Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

 DS
  • Publisher: Konami
  • Release Date: Oct 4, 2005
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 255 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 213 out of 255
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 255
  3. Negative: 16 out of 255
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  1. bolt7
    Sep 16, 2010
    9
    If you love Castlevania, you'll love Dawn of Sorrow. Not a whole lot has changed since the switch to 'Metroidvania' in Symphony of the Night- but how is that a bad thing? Dracula's castle is as exciting as ever, with some impressive DS visuals presenting players with a wide variety of different areas to explore. It's possible to level up and equip a wide array of different weaponry andIf you love Castlevania, you'll love Dawn of Sorrow. Not a whole lot has changed since the switch to 'Metroidvania' in Symphony of the Night- but how is that a bad thing? Dracula's castle is as exciting as ever, with some impressive DS visuals presenting players with a wide variety of different areas to explore. It's possible to level up and equip a wide array of different weaponry and armour, giving players a perfect amount of customisation for their character. The classic Castlevania formula works flawlessly on DS and will be sure to have you coming back for more.… Expand
  2. JayG.
    Dec 8, 2005
    9
    This is what the DS was waiting for. A perfect side-scroller with huge environments,lots of weapons, and amazing bosses. I'd recomend this game to any DS owner.
  3. HattoriH.
    Oct 6, 2005
    10
    Whoever said this was a GBA game has obviously never played it.
  4. TGage
    Oct 6, 2005
    10
    Hey, "Edge" Magazine! "Innovatory" isn't a word, idiot.
  5. MaximianoZ.
    Oct 7, 2005
    10
    This is a very good game:2d graphics and a very good use in the tactil screen.
  6. MahebruH.
    Oct 9, 2005
    10
    Yes. a "10". it's that good.
  7. Cancery1987
    Mar 21, 2021
    6
    Not good as Aria of Sorrow

