Simon is an all-around fighter with basic whip attacks, Trevor is a heavier Belmont fighter with a few magic moves where traditional whip ones occurred for Simon, Maria is an extremely unique magic-based characters with lots of pre-attack frames before each move (as well as a few cool-down frames) making her a sort of "magic/tank" class. ![]() ![]() There's more variation here than something like the Naruto: Clash of Ninja series, for example. ![]() The true testament to the game's depth though is found in the fighters, as each one feels entirely unique, going as far as to change up how things like charge attacks and supers are handled. Outside of a strange camera choice, Judgment plays great, using a free-form 3D arena the likes of Powerstone, while still keeping it simple with flat playfields, a few basic level-specific changes, and some candelabras for new sub-weapons and power-ups. Where the game sets itself apart though is in the style and overall design taken from the Castlevania source material, and what I eluded to earlier in the character balancing. After about an hour of play though, it'll come as second nature, so it's only really an annoyance, and not a deal-breaker by any means. With GameCube (or the Classic Controller) the game is a bit easier to play over long lengths of time due to the removal of constant Wii-mote shaking, but controls aren't completely customizable, so you'll need to use some odd "press this button while holding that one" choices by the team, rather than having all buttons available for mapping anywhere. Battle is pretty simple all around, with motion combining with the A and B buttons to do different types of attacks, Z on the nunchuk used for guards and a special "unblockable" attack that takes a lot of time to prep, and a dodge system on the nunchuk motion sensor as well. Controls are still a little odd in the end, as I eventually switched from motion over to the GameCube controller (something I haven't done since Smash), but even then the game has a few oddities that keep it from being entirely sound in its design. Every character feels different, every attack matters, and in the end you're left with a fighter that's all about knowing your character and when to strike, and about as far from the originally expected "waggle-fest" that looked to be the only sense of play from the first versions of Judgment. This was the number one aspect Judgment was originally missing, and in the end it's the game's strongest asset. What it really comes down to in Judgment (just like in any fighter out there) is the question of whether or not you'll really want to spend time getting to know the fighters, learning their specific styles, and mastering their techniques. Castlevania could be a stronger series on Wii than just a spin-off fighter - either in a full-on 3D adventure, or in the preferred 2D style, which could make for an amazing Symphony-like take on the platform - but the final offering Iga and his team has put together is one that still offers a huge amount of fan service to Castlevania lovers, and a deep, fun fighter for those that maybe haven't paid that much attention to the series over the years. ![]() Judgment wen from a After going the distance with Castlevania Judgment on Wii, I want more, and I'm surprised to say it. For a huge Castlevania nut such as myself, it was a serious letdown. After our playthrough, or fears seems to be coming true, as the game played pretty clunky, there was little to no depth in the battle mechanic, and characters all felt about as generic and similar as possible. So when we first got word that the latest Castlevania - and the first on Wii, mind you - would be not only 3D in design, but also a fighter, testing new grounds for the series entirely, you can understand why we entered with a bit of skepticism.
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