GamesRadar - Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin

The Top 7… villains that never stay dead (Feature)

Apr 13, 2009

Death happens a lot in videogames, but for some reason it never seems to stick. From heroes who get infinite do-overs to supporting characters who “die” only to resurface at the nick of time down the road, videogames might be the only medium in which the audience feels surprised, and perhaps even cheated, if a dead character isn’t magically brought back to life. ...

The 21 Hardest Nintendo games ever (Feature)

Mar 10, 2008

From the stinging paper cuts delivered by their early Hanafuda cards, to their dual screen screammaker Contra 4, Nintendo have been responsible for a downpour of tricky titles to douse even the most resilient gamer's spirit. Join us as we descend Jacob's ladder through the circles of hell, into the belly of the Game Over beast. ...

8-Bit Sunset (Feature)

Jun 13, 2007

Back in ye olde days of 8-bit gaming, we didn't have teh interwebs or in-depth FAQs to get us through hours of repetitive dungeons and mindless enemies. We had to do it all ourselves, patiently praying for a wave of cheat codes to come in the next issue of Nintendo Power. Then, after countless hours (literally, because no game would count the hours) we'd see the ending... just to view another 8-bit sunset. Seriously. Another one. How many games do you think end with a scene of the main ...

Castlevania: the mega-interview (Feature)

Mar 12, 2007

Thanks to Game Developers Conference taking place in San Francisco last week, we were able to score a rare chance to sit down with Koji "IGA" Igarashi, the current producer of the Castlevania series. Though he was more than prepared to discuss the upcoming Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles for the PSP, we managed to tease details on the future of the series, namely its next generation installment, out of him. Keep reading to find out the most comprehensive, up-to-date Castlevania ...

Free magazine for Sony PSP and Nintendo DS launches (News)

Feb 21, 2007

Gamerzines, who have already launched free Xbox 360 and PC games magazines, have just published the first issue of HGZine. Handheld Gamerzine covers Nintendo DS and Sony PSP games, and the first issue is packed with reviews of Sid Meier's Pirates, Mario vs Donkey Kong 2, Ghost Rider, Castlevania, Dungeon Siege and more. There are previews of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, Zelda Phantom Hourglass, Manhunt 2, Driver 76 and an exclusive interview with Burnout Detonator Senior Producer, Nick Channon.

As with other Gamerzines, the magazine is written by professional games journalists and published for free in PDF format. The magazine is enhanced with video and multimedia.

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (Review)

Jan 2, 2007

As one of the last bastions of classic, side-scrolling gaming, the Castlevania series has to accomplish two things with every new release. First, it has to strike a perfect balance of old and new, offering fans just enough of the recycled, explorative gameplay they crave while also giving them fresh reasons to send Dracula back to the grave. Second, and perhaps more importantly, each 2D entry in the series has to prove that old fashioned sprites and animation are better, in some instances, than ...

Portrait of secrets - packed with spoilers (Feature)

Dec 15, 2006

Another year, another Castlevania, right? Aside from a few brief lapses, we've been enjoying a quality castle quest every year since 1997's Symphony of the Night. With that one game, the entire series changed - instead of a straightforward action-slashfest, the games became an open-ended exploration of Dracula's castle, riddled with secret passageways, hidden bosses and an untold number of bonus features. That tradition continues with Portrait of Ruin. Even though we've long since finished the ...

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (Screenshots)

Dec 14, 2006

Holiday Buyers' Guide 2006 - Nintendo DS (Feature)

Dec 6, 2006

What began as a bizarre shot in the dark has fast become one of the biggest success stories in video games. Even though its first six months were rough and questionable, the DS currently owns the handheld market, and with good reason. There's literally something for everyone on the dual-screened portable, and its beautiful cosmetic makeover (known as the DS Lite) made the device all the more palatable to hardcore and casual gamers alike. With its mixture of brain teasing puzzle games, ...

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin delayed until Feb 07 (News)

Oct 25, 2006

Portrait of Ruin had been expected to arrive this year for the DS, but in order to implement some new features the game's release has now been put back until February 2007. A Konami Europe spokesperson said that the team working on Portrait of Ruin can now use the extra months to add new online modes such as online spell-trading, an online shop for selling spells, plus a two-player Wi-Fi co-op mode against the game's bosses.

Castlevania bonus actually worth it (News)

Oct 23, 2006

It's gotten to the point where we can't even walk to the mailbox without an EB Games employee asking us to pre-order a game or buy a strategy guide. Usually you can tune them out and politely say "Hell no," but when the incentive is as bad ass as the one for Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, there's no acceptable answer other than "please, may I order two?" Those who dip into the vast well of this bonus will receive a 48-page art book, a soundtrack CD collecting some of the series' best music ...

