Konami announces new Wii game, Castlevania PSP, and more

RC Cola · Feb 1, 2007

For the Wii:
Dewy's Adventure
http://wii.ign.com/articles/760/760616p1.html

Konami on Thursday revealed to IGN Wii its original new Wii title, Dewy's Adventure. Don't let the name fool you, though, because the game is built by the same team responsible for the critically-acclaimed action effort, Elebits -- a title that IGN selected as best Wii action project of last year.

In Dewy's Adventure, gamers take control of a recently incarnated water droplet, Dewy, whose Elder Tree master has fallen ill at the hands of the evil Don Hedron. It's up to Dewy to find a way to save the Elder Tree and restore order to the once-flourishing forests.

Players use the Wii remote to navigate the character through an assortment of environments and harness his special abilities. In terms of control, gamers tilt the Wii remote to angle and rotate the landscapes in order to position Dewy in the correct spots for puzzle-solving. Dewy can also modify the temperature of his immediate surroundings, changing ice to mist, for example. Using his elemental powers, Dewy can freeze or heat different parts of the worlds in order to trigger a variety of puzzles and advance. In addition, players can induce earthquakes, lightning bolts or even damaging gusts of wind, among other things, by shaking and waving the Wii remote respectively during certain situations.

The title features six massive stages, each with its own unique visual style. On top the single-player experience, Dewy's Adventure boasts an Elebits-like edit mode that enables players to build complete stages with fully customizable puzzles, different landscape types and enemies. According to Konami, the stages can be played alone or cooperatively with a friend.

"Dewy's Adventure emphasizes Konami's commitment to creating innovative software for the Wii with one of a kind gameplay, unique motion sensitive controls, and a colorful game world packed with memorable characters," said Wilson Cheng, product manager with Konami. "Building upon the success of Elebits, Dewy's Adventure is poised to deliver another exciting and accessible gaming experience that is only possible through the immersive Wii hardware."

We've posted first screenshots and videos in our media sections. But Dewy hopefuls will really want to check out our exclusive interview with the development team for a deeper look at the adventure to come.
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Looks kind of interesting, kind of like LocoRoco in 3D or something. Plus it is from the Elebits team. Video and screens at IGN BTW.

Now the PSP offering:
Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles
http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3156904

Once upon a time there was a Super NES game called Dracula X. And lo did many Castlevania fans play this game and say unto themselves, "Meh, it's okay, but it sure seems like a step back from Castlevania IV." Many seasons later, unto PlayStation a masterpiece was born, building interest in the series among fans new and old. But also did it prompt Japan-loving users of the Internet to issue forth a decree.

"Hear ye, hear ye!" they bellowed. "Dracula X is but a sham! A pitiful shadow of a first-rate classic called Dracula X: Rondo of Blood, to which your new darling Symphony of the Night is the true sequel!" And there was much amazement in those days, and much sadness, for Rondo's excellence was matched only by its rarity and inaccessibility. Having been released as a CD-based game for the PC Engine Duo, Japan's version of the Turbo CD, it was both difficult to come by and nigh-impossible to download back in the days of 56K modems. Thus were both pirates and legitimate customers stymied.

But the virtuous are being rewarded for their patience, because at long last -- on the 10th anniversary of Symphony of the Night, in fact -- Rondo of Blood is finally making its way to America. And how it's coming over might come as a bit of a surprise: a 3D remake for PSP.

A Completist's Dream

But there's more to Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles than a mere graphically-enhanced version of a long-coveted classic (although that alone would certainly sell the game to most people). According to Konami, Chronicles will also include the original 2D version of the game. And, for good measure, a straight port of Symphony of the Night, featuring full-screen graphics and a touched-up localization. Sorry, kitch addicts -- no more scenery-chewing here.

What Symphony won't be receiving is a 3D facelift; that honor is reserved solely for Rondo. But Rondo's the focus here anyway. Fans have been clamoring for years for a port, a rerelease, a remake, anything, so long as the game makes its way into American hands -- and now it's on the way. Symphony's inclusion is simply a sweet, sweet bonus.

