Castlevania: Order Of Ecclesia Announced News

First sighted in an update to the ESRB last month, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia has now been officially announced by Konami. The title will be released on Nintendo's DS sometime during the autumn of this year.

The format will be the same 2D side-scrolling gameplay that we've become accustomed to, although this latest instalment sees the introduction of a new 'Glyph' attack system. Using the system, players can unleash more than 100 different attack combinations.

"We have always felt that the Castlevania franchise has been an excellent fit on Nintendo DS, and based on the popularity of the DS classics, Dawn of Sorrow and Portrait of Ruin, our fans agree," said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "We fully expect Order of Ecclesia to ignite the fan base once again as it combines the classic Castlevania gameplay with an all-new combat system and outdoor environments."

The story places the gamer as a member of the Ecclesia organisation, who spend their time battling Dracula and his horde of minions. There are 20 explorable areas which open up into alternate endings depending on how the player completes the game.

With the help of DS' Wi-Fi capabilities, gamers will also be able to go head-to-head with other players or trade items and equipment they've found on their journeys.