Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin

Lore & Background

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin follows Jonathan Morris, son of John Morris from Castlevania: Bloodlines, and Charlotte Aulin as they attempt to stop a vampire from resurrecting Dracula. The game expands on two-character gameplay from Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow and adds cooperative online functionality while foregoing many touch screen mechanics. Players explore Dracula's castle and other environments via painting-like portals, encountering 155 different enemies.

Reader's Guide

Portrait of Ruin received overall positive critical response and several awards as one of the best Nintendo DS games. Critics praised its soundtrack, story, and cooperative mechanics, while some criticism was directed at the gameplay. The game introduced cooperative multiplayer to the series, allowing two players to complete Boss Rushes together via local wireless or Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Its two protagonists later appeared in Castlevania: Harmony of Despair. In 2024, Portrait of Ruin was re-released as part of the Castlevania Dominus Collection alongside other titles. The game features multiple endings, with the canonical ending seeing all vampire antagonists defeated. Alternate modes include Sisters Mode, Richter Mode, and Old Axe Armor Mode, as well as a Boss Rush Mode.

Did You Know?

• Portrait of Ruin is the first Castlevania game to feature cooperative multiplayer.
• It is the first handheld Castlevania entry to have English voice-overs outside its original Japanese release.
• The game is set in Europe during World War II and continues the story from Castlevania: Bloodlines.
• The main protagonists, Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin, later appeared in Castlevania: Harmony of Despair.