History VideoGame / CastlevaniaLamentOfInnocence

* BonusBoss: The Forgotten One, a skinless demon under lock and key so huge Leon needs to [[ColossusClimb ride an elevator to reach it]].

* CameraScrew: The game has very few platforming sections, but all of them feature frustrating mid-jump camera moves. Fortunately with two rooms, [[NonLethalBottomlessPits falling instantly sends you to their entrance]], keeping the frustration factor from getting ''too'' high.

In the late 11th century, during the Crusades, Baron Leon Belmont's [[DamselInDistress fiancée is kidnapped]] by a vampire named Walter Bernhard. Under the urgings of his bedridden friend Mathias Cronqvist, Leon renounces his title and [[LawfulStupid leaves behind his sword]] to rescue his love. Luckily, in the vicinity of Walter's home, he comes across the alchemist Rinaldo Gandolfi, who gives Leon the [[WhipItGood Whip of Alchemy]]. Thus begins a journey that in one way or another codifies and justifies the many elements of the ''Castlevania'' storyline.

* WhipItGood: The Whip of Alchemy, [[spoiler:which becomes the Vampire Killer by the end of the game]].

* DidNotThinkThisThrough: [[spoiler: Mattias never considered the possibility that [[PlayerCharacter Leon Belmont]] would be pissed at his manipulations. As a result, he not only ''[[ShutUpHannibal rejects]]'' his offer to [[WeCanRuleTogether join him]], but vows that [[CreateYourOwnHero he and his descendants would dedicate their lives to stopping Dracula once and for all]]. [[NiceJobFixingItVillain Whoops]]]].

Released shortly after ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow]]'', this game would be followed up by that game's sequel as well as another 3D entry in the series, ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaCurseOfDarkness''.

** Mathias Cronqvist wears [[PrettyInMink a fur collar]], just like [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow someone else who ended up being Dracula]] in another ''Castlevania'' game released earlier the same year]]. He also looks [[spoiler:[[LikeFatherLikeSon uncannily like Alucard/Genya Arikado]]]].

* AnAxeToGrind: An axe is one of the sub-weapons. The most common attack with it involves it spinning in the air.

* HornyDevils: The Succubus, though her role is limited to draining Leon's health through [[KissOfDeath kisses]].

** special mention goes to the bland name product Campbell's tomato juice can dropped by the fleamen.

* BigBadFriend: It's a well-established trope in IGA's games that the protagonist's best friend becomes evil, but they're usually BrainwashedAndCrazy and the DiscOneFinalBoss. In this game, however, [[spoiler: Leon's best friend Mathias turns out to be ''Dracula'', the BigBad of the entire franchise! He hoped that Leon would be willing to join him in immortality after having lost Sara, but instead Leon vows that he and [[BadassFamily all his descendants]] will [[OriginsEpisode hunt him down for as long as it takes to destroy him.]] ]]
-->'''Leon''': You ''used'' me!
-->'''[[spoiler: Mathias]]''': Not just you. [[ManipulativeBastard Your betrothed Sara, Rinaldo, and Walter.]] [[EvilGloating I used]] ''[[EvilGloating all]]'' [[EvilGloating of you.]]

--> '''Leon:''' Why is a vampire locked away in here?''\\
'''[[HairTriggerTemper Joachim:]]''' '''Shut up!''' *proceeds to answer the question anyway*

** Given what is revealed and otherwise implied about [[spoiler: the crimson stone]] it is possible that [[spoiler: some of Walter's own habits have been bleeding into Dracula ever since his soul was assimilated]]

* BossDissonance: Depends on the character you are using. Completing the levels with Leon can be challenging, while bosses can easier to handle due to their easily identifiable patterns and the items at your disposal. With Joachim, you can cut through enemies like butter, but have a tougher time with bosses, since he lacks the ability to use items.

