During Nintendo’s direct presentation on August 27, they announced the release of the Castlevania Dominus Collection, which was available the same day. The first game in the collection is Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, released on October 4, 2005, for the Nintendo DS. Following that, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin was released in the US on December 5, 2006. The final game in the collection is Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, which came out on October 21, 2008.
All these titles were originally for the Nintendo DS, which featured a touchscreen that played a significant role in gameplay. For example, in Dawn of Sorrow, you had to draw seals on the touchscreen to open doors or seal bosses. In Portrait of Ruin, the touchscreen was used to manage two characters, allowing you to position them to solve puzzles or navigate challenges. In Order of Ecclesia, the touchscreen was used to display your glyph and providing a visual clue of the glyph.
This collection was not only released on the Nintendo Switch but also on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox. These platforms do not have touchscreen capabilities; however, they adapted the controls so players can use buttons or a mouse to interact with the game elements.
The storylines for each game remain the same as in their original releases. In Dawn of Sorrow, you play as Soma Cruz, who is battling a cult leader intent on reviving Dracula, believing that Soma will fulfill his destiny as Dracula’s reincarnation. The game retains its soul-collecting feature, enhancing replayability. Portrait of Ruin follows Jonathan Morris, a descendant of the Belmont clan, and Charlotte Aulin, a sorcerer. They venture into a castle to thwart a vampire named Bronner who is exploiting souls from World War II. This game involves navigating through portrait worlds. Order of Ecclesia is set in the 1800s, with the Belmont clan gone. The protagonist, Shanoa, is part of an organization that uses glyphs to defeat Dracula. She uncovers a conspiracy to resurrect Dracula and seeks to stop it.
Additionally, the collection includes a bonus game, Castlevania: The Haunted Castle Revisited. This is a remake of the 1988 game Haunted Castle, featuring improved graphics and mechanics. The collection also contains the original Haunted Castle from Japan, allowing players to appreciate the enhancements in graphics and gameplay.
The controls across different systems are adapted to each platform, ensuring a consistent gaming experience. The game interface has been adjusted for modern displays. For example, stats and maps that were once on separate screens in the Nintendo DS version are now integrated into a single screen layout.
The Castlevania Dominus collection is currently available for download on Steam, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox. A physical copy will be released soon, with pre-orders starting on September 13th through Limited Run Games.
For fans of the Castlevania series, this collection is a valuable addition, especially if you own the Castlevania Advance Collection, which includes all the Game Boy Advance Castlevania games. This release not only completes your collection but also makes you wonder what the future is for future Castlevania titles, such as a Lord of Shadows collection.
I love a collection like this because it shows a series like Castlevania does not need cutting-edge graphics but rather compelling storytelling and a rich history. I highly recommend picking up this collection.