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin - multiplayer hands-on (Preview)

Oct 23, 2006

At this point, there's not a lot left to say about the next classic-in-the-making Castlevania. You'll run, jump and whip a path through a gory, gothic castle while discovering secret areas and new abilities, just like the past four handheld games. This time, however, you've got two vamp hunters to control and a series of haunted paintings that warp you out of the castle into environments most Castlevania games have never seen. The single-player game may sound familiar, but the Wi-Fi enabled ...

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin - gameplay 10-23-06 (Video)

Oct 23, 2006

Another side-scrolling, vampire-hunting excursion that plays like the previous games with subtle tweaks. We couldn't be happier.

Portrait of Ruin interview (Feature)

Sep 23, 2006

If you've been a happy Game Boy or DS owner at any point in the past five years, you're likely a fan of the immortal Castlevania series. Each one pits a lone hero against the forces of Dracula, but the latest entry in the series, Portrait of Ruin, bucks that trend by teaming you up with a magical young girl. To get the straight talk on the change, and just generally gush a little praise, we sat down with series creator Koji "IGA" Igarashi and composer Michiru Yamane. GamesRadar: Portrait of ...

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin music CD pre-order bonus (News)

Sep 21, 2006

If you pre-order Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin for the Nintendo DS at GameStop/EB Games, you'll receive a Castlevania 20th Anniversary Soundtrack music CD for free!

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin - updated hands-on (Preview)

Aug 25, 2006

We all know that Dracula's castle returns every 100 years, but what happens when all kinds of crazies try to bring him back sooner? Plenty of chances to see why Castlevania is the king of 2D adventure, that's what. A mad artist (and his undeadly attractive daughters) has created possessed paintings that need to be vanquished, and it's up to Jonathan Morris and his gal-pal Charlotte to dive in and tear 'em up from the inside out. Fans of the series already know how Portrait of Ruin plays - run ...

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin - trailer 2 (Video)

Aug 25, 2006

Another side-scrolling, vampire-hunting excursion that plays like the previous games with subtle tweaks. We couldn't be happier.

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin - trailer (Video)

May 17, 2006

Another side-scrolling, vampire-hunting excursion that plays like the previous games with subtle tweaks. We couldn't be happier.

E3 06: Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin - hands on (Preview)

May 11, 2006

Dracula seems to rise up every year now. Hey, we're not about to complain - every time he shows up, the world is treated to another adventurous vampire hunt that trumps practically every other 2D game out there. Portrait of Ruin already feels like it won't be the exception to the Castlevania rule. You can switch between whip-wielding Jonathan Morris and magical sorceress Charlotte Orlean. With a simple button press, you can switch between these two any time, and even summon the other down to ...

Pre-E3 06: Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (Preview)

May 9, 2006

Today, we got a much deeper look at the new Castlevania game than we'd ever gotten before. Though it was announced before the show, all we really knew was that it would feature two characters. We now know that these two can work together in various different ways, and that the game features a slight departure from the castle-based design of the last several titles. The "tactical soul system" from Dawn of Sorrow (DS) and Aria of Sorrow (GBA) has been scrapped in favor of more traditional ...

Get your whips ready (News)

Apr 24, 2006

We just can't kill Dracula enough. After last year's utterly outstanding adventure, Dawn of Sorrow, you'd be right to wonder how Konami could top its soul-stealing action. How about controlling two characters at once and summoning demons to do your bidding? That might work. Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin will take a stab at outdoing one of 2005's best games when it arrives on November 15. You'll be able to switch between vampire hunter Jonathan Morris and magic-wielding Charlotte Orlean at any ...

Castlevania swoops back on to DS (News)

Apr 21, 2006

Friday 21 April 2006 Konami's long running vampire action series Castlevania will return to Nintendo DS this November with Portrait of Ruin. The new game is being devised by series creator Koji Igarashi and will feature a new character swapping system. Gamers will be able to flick between control of vampire hunter Jonathan Morris and a young girl with magical powers called Charlotte Orlean, who have joined forces to foil a plot to resurrect Dracula's Castle. The original DS Castlevania game, ...

Portrait of Ruin FAQ (FAQ)

Jan 8, 2007

Go to GamesRadar to see the FAQ ...

Alternate Language Voices (Easter Egg)

Dec 7, 2006

Go to GamesRadar to see the Easter Egg ...

Birthday Cake (Easter Egg)

Dec 7, 2006

Go to GamesRadar to see the Easter Egg ...

Vincent's Comment (Easter Egg)

Dec 7, 2006

Go to GamesRadar to see the Easter Egg ...

Unlock Old Axe Armor (Unlockable)

Dec 7, 2006

Go to GamesRadar to see the Unlockable ...