    Bad weapon system. Force you farming soul to upgrade weapon

    Farming soul is stupid thing too

    And seal, whats wrong?! Max stupid !
  8. tom974
    Apr 15, 2020
    7
    Not a bad game, but quite a copy-paste from Aria of Sorrow. Graphics seems to have been made for GBA globally. The most interesting point is the Julius mode which is quite good and offers a challenge.
  9. MattL.
    Oct 9, 2005
    10
    This game has devoured my soul.
  10. DavidS.
    Oct 4, 2005
    0
    It's a GBA game. That's all.
  11. Hey
    Oct 10, 2005
    5
    Hey T Gage, innovatory IS a word: http://sts.zju.edu.cn/english/lexicon/rt2/92/I0829250.html ........Idiot. And for the game, yay, ANOTHER rehash by Nintendo. At least they're consistent. Wonder what's next....Mario Snowboarding!!!
  12. ChrisK.
    Oct 10, 2005
    0
    Hattori, surely you can't be so ignorant to think they made this game for the DS groundup. One year for a Castlevania game? No, it began as a GBA game, and they just threw in some gimmicky touch screen soul things to make people think it's a DS game, it's worked on you I guess.
  13. Simon
    Oct 14, 2005
    9
    To the person calling it "another rehash from Nintendo", well done for being an idiot as the game is from Konami, Nintendo have nothing to do with it, its simply on a Nintendo system.
  14. N.
    Nov 9, 2005
    0
    Cant belive that they are churning out this crap. games like these where all the rage 12 years ago and it seems like the DS is the only hand held that is capable of playing this drivil.
  15. AnonymousMC
    Oct 19, 2005
    0
    Anonymous, I think he meant that it began as a DS game and you can't tell the difference, I think he's aware of the fact that it is on the DS. Best Castelvania game? SotN is MUCH better. Still good, just trying to lower all the DS fanboy votes.
  16. AnonymousMC
    Aug 15, 2009
    8
    I had a lot of fun with this game, which was my second Castlevania game ever (the first was Order of Ecclesia). The gameplay is really superior in this game, and the level design is brilliant. Some of the monsters are also really, really cool. And the different endings are nice. I have two objections to this game, though. The first is the boss fights, which are *way* too easy. All but twoI had a lot of fun with this game, which was my second Castlevania game ever (the first was Order of Ecclesia). The gameplay is really superior in this game, and the level design is brilliant. Some of the monsters are also really, really cool. And the different endings are nice. I have two objections to this game, though. The first is the boss fights, which are *way* too easy. All but two or three can be won by basically standing near the monster and hitting with a good weapon while using healing potions and food. I had to retry two fights in the entire game, and I'm a noob who rarely uses slide, back off or even the powerful attack features. That's really bad. The two last fights were much better though. My second issue is the story, which is very poor if you haven't played Aria of Sorrow (it might be poor even if you did play that game -- I wouldn't know). I know story isn't important here, but how hard can it be to actually put a good one instead of a tame one in the game? Anyway: I had great fun, and I'm looking forward to playing Portrait of Ruin once I get hold of it.… Expand
  17. Caestus
    Mar 11, 2013
    7
    Is not a bad game but somehow i cant get hyped about dawn of sorrow.
  18. pooooooooooooop
    Jul 20, 2015
    1
    I apologise for the username i just needed to type something quik, Castlevania DoS was so horrible, it made me scared to buy another game on the nintendo ds... the plot is stale and recycled, the gameplay, it just throws in monsters and enemies from sotn and remasterd versions of Aos... And this is comming from a HARDCORE CASTLEVANIA FAN !!! honest to god , i got bored of this game afterI apologise for the username i just needed to type something quik, Castlevania DoS was so horrible, it made me scared to buy another game on the nintendo ds... the plot is stale and recycled, the gameplay, it just throws in monsters and enemies from sotn and remasterd versions of Aos... And this is comming from a HARDCORE CASTLEVANIA FAN !!! honest to god , i got bored of this game after i was halfway through it
    i'm sorry to tell you... but DO NOT BUY THIS GAME unless you want to ruin the ENTIRE castelvania series for you i'm telling you... i talked up this game to my mom , and when i got it , i wanted to kill myself becasue it ruined castelvania for me....    … Expand
  19. BobbyH.
    Oct 5, 2005
    10
    I haven't been this engrossed since SOTN
  20. PlixikW.
    Dec 6, 2006
    10
    Amazing game. anyone that likes anything in existence should get this game. Pure castlevania goodness.
  21. IsaacS.
    Feb 4, 2006
    10
    The game is brilliant. It has a very good stating movie with very good graphics for a DS. The interseting storyline and gamplay is very adictive you wont want to put it down. The magic seal system is an ingenius idea that makes the game more exciting. The power to upgrade weapons with the souls you have collected via Yoko's power is fantastic. A thoroughly good game.
  22. JohnnyD.
    Apr 20, 2006
    9
    freakin fantastic the monsters are cool the magics the combats, everything works. i wish their was also a rockets lawncher.
  23. [Anonymous]
    Oct 11, 2005
    10
    David S. gave it a0: It's a GBA game. That's all. Uhh, no it isn't. It's a DS game, moron.
  24. PFG9000
    Oct 14, 2005
    10
    Simply the best sidescrolling platformer I've ever played. While it isn't altogether innovative, it does everything perfectly. Also the most balanced of the free-roaming Castlevanias.
  25. KevinB.
    Oct 18, 2005
    10
    Simply the greatest Castlevania game ever. If you disagree, then you are wrong. plain and simple. Once you get into it, theres no stoping. You will be addicted to this like CRACK! So, get this game, now!
  26. KaitlynA.
    Oct 19, 2005
    10
    Greatest game iv ppalyed in a long time, seriously. This game rules, who cares if it started as a GBA game, does that really matter? NO! this game is great, awesome graphics, sound, and EXTREME replayability! Portable game of the year, without a doubt.
  27. ReviewerRev
    Dec 12, 2005
    9
    One of the DS's greatest games! Id recomend this game to any DS owner.
  28. TonyG.
    Oct 24, 2005
    10
    Loved sotn, aria, and circle ... if you do to then run out now and get this game .... 1 thing i would go crazy for and would be a game come true, is if konami released a castlevania game in the same 2.5d graphics as contra shattered soldiers for the ps2. it would be amazing production. just imagine playing as alucard or soma cruz in 2.5 d style it would definitly be a dream come true!!!Loved sotn, aria, and circle ... if you do to then run out now and get this game .... 1 thing i would go crazy for and would be a game come true, is if konami released a castlevania game in the same 2.5d graphics as contra shattered soldiers for the ps2. it would be amazing production. just imagine playing as alucard or soma cruz in 2.5 d style it would definitly be a dream come true!!! and im not the only one dreaming that. anyway dawn of sorrow is amazing all around 10!!!… Expand
  29. JayN
    Oct 4, 2005
    10
    One of the best Castlevania games since SotN. A must have for Metroidvania fans.
  30. ROBBMAC
    Oct 7, 2005
    9
    9.5 is my score... I think this game is pretty good, I actually like the fact that they didn't go over board putting gimmicky touch screen features in this game. I would have given it a 10 had they left the touch screen parts out all together, but they usage they chose IS fitting.
  31. NateB.
    Jun 15, 2006
    10
    A must have DS title. The main mission is the best out of a castlevania since Symphony of the Night and has a decent amount of challenge to it to make it exciting. There is also an incredible amount of depth in collecting the souls, upgrading weapons and unlocking bonus features. Hard Mode and Boss Rush mode are back and still fantastic (and difficult). But, what takes the game from being A must have DS title. The main mission is the best out of a castlevania since Symphony of the Night and has a decent amount of challenge to it to make it exciting. There is also an incredible amount of depth in collecting the souls, upgrading weapons and unlocking bonus features. Hard Mode and Boss Rush mode are back and still fantastic (and difficult). But, what takes the game from being an 8 or 9 to a 10 is Julius mode. After spending around 10 hours on the main mission (I also goofed around a lot trying to find secrets) you are treated to a mode where you can play as Julius through the main mission and then get additional characters to use including Yoko and Alucard (!!!) and are able to swap between them like in Castlevania 3. Aria had Julius mode, but it was too short and just not the same. This one is amazing and could be its own game. While the premise of the Metroid style Castelvanias is something that has been used for 5 straight games, it's done to such a high quality that it is difficult to give this game anything less than a 9 or 10.… Expand
  32. Uwepoll
    Nov 11, 2005
    8
    A great game in it's own right, but I'm getting a little tired of the collect'em'up nature of the Castlevania games. There's too much backtracking. Still, I think anyone who haven't played Symphony of the Night or any of the GBA Castlevanias should get this.
  33. AnonymousMC
    Nov 18, 2005
    7
    I'm a fan of the series and to me, this is not quite as good as Aria. (not as gory, with less swearing and female nudity) I was expecting the first decent adult DS title, but this seem to pull punches with it's content, except the final boss(Menace) who actually rips himself apart in a flurry of gore. He is also the nastiest thing scince Tetsuo's little accident (Akira).
  34. MarkS.
    Nov 19, 2005
    8
    As far as the 2D castlevania games go, I always like to think of Symphony of the Night as the L.A. Lakers, whenever the Lakers were dominating, and the gameboy castlevanias as either the Sacramento Kings or Dallas Mavericks. Worthy contenders, always pounding away with the flashy offense but never quite able to achieve the pinnacle of greatness needed to dethone the mighty champion. This As far as the 2D castlevania games go, I always like to think of Symphony of the Night as the L.A. Lakers, whenever the Lakers were dominating, and the gameboy castlevanias as either the Sacramento Kings or Dallas Mavericks. Worthy contenders, always pounding away with the flashy offense but never quite able to achieve the pinnacle of greatness needed to dethone the mighty champion. This latest Castlevania, "Dawn of Sorrow," has perhaps come the closest, however like the great Sacramento Kings of 2002 when they took the Lakers to the brink of game 7 in overtime, this castlevania comes up barely short of Symphony's greatness. Comes really really close, but doesn't quite have the stuff to be number one. Perhaps with their next try, they should trade in Soma for either Vlade Divac or Chris Webber. Or maybe a tall german vampire hunter like Dirk Nowitzki. At least something where you can tell for sure if it's a girl or a guy, this weird effeminate look doesn't quite do it for me.… Expand
  35. JFP.
    Nov 23, 2005
    9
    Amazing. supreme gameplay. no exagerating touch screen gimmicks. Great sound, nice soundtrack, great graphics. The bosses are nice to fight against. a must have for any lover of the series. Have FUN!
  36. BobX
    Oct 13, 2005
    10
    Don't let the kids that sank 400 bucks into the psp lower the vote too much, the game is great :) lots of replayability and the graphics are very very nice. The aria of sorrow game play has been updated and refined enough to classify as more than just new levels. But ultimately the 2d castlevania series has been perfected via game play, It's really hard to imagine any kind of Don't let the kids that sank 400 bucks into the psp lower the vote too much, the game is great :) lots of replayability and the graphics are very very nice. The aria of sorrow game play has been updated and refined enough to classify as more than just new levels. But ultimately the 2d castlevania series has been perfected via game play, It's really hard to imagine any kind of improvement they can make that does not involve sound scope and graphics. With that said, the castle area is larger than it has ever been and the sounds and graphics are the best in the series yet. The animation is extremely smooth as well. Psp owners are just jealous that all of the good apps are on the DS and not the psp.… Expand
  37. AnonymousMC
    Oct 13, 2005
    9
    Who cares if it was planned as a GBA game? It's an outstanding CASTLEVANIA on the DS! ...it began as a GBA game, and they just enhanced the graphics, made the sound more accurate, the castle bigger, designed more various foes and threw in some gimmicky touchscreen things to make people think it's a DS game, it's worked on me I guess.
  38. IdonH.
    Oct 25, 2005
    10
    Amazing, simply amazing.
  39. Menace
    Oct 29, 2005
    10
    Practicly the best game out for the DS, this and Trauma Center.
  40. KevinT.
    Sep 28, 2005
    10
    I bought this game last week (Import) and I am in love with it. The graphics and gameplay are amazing. I havn't played Symphony of the Night but now I am hooked on the series. This is the first Castlevania I have played since Simon's Quest. They have come a long way.
  41. Nurv
    Jan 26, 2011
    10
    I personally haven't played the old Castlevania games, dawn of sorrow was the second (due to rarity) Castlevania I've ever played and the best of the other Castlevania titles on the DS.

