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Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia ds Game Reviews
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Critic Score
Metascore: 85 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
9.0 out of 10
based on 46 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 21 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game

The legendary Castlevania series is back in its 3rd installment on the Nintendo DS. This time you play as a member of the Ecclesia, an organization that has sworn to defeat the evil forces of Dracula. Use the brand new Glyph attack system which has more than 100 different combinations to battle Dracula and his minions throughout 20 explorable areas. Take part in side quests and collect items to power up your character in the next great Castlevania game produced by Koji Igarashi. Castlevania: The Order of Ecclesia features intense side-scrolling action gameplay as you quest to collect elements that will help you in your quest against Dracula. Explore all-new outdoor areas from the forests to the ocean. Compete head-to-head via the Nintendo DS Wi-Fi Connection. Sell and buy items and equipment you have found while playing with other players utilizing Nintendo DS Wi-Fi Connection. Utilize multiple abilities and attacks simultaneously with the all-new Glyph attack system. Replay more than once to discover multiple endings. [Konami]

PUBLISHER: Konami
DEVELOPER: Konami
GENRE(S): Platform
PLAYERS: 2
ESRB RATING: T (Teen)
RELEASE DATE: October 21, 2008

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100
Modojo
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia's gameplay and presentation make it one of the best to date, alongside Symphony of the Night and other legendary entries.
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100
Wii Brasil
It's the best game of the series since "Symphony of the Night" and those who buy it won't be sorry. This "100" is justified by the enormous quality and the care of how it was made, which is unusual to see on Nintendo DS.
Read Full Review
92
Official Nintendo Magazine UK
Providing you're up for the challenge, this is the high point of the DS Castlevania series. [Feb 2009, p.92]
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91
1UP
With this game, series director Koji Igarashi proves that he can still breathe new life into this long-running, often self-cannibalizing franchise.
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91
Gaming Age
An awesome Castlevania game and an awesome game on its own. If you're a die-hard fan of the series or just a fan of challenging 2d action games, don't miss this title.
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91
GameZone
Order of Ecclesia proves that the Castlevania formula is still as fun now as it was ten years ago, and the new gameplay mechanics keep things fresh and interesting. It’s a 2D action masterpiece, and absolute required playing for any DS owner.
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91
GameShark
An old-school, level-oriented presentation with unrelenting difficulty, making it one of the most refreshing experiences to be had on the DS this holiday season.
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91
Gaming Nexus
I cannot recommend this title enough, especially if you're a fan of the 2-D games in the series.
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90
Nintendojo
It just goes to show that you can teach an old vampire some new tricks.
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90
GamingTrend
The story is top-notch, the graphics are excellent, the controls are great, and the gameplay, while difficult, is still rewarding.
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90
Gamervision
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this game, and there are so many things to love about it. Excellent visuals and sound aside, the gameplay is just as great as any Castlevania has been in the last ten years.
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90
Gamer 2.0
With all the hidden stuff and abilities there are to be uncovered within depths of Ecclesia, players will instantly be submerged in Ecclesia’s extremely solid gameplay.
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90
Kombo
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia is a must buy for any fan of the 2D Castlevania games or for anybody looking for a solid action/adventure experience.
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90
Meristation
One of Konami's biggest franchises is back on Nintendo DS with one of its best entries. A great game that offers amazing visuals and an incredible gameplay, several game modes and an adult story. The Castlevania series takes a step forward; Igarashi offers us one of the best games for the handheld, and one of the greatest Castlevania games.
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90
AtomicGamer
It likely won’t unseat Symphony of the Night as fans’ all-time fave, but its inventive gameplay, outstanding visual presentation, and haunting music—always a high point in the franchise—easily make Ecclesia as good as the series’ DS debut Dawn of Sorrow.
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90
NintendoWorldReport
Order of Ecclesia is one of the best Castlevania games ever produced. It manages to differentiate itself from the blatant self-reference of most post-Symphony games, and uses its unique setting, cast of characters, and engrossing gameplay to stand almost totally apart from its predecessors.
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90
Wired
Despite minor quibbles about its online modes, Order of Ecclesia is a simply stunning handheld game. It ranks as easily the best portable game of the year and could very well qualify as the best Castlevania ever.
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90
GameDaily
The 2-D graphics are wonderfully drawn, the soundtrack is epic and the bosses are among the best we've seen. We don't like the boring two-player races and item trading, but overall, this is one of the best Castlevanias to date.
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90
IGN
Stronger than Portrait of Ruin, Circle of the Moon, and Harmony of Dissonance? Is this reviewer's opinion, yes. The best on DS, or top in the series? I just don't think so.
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90
GameSpy
