Castlevania: Nocturne (TV Series) Devourer of Light (2023) User Reviews

an epic ending for castlevania fans

[alistairmclean81 · 8 October 2023]

This has been a surprisingly good season for something not written by Ellis and this final episode really was the icing on the cake. That twist at the end was beautiful.

The story and characters that have been written in has been brilliant. It hasn't tweaked too early which pisses of all the gen z I must have it now babies.

An ending more sublime than the finest wine and so much heart.

I thought this would be poor with warren Ellis kissing as writer but I'm pleasantly surprised and I'm very excited for season 2, I just hope these seasons keep on coming and never end.

Give it your full attention and you will be rewarded.

Come on...

[greenmangreat · 6/10 · 28 September 2023]

Great action scenes, tons of tension, but by the midway point, I knew I wasn't going to get a conclusive ending. Understandable, considering this is just the first season. But wow, I can't say that ending was satisfying at all.

I was hoping Alucard would make an appearance throughout the season, but to bring him out as a deus ex machina was just really shoddy writing. Where did he even come from? Did he just fly in from nowhere? Was he watching the whole time? And to take out Drolta from the back with just one hit? After that intense fight scene with the most powerful Belmont in Castlevania lore?

All that set up only to conclude the first season this way. Combine a cliffhanger with deus ex machina and you get one of the worst ways to end a season.

One of the deusiest of deus ex machinas.

[raffrasson · 5/10 · 3 October 2023]

This was a really unsatisfactory ending to the season. The episode had a strong start, with many of the tensions built on the previous episodes reaching a boiling point. Characters had their morality challenged, tenuous alliances were formed, and overall the payout was worth it (which was unexpected to me; so far I had felt this series, while quite pretty, was just ok plot-wise).

That made it all more surprising when, WAAAAY out of the left field (believe me, it REALLY comes from nowhere), something happens to tip the scales considerably in favor of the protagonist. Problem is this benefit feels completely unearned: none of the main characters had to do anything to make it happen, it just does, and that makes it feel very cheap. I would much rather the season to end on a more hopeless note, with the heroes seemingly defeated and with no apparent way out, than with this "hope" conjured out of nowhere. Left a really bad taste on my mouth. Here's hoping they can do better on the next season's ending.

Season One Review

[southdavid · 7/10 · 3 April 2024]

I watched the "Castlevania" series that was on Netflix over the last few years and, with the exception of the bloaty second season, I really enjoyed it. So, I had no problem jumping into this sequel series that, like the games, favours exploring the Belmont family's wide lineage rather than sticking with a particular hero.

Richter Belmont (Edward Bluemel) kills creatures of the night both because of his family's legacy and specifically as he saw his mother killed by Olrox (Zahn McClarnon) an ancient Vampire. In France, alongside Annette (Thuso Mbedu), a former slave who can manipulate the Earth, and Maria (Pixie Davies), a former aristocratic youngster who can summon animals to fight for her, Belmont learns of the prophesised coming of the Vampire Messiah, whose arrival would be timely for the aristocratic vampires in French Society, who are in danger from the scent of revolution in the air.

Much like the games do, we've leaped on a few hundred years to connect with a new Belmont, Richter. Less accomplished than Trevor was, but more emotional and still pretty capable and voiced by Edward Bluemel, from "Sex Education" and "Killing Eve". The animation style is the same and it looks great, particularly in its regular fight scenes. It's not quite as viscerally gory as I remember the original series being, but it certainly has its moments of heads being lopped off and people torn apart. It does have a better sound mix than that original series had though, with the vocals sounding slightly more natural.

Story wise it's a bit of a mixed bag though. It clearly lays out what its issue is going to be and who the villains are, but then the story progresses a little too slowly for my taste, though it does pick up towards the end.

I liked it enough though, and I'll be back to watch the second season when that arrives.