    Though the story was a little edgy here and there, the combat is excellent!
  42. Shierzhi
    Jul 10, 2011
    9
    Epic game. As almost every Castlevania ever released. The game is very fun to play through, and collecting souls is less boring than it sounds. The only issues are the dated graphics, which resemble too much it's prequel, and the somewhat boring and unbalanced alternative game mode. As that's gimmicky anyway and doesn't affect the basic gameplay, still a solid 9.
  43. Matseb2611
    Jul 29, 2012
    9
    *REVIEW EDITED*
    Sequel to Aria of Sorrow which was on GBA, Dawn of Sorrow takes place a year later with the player getting to control Soma Cruz once again and to explore the entire castle, dominate monster souls, experience breathtaking boss fights, and to find a variety of weapons and armor. I must say I was really impressed with the storyline in Dawn of Sorrow. As well as the awesome    *REVIEW EDITED*
    Sequel to Aria of Sorrow which was on GBA, Dawn of Sorrow takes place a year later with the player getting to control Soma Cruz once again and to explore the entire castle, dominate monster souls, experience breathtaking boss fights, and to find a variety of weapons and armor. I must say I was really impressed with the storyline in Dawn of Sorrow. As well as the awesome characters from Aria, there were some new interesting characters too, as well as some nice twists. The game is simply beautiful. The stages are designed exceptionally well, with lovely 3D views on the background, and the soundtrack is just mindblowing, perhaps even surpassing Aria's. The game's difficulty is also somewhat moderately high, but not frustrating like Circle of the Moon. Most of the game can be played without the need to level grind. Only near the end of the game, when going towards the good ending, some grinding is greatly beneficial. The only feature I sort of disliked in Dawn of Sorrow was the magic seal system. Although the idea is good, the punishment for failing to draw a magic seal correctly is too extreme, i.e. the boss you    … Expand
  44. funkydoodycool
    May 8, 2015
    10
    The GBA games were close to perfect. This tips it over into completely perfect. My favourite of all the metroidvania games this has a fun story, great graphics, tight controls and plenty to see and do.

