Descend into a bleak world overrun by bloodthirsty vampires in Lunar Knights, a new action role-playing game (RPG) developed by Japan's Kojima Productions (Metal Gear Solid) for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. Players must hunt down the armies of the undead and their leaders through two young heroes - swordsman Lucian, who is guided by the moon, and gun-toting fighter Aaron, who is powered by the sun. The compelling story sees the knights, accompanied by an elemental 'terrenial' guardian, explore their land, improve their skills, solve puzzles and uncover the mysteries of the dark forces.
The game combines gothic and science-fiction elements to portray a world engulfed by darkness, thanks to paraSOL, a system by which the vampires block the sun's rays. Lunar Knights has an internal weather system and alternates between night and day, factors that make full use of the Nintendo DS' two screens. Changing weather conditions, shown on the top screen of the console, have a major effect on the action, shown on the bottom screen. They add depth to the game because players must choose between using either Lucian's lunar-fuelled sword or Aaron's solar-powered projectile weapons.
The goal of each player, as Lucian or Aaron, is to defeat several vampire leaders in their respective dungeons. Other enemies the knights encounter include blobs of slime, monster bats and zombies.
Play begins with Lucian, who carries a grudge against vampire The Duke. After gathering information at a bar, the player searches for a vampire from which to obtain more details on The Duke's whereabouts. Lucian's terrenial is a black cat with bat wings called Nero, who advises about gameplay controls and using the menus.
After defeating the first vampire leader, Lucian must take off in the Casket Rocket to dispose of the remains in space. This part of the game becomes clumsy, since a player must control the spaceship by dragging the stylus around the touch-screen. Players also use this screen to unleash an explosive arsenal on enemies in an intense 3D shooting sequence. These stages get harder as the game progresses, requiring pixel-perfect movement and super-sharp reflexes. After completing the shoot-out, the player is treated to an elaborate anime sequence in which the vampire is toasted by a powerful solar cannon. The player then switches to novice fighter Aaron, who has a solar gun he inherited from his father that requires constant recharging.
Like most RPGs, players can rest their characters in inns, which are also good sources of information. There are shops where they can buy necessities and a bank for storing items. A handy professor will help upgrade weapons at no cost.