These "Metroidvania" games may be a bit formulaic, but there's no denying that they're still great fun. Order of Ecclesia is a bit of an improvement over Portrait of Ruin, and it's right up there with the excellent Symphony of the Night and Dawn of Sorrow. This will be one of the best DS titles released this holiday season -- don't miss it.
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90
Destructoid
Everything that makes Castlevania what it is; huge bosses, monster-slaughtering, as well as weapon-gathering and castle-raiding, is all here, and it's done spectacularly.
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90
Thunderbolt
It’s just a shame that the game is so utterly short; even with so much post-game stuff to do, there’s always that lingering feeling that there could have been more. Regardless, Order of Ecclesia is the most engaging Castlevania game in ages. Pick it up if you want something good.
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90
Games Radar (in-house)
Ignoring the Wi-Fi Connection stuff, there’s still so much to see and do it’s hard to imagine gamers not absolutely devouring all the hidden details and ultra-rare items just to say “I did it.”
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90
Zentendo
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia serves up slick controls, action, and challenge while infusing some freshness into the formula and blending it with some of the best elements of the past two Castlevanias.
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90
N-Europe
Because this game has a steep difficulty curve, you’ll consider it an insult if you don’t keep going back until you’ve nailed that section/boss.
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89
Game Over Online
For hardcore Castlevania fans, though, this is the title that you've been looking for. It's long, it's challenging, and it doesn't fall over and die once you find the right weapon/subweapon combination.
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88
Worth Playing
Order of Ecclesia is a top-notch Castlevania game. It has a few problems with linearity and length, but the flaws are few and far between. The gameplay is incredibly fun, the animations are lovely, and the overall enemy design is some of the best we've seen from recent Castlevania titles.
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88
GameTrailers
Order of Ecclesia isn't a drastic departure from past installments, but it's a clear step up with tweaks to gameplay and level design and a cast of creative new enemies. Despite being broken up into smaller levels, there's still a heavy emphasis on exploration, and the merciless boss fights provide a satisfying challenge for any seasoned vampire hunter.
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86
Cheat Code Central
A successful blend of the Metroidvania style of Symphony of the Night and straightforward, extremely difficult nature of older titles in the series.
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85
GameSpot
Ecclesia steps outside the castle walls and summons one of the greatest Castlevania titles in years.
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85
RPG Fan
With addictive, entertaining action RPG gameplay and an effective gothic atmosphere, Order of Ecclesia is a ridiculously fun game.
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85
Pelit (Finland)
A fun and especially challenging action game, although the formula invented over ten years ago in Symphony of the Night is getting a bit stale.
83
Game Informer
The game’s greatness makes suffering through a few poorly designed bosses worth it for hardcore Castlevania fans and 2D action experts. But unlike many other titles in the franchise, I can’t recommend this much beyond this limited demographic.
Read Full Review
81
Games Master UK
Another brilliant adventure from Konami but only the hardiest vampire hunters need apply. [Feb 2009, p.84]
80
PALGN
Better, but definitely not the best. Many steps in forwarding the action-adventure genre, despite the few flaws that remain from past titles in the series.
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80
Gamestyle
What it really comes down to is how much of a fan you consider yourself to be. The game is difficult and frustrating to begin with and anyone new to the series may well be put off.
Read Full Review
80
GamePro
Take gorgeous graphics, intense action, and interesting gameplay concepts, marry it to the legendary Castlevania franchise and release it on the DS. [Nov 2008, p.100]
80
Nintendo Power
Order of Ecclesia may not have a wealth of newness to contribute, but the Castlevania formula still works like a charm, and the game's traditionally strong boss and level designs hold up well in the smaller, more focused areas. [Dec 2008, p.92]
80
Pocket Gamer UK
A marriage of new variety with classic action yields a worthwhile union.
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80
G4 TV
This is a difficult game, then, but it’s not an unfair or unusually frustrating one, and it’s a game good enough that the rewards for pushing forward are worth it.
Read Full Review
80
games(TM)
Order Of Ecclesia represents a solid but never ridiculous challenge that breathes new life into a franchise that was beginning to flag. [Jan 2009, p.128]
80
LEVEL (Czech Republic)
Castlevania celebrates their 20th anniversary with full strength – perfect design an extremely long play time makes it a hot candidate for long winter nights. Be prepared for increased difficulty! [Issue#174, Jan 2009]
75
NGamer UK
A brilliantly made challenge, but rarely much fun. [Jan 2009, p.64]
70
Teletext GameCentral
The best portable Castlevania yet, with a long needed change of structure and a new focus on combat.
Read Full Review
67
Game Revolution
Over time, I found myself enjoying the intensity of combat, the familiar mixture of platforming puzzles, and the “gotta catch ‘em all” mentality of Glyph-hunting. While the difficulty level is tuned to obnoxiously high levels, Order of Ecclesia is still a decent outing for the most sadistically skillful fans. Just don’t expect the refined inspiration that made Dawn of Sorrow or the GBA entries such memorable classics.
Read Full Review
60
Edge Magazine
It is a shame that Konami so overinflates the experience through early chores, especially as it has struck the balance between hardcore fans and casual explorers so well in the past. [Jan 2009, p.88]

