Christ Centered Gamer

Quick question for the Castlevania fans out there. I'm new to the series. I decided to finally try it out seeing as how the new one for ps3/360 looks pretty interesting so far. I started out playing some of the older ones for the original NES, and I've tried some of the earlier GBA titles. So far they're great. I can see why it's such a well-known franchise in gaming, and it kinda makes me wish I wasn't so late to the party.

Anyway, I was browsing Gamefaqs recently, trying to decide which title to look into next. I decided to check out some of the Nintendo DS games. After looking at screenshots for the latest DS Castlevania title, Order of Ecclesia, one image in-particular caught my eye. The image simply shows an inverted crucifix logo on the top DS screen. The weird thing is that the other screenshots show the same cross logo right-side up. Check out this page to see what I mean:

http://www.gamefaqs.com/ds/945837-castl ... sia/images (lower right)

I checked out a couple youtube videos, and it seems like this cross logo appears on the top screen during cutscenes on the touch screen. But in all the videos I saw, it remained right side up. Being a Christian gamer, I just thought I'd double-check to see what this was all about before going out and purchasing the game. Basically, in what parts of the game is the cross logo inverted and what triggers this in-game? Also, is it possible to avoid?

Thanks very much in advance for the info. God bless.

Inverted crosses are not Satanic.

Inverted crucifixes are.

The "inverted cross" is the Cross of St. Peter (or the Petrine Cross). It is represented as inverted, because when Peter was crucified, he asked that it be done upside down, because he felt unworthy to be crucified in the same way as Jesus.

So, basically, it's a Catholic symbol, unless Christ is imposed upon the cross, which would make it an inverted crucifix, and thus disrespectful and probably Satanic.

Any other use of the Petrine Cross, besides the correct Catholic one, is probably the result of someone who doesn't know what the symbolism means.

In the game's sense, it's likely intended to represent something dark. This is, however, highly dependent on interpretation. What do you feel the game's developers are trying to get across with this imagery? What kind of message is communicated by the game itself?

The Castlevania games tend to be dark, anyway. Personally, I wouldn't have a problem playing the game, even with that imagery, and that's simply because I don't hold that symbol to be Satanic or evil unless it's under specific circumstances (much like the pentagram or pentacle). But what I think isn't important. What you think is.

What do you feel the game's developers are trying to get across with this imagery? What kind of message is communicated by the game itself?

Well, I don't know cause I haven't played the game yet. This is kind of what I'm trying to figure out from someone who HAS played it already. If I know why it's there in the first place and what it's trying to represent in the game, then I can make a better judgment on whether it would make me uncomfortable or not.

I haven't played this game. Like you I have played many of the classic ones, and I also played all of the GBA ones. I also reviewed Dawn of Sorrow on DS for this site. One of my favorite games of all time for DS.. and also one that made me decide I can't really get into Castlevania any more. The content definitely pushes it, especially the outfits of your female adversaries. For more information read my Dawn of Sorrow review. While this is not necessarily indicative of this game, it's an established pattern over many games in the Castlevania series.

If I recall correctly, Symphony of the Night has pentagrams and crosses that are upside down when the inverted castle is discovered. It's been an ongoing pattern for some time with Konami and this series.

IBJamon