Castlevania: Judgment (Wii)

Lame game lacks depth, variety and fun
12/2/2008 7:15 PM | 0 Comments | Page 1 of 2

The word "meh" -- an expression of indifference or boredom -- was recently included in the new Collins English Dictionary, coined by Homer in a 2001 episode of "The Simpsons." I can't think of a more appropriate way to describe Konami's Castlevania: Judgment, a mediocre fighting game based on the beloved 22-year-old side-scroller series.

This first Castlevania title for the Nintendo Wii isn't a disaster, but is hardly worth your time and money -- even with the scarcity of decent first- and third-party Wii titles this holiday season. A fighting game is a great idea given the series' history and many characters, but because the developers substitute breadth for depth, and the game falters in the control department, it disappoints in its execution.

You get to play as your favorite vampire hunters, including, of course, fighters from the Belmont clan such as the whip-loving Simon (who appeared in the first game) and Trevor (first seen in Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse), as well as the adopted Maria Renard (from Castlevania: Rondo of Blood and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night), a pigtail-wearing girl who can summon magic from the skies. Fourteen fighters are available in total, including Dracula's minions Golem, Cornell and Death, and the bloodsucker himself.

Naturally, as with virtually every fighting game, all characters -- which were designed by famed manga artist Takeshi Obata -- have a special offensive attack and finishing move. Carmilla, a female vampire, has one hell of a kick that can send an opponent flying across the room, while Alucard, who is half-human and half-vampire, wields a fiery sword. Sypha the priestess, on the other hand, can shoot lighting out of her staff before smashing an enemy into thin air as a finishing move.

That said, despite each character's fighting preference and strengths, our experience proved that by button-mashing, we could tackle virtually all opponents without worrying about specific vulnerabilities. And herein lies one of the biggest issues with the game: The round starts with the typical taunt ("I will show you the power of a Belmont!") but then all you have to do is wave around the Wii Remote and tethered Nunchuk controller (see below), press a couple of buttons, and the round will be over in about 15 to 20 seconds. "Me not meant to lose!" says Golem, disappointed. "The vampire killer will cleave your soul!" says another. Um, OK. And onto the next opponent you go. Little strategy, agility or brute force is required to defeat enemies.

You can choose from one of three control schemes: Wii Remote and Nunchuk, the Classic Controller (or a supported third-party accessory such as the wireless Nyko Wing) or the Nintendo GameCube controller. With the first option, you simply move your fighter around using the Nunchuk analog stick, shake the Wii remote for attacks (along with holding down the A button for a stronger one), and press C to jump. You can also use the d-pad to select an item, such as food for health, or to access weapons like throwing daggers or unleashing bat swarms. You can also interact with some objects, like a barrel you can throw at an opponent, by pressing the A and B buttons at the same time while near the item.