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Elemental Video Game Critiques

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (2024) [PS5]

the Well-Red Mage
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia review card

“Ecclesia semper reformanda est.”

-Karl Barth

The girl with the pagan tattoo of Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia battles her amnesia in this remastered title for the all-new Dominus Collection. This bundle brings together three games under one roof. With levels less interconnected than others of its dark lineage, this DS entry leans more -vania than Metroid. Ecclesia emphasizes central RPG elements like stat accumulation, experience points, and grinding for character progression. Like the evil Lord Dracula himself, it may overstay its welcome with some of its needier villager side quests. However, this is still a vampire-killer entry in the beloved Castlevania franchise. Konami can proudly stake its claim on this series once more. Does that mean we shall see a Castlevania resurrection soon? I would not count on it, children of the night.

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia screenshot
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia boss
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia shadow

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5 responses

  1. SnapperTrx Avatar
    SnapperTrx

    I believe I played this one back in the day, but if so I don’t quite remember it. That being said, the DS collection of Castlevania games was really amazing. They were all pretty good and felt long enough that it was worth the money to buy them. Somehow I got all three of my kids hooked on Castlevania when they were younger, and they all three played at least the other two DS CV games, multiple times. Maybe they aren’t that great, maybe I just have a bit of nostalgia mixed in there with my memory of them. 🤔

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    1. the Well-Red Mage Avatar
      the Well-Red Mage

      This was my first time playing it and I was blown away. I didn’t care as much for the others on this collection, more comedic and anime-styled, but Ecclesia was the perfect blend for me. Which was your favorite of these three?

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      1. SnapperTrx Avatar
        SnapperTrx

        Would have to be Dawn of Sorrow because it was the first one on the DS and it made fun use of the touchscreen. I wasn’t “blown away” by it, but I thought it was a great addition to the series and the touch screen mechanic actually made sense in the grand scheme of things. I mean, yeah, we are playing a game with magick and vampires and monsters – magick circles make tons of sense!

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  2. Grey Magistrate Avatar
    Grey Magistrate

    Thanks for the writeup! This is the game that brought me back to the Nintendo ecosystem after a ten-year exile. I picked up a Nintendo DS back in 2008, and on a whim — I think it’s because Amazon was offering free MP3s of the soundtrack — I made Ecclesia my personal launch title for that DS. I hadn’t played any other Castlevanias and this was my first Metroid since…well, since Metroid on the NES, so I didn’t carry the expectations of other series veterans.

    Great aesthetic, great music, great level design, great play control. Everything you could want in a DS game, and the modern remaster does it justice.

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    1. the Well-Red Mage Avatar
      the Well-Red Mage

      Thanks very much! I’m not overly familiar with the DS Castlevanias but I like what I played. Have you played the others since then?

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