    It's on the easy side compared to some of the series, but that doesn't harm it in my eyes.
  45. augoosto
    May 31, 2013
    9
    Tight gameplay, compelling construction, and satisfying story aesthetic. I came into this as a first time Castlevania player, so I can not speak for long time fans, but I love this game. Scratches the same itch as Super Metroid.
  46. MIDP
    Aug 4, 2013
    9
    The first game I bought for my DS besides Pokemon and FIFA.

    An amazing Platformer/ Adventure/ RPG/ Action game with an awesome level of weapon/ ability customization. It has great visuals and an awesome, humorous dialogue. On the downside it can get repetitive when exploring to find new things and ways to get to some places, and if you are unlucky you can end up just scanning    The first game I bought for my DS besides Pokemon and FIFA.

    An amazing Platformer/ Adventure/ RPG/ Action game with an awesome level of weapon/ ability customization.

    It has great visuals and an awesome, humorous dialogue.

    On the downside it can get repetitive when exploring to find new things and ways to get to some places, and if you are unlucky you can end up just scanning through everything to find what you are looking for which gets a bit boring.
    Also there is an element of grinding that can get annoying as well.

    Still a great game which deserves a 9 out of 10.    … Expand
  47. harryjc
    Sep 24, 2016
    9
    This game is really fun. It's Castlevania with RPG elements. You can play it however you like, and explore the castle, but there is a story line to follow. If you like Castlevania you will definitely like this. This is one of the best Castlevania games of all time. There are a few problems with it, which is why I gave it a 9 rather than a 10, but overall it's pretty much a completeThis game is really fun. It's Castlevania with RPG elements. You can play it however you like, and explore the castle, but there is a story line to follow. If you like Castlevania you will definitely like this. This is one of the best Castlevania games of all time. There are a few problems with it, which is why I gave it a 9 rather than a 10, but overall it's pretty much a complete package. You won't get bored with this.

