The DS follow-up to Aria of Sorrow is looking to deliver a masterful new Castlevania...

As possibly the series most apt to get away with using the DS' second screen purely as a map, Konami is hard at work on a sequel to the GBA's fantastic Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, and they had a playable build on the E3 show floor. Now Konami has uploaded a clip of the game to their website, complete with an animated introduction sequence that utilizes the game's new anime art style. Go here for the new trailer.

A summary of the game and its features, as taken from the official website:

The year is 2036, one year after the events of Castlevania�: Aria of Sorrow™. Soma Cruz finds himself at the center of a mysterious cult's plan to resurrect their evil lord and master Dracula. In order to save himself and protect the lives of those he loves, Soma must infiltrate the enemy's home base, a towering replica of Dracula's castle that is teaming with monstrous creatures.

Features of the game will include:

• Defeat foes with the "Magic Seal" system using the touch screen
• Exchange souls with other players via the DS wireless connection
• Incredible musical score, next-gen graphics & stunning special effects

Dawn of Sorrow has recieved glowing hands-on impressions, so its safe to say that Castlevania fans can officially start to get excited. The game is expected to release in Europe and the US this autumn.

Again, the trailer is here. Now go, young vampire-killer.