User:Sephiroth BCR/Lament of Innocence Draft
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| Castlevania: Lament of Innocence | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Konami/KCET |
| Publisher(s) | Konami |
| Designer(s) | Koji Igarashi (producer) |
| Aspect ratio | 480i (SDTV) |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
| Release date | NA October 21, 2003 JPN November 27, 2003 EU February 11, 2004 AUS February 20, 2004 |
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Mature 17+ CERO: 15+ PEGI: 12+ OFLC: M |
| Media | 1 DVD |
| Input methods | DualShock 2 |
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (commonly abbreviated as LoI) is a video game created by Konami for the Sony PlayStation 2 console. It was originally released in Japan in 2003 and Europe in 2004 as Castlevania (キャッスルヴァニア Kyassuruvania?). Lament of Innocence is set in 1094, making it the first chronological installment of the Castlevania series.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
[edit] Characters
- Leon Belmont: The earliest known member of the Belmont clan family. He is the protagonist of the game. A crusader knight in 11th-century Europe, he is betrothed to Sara Trantoul, and fights alongside the cunning Mathias Cronqvist. When Sara is kidnapped by Walter Bernhard, he renounces his title of Baron and ventures alone into the Forest of Eternal Night.
- Walter Bernhard: A vampire of unknown age. He is the antagonist of the game, luring the protagonist Baron Leon Belmont to his castle by kidnapping his fiancee, Sara Trantoul. The forest where he lives is called Eternal Night, as it is covered in unending darkness by the means of a jewel called the "Ebony Stone".
- Mathias Cronqvist: A tactician who has helped Leon Belmont's company of knights to defend the Holy Land. He is married to Elisabetha, who dies in 1093. Mathias becomes bedridden, and orchestrates a plan to become immortal, cursing the God he once defended. It is also revealed that he is the wielder of the Crimson Stone, once he acquires Walter Bernhard's Vampiric Soul, he becomes Dracula
- Elisabetha Cronqvist: The wife of Mathias Cronqvist. She dies under unknown circumstances in 1093, a year before the events of the game. Mathias is overcome with grief and rage. It is Elisabetha who is indirectly responsible for the creation of Dracula. Her soul is later reincarnated as Lisa Fahrenheights (see Castlevania: Symphony of the Night).
- Sara Trantoul: The fiancée of Leon Belmont. She is kidnapped by Walter Bernhard and bitten. Not wanting to become a vampire, she sacrifices herself to create the Vampire Killer whip.
- Rinaldo Gandolfi: An alchemist whose daughter was taken and vampirised by Walter Bernhard. He now lives in a small hut in the Forest of Eternal Night. Rinaldo (whose surname may be inspired by the Tolkien character Gandalf) creates the Whip of Alchemy for Leon to use in Walter's castle. This whip is later fused with the soul of Sara Trantoul to create the Vampire Killer, which would be present, in one form or another, in every Castlevania game.
- Joachim Armster: Another vampire human who is kept prisoner by Walter in his castle. Joachim is sort of the tragic hero type character for he has a hatred for Walter and what he has done to him. As well as being a minor boss character, the game includes an unlockable secret mode where Joachim is a playable character, he had the ability to summon flying swords of darkness. Although this game describle the real/fake Joachim can summon other kind of darkness power. He's also the optional ally/protagonist character in this game.
- Pumpkin* Pumpkin isn't in the main storyline. But he is a playable character. If the player is able to beat "Joachim Mode (@Joachim for after game is beaten as Leon Belmont)." To Start "Pumpkin Mode" the player needs to start a new game (after beating @joachim mode) with the name reading '@pumpkin'. The controls are the same as Leon Belmont, initially, he wields the Vampire Killer right away, can use items, a little higher jump and speed. Pumpkin makes a cameo appearance in Castlevania: Curse of Darkness as the 6th Mini-devil that Hector can control throughout the game.
- Death: The Grim Reaper. He currently serves Walter Bernhard, keeping him alive, but only because Walter possesses the Ebony Stone. When the Crimson Stone is found to have been kept by Mathias, Death sacrifices Walter and gives his allegiance to the wielder of the more powerful Crimson Stone.
[edit] Story
In the 11th century, monarchies weakened and the local feudal lords grew stronger. The first knights simply protected their lord's domains, but with the reforms of late 11th century, knights also protected the peace. They fought against heresy in the name of God.
One company of knights was said to be invincible due to two men: Leon Belmont, a baron who feared nothing and was a masterful warrior. And his most trusted long-time friend, Mathias Cronqvist - a genius tactician whose education made him an exception in a largely illiterate society.
