Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (DS)

Taking place a year after Aria of Sorrow, the game's protagonist, Soma Cruz, finds himself at the center of a mysterious cult's plan to resurrect their evil lord and master Dracula. To save himself and protect the lives of those he loves, Soma must infiltrate the enemy's home base, a towering replica of Dracula's castle that is teaming with monstrous creatures. Players' abilities develop as they collect items and gather experience points by defeating a multitude of gruesome enemies.

In their quest to defeat enemies, players will utilize original gameplay concepts that leverage the Nintendo DS' touch screen technology. One example is Dawn of Sorrow's "Magic Seal" system. By using the stylus directly on the screen, players must connect a series of symbols in the proper order to unlock an enchanted opening and disperse their enemy's magic into it when they are weakened. The touch screen technology will also be used to destroy "Crystal Blocks." This ability will allow players to access unreachable areas as well as eliminate obstacles. The Nintendo DS' dual screens also allow game information to be readily displayed.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow DS introduces a multitude of new characters. These characters include Celia Fortner, Dario Bossi, and Dmitrii Blinov. Celia is a shadow priest that exercises great magical power and is the founder of a mysterious cult that will stop at nothing to orchestrate the second coming of the "Evil Lord." Dario Bossi is one of Dracula's potential successors. He has the ability to manipulate fire, a power he absorbed from Dracula during the time of his last resurrection. Dario's fiery personality and impulsive tendencies push him to immediate action. Dmitrii Blinov is the other potential successor to Dracula's rein. He has the power to duplicate magical powers and displays an outward impression of rashness and irresponsibility, but make no mistake, Dimitrii is prepared to take any measures necessary to accomplish his goals.