    The Good:

    - It's classic Castlevania but with RPG elements.

    - There are so many things to collect, but they really add to the experience. All the souls, weapons, crafting, etc, are really just a nice time waster.

    - Lots of exploration to be done, and mystery.

    - The story is basic but it motivates you onward.

    - Killing monsters is very satisfying. There are a ton of enemies. You'll never get bored with all the creatures.

    - The game is not too easy, and not too hard. It has the right level of difficulty.

    - The music is nice.

    - Despite console limitations the graphics are well done, other than the winter scenes, which just look washed out. The art is good.

    The Bad:

    - The game displays the action on the lower screen instead of the upper screen. It's a bizarre choice to make. Clearly, the menu, and map belong on the bottom. It would have been really handy if you could tap the screen, and look closer on the map (which is rather small).

    - There is one section of the game where you have to do some type of sliding puzzle. It was confusing. Not really fun if I have to say so myself.

    - The characters walks kind of slow. I would have liked it if he could walk a bit faster. But there is a method for fast travel, so this isn't a huge issue.

    - The teleport, and save areas really should be right beside each other. They are close to each other but not beside.

    - When you die you go back to the start up point of the game, like you resetted your console. Instead the game should ask you if you want to begin again from your save point. Yes or no? Simple, right?

    - A lot of grinding is required to get souls. It would be nice if acquiring souls was just little bit easier. I don't want it to be too easy, but sometimes it's frustrating. One character I killed literally a hundred plus times, and yet got no soul. I was just thinking, "C'mon now!"

    - I don't like those medusa heads! The ones that turn your into stone are just terrible.    … Expand
  48. Ramiro1992
    Oct 18, 2014
    8
    This game is awesome!!!!!
    I love every single TRUE Castlevania game, i mean the sidescroller titles! I don't like lord of shadows or that 3d's awful titles.
    Castlevania Dawn Of sorrow can be defined as one of the best Castlevania games ever made! Of Course it took the famous "Metroidvania" style. originated in Symphony of the night, but that's fine, because that style just fits very    This game is awesome!!!!!
    I love every single TRUE Castlevania game, i mean the sidescroller titles! I don't like lord of shadows or that 3d's awful titles.
    Castlevania Dawn Of sorrow can be defined as one of the best Castlevania games ever made! Of Course it took the famous "Metroidvania" style. originated in Symphony of the night, but that's fine, because that style just fits very well in this kind of games. The music is a masterpiece, what a wonderful songs this game has. The argument and characters are simply great, very interesting things happens while you play, and that keeps you interested the whole game. Some enemies are new, there's some improved things, this game has much fun to offer, there's some puzzles also, like a door that you can open if the number match you gold, or if you buy a newspaper, it gives you some clues about certain creatures you can find. This game is really excellent, i am glad to be one of the gamers that LOVE CASTLEVANIA series. Sadly, this is one of the last Castlevania games that are actually good. hope in the near future we receive games like this one.

    Positive(+):
    + Excellent storyline
    + Wonderful music
    + Very good and innovative gameplay mechanics, like touch the screen to break the ice.
    + The characters are very cool, each one has a very interesting personality.
    + A new mode in wich you can create your own list of enemies to defeat.
    + This game retains all the good elements that made the Castlevania series so great.
    + Some good puzzles and secrets to discover, this game rewards the exploration.
    + Wireless mode has been imrpoved

    Negative(-):

    - Some combat elements are exactly the same as the previous Castlevania games.
    - Some enemies are too easy to defeat.    … Expand
  49. PatrickRS
    Jun 9, 2015
    9
    Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow:
    What a Horrible Night to Love a Game/
    I hadn’t played Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow before playing Dawn of Sorrow, but the game does a good job of catching one up to speed on what they need to know. There will be some light spoilers for Aria of Sorrow here. Set in the year 2036, one year after Aria of Sorrow, you play as Soma Cruz, the reincarnation of the    Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow:
    What a Horrible Night to Love a Game/