But one day, as Mathias returned from a victorious campaign, he received news of the sudden death of his wife Elisabetha. His grief was profound and he became bedridden. A year passed since then and because of Leon's efforts, the company remained undefeated. However, an army of monsters suddenly appeared in Leon's domain. The church was only interested in fighting heretics, instead of monsters. It was forbidden to fight unauthorized battles. Leon asked for permission to retaliate, but his request was denied.
One night, Mathias struggled from his bed. He told Leon that the monsters were related to a vampire who lived in a castle in a forest named 'Eternal Night'. Mathias said Leon's betrothed, Sara Trantoul, was kidnapped by this vampire and brought to his castle. Because Leon couldn't fight the vampire without the church's permission, he renounced his title as a baron and journeyed to Eternal Night. In the forest he met Rinaldo Gandolfi, an old alchemist who lived there. Rinaldo was surprised Leon no longer held a high rank which put them both on equal ground. Inviting Leon into his cottage, he told him that he had "unfinished business" with Walter Bernhard, the vampire of the castle. Walter enjoyed playing life and death games with hunters, and allowed Rinaldo to help any that passed by his home (Walter thought this made his games "more fun"). However, he was still never defeated.
Rinaldo gave Leon a whip made out of alchemy to assist him. Upon receiving it, Leon inclined what alchemy was. Rinaldo explained the principles behind the whip's making, and coincidentally, it was Mathias who taught him alchemy. The arts of alchemy were handed down in Mathias' family, orally. Thanking him, Leon left with the Whip of Alchemy. But before leaving, Rinaldo reminded Leon of one thing: before he could reach Walter's quarters, he must defeat the five castle guardians to open the door to it.
Leon entered the castle and eventually defeated the five guardians. During his battle with the guardian Succubus, Leon learnt that Rinaldo's "unfinished business" with Walter was revenge for turning his daughter into a vampire. Rinaldo told Leon he had no choice but to kill his daughter after she murdered his wife and son. Leon's mission became a favor to his new friend, as well as rescuing Sara. Leon also learnt that Walter was in possession of the 'Ebony Stone', the power source that enveloped Eternal Night in darkness. Rinaldo said that if the 'Ebony Stone' was combined with another called the 'Philosopher's Stone', it would accomplish alchemy's goal - immortality. Only two were valuable to vampires - the Ebony Stone and the Crimson Stone, an ultimate source of power that was lost for ages.
The door to Walter's quarters was opened, and Leon entered. Walter greeted him for the first time, and after Leon demanded Sara was released he complied. Sara was no longer of any use to Walter. Infuriated, Leon attacked him with the Whip of Alchemy, but it had no effect on Walter. Further amused, Walter proposed Leon to fight him in the Castle Keep.
Concerned, Leon took Sara back to Rinaldo's cottage. But after examining the unconscious Sara, Rinaldo discovered bite marks on her neck. She was bitten by Walter. According to Rinaldo, the only way to undo the curse was to defeat Walter. But as proven in their previous encounter, the Whip of Alchemy couldn't do anything. However, Rinaldo knew only one way to resolve this - Sara was bitten by Walter and had a part of him inside her that could be harnessed by the Whip of Alchemy. Leon had to combine his hatred and kill Sara with the whip.
Sara overheard the two. Knowing that she was changing into a vampire, she volunteered to be sacrificed if it would stop others from suffering the same curse. Despite Leon's objections, he reluctantly completed the ritual. The series trademark weapon, the Vampire Killer, was created.
Leon ran into the Castle's Keep and confronted Walter. Walter noticed that Leon had the power to defeat him, and was successfully defeated. After their fight, Walter boasted that he would return and find the Crimson Stone. Ironically, Death appeared and took his soul, and then transferred it to the "king who wields the Crimson Stone". The said king turned out to be none other but Mathias. Mathias elaborated on his scheme - he used everyone and orchestrated everything that happened to get Walter's soul. After Elisabetha died, Mathias felt betrayed by God. God took away the person he loved most, even after he risked his life fighting heretics. He defied mortal life and forever cursed God. Mathias then offered Leon to join him and become immortal, because Leon had suffered the same loss. Leon refused and kept his promise to Sara. Disappointed, Mathias left Leon to engage in a fight with Death. Leon still emerged victorious. He asked Death to relay a message to Mathias: "You have become a cursed being, and I will never forgive you. This whip and my kinsmen will destroy you someday. From this day on, the Belmont clan will hunt the night!" The castle fell apart, and Leon escaped safely. Peeking outside of his window, Rinaldo watched the sunrise return to the forest of Eternal Night.
