KONAMI DEBUTS CASTLEVANIA®: LAMENT OF INNOCENCE™

The Mythos of Castlevania® is Reinvented in a Stunning 3D World on Sony PlayStation® 2

Electronic Entertainment Expo Booth #900– May 14, 2003 – Los Angeles, CA – Konami of America, Inc., a subsidiary of Konami Corporation (NYSE: KNM), announced today that the legendary Castlevania® franchise will make a long-awaited next-generation console debut with the November 2003 release of Castlevania®: Lament of Innocence™ for the Sony PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. Castlevania®: Lament of Innocence™ marks the first 3D Castlevania® game to be developed by the series’ luminary producer Koji Igarashi.

Set in the 11^th Century, Castlevania®:  Lament of Innocence™ thrusts players ten centuries into the past and casts them in the role of Leon Belmont, the forefather of the legendary Belmont Clan and the first in the family’s long line of vampire hunters. With social and political activities operating under the oppressive grip of clergy during the Crusades, Leon is a nobleman about to be engaged to his beloved Sara. However, when his young lover disappears one fateful evening, Leon sets out to rescue her. Armed with only a dagger, it is not until an unexpected ally, an alchemist, offers him a protective whip that Leon is ready to begin his hunt. The rich story of Castlevania®:  Lament of Innocence™ follows Leon through the perilous forest and into Dracula’s foreboding gothic Castle.

“Building on a 17 year legacy, Castlevania® is reinvented on the PlayStation® 2 with stunning graphics, classic gameplay and an epic story,” says Jason Enos, product manager at Konami of America, Inc. “Discovering the true origins of Castlevania®, Dracula and the Belmont Clan are stories that fans have anticipated since the beginning, and now Koji Igarashi and his talented Castelvania® team are going to reveal them for the first time.”

Upon entering the castle, players will step into an ethereal world that is guarded by blood thirsty guards and ruled by Dracula’s wicked whimsy. Players will face five doors – each one leading into a dark area of the castle – the Cathedral, the Theatre, the Garden, the Alchemist Laboratory and the Dungeon. Trekking through hundreds of rooms, players will battle over 35 different kinds of enemies before facing the final boss. Fighting tooth and nail in each monster battle, Leon must combine his whip and five sub-weapons (Holy Water, Dagger, Cross, Axe and Crystal) to defeat the monsters. Additionally, seven orbs can be combined with 10 action relics in order to create powerful attacks and stunning special effects. Featuring a fixed camera and intuitive controls, Castlevania®:  Lament of Innocence™ delivers a groundbreaking action/adventure experience that is designed to satisfy core Castlevania® fans as well as players that are new to the series.

Castlevania®:  Lament of Innocence™ has been developed at Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo by producer Koji Igarashi, the father of the series and the producer of top-selling Castlevania® titles Symphony of the Night™ (PlayStation®, 1987), Harmony of Dissonance™ (GameBoy® Advance, 2002) and Aria of Sorrow™ (GameBoy® Advance, 2003). Castlevania®:  Lament of Innocence™ also features the distinctive artwork of Ayami Kojima and the mesmerizing musical compositions of Michiru Yamane.

To learn more about Castlevania®:  Lament of Innocence™, please visit the Konami booth #900 in the Los Angeles Convention Center between May 14 – May 16 or go online to: http://www.konami.com/lamentofinnocence

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About CASTLEVANIA

Since the original Castlevania® established itself as one of the premiere franchises in the action/adventure category in 1986 on the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System), the series has continued to thrill gamers with critically acclaimed titles including Super Castlevania® IV (Super Nintendo), Castlevania®:  Symphony of the Night™ (Sony PlayStation®), Castlevania®:  Circle of the Moon™ (Nintendo Game Boy® Advance), Castlevania®:  Harmony of Dissonance™ (Nintendo Game Boy® Advance) and Castlevania®:  Aria of Sorrow™ (Nintendo Game Boy® Advance). The series follows the adventures of the Belmont Clan, a long line of Vampire hunters whose only charge is to combat the fearsome forces of the evil Dracula. Epic storylines, a wide array of monsters to battle, and classic gameplay that has been refined throughout the years have helped Castlevania® earn a prominent place in videogame history.

About KONAMI CORPORATION

Konami Corporation is a leading developer, publisher and manufacturer of electronic entertainment properties, specializing in the home video game market. Konami Corporation’s action and adventure titles include the popular franchises Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill and Castlevania, among other top sellers. The latest information about Konami can be found on the Web at www.konami.com. Konami Corporation is a publicly traded company based in Tokyo, Japan with subsidiary offices, Konami of America, Inc. in the US and Konami of Europe in Frankfurt, Germany. Konami Corporation, the parent company of Konami of America, Inc. is traded in the United States on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol KNM. Details of the products distributed by Konami of America, Inc. can be found at www.konami.com/usa.