Castlevania comes to Games Convention

Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH will be showcasing the forthcoming Castlevania®: Portrait of Ruin for Nintendo DS at the Games Convention exhibition in Leipzig, with series creator Koji 'IGA' Igarashi and Musical Director Michiru Yamane both appearing on stage to discuss the new addition to the series.

The latest addition to Konami's eternally popular series, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin gives the player control of two different characters. The pair - vampire hunter Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin, a young girl with magical abilities - must work to thwart a plan to resurrect Dracula's Castle and unleash a reign of evil upon the unsuspecting world, all within a new World War II setting. Producer IGA will also use the Leipzig show to unveil three new characters: Stella, Loretta and Brauner and will outline their use in the game.

The new setting captures the chaos and suffering the era, with thousands of lost souls wandering the world in search of salvation. Desperate to escape the limbo within their exist, the misguided spirits seek to rebuild Dracula's Castle from its ruins, and are lead by a pair of evil Vampire sisters out to resurrect their master's home for their own nefarious plans. Thrown together, Jonathan and Charlotte must combine their unusual skill sets to defeat the plans and restore harmony.

Retaining the same 2D platform realms for which the series is famed, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin uses a side-on view to oversee the scrolling stages. Players can switch freely between Jonathan and Charlotte as they progress through the levels, using their skills when appropriate. In addition to Jonathan's weapon expertise and Charlotte's spell-casting, both characters can utilise all-new 'Summon' attacks to raise demons to assist them against the Vampire sisters' army. Similarly, more conventional weapons can also be found on route, and saved for use against the hardier monsters that await in the shadows.

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Featuring all-new locations and a cast of over 100 different adversaries, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin marks a welcome return to the DS for the series. IGA's Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow has already enjoyed massive success for the format, and his new epic is certain to wow Nintendo users when it is released later in the year. But for those that cannot wait that long, a new trailer and playable versions of the game will whet the appetite

About KONAMI CORPORATION

KONAMI CORPORATION was established in 1973, and became a holding company on March 31, 2006. KONAMI CORPORATION covers the fields of "Digital Entertainment Business", "Health & Fitness Business" and "Gaming & System Business". KONAMI CORPORATION went public on Tokyo Stock Exchange in 1988, the Singapore Stock Exchange in 1997, the London Stock Exchange in 1999, and the New York Stock Exchange in 2002. Home Page URL: www.konami.co.jp. Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH is a wholly-owned subsidiary, responsible for popular franchises like Metal Gear Solid®, Silent Hill® and Pro Evolution Soccer amongst other top sellers. For more information concerning Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH and its products, please visit www.konami-europe.com/games.

Castlevania®: Portrait of Ruin will be released for Nintendo DS in November.