Mathias escaped to foreign lands, where he continued to curse God. He proclaims himself as 'Lord of the Vampires' and 'King of the Night'. Eventually, he would become known as 'Dracula', the series' main antoganist.
[edit] Gameplay
[edit] Equipment and items
Normally, Leon will use the Whip of Alchemy that Rinaldo gives him. Later on, after he conquers each elemental boss; namely Flame Elemental, Thunder Elemental and Frost Elemental, he will gain the special elemental whips from each of them. These elemental whips will provide special effects and be required for certain scenes. For instance, Frost Elemental Whip and Flame Elemental Whip are required to break the white giant figure in Anti-Soul lab stage to get an access to a secret room.
After the death of Sara, Leon will gain a new whip called Vampire Killer which is enhanced by Sara's soul. This whip is more destructive to vampires, and is required to kill Walter, the vampire master.
In addition, Leon is able to use the sub-weapons, the combination of special charms and orbs. It proves to be the alternative strong weapon to hunt down monsters and ghosts in the game. However, using sub-weapons absorbs hearts every time, unless Leon gains the special item nullifying the use of hearts.
Joachim, the additional playable character, uses his five flying swords as his weapon, just like when he appears as a boss fighting with Leon. His flying swords can alter into two styles; rotating around him or flying behind him. In the rotating configuration, the swords will slash out in sequence at the designated target(s) while they launch out as ranged projectiles when lined up behind Joachim. The attack button can be held down to power up a single slash or projectile.
Unlike Leon, he cannot use sub-weapons, and also cannot use potions or items selling from Rinaldo's shop. However Joachim has access to two magic attacks in the place of sub-weapons which depends on sword configuration. With the swords in rotation, they will spin around Joachim and slash surrounding enemies; when the swords are hovering there will instead be a kamehameha-type energy blast that can be swept clockwise and counterclockwise to damage enemies within range. While Joachim's magic gauge initially holds just enough for a single special attack, collecting MP Ups will eventually expand its capacity to three total; the magic gauge is filled by damaging opponents, in the manner of fighting games. A note of interest is that Joachim is invulnerable in the midst of the special attack animations, which helps when fighting the Forgotten One- hardly an easy task, made even more difficult by Joachim's inability to carry medical aid or gaurd against attacks.
Another additional playable character is Pumpkin, who uses the whip in the same way as Leon. In addition to serving as a humorous counterpart for Leon, he comes with all whip and defensive skills prelearned, does more damage than Leon, and has his own unique pumpkin subweapon that can be powered with orbs gained from bosses as in Leon's game. When Pumpkin stands still for a long time, he will hum the tune of Joachim's theme song.
[edit] Graphics
Graphically, Castlevania: Lament of Innocence is on par with other Playstation 2 titles. The graphics are rendered in 480i (progressive mode is not supported) and the animation runs at a fluid 60 frames per second.
[edit] Level design
The game follows the now traditional Metroidvania style of level design, although individual levels are not connected to each other, except the maps in Castlevania: Lament of Innocence are on a horizontal rather than vertical plane. The maps are made up largely of identical rooms filled with monsters, with some branching paths leading to items. The dull level design of Castlevania: Lament of Innocence is the most criticized part of the game in reviews.
[edit] Music
Michiru Yamane is the composer for Lament of Innocence's soundtrack. Yamane also scored Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and Castlevania: Bloodlines. Although Yamane does not put out as much diversity as in her Symphony of the Night OST, the styles are still similar. There are many classical influences in the compositions, sometimes fused with a type of powerful, dance-like beat, or slightly breakbeat-like backup, and choirs.
The only song in the game that has a rock guitar in it is Castlevania Reincarnation, a remix of Dracula's Castle and Black Banquet from Symphony of the Night.
| Castlevania: Lament of Innocence Original Soundtrack tracklist | |
|---|---|
Disc 1 (72:05)
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Disc 2 (73:07)
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[edit] Reaction
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence has generally received positive reviews since its release. X-Play gave it a 3 out of 5, calling it a Devil May Cry clone, while EGM gave it 8.0, 7.5, and 7.5 (out of ten). On the other hand, GamePro gave it a 5.0 (their highest score) on the fun factor while IGN gave it an outstanding score of 9.0 (out of ten), as gamerankings has the game landing on a firm 78%. [1]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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