colin, Author at The Lifecast Network • Page 2 of 5

31 Nights of Castlevania: Castlevania Chronicles

October 15, 2017 colin

Castlevania Chronicles Screenshot

Castlevania Chronicles is a port of Japanese home computer version of the game Akumanjo Dracula (translated: Devil’s Castle Dracula). The Japanese original was released in 1993, and the Chronicles version was released in 2000. It was also Konami’s second Castlevania game on the PlayStation.

Chronicles is, in essence, another remake of the NES original. The game may be brushed off as a run-of-the-mill entry. However, Chronicles manages to stand on its own with new modes, bosses, stages, and remixed music. The new character designs are done by the team behind Symphony of the Night.

Castlevania Chronicles is another solid entry in the long-running series, but not much else. The new features are fine and all, but at the end of the day it’s just there. Not to mention, the newly designed levels and music aren’t up to par with the rest of the series.

Chronicles is a fun game to play and experience with new modes
Castlevania Chronicles starts out the exact same way the NES original did, but with added cutscenes at the beginning. They are full-motion video and they have not aged well one bit. Regardless, once the actual game kicks off, the 2D graphics are actually quite good looking. Instead of emulating Symphony of the Night, Konami went a more traditional route. It almost looks like Super Castlevania IV, but with a good facelift. Simon Belmont has been recreated with a generally good re-design.

Castlevania Chronicles Screenshot

Beating the game allows for Time Attack mode, which is basically a mode to speed run the game. Castlevania is known on the Internet for speed runs, so it’s nice for a game to present a mode design for this trend.

Castlevania Chronicles Screenshot

Gameplay is stripped down to the bare essential Castlevania formula. Simon Belmont can only whip forward and jump. Weapon attacks have players returning to use the attack and up button combination. There are only four weapons this time around too. The gameplay works and is as tight as its ever been.

There is not much else to Castlevania Chronicles

The simplistic gameplay is one of the reasons why Chronicles is just OK. It’s about as old school as one can get with Castlevania and does not go above and beyond.

Castlevania Chronicles Screenshot

One of the worst aspects of the game is the remixed music. Konami went a different route. Instead of utilizing the PlayStation’s audio capabilities like they did with Symphony, it’s just weird sounding. The classic track “Vampire Killer” has been turned into this bizarre song that would fit in an Eastern European disco.

The level design is all over the place with some levels becoming labyrinthine mazes or staying as basic as possible. Although, some of the later levels are challenging in that classic Castlevania style.

The game also has a difficulty curve more resembling Dracula’s Curse. However, the game does give the player a chance to change the difficulty.

Since Castlevania Chronicles is an updated re-remake, Konami added the original for fans to check out. It’s an incredibly average game with somehow even worse music and bowling shoe ugly graphics.

Castlevania Chronicles Screenshot

Castlevania Chronicles is absolutely worth giving a shot if you’re a Castlevania fan or even a newcomer to the series. The new graphics are actually nice to look at and the gameplay is straightforward and solid. The random level design, difficulty spikes, and bizarre soundtrack really take the polish off.

31 Nights of Castlevania: Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness

October 14, 2017 colin

Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness Screenshot

After Konami honestly tried with the N64, they swung again with Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness.

You know how Skyrim has a ton of mods that make the game an overall better experience? Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness might as well be called Castlevania 64, But With Mods. Gameplay is completely switched around and fits the 3D environments. Although, some previous problems do carry over into the game and bring it down a notch.

Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness Screenshot

Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness doesn’t star a Belmont…*GASP*

The game takes place around the same time as Castlevania 64, and stars a lycanthrope named Cornell. Cornell has found out his younger sister has been kidnapped by the Count, but his longtime rival is after her too. Shonen anime tropes aside, it’s another nice change of pace to play as someone different.

Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness Screenshot

And Cornell plays awesomely. Instead of a whip, he uses brute strength and projectiles. This is a more than welcome addition to the otherwise clunky and unfair combat of the previous game. Cornell can also change into a wolf and use more abilities to fight Dracula’s army. The controls are fit more for a system like this one, and platforming is a lot less tiresome.

Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness Screenshot

The cut scenes, while featuring a LOT of the same characters from the first N64 game, do a great job of fleshing out Cornell and who he is. It’s a shame Legacy of Darkness gets overlooked, because there are some great story moments.

Beating the game unlocks Henry, a knight who wields a shotgun. That is just too awesome.

Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness Screenshot

An overall improvement to Castlevania 64…but not without its problems

One of Castlevania 64’s biggest issues (among others) was its lack of atmosphere and poor level design. Sadly, this carries over into Legacy of Darkness. Konami reused a lot of the game’s previous stages and it comes off even more unfinished. There are a few redesigned places here and there, but it still has an empty feeling.

Music is OK. A small amount of remixed classic tunes are welcome, but it’s the same kind of atmospheric droning that plagued the last game.

Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness Screenshot

Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness is a sadly overlooked game in the franchise. But then again, if your game had to follow a terrible entry like Castlevania 64, it would be overlooked too. The little tweaks to the overall package, along with tight gameplay, make Legacy of Darkness one entry worth seeking out in the classic series. Unlike its predecessor, it’s not worth tossing the game in the fires of Mount Doom.

31 Nights of Castlevania: Castlevania 64

October 13, 2017 colin

Castlevania Screenshot

Castlevania 64 is a generally bad game and a borderline embarrassment to the series. It’s clunky, silly and comes off as a third-rate Ocarina of Time clone.

This is the general opinion fans, and even longtime Castlevania producer Koji Igarashi, have on Castlevania on the N64. The game is shunned where Konami actually removed the game from the series canon and timeline. Ouch.

Is it that bad of a game? After all, with the benefit of hindsight, anything can be considered a masterpiece. Unfortunately, Castlevania on the N64 does not fit into that category, but it is not the absolute disaster fans make it out to be.

Castlevania Screenshot

Castlevania on the N64 tries the adventure game format once again
Konami tried experimenting a little bit and decided to go with an adventure game. Instead of a linear platforming experience, Castlevania on the N64 takes a few feathers out of Legend of Zelda and the then-burgeoning survival horror genre. To be honest, it doesn’t really work.

For a series that has always been about platforming and having a very organized feel, the game just feels way too open and lifeless. It feels too much like a slow-paced dungeon crawler. There are parts of the game where there are just a few enemies and you running around. The courtyards around the castle and the wastelands surrounding it are barren. It does not feel like a Castlevania game at all. It feels empty and unfinished, rather than spooky.

Castlevania Screenshot

The game gives the player a chance to choose their character. Reinhardt Schneider, who is a relative of the Belmonts and Carrie Fernandez, a teenage girl who wields magic. Schneider is just awkward to play as, as his whip only faces forward. Carrie’s magic is incredibly useful because it works more like a projectile. Regardless, the controls for both characters are still troublesome.

Castlevania Screenshot

Castlevania on the N64 comes off very stiff in its controls, and jumping is easily one of the most difficult things to do in the game. Jumping was always weird in the 2D games, but now it comes off as an aspect that’s going against the player. It does not help the in-game camera is not friendly.

Castlevania is known for having a great library of songs. Castlevania on the N64 barely has any songs at all. They are mostly just atmospheric droning. Although the violin theme at the title screen is chilling.

Is there anything good about this game?
Does Castlevania on the N64 have any positives? Yes, actually. Castlevania on the N64 actually looks good for the time being. Characters aren’t a weird mix of polygons and textures are nice and smooth.

Castlevania Screenshot

The game has some creativity behind it, both in the story and the strange enemy types. Castlevania on the N64 attempts to tell a grand story with references to the novel. There is a wide cast of characters, all of whom add to the story, as well. Granted, it boils down to “vampire hunter v. Dracula.” However, attempting to have a narrative told in an RPG format is bold.

Castlevania Screenshot

Some of the strange enemy types include the infamous motorcycle riding skeletons and the chainsaw-wielding gardener. It still does not make the experience any better, but at least Konami tried to give the game a personality.

Castlevania Screenshot

At the end of the day, Castlevania on the N64 is a failed experiment. It does not control well, gameplay is boring and it does not even feel like a Castlevania game. However, players can’t say Konami did not try and do something genuinely creative.

31 Nights of Castlevania: Castlevania Legends

October 12, 2017 colin

Castlevania Legends Screenshot

The third and final Game Boy game, Castlevania Legends is an attempt by Konami to tell the true origin of the Belmont family and their first battle against Dracula. The story is arguably the strongest part of the game, but it has some unique gameplay elements.

As far as where it ranks in the Castlevania library? It’s easily one of the better games in the franchise. Being released late into the Game Boy’s lifespan, there are some technical setbacks that keep it from achieving legitimate greatness. Castlevania Legends looks great on a Super Game Boy, though.

Castlevania Legends Screenshot

Castlevania Legends stars Sonia Belmont, the first (and only) female Belmont

Castlevania Legends starts out with a text crawl about a young woman named Sonia Belmont and how she is on a quest to defeat the ultimate evil…problematic protagonist tropes in Castlevania! And Count Dracula.

Castlevania Legends Screenshot

Joking aside, it is great to see a female protagonist in the series and be the (at the time) first Belmont to defeat the Count. The game also does not harp on the fact that she’s a woman either. And for longtime fans of the franchise, Alucard also makes an appearance.

Castlevania Legends Screenshot

Sidebar: there is a fan theory going around about the ending (scroll to #4, but spoiler warning), that could have been fodder for future titles.

How’s the rest of Castlevania Legends?

Castlevania Legends is quite a lot of fun to play. Controls are simple and responsive and luckily, the slowdown is minimal. The whip-based combat is back, as is the ability to upgrade it to shoot fire out of it.