    I hadn’t played Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow before playing Dawn of Sorrow, but the game does a good job of catching one up to speed on what they need to know. There will be some light spoilers for Aria of Sorrow here. Set in the year 2036, one year after Aria of Sorrow, you play as Soma Cruz, the reincarnation of the dark lord, Dracula. While hanging out with the love interest, Mina (both of them insist that they’re just friends), Soma is suddenly attacked by a woman named Celia. Celia retreats after you receive aid from Genya Arikado, a government agent who also holds another significant identity in the Castlevania universe. Arikado explains to Soma that Celia is the leader of a religious movement that believes that in order for there to be a God, the perfect embodiment of light, there must be a dark lord, the perfect embodiment of darkness, so they are trying to resurrect the dark lord. With the help of his friend, Hammer, the shop keeper, Soma infiltrates Celia’s castle. Along the way, Soma also runs into his friends, Julius Belmont, descendant of the Belmont clan that fought Dracula for hundreds of years, and Yoko Belnades, partner to Julius. The plot is just an excuse to keep the game going, but it’s still pretty interesting and I’ve always loved a villain that is driven by some sort of religious belief. There are a few surprising twists and even multiple endings. While I did enjoy the game’s story, the way the game plays is really where it shines bright./
    The moment I started playing Dawn of Sorrow I fell in love with it. I loved exploring the castle with tight platforming, interesting and varied enemies, and snappy but satisfying combat. You will see as you play the game that there are areas that you won’t be able to access right away. You’ll have to come back later with new abilities in order to explore the enemy’s stronghold to the fullest. Speaking of abilities, there are so many abilities available to you to customize Soma with. Soma has what is called the Power of Dominance, which lets him sometimes absorb the soul of an enemy he has defeated, and almost every enemy has a soul he can absorb. These souls are abilities you earn from that specific enemy type that can then be equipped to Soma in order to give him new powers. These include throwing axes like in classic Castlevania games, turning into a bat to fly around the area, summoning a creature to assist you in battle, or a simple stat increase. Dawn of Sorrow is an RPG and the soul drops are random, so you may need to grind if you’re looking for a specific soul, but combat is fun enough that it is not too much of an inconvenience. Being an RPG, you can also improve Soma with by leveling up or by equipping him with different armor or weapons. There are many different weapon types that each feel different from each other and every weapon can be upgraded to become more powerful. Perhaps you will like the power given to you by the broadsword or maybe the range of a handgun. This, combined with the large amount of souls, provides you with an amount of options even larger than the castle that is such a joy to explore. Speaking of which, the world around you excels almost as much as the gameplay./
    The ambiance of Dawn of Sorrow is truly impressive. It is, as said before, a Metroidvania style game. With such a sense of exploration to the game, each area should be able to feel unique but still very much connected. The game’s Gothic environment does this quite well while inside the castle. You’ll find yourself going from a small village, to an elegant dance hall, to a mysterious lab, to a spike filled torture chamber while fighting your way through hoards of nefarious demons. Speaking of which, I love the character designs in this game. I’ve heard some people complain about the character portraits not being as stylized as the previous games, which doesn’t bother me since I didn’t play the previous game. The greatest designs go to the enemies, however. The enemy design mostly takes inspiration from classic horror figures and iconic creatures of lore. You’ll be coming up against Frankenstein’s monster, unsuspecting witches, howling werewolves, and giant suits of armor trying to hurl axes at you. Of course, there are some more creative enemies too, like one of the bosses being a giant, rotting, zombie dinosaur. While you run into the occasional goofy enemy, like a blue haired maid named Persephone, the enemies give the game a disturbing, horrific tint about it, which makes fighting them all the more fun. Not only do the enemies look good, but the soundtrack is exciting too. I enjoyed listening to every track in the game, including one or two Castlevania classics, like Bloody Tears. The art design and music were great to experience from beginning to end.    … Expand
  50. Gjmzvs
    Oct 23, 2017
    10
    És el meu joc preferit de Nitnendo DS, té caps i bèsties amb habilitats especials i tota la temàtica del joc és incomparable, diria que és un dels millors de la mateixa companyia.
  51. Piece_of_uncle
    Jul 12, 2017
    10
    To me, this is the best Castlevania game and is in my top 10 all time favorites. It's a perfectly executed side-scroller with beautiful parallaxing effects to bring the environments to life. Literally hundreds of monsters, weapons, and abilities each with additional power increase possibilities. You combine weapons and souls of monsters you defeat to create unbelievable combinations. EachTo me, this is the best Castlevania game and is in my top 10 all time favorites. It's a perfectly executed side-scroller with beautiful parallaxing effects to bring the environments to life. Literally hundreds of monsters, weapons, and abilities each with additional power increase possibilities. You combine weapons and souls of monsters you defeat to create unbelievable combinations. Each one of these has a challenging/fun learning curve to master. The music is as beautiful as always and the gorgeous art style adds to the overall epic ness of this game. Not to mention, the anime style animatics are an awesome touch to this gens delivery. Easily a 10/10!… Expand
  52. Playingall
    Jul 26, 2017
    10
    It is the first Castlevania that I had, but not the first that I played, because the first one was SOTN. If you have already played the SOTN (Symphony of the Night), you may see similarities with Dos (Dawn of Sorrow). The difference is that is another history, a completely different castle and also better graphics. You can see the evolution of Konami developing the Castlevania games. YouIt is the first Castlevania that I had, but not the first that I played, because the first one was SOTN. If you have already played the SOTN (Symphony of the Night), you may see similarities with Dos (Dawn of Sorrow). The difference is that is another history, a completely different castle and also better graphics. You can see the evolution of Konami developing the Castlevania games. You may play it if you enjoy a good 2 game and if you enjoy searching secrets rooms and stealing rares souls.… Expand
  53. Lassic
    Apr 30, 2019
    8
    Not as good as Aria of Sorrow, but a good game on its own right. I preferred the art style of the original game rather than the anime style used on the sequel. The soundtrack has many great tunes, including many references to old games in the series.

