6 Amazing Video Games Almost Destroyed By Terrible Mechanics

6. Castlevania Dawn Of Sorrow - Magic Seals

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow was the first Castlevania game released on the DS. It was also released fairly early in the fledgling handheld consoles run, far back in the sepia-tinged past of 2005. This meant it was the first Metroidvania game a lot of gamers ever got to play, but it also meant it was burdened with the responsibility to incorporate the DS touch screen mechanic gimmick in any way possible. In Dawn of Sorrow, this takes shape in the ‘Magic Seals’ gameplay mechanic.

The feature works thusly: upon defeating a boss, a symbol will briefly appear on screen. This is the ‘Magic Seal’. You are then required to draw that symbol from memory in order to seal the boss away. If you fail to draw it correctly, or even just draw it correctly but start from the wrong point on the screen, you fail to seal the boss. It then regenerates a load of heath and the fight continues. Better luck next time, I guess.

It’s a terrible idea because the task has nothing to do with your combat skill or anything going in within the fight at hand, and punishes you harshly for failure. It also completely interrupts the flow of the narrative and boss-fight induced tension for a few moments while you do the drawing mini-game. It’s a blatant, hashed out addition designed only to utilise the DS touchscreen hardware that the game really had no need for. All in all, an unfortunate and unnecessary addition to an otherwise excellent installment in Castlevania franchise.