Purists might complain that a polygonal facelift will somehow spoil the feel or gameplay. But even ignoring the fact that the original version of the game will be included for good measure, what we've played of Rondo in 3D feels incredibly faithful, even in its clearly pre-beta condition. Koji Igarashi's team still has a long way to go before the remake is ready for release -- voice clips are missing, the music is still placeholder-only, secrets (including a playable Maria Renard) have yet to be added -- but even so, the addition of a third dimension does nothing to change the gameplay. Normally, 2.5D games feel slower and floatier than their flatter predecessors, but Rondo was a slow, precise game to begin with; the controls feel spot-on, even moreso than in the current gold standard, New Super Mario Bros.

Rondo of Awesome

The upgraded visuals have a slightly more "realistic" element to them, but the look is still classic Rondo. The opening stage, the burning ruins of a town straight out of Simon's Quest, is clearly precisely that. The bosses no longer look like simple sprite chains, but they behave exactly the same (and kick your ass just as hard). The heroes have earned a visual overhaul, too -- fan favorite Ayami Kojima has returned to bring both Richter Belmont and Maria out of their awkward anime phase. Richter now sports a blue tailcoat similar in style to a British Redcoat uniform (wholly fitting, given the late-18th-century setting), and Maria now looks like the 12-year-old she's supposed to be (an improvement over her original chubby-eight-year-old appearance).

For those who have never played Rondo, it's best to think of it as the midpoint between the classic level-by-level school of Castlevania design and the modern free-roaming structure popularized by Symphony. Rondo technically has only six stages, conquered in a start-to-finish fashion, but that doesn't really do justice to the intricate, secret-laden world that Richter must conquer. Each stage has a "prime" version, an alternate path whose entrance is hidden. Each prime stage has its own boss (usually much more daunting than the standard boss), and it's by exploring these extra routes that players unlock the game's numerous secrets, like the ability to play as a young Maria. Although the game is linear, players are given the opportunity to choose any available level between stages, which makes repeated exploration a breeze.

Rondo introduced a number of concepts that have been retained in subsequent chapters of the series. Multiple characters, obviously (once Maria is unlocked the characters can be swapped out at the level select screen), but also item crashes (the ability to trade a large number of hearts for a powerful-screen filling attack), subweapon retention, and more. And all of these elements will be retained for the PSP version; despite the new look, Chronicles is shaping up to be a fantastic and faithful rendition of Rondo.

Which is to say, it's an exceptionally-crafted action game whose circumstances unfairly limited its audience. Konami is targeting a fall release date, giving the team plenty of time to polish an already promising (and ambitious) collection. Undead or not, Chronicles should be a godsend for both PSP owners hungry for great content and Castlevania fans who don't really feel like shelling out $150 for one of the series' best chapters.

Be sure to check out tomorrow's 1UP Show for more exclusive gameplay footage, and also look out for the March issue of EGM for comments from Castlevania overlord Koji Igarashi and more hands-on impressions of the game.
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Video here:
http://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/8896

IGN also has screens for a new Coded Arms game for the PSP, but I doubt anyone cares. Gamespot also has a preview of Hellboy...but again...yeah.

There might be some more news later. Their Gamer's Day just started I believe. I think there might be some more Wii games announced, although no promises.

Coach AI · Feb 1, 2007

That's a nice Castlevania title.

RC Cola · Feb 1, 2007

I guess I was wrong about getting more info. I read a rumor that Konami would announce several Wii titles at the end of the week, which turned into the Gamer's Day for Konami. With Dewy announced right away, I assumed some more might be revealed later as the rumor implied. Guess not...I kind of hoped to see Silent Hill 5 too.

Sorry about that.

Invisible Fan · Feb 1, 2007

I don't know why people are getting wet over Elebits. It seems like the most inane waste of time ever, and this new game wants to top it.

Coach AI · Feb 2, 2007

Invisible Fan said:

I don't know why people are getting wet over Elebits. It seems like the most inane waste of time ever, and this new game wants to top it.
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Was it bad?

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Konami announces new Wii game, Castlevania PSP, and more

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