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this game is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 21 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Steve M. gave it a10:
This game is excellent. Really, right up there with Symphony and Dawn of Sorrow. A word to the weak: the game is hard. Despite what you may have heard, the bosses are not unfair, and it is not a grind-fest. You simply need patience and a memory worth 30 seconds to assess their patterns and take them down, which is rewarding, to defeat such difficult bosses. Really, game reviewers are wrong to fault a game for being difficult when it is not a product of bad design. I'm so sick of challenge being interpreted as archaic design. This game is a really polished gem.

John B gave it a6:
I'm a huge fan of the series, especially on the DS. This is more of these same (a good thing!), however, the boss fights are frustratingly hard. The third boss (which you get to within an hour or two) is what's making me sell this game. There is no "retry" or "continue" option, so after walking back to the boss and getting killed 10 times, I decided this was a grind treadmill I was willing to pass on. Forced repetition is not fun. Hopefully the next one will be better.

Ryan S. gave it a10:
If you don't mind a tough challenge, pick this game up. This is possibly the best action/platformer game on the DS, and one of the best i've EVER played. The enemies react so much more to you than in most games in which enemies are mostly automated. Also, soon after the beginning of the game, you will notice that enemies may not take hardly any damage from certain weapons; this is where the genius takes place. Enemies are often paired up so that you cannot just clear a room with one weapon. In most of the old Castlevanias (and other games in general) you would just equip your best weapon and proceed through the game until you got a more powerful weapon. In OE (Order of Ecclesia) this is not so. You must switch weapons to defeat enemies. So, you may be fighting one enemy and hurting him a lot while dodging another enemy for whom you need a different weapon. It creates so much more strategy and requires a lot more skill. You have 3 sets of Two weapons. You can switch between these 3 sets on the fly. Also, each set can have a different subweapon (this is dependent upon which two weapons you have equipped). These to me are the most important aspects because the gameplay is so drastically different from most other action games. The animations, music, and everything else is on par or better than anything else in the Castlevania series.

Tony G. gave it a10:
A breath of fresh air for castlevania. at 1st, I had doubts, but I admit this game is classic! music 10, graphics 10, gameplay 10.. a nice new pace from previous games. 1 gripe, boss battles are ridiculously hard ! besides that, game is neck and neck with symphony of the night.

CJ H. gave it a10:
I think this game is clearly better than both other DS Castlevania games. That being said, allow me to say why. The 2 button combat system allows for players to customize their character. Along with the 2 button combat system, you also have the special ability to supercharge each button by pressing up. Combined with special glyphs that make use of the R button, I really don't think every player will play the same way. It is true that the opening levels are linear, but it does open up. I believe this linear setup makes the storyline a bit more believable and the fact that the main character has no relation to the belmonts is a breath of fresh air. For people that will say negatives, I already see the arguments coming. The first part of the game is linear (boohoo) the magic meter recharging is too slow (waaah) there is no belmont (awww) Personally, I do not think this game could get any better given the graphic constraints on the ds. In my opinion, the finest DS Castlevania game to date.

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