However, it's library is very light on quality games in popular, more action-oriented genres like platformers, fighting games, beat 'em ups, any kind of shooters, other action and/or adventure games, sports (including racing) games, etc. Over 90% of its library consists of RPGs, puzzle games, casual touchscreen games, inferior handheld ports of console games, and games with lame controls that overuse the touchscreen ('Star Fox Command,' 'Kirby Mass Attack,' etc.) While the DS may have an overall good library, I still say it's way too narrow for many core gamers' tastes, including my own. Despite its shortcomings – and the feeling that the whole 'Metroidvania' template is growing stale by this point – Dawn of Sorrow is still an excellent game.

It's also a shame that Ayami Kojima wasn't invited back to do the character artwork instead, we get a very basic 'anime' cast of characters that lack charm. The 'Soul' system from Aria makes a return and the game is impressively proportioned, but the technical gimmicks – such as having to draw seals on the touch screen to kill bosses and the WiFi system (which is now unavailable as Nintendo has taken the DS' wireless portal offline) – don't add much to the experience. Dawn of Sorrow feels very much like Aria but on steroids the visuals are massively improved and are much closer to those seen in Symphony of the Night, while Masahiko Kimura ( Castlevania 64)'s soundtrack is also much more refined (even if it's not quite up there with the best of the franchise). Given the amazing critical response to Aria of Sorrow on the GBA, it made sense for Konami to create a sequel for Nintendo's new handheld, the DS.

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