After the release of the spectacular Metal Gear Solid 4, Konami may be a bit wiped out.  Their demonstration at E3 was a bit short on big titles, and the games they did present were a bit of a mixed bag.  Here’s a rundown of their offerings:


Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia – DS
The Castlevania series once again graces Nintendo’s handheld marvel with their latest installment, Order of Ecclesia.  In the 2D game, you play as Shanoa, a female protagonist with the ability to use Glyphs on her arms and back.  These Glyphs represent weapons and abilities that are mapped to the A, X and Y buttons.  Each arm can hold a different Glyph, and the Glyphs can combine to create new, more powerful ones.  There are over 100 combinations of Glyphs in total.  For a DS title, the game looks great, with fluid animations and detailed, if a bit familiar, Castlevania-style backgrounds.  Look for this one sometime next Fall.

Castlevania: Judgement – Wii
On the other side of the coin, we have Castlevania: Judgement, a 3D fighting game for the Wii.  While the game boasts some decent visuals and impressive, over-the-top super attacks, the control scheme leaves something to be desired.  Shaking the Wii-mote for your primary attack feels totally backwards and unwieldy.  There are some cool attack effects, but the control scheme is just too confusing and ass-backwards to make this one anything more than a curiosity.  You can judge for yourself when it drops this November.

Elebits: The Adventures of Kai and Zero – DS
The direct sequel to Elebits will take place on the DS.  Unlike the original, this one is an adventure game with a control scheme similar to that of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.  Joe seemed to like it, so it’ got that going for it.  See if you agree with him on August 12.

Rock Revolution – DS, Xbox 360
The handheld guitar simulator may be bare bones in presentation, but it does differentiate between up strokes and down strokes.  In my experience, it was fun for about half a song.  Then I was done with it.  Strangely, the console version comes with only a drum set, but is compatible with any other video game guitar out there.  Once again, the visuals are minimal, but at least the drum set is big and it seems sturdy.  Both games release later this year.

Dance Dance Revolution X, DDR Universe 3, DDR Hottest Party 2 – Multiple Platforms
I don’t dance, so I didn’t play them.  Sorry.

Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore 2 – Multiple Platforms
More of the same.  Randy, Paula, Simon, customizable characters and a slew of new songs.  If you love the series, you’ll be buying it.  If not, this one won’t change your mind.

Lost in Blue: Shipwrecked! – Wii
Moving from the DS to the Wii, the Lost in Blue franchise finally makes its way to consoles.  Utilizing the Wii-mote instead of the touch screen, Shipwrecked! tasks your teenaged protagonist with surviving on a desert island with the help of your pet monkey.  More fun than you might think.  Will you escape the island or make a new life for yourself away from civilization? 

In comparison with some of the other company’s showings, Konami didn’t exactly shine, but there’s certainly some titles that are bound to sell well, so at least they’re looking good financially.  Hopefully, the creative side can catch up soon.