    Normal mode is a bit too easy, especially if you try to collect items and souls. Most bosses were a breeze to kill with the proper souls    Not as good as Aria of Sorrow, but a good game on its own right. I preferred the art style of the original game rather than the anime style used on the sequel. The soundtrack has many great tunes, including many references to old games in the series.

    Normal mode is a bit too easy, especially if you try to collect items and souls. Most bosses were a breeze to kill with the proper souls and weapons equipped. The game relied upon a bit too much into grinding in order to achieve 100% completion.

    Julius mode, on the other hand, was very fun and quite challenging. The lack of an inventory where you could carry healing potions made boss fights a matter of skill and survivability. The gameplay where you switch between Julius, Yoko, and Alucard is reminiscent from Castlevania III and still works quite well. Each character is useful in different scenarios.

    Great game, was a pleasure to play.    … Expand
  54. Mattia9336
    Aug 30, 2020
    10
    The best Castlevania games on the DS and one of the best in general, especially gameplay wise. The touch-screen mechanics are a bit annoying but I can't take seriously anyone who says they ruin the game
  55. tukumalu
    Jan 25, 2020
    10
    The wonderful score made the game memorable for me. The soul harvest system is a good retain from previous entry.
  56. hector_bcn98
    Feb 14, 2023
    9
    Como en todos y cada uno de los Castlevania, algunas pequeñas pistas en el mapa para ubicarse mejor o saber por dónde tirar cuando te bloqueas (como hace Resident Evil con los colores de zona) no le vendría mal, porque estar dando vueltas durante horas por culpa de que el color del mapa es igual que el del fondo de pantalla y no detectas la no aparición de una linea blanca de apenas 3Como en todos y cada uno de los Castlevania, algunas pequeñas pistas en el mapa para ubicarse mejor o saber por dónde tirar cuando te bloqueas (como hace Resident Evil con los colores de zona) no le vendría mal, porque estar dando vueltas durante horas por culpa de que el color del mapa es igual que el del fondo de pantalla y no detectas la no aparición de una linea blanca de apenas 3 píxeles... jode. Quitando ese mal endémico, es el juego de la saga más placentero jugablemente y gráficamente hermoso, el mejor desde Symphony of the Night. Excelente en todos los sentidos.… Expand
  57. ylnylmn
    Aug 10, 2021
    9
    It was as good a game as Aria and I think I can say that I liked it more than Aria. I think it's my favorite Castlevania game I've played so far. (I played 1-2-3-4 SOTN and Aria). I really liked the story. Dialogues between Yoko and Hammer. Find clues and hidden information with dialogue. Weapon upgrade system. Various skills. Level design. Nice boss battles. The things we do with theIt was as good a game as Aria and I think I can say that I liked it more than Aria. I think it's my favorite Castlevania game I've played so far. (I played 1-2-3-4 SOTN and Aria). I really liked the story. Dialogues between Yoko and Hammer. Find clues and hidden information with dialogue. Weapon upgrade system. Various skills. Level design. Nice boss battles. The things we do with the touchscreen. Magic Seals. It was fun. Music is great. I finished the game in 8 hours and 98% of it. I enjoyed every minute of it.… Expand
  58. Parrots
    Dec 31, 2020
    8
    Dawn of Sorrow is a solid game but I'm not sure how I feel about a solar eclipse in Japan being the best setting for the game. As ridiculous as I find some of the story, it's still Castlevania at heart. Sticking to the Metroidvania SOTN style it did an amazing job. I also heard from many of my friends that Hard is pretty dang hard. However I didn't have any problems. I actually thoughtDawn of Sorrow is a solid game but I'm not sure how I feel about a solar eclipse in Japan being the best setting for the game. As ridiculous as I find some of the story, it's still Castlevania at heart. Sticking to the Metroidvania SOTN style it did an amazing job. I also heard from many of my friends that Hard is pretty dang hard. However I didn't have any problems. I actually thought this was pretty easy overall. That or it's because I'm well established in these types of games.

