When we first heard about the concept of a fighting game based upon the legendary Castlevania video game series, we immediately got queasy. After all, this series is all about adventure and fighting Count Dracula, not resorting to fistcuffs and trying to knock down someone with a 20-hit combo. However, after getting our hands on Castlevania Judgment for the Nintendo Wii and talking with series producer Koji "Iga" Igarashi, we've got a slightly better idea as to what he has in mind with the game -- even though it still needs some work.
There were only a few characters available in the demo build, being Simon Belmont, Alucard and Maria, but several more will be playable in the final version. Each character has a particular attack techniques, such as Maria's ability to conjure up fire (with the help of her animal pals), Simon's ability to use a whip, and Alucard's sword action.
The controls are simple. You move with the analog stick on the Nunchuk, block by holding the Z button and attack by swinging around the Wii remote. That's really about it. There are a few techniques, though. Before you begin each match, you select a particular weapon, which can be thrown by pressing the A button. These vary, from a boomerang to an alchemy bottle to typical knives. These come in handy if your opponent runs away from you, just outside of your striking range. In the middle of each stage, you'll also have to contend with wandering enemies as well as your foe, knocking them out of the match as well.
As far as the graphics go, they're below average. The stages themselves are wonderfully designed, taking place in a castle, a graveyard, and a few other familiar Castlevania locales. The character animation, though, is somewhat unfinished. Characters move around jaggedly and only show signs of personality when they're attacking. They need some more detail. The gameplay is rather simple, not really on the level of more complex fighting games but still satisfying if you're into the "waggle" system. The music is outstanding, pure Castlevania. We even heard a couple of selections from previous Castlevania games, including Symphony of the Night.
We can't argue the bizarre concept (because, let's face it, it really is bizarre), but Castlevania Judgment isn't half-bad. It still needs some polish and variety in its gameplay, but it's an interesting approach to a long-time series. At least, that's the way Igarashi sees it. Look for it later this year.
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