Psychedelic Kimchi: Diffidence of Corruption

We here at Psychedelic Kimchi love a great many things, but what we truly adore is Konami's hallowed Castlevania series. It's especially cool when a cryptic title (preferably consisting of three words) is attached to any particular entry, such as Harmony of Dissonance, Lament of Innocence, Aria of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, Legacy of Darkness, etc. Given the series' penchant for gothic imagery (think Hammer horror films, actually) and catchy, almost eerie music, and it should be easy to comprehend why October makes for the best month to play -or replay- a Castlevania game.

For the uninitiated, Castlevania is, at its core, characterized by a hero that brandishes a whip against a plethora of supernatural opposition (ghouls, flying medusa heads, sea serpents, emaciated Shih Tzus) led by the dastardly Count Dracula.* Throughout the years, the gameplay has fluctuated a bit, ranging from hardcore side-scrolling action to Metroid-style exploration (not to mention forays into the realm of 3-D), but the focus remains intact: kicking some preternatural ass.

For dedicated fans of the series, you'll be excited to learn that PK's very own Sparkles*_* has an extensive Order of Ecclesia review in the works. I dare not give away any trade secrets, but rest assured that it will be a veritable bonanza of pertinent information, and it may include an interview with one of the game's developers. Look up the word passionate, and you'll find a definition of the word passionate, which fits Mr. Forbes like a glove. I'm excited.**

Let's take a look at some covers for starters (and no, not all of them include obscure titles):








Note: You gotta love that "Win a trip to Dracula's hometown!" contest that was set up for Castlevania III, but if you click on the picture shown above, then you'll see that it was "Void in Quebec, Canada." Not sure what that was all about, but here's me, playing the world's smallest violin for you, Quebec.

Grant DaNasty

* With the character of Death going in for a layup, for the thirty-thousandth time.

** Originally, the plan was to do a podcast in which Sparkles would present his essay upon the game and its protagonist, while I would masturbate and emit funny little noises as a backdrop. Sadly (due to budgetary constraints) this will not materialize, but I'm still excited to see what he has in store for us.