    One thing I will admit though, Julius Mode's final boss was actually pretty tough but once you learn the patterns, it gets easy. Just gotta be very careful on placement.

    Characters are great and returners are always awesome, soundtrack as always is amazing and you can find them on spotify and graphics for a DS game, not too shabby.

    It's a solid title just for the Castlevania experience but to me, it didn't feel like it was much new. If you want to play better, play Aria of Sorrow.    … Expand
  59. ireviewgames123
    May 29, 2021
    7
    Score would be an 8 or 9 if it weren't for farming/grinding and the dreaded Seal System (having to use the stylus to draw increasingly intricate shapes to defeat bosses when they're about to die and if you mess up you have to fight the boss again). Playing Soma over-all is fun and the soul-absorbing 'Power of Dominance' feature is back. Pixel art is good, the anime character portraits areScore would be an 8 or 9 if it weren't for farming/grinding and the dreaded Seal System (having to use the stylus to draw increasingly intricate shapes to defeat bosses when they're about to die and if you mess up you have to fight the boss again). Playing Soma over-all is fun and the soul-absorbing 'Power of Dominance' feature is back. Pixel art is good, the anime character portraits are generic and lack the personality seen in Aria, the music is amazing which is to be expected from this series.

    Julius mode, that you unlock if you get the bad ending, is actually quite good. You get to play as Julius and Yoko and Alucard join your team. A really refreshing alternative game mode actually worth playing. It also eliminates the seal system!

    It's a shame that they added the Seal System and made it a little grind-heavy. It really does take away from an otherwise great experience.    … Expand
  60. Darkspawn677
    Aug 8, 2022
    10
    Soma is acully the son of alucard which means he has to be more like v from devil may cry vergil human half he also has to be more like police girl in hellsing and bayonetta daughter gohan and superboy remember that soma is only a semi vampire i love his soul powers it would have been cool if more people had it
  61. Alkecyrax
    Nov 20, 2022
    10
    One of the best games in the entire series, it has everything a good Castlevania game needs to have. Using the Nintendo DS touch screen isn't very comfortable, but it's less annoying than it sounds.
  62. CinzaColorido
    Aug 29, 2022
    0
    What hellish atrocity did they with Aria of Sorrow art style? Played through probably 3 to 4 areas of the castle and dropped in a puzzle where you have to literally rearrange the map to progress because I'm not choosing Castlevania to think, just to kill monsters and became powerful.

    Seems stupid, but that's my reason. Probably giving it a 0 because I liked Aria of Sorrow so much, and    What hellish atrocity did they with Aria of Sorrow art style? Played through probably 3 to 4 areas of the castle and dropped in a puzzle where you have to literally rearrange the map to progress because I'm not choosing Castlevania to think, just to kill monsters and became powerful.

    Seems stupid, but that's my reason. Probably giving it a 0 because I liked Aria of Sorrow so much, and this game is a steep downgrade in comparison.    … Expand
  63. Darkshade
    Aug 22, 2022
    10
    Alucard and soma have to be like police girl from hellsing credo and cerezita especially soma and trevor and julius have to be like the werewolf boy in hellsing and nero and jeanne when she was a child especially juluis
  64. Yojimbo2015
    May 21, 2023
    8
    Enjoyable entry to the Castlevania series that maintains its look and feel while adding bells and whistles such as non-linear levels to explore, item shops and equipment that gives your character new abilities - very much in the vein of the GBA Metroid games. Not as good as those classics, but a good, solid addition to the franchise.

Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best DS Game of 2005
8
#8 Most Discussed DS Game of 2005
2
#2 Most Shared DS Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 52 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 50 out of 52
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 52
  3. Negative: 0 out of 52
  1. Siliconera
    80
    It is clear that Dawn of Sorrow originally started out as a GBA title. It plays more like an advanced GBA game instead of a full fledged DS title.
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  2. NintendoWorldReport
    95
    Dawn of Sorrow matches and in some cases exceeds the quality of "Symphony of the Night" in almost every way. Yet the two games have their own styles and features, so the newest addition to the series is in no way redundant with its legendary forebear. [JPN Import]
    Read full review
  3. Nintendo Power
    90
    If the graphics and sound aren't engrossing enough to draw you in, the intriguing story and exhilarating action should be. [Nov 2005, p.104]
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