* BraggingRightsReward: Defeating the [[BonusBoss Forgotten One]] gives you the Black Orb, which provides you with a new set of sub-weapon options. This would be really awesome, except that at this point you have already pretty much finished the game. You can at least get some good use out of it during Boss Rush mode, where the Black Orb + Cross combo, for example, will render both versions of the Doppelganger helpless.

* CastingGag: With Creator/NobutoshiCanna who voices Leon: A mighty warrior with an ambitious friend that betrays him and rejects his humanity using a red stone that summons god-like beings, and Leon swears to take his revenge on that friend. Similar to events in the ''Manga/{{Berserk}}''

** [[spoiler: Essentially one for Mathias as well; he gives up any chance of ever living a normal life just because [[RageAgainstTheHeavens he hates God for taking his wife away from him]], and Leon refuses his offer of immortality and swears that his descendants will destroy him, even if it takes centuries. Mathias sounds genuinely disappointed that after everything, Leon would turn him down, and he doesn't sound all that thrilled to sic Death on him either. More or less, nobody gets out of this story with a happy ending.]]

** Mathias Cronqvist wears [[PrettyInMink a fur collar]], just like [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow someone else who ended up being Dracula]] in another ''Castlevania'' game released earlier the same year.]] He also looks [[spoiler: [[LikeFatherLikeSon uncannily like Alucard/Genya Arikado.]] ]]
** Rinaldo comments that Mathias has alchemical power in the opening cutscene. [[spoiler: Leon's reaction to this revelation is a sign that he doesn't know Mathias as well as he thinks he does]].
** Leon finds out from Medusa that the whip isn't completed yet, so he questions Rinaldo on it, who prompts a [[YouDoNOTWantToKnow "need-to-know basis"]] on him, and rather harshly at that. [[spoiler: That's because it requires sacrificing someone who's been vampirized... such as Sara...]]

* HaveANiceDeath: There are many different variations of Bloodstained Demise, the theme used for the Game Over screen, each of which was likely intended for if Leon were to die fighting against any of the voice-acted bosses. During each of these sequences, a special quote appropriate to the boss can be heard at the Game Over screen:

* HeartbrokenBadass: Leon, in the second half of the game. [[spoiler: Sara slowly succumbs to vampirism, and has to die to save her own soul and to complete the Vampire Killer. Sara's death is devastating to Leon, but it also gives him the conviction to destroy Walter and Dracula. His [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZLRnQqEyt0 leitmotif]] reflects this.]]

** given what is revealed and otherwise implied about [[spoiler: the crimson stone]] it is possible that [[spoiler: some of Walter's own habits have been bleeding into Dracula ever since his soul was assimilated]]

* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:After Leon went through hell to rescue Sara, in the end it's revealed she had been given the vampire's curse by Walter and will turn eventually. The whip as it is cannot even scratch Walter, let alone defeat him, and Leon is told that if it were in its completed form, Leon will have a chance. Thing is, in order to make the whip whole, he must kill a tainted soul with it. IE Leon must kill Sara. Naturally, Leon refuses to entertain the thought, but Sara begs him to do so if her death can prevent other victims from becoming like her. With a heavy heart, Leon follows Sara's wish and kills her, thus creating the Vampire Killer Whip.]]

* StandardStatusEffects: Poison staggers Leon with constant damage, Paralysis and Stone freeze him in his tracks, and with Curse, he is unable to use gained skills to perform combos or dodges.

''Castlevania: Lament of Innocence'' is a 3D game released for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 in 2003, which serves as a {{prequel}} to the rest of the ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' series.

* GodIsGood[=/=]GodIsEvil: [[spoiler:Mathias's motivation to become Dracula is his belief that GodIsEvil.]]

* GreaterScopeVillain: [[spoiler:To Leon's shock, it's his friend, Mathias.]]
* TheGrimReaper: Surprise! [[spoiler:He's the FinalBoss!]]

* [[HijackedByGanon Hijacked By Dracula]]: The ManBehindTheMan, [[spoiler:Mathias, becomes Dracula in the end]]. Not really a surprise, since this is the origin story for the Belmonts.

