“Fair enough… until the end.”Castleroid. Metroidvania. It’s these two terms that have come to describe almost every Castlevania game since 1997’s Symphony of the Night. Given the success the series experienced due to this well-timed “reinvention,” it only seemed natural that the games that followed would be of a similar nature. While Castlevania titles would continue to appear in small quantities on the latest consoles (Lament of Innocence and Curse of Darkness) most Castlevania games seemed to gravitate more towards Nintendo’s handhelds, especially the Game Boy Advance and DS, which were home to three games a piece. To most Castlevania fans, such an obvious cluster of titles is a feast of grand proportions. However, as delectable as this smorgasbord may seem on paper, it’s not quite the treat you’d expect upon the first bite.
Why the bizarre and elaborate statement? Well, there’re various reasons, some of which could be easily chalked up to the age old adage of “diminishing returns” but it’s hardly that simple. Simplistic and bone-dry as such a decree may be its a bit too top heavy to explain why Symphony of the Night has a presence that none of its successors can match. Still, despite the enigma I’m making it out to be, pinpointing the problem at the heart of Castlevania beyond this point is easy: level design. Level design and the lack of inspiration behind it.
Despite the fact I don’t want to add to the endless praise the title currently receives (I’d rather praise Mega Man X4 in conversation about two-dimensional sidescrollers than Symphony) there was something about Drcaula’s Castle in Symphony of the Night that was ahead of the curve; the layout was simply teaming with intelligence. This failed to be the case with just about every other game that came down the pike. Sure, there where moments in these games where that “spark” lied just below the surface, but that since of discovery never quite manifested itself into that dead-on sense of excitement we all know and love. Quite often it was plain, mundane and (in the case of Harmony of Dissonance) downright odd. While the protagonists and stories tackled by these titles were easily the more interesting half of the equation they usually lacked the necessary power to remedy the more intangible aspects of the experience.
So what does all of this have to with Portrait of Ruin? Well, pretty much everything because whether or not it wants to admit it Portrait of Ruin is included in the pot luck of titles mentioned above. Unfortunately, despite putting some unique twists on the formula at work – most of which work quite well when they’re not put under extreme pressure – it does little to fight the issues above. In fact, as refreshing as these changes are they eventually exacerbate the underlying situation.
That said the greatest disappointment in Portrait of Ruin is the level design. I guess I could feign respect for it and say it’s “well crafted” but I’ve really run out of patience for that old excuse since the Wild Arms’ series passed on. Regardless, for a game that presents some different locals (well, different as far as Castlevania’s concerned) things really go nowhere fast. I’m not against the locations presented by the portraits fighting against the grain since the storyline and the concepts fueling it allow for these set pieces; what I’m against is the game squandering the good will it built up during the first half by blatantly reusing the same themes for the second batch of portraits. The sense of déjà vu was far from appreciated and it only served to highlight the fact one’s dealing with a pale imitation of what the maps in a Castlevania should feel like.
Helping make up for this pothole is the dual character system. Blunt as it may seem, the ability to switch between two characters on the fly makes the game what it is and is ultimately the reason to check it out. It feels wonderful not to be boxed into one style of play for the duration of the game as each character proves their usefulness in key situations. Unfortunately, as high as the experience climbs due to this element of gameplay, it also signifies an area that’s best completed without your partner: boss fights. While there are a few exceptions, having two targets out in the open is just a one-way ticket to losing all your MP - a resource that’s better spent on the occasional dual crush than keeping two characters alive in a congested situation. Still, when it comes to “tag-teaming,” the pot boils over at the end of the game when the game tries to be “creative” with this and the last battles. I’ll say this right now: it’s not clever and it’s a cluster(expletive) of epic proportions.
Still, if anything is going to sell Portrait of Ruin to the unrelenting masses it’s the story. As is the case with several other games in the franchise, Portrait is far from being a stand alone title. This time around the narrative builds off 1994’s Bloodlines. Needless to say if you fan of that title and are interested in learning what happened beyond the scope of that game then your going to want to sign up for this installment. However, speaking of selling points, this is another Castlevania that refrains from using the regal-looking artwork the series is known for. Most know Konami opted for a more anime-ish style for this and Dawn of Sorrow in order to attract a younger audience to the fold. I’m not sure how successful such an approach really was, but it wasn’t quite the detriment I thought it would be.
CONCLUSION:
At the end of the day Portrait of Ruin has some cute ideas. Some of them work and some of them don’t but essentially they all end up at the same dead end. However, as I hinted towards earlier, this just doesn’t describe Portrait of Ruin; rather it pretty much sums up most of the Castlevania games that have followed in the Castleroid style. Despite the fact that I could care less about where current-gen Castlevania games are heading with their God of War-esque style and gameplay, suffice to say that I understand why the production of this “brand” of Castlevania had to come to an end. Letting go is never easy, but there are times where it becomes imperative. While it’s safe to say none of these titles ever scraped the bottom of the barrel as bad a late era, PS1 Mega Man X title, Portrait of Ruin only proves why this chapter of a beloved series needed to come to a close. May it rest in peace.
Overall Score: 6/10
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