Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin review

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin is built around two heroes. Konami's history page says Jonathan Morris wields the Vampire Killer whip while Charlotte Aulin is a spellcaster, and the Steam page explains that you switch between them with a single button press or fight side by side. Mystical paintings open portals to locations beyond Dracula's castle, and the story is set in 1944. It is part of the $24.99 Castlevania Dominus Collection with Dawn of Sorrow, Order of Ecclesia and Haunted Castle Revisited, which adds rewind and quick saves and holds 94% positive English Steam reviews from 1,501. We ranked it below its two collection mates on capabilities because its tag-team idea is its main hook, while Dawn of Sorrow and Order of Ecclesia each bring larger progression systems. Since all three come in one purchase, most buyers will play it anyway.

Who it is for

players who like switching between two characters

Price

$24.99 one-time on Steam for the Castlevania Dominus Collection (three DS games plus Haunted Castle).

Haunted Castle Revisited, a redesigned version of the very first Castlevania arcade game, makes its debut! $24.99 Buy on Steam
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 12, 2026.

Key features

• Two heroes: Jonathan Morris with the Vampire Killer whip and spellcaster Charlotte Aulin
• Switch characters with a single button press or fight side by side
• Portrait portals lead to areas beyond the castle
• Set in 1944, during the Second World War
• Collection adds rewind and quick saves

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Two-character system is unique on this list
• Strength: Included in the 94% positive Dominus Collection
• Strength: Six languages listed on Steam
• Weakness: Only available inside the $24.99 collection
• Weakness: Steam minimum is 8 GB of RAM
• Weakness: Ranks behind the collection's other two games for most players

Key facts

• Original release: December 5, 2006 (Nintendo DS)
• Heroes: Jonathan Morris, Charlotte Aulin
• Setting: 1944
• Collection price: $24.99
• English Steam reviews: 94% positive of 1,501 (collection)

Where it ranks

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin is No. 8 in our Best Castlevania Games verdict.