** [[spoiler:It's sort of a ForegoneConclusion, being the origin story of Dracula, but things don't end well for Leon at all. He lost not only the woman he gave up everything he had to save, but also his best friend, who sacrificed his humanity to become the infamous dark lord, [[TheBadGuyWins who leaves the game with his plans accomplished]].]]
** [[spoiler: Essentially one for Mathias as well; he gives up any chance of ever living a normal life just because he hates God for taking his wife away from him, and Leon refuses his offer and swears that his descendants will destroy him, even if it takes centuries. Mathias actually sounds disappointed that after everything, Leon refuses him, and he doesn't sound all that thrilled to sic Death on him either. More or less, nobody's getting out of this story with a happy ending.]]

* ShaggyDogStory: Good LORD, does this story get there. 80% of the game, Leon is finally reunited with Sara, [[spoiler: only to find she's been vampirized and Leon has to kill her to complete the Vampire Killer in order to stand a chance of facing Walter]]. He finally confronts Walter in his throne room, leaving the player feeling like they can take revenge on him for everything he's put the poor hero through...except, SURPRISE! [[spoiler: you just played RIGHT into Mathias' plan and brought about an even WORSE evil than before when he renounces God and humanity, then sics Death on his former best friend after being refused]]. After defeating Death, Leon swears eternal vengeance on [[spoiler: Mathias]]. The game ends with Leon quietly walking away from the ruined castle with the player almost feeling how empty the poor man is...

** Leon himself actually all but outright states this one during [[spoiler: Mathias']] [[WeCanRuleTogether We Can Rule Together]] offer since he feels he'd be living an empty existence without Sara for the rest of eternity. He understands the request and the motive, but refuses on that reasoning.

* AnachronismStew: [[FrickinLaserBeams Laser traps]] in the eleventh century, anyone?

* FrickinLaserBeams:
** Cyclops, Red Ogres, and Peeping Eyes have an attack that has them shooting a laser [[EyeBeams out of their eyes]].
** Several rooms in the House of Sacred Remains, Ghostly Theater, and Pagoda of the Misty Moon are laser trap rooms, which require you to time your way across them.

** [[spoiler: Essentially one for Mathias as well; he gives up any chance of ever living a normal life just because he hates God for taking his wife away from him, and Leon refuses his offer and swears instead to destroy him, even if it takes centuries. Mathias actually sounds disappointed that after everything, Leon refuses him, and he doesn't sound all that thrilled to sic Death on him either. More or less, nobody's getting out of this story with a happy ending.]]

** [[spoiler:It's sort of a ForegoneConclusion, being the origin of Dracula, but things don't end well for Leon at all. He lost not only the woman he gave up everything he was to save, but also his best friend, who sacrificed his humanity to become the infamous dark lord, [[TheBadGuyWins who leaves the game with his plans accomplished]].]]
** Essentially one for [[spoiler: Mathias]] as well, given this is the last of human life and it ends with his plea for his best friend to join him resulting in Leon turning him down and choosing to be at war with him for generations to come. [[spoiler: Mathias]] actually sounds pretty broken that after everything, Leon refuses him, and he doesn't sound all that thrilled to sic Death on him either. More or less, nobody's getting out of this story with a happy ending.

* ManipulativeBastard: [[spoiler: Mathias/Dracula, who manipulated absolutely everyone in the game to serve his own ends. He got Walter to capture Sara so that Leon would go after her. After Sara started to become a vampire, Rinaldo and Leon had no choice but to kill her and forge a magical weapon capable of killing a vampire. When Leon used said weapon to kill Walter, Mathias used his soul to complete the Crimson Stone, which made him the King of Vampires, Dracula. Mathias' expert ability to manipulate people is [[{{Foreshadowing}} foreshadowed]] very early, during the prologue, when it mentions he's a renowned ''battle strategist.'']]