Summary

As an audacious foray into 3D beat ’em up territory, Castlevania Judgment brings together characters across the Castlevania timeline in a battle against fate itself. While it strays from the series’ traditional gameplay, it offers a unique experience that complements the Castlevania saga.

• Release Year: 2008
• Genres: Adventure, Fighting, Hack and slash/Beat ’em up, Simulator, Strategy
• Platforms: Wii
• Developers: Eighting, Konami
• Publishers: Konami

Introduction

In 2008, Castlevania Judgment emerged as a groundbreaking entry in the Castlevania series, introducing a 3D beat ’em up format that showcased beloved characters in a new dimension.

Synopsis

“Castlevania Judgment” is a 3D fighting video game developed by Konami and Eighting for the Wii. Released in 2008, it is the first fighting game in the Castlevania series. The game’s plot revolves around a time-traveling narrative, where champions from different eras are pulled together to battle a future menace.

The game’s antagonist, Galamoth, plots to send his servant, the Time Reaper, from ten millennia in the future into the past to destroy his rival Dracula and change history. A man named Aeon discovers this plot and pulls together champions from different eras of history into a time rift. These champions are tasked with finding a chosen one capable of destroying the Time Reaper.

The gameplay of “Castlevania Judgment” is unique. It features 3D environments and uses the motion-sensing controls of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. The Wii Remote is used for attacks, including basic attacks, “sub-weapons”, and weapon attacks, by swinging the remote. The Nunchuk is used to move the character around the stage and for defensive moves. Players can move freely around a stage, similar to the game Power Stone.

Each character in “Castlevania Judgment” utilizes different weapons, and different types of weapons are available depending on the stage and interactive environment. They can set traps or use monsters in the stage to attack one another. Summons are available in combat, some of which can be caused by items. Players can make use of the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection to play against each other.

“Castlevania Judgment” features 13 playable characters, made up of heroes and bosses from throughout the Castlevania franchise’s history, along with the new original character Aeon. Each character has their own unique storyline, cutscenes, and ending sequence when playing through the game’s story mode.

“Castlevania Judgment” is a unique entry in the Castlevania series. Its time-traveling plot, combined with its innovative gameplay mechanics and diverse roster of characters, makes it a standout title in the franchise. Whether you’re a longtime fan of the series or a newcomer, “Castlevania Judgment” offers a fresh and exciting experience that’s worth checking out.

Characters

Featuring a roster of Castlevania’s iconic characters, players can control heroes from various installments of the series, each bringing their unique abilities and weapons to the fray in the battle against the Time Reaper.

Gameplay

Castlevania Judgment offers a departure from traditional Castlevania gameplay, focusing on one-on-one fights within a 3D arena. Modes like story, training, versus, Castle, and Survival provide a diverse gameplay experience, with Castle mode offering an exploratory adventure through Dracula’s Castle.

Conclusion

Castlevania Judgment represents an experimental phase in the Castlevania series, showcasing a bold attempt to blend traditional lore with new gameplay mechanics. Despite its polarizing reception, it remains a fascinating piece of the franchise’s history.

Review Score

6.5/10

Art

Cover Art

Screenshots

Fan Art

Fan Art Style: Normal

Fan Art Style: Retro

Fan Art Style: Modern