Following Symphony of the Night on the PlayStation in 1997, Castlevania’s next logical step seemed to be the realm of 3D. Unfortunately, the series’ initial foray into third-dimensional space on the Nintendo 64 was a nightmare (as was the unnecessary, aptly titled sequel, Legacy of Darkness). Lament of Innocence smashes the perception that Castlevania and 3D don’t mix: It’s the best Belmont adventure in years and one that no fan of the series will want to miss. Lament is the ultimate prequel (“this is how it all began!”) as it is set before all the other games and follows Leon Belmont, a knight who reluctantly takes up the whip to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend from a big, creepy castle. The action takes place in 3D space but with a strict 2D feel: Lament is very easy to pick up and play, and although there’s no auto-targeting feature, your attacks usually hit the mark, thanks to varying whip attacks and dead-on controls. During the game, you’ll unlock combos, magic spells, and other play techniques that add excellent depth to what easily could have been a two-dimensional play engine. The only complaint with the interface is the mandatory real-time menu access, meaning you can’t use items while the game is paused. Instead, you have to cycle through menus, sometimes while taking damage during the heat of battle. Lament’s scope is on par with Symphony’s (read: huge); you investigate a gigantic castle packed with enough secret rooms, puzzles, and hidden items to keep the most determined gotta-find-everything-or-die-trying explorers busy for days. There’s atmosphere to burn, too, as the vivid graphics bring shadows, fog, brick, and other surroundings to life. Then there are the bosses, a key Castlevania trademark, and Lament unleashes some real eye-popping whoppers. Got boss? How about the screen-filling floating Medusa head, complete with fully animated hissing snake hairs and nightmare-inducing eyes; or the extra boss, Forgotten One, who must be dismembered from his gut to his head. Castlevania has been one of the most-beloved game series ever produced, ever since its humble beginnings on the NES in 1987, and Lament taps into all the successful elements from the best installments in the series. It took a while, but Castlevania finally found solid footing in the 3D world.
