t expect anything grand. It’s as simple as an old man going “Here, this might help you.” In fact, the game contains the single most boring, drawn out opening cinematic I’ve ever seen. Fortunately, they do get better later (though there aren’t many of them per se).

Initially, “Lament” will probably grip you tightly and demand that you keep playing far into the wee hours. That’s because controlling Leon and exploring Walter’s castle provides an initial thrill. That thrill soon wanes, though, and is watered down by the game’s repetitive, shallow nature. Though the graphics are impressive for a Playstation 2 title, the level design is lacking. You will find Leon passing through dull hallway after dull hallway, and here and there you’ll enter a wide room full of enemies you need to kill in order to proceed. At the end of each level, you will face a boss. Repeat this process until you finish the game. It can become rather dull once the initial thrill wears away. It helps that you can tackle each of the game’s levels in any order you choose (except for the last), but only so much. Varied gameplay is not this one’s strong suit, and if you’re expecting a game as deep as “Symphony of the Night,” you’ll be very disappointed.

Controlling Leon is a slick, intuitive process. Your avatar is highly acrobatic (of course) and can string together various attacks with his whip that will smite any deathless or demonic creatures unfortunate enough to be in range of him. As the game progresses, Leon becomes even more adroit, as he learns new moves and fighting techniques that ultimately keep combat from becoming TOO repetitive – but this is undermined by the enemies themselves. They are generally brainless and predictable, and those that pose a challenge usually do so merely because they can stun, paralyze, or otherwise immobilize you, and all you can do is curse in frustration while they beat you to a pulp. Cheap tricks like these are not appreciated. Bosses, in particular, employ these ridiculous methods. Speaking of which, if there’s one thing Konami has always done extremely well, it’s design interesting, scary, or just plain disturbing end level bosses. “Lament” does not represent the company in this area. Sure, some of the bosses are cool, but they are mere shadows in contrast to some of the bosses from earlier games in the series.

Despite the rather shallow, repetitive gameplay, something about “Lament of Innocence” kept me coming back for more. It’s almost unexplainable. In any case, addiction is a sure sign of enjoyment, even if it only comes in short, quick bursts. I also applaud some of the more obvious nods toward the game’s forebears. Yes, you still have subweapons and magical abilities powered by large and small red hearts that must be collected by destroying flaming pillars with your whip. You will even recognize some of the game’s enemies, who are returning in various guises from previous “Castlevania” games. The organ music evokes nostalgic memories of previous entries as well (though some tracks are as irritating as others are beautiful).

Ultimately, I enjoyed “Lament of Innocence,” but not every moment of it. It’s a solid adventure, but by no means a classic.

FINAL SCORE: 6.9 (Fair)