One of Sonia’s abilities is the ability to absorb the souls of bosses, called Soul Weapons. The Soul Weapons allow her to heal herself, increase attack power, or hit every enemy on screen. Sonia can also enter Burning Mode where, at the cost of some hearts, she can become indestructible and have can deal heavy damage. Combined with these abilities, Sonia is a total badass. It also makes the game much easier than most.

Castlevania Legends Screenshot

On the other hand, the game’s graphics are very “meh”. Backgrounds aren’t as detailed as they were in Belmont’s Revenge. Playing it on the Super Game Boy is needed because at least some color is given to the game.

Castlevania Legends Screenshot

It doesn’t help the levels aren’t super well-designed either. While the branching paths are a nice addition, there just isn’t much worth exploring when it all looks the same after a while.

Castlevania Legends stands as a solid 3-star entry to the long-running series about killing Dracula. Sonia Belmont’s abilities are truly unique amongst her successors, and it’s a shame she never returned for a sequel. As far as action handheld games go, you can do a whole lot worse than Castlevania Legends.

Castlevania Legends Screenshot

31 Nights of Castlevania: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

October 11, 2017 colin

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Screenshot

In 1997, the first Castlevania game was released for the Sony PlayStation. Instead of taking advantage of the new 3D graphics, the series’ then-new producer, Koji Igarashi, stuck to the 2D style. The game also marked a massive shift in gameplay. Despite being a huge fan of the classic NES trilogy, Igarashi wanted a Castlevania game unique from the rest of the franchise. Igarashi wanted to make an action game that can be played dozens upon dozens of times. It was a risk to make an enormous change to a long-running series. However, it was one that paid off.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Screenshot

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night became a sleeper hit and later went on to universal critical acclaim, appearing on multiple “greatest games of all time” lists and is fondly remembered as one of the best games of its generation.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Screenshot

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is one of the rare examples of a game living up to its reputation and credentials. Just about every little tiny detail in this game is fantastic and its one Castlevania fans will be playing for a long, long time.

Symphony of the Night is a top to bottom masterpiece

Symphony of the Night is a sequel to the acclaimed Rondo of Blood and actually starts with recreating the final boss fight of that game. Although, this time Richter Belmont and Count Dracula are sharing now-infamous dialogue.

The beginning is actually a creative bait and switch, as players now take control of Alucard from Castlevania III. Dracula has risen once again, and Alucard storms his father’s castle to end his bloodline. Although, the start of the game, Alucard will be destroying everything in his path until Death “aka the Grim Reaper” takes all of his abilities away. From there, Alucard will have to explore the castle to find new weapons and techniques.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Screenshot

Symphony of the Night is known for being the first “Metroidvania” game, as it uses many elements of the Metroid series. The emphasis on non-linear exploration of Nintendo’s series, combined with the action-platforming of Castlevania. The map is even similar to Super Metroid. Symphony of the Night contains a leveling up system, as seen in many classic RPGs. It certainly makes up for some addictive gameplay.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Screenshot

Alucard will be traversing his father’s domain and players will see jaw-dropping 2D graphics. For a system not well regarded for its 2D games, Symphony of the Night is hands down one of the most gorgeous games on the system. The animation on the characters alone is worth the admission, but the overall range of environments and stages show off the creativity behind the game. The disturbing catacombs, to the church towers, to the long hallways are all incredible to look at.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Screenshot

Alucard plays much different from other Castlevania heroes. The son of Dracula uses a variety of swords, shields, spells, and transformations to help him battle his father. Alucard can turn into a bat, a werewolf or a cloud of mist in order to fight his way. A number of weapons and items to equip is almost overwhelming, but it allows for flowing diversity with customization and combat. For a game as huge as this one, it’s good to note that Symphony of the Night’s combat never becomes a chore.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Screenshot

Boss fights are awesome, but always find a way to challenge the player. Each fight is different and more unique than the last one. Alucard fights Greek myths, gigantic zombies that summon flies and even a certain Belmont. The final battle with Dracula is also incredible.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Screenshot

Finally, there is the soundtrack. Symphony of the Night truly is, for lack of a better word, a symphony. There is a wide array of music types for players can enjoy. It is, without a doubt, the greatest assortment of sounds in a Castlevania game. Some range from atmospheric, such as the Marble Garden’s theme, to fist-pumping anthems, such as the remix of “Bloody Tears.”

Maybe this Symphony goes on a bit too long

It’s no longer a spoiler, but players are required to go through the game twice. Upon beating what is supposedly the final boss, the “true” castle is revealed to be one upside down. Symphony’s castle is already a monstrosity of evil. Having to combat enemies again, but this time upside down may be a turn off for some players. It’s also more difficult this time around, so players are warned.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Screenshot

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a phenomenal game in its own right, and managed to give the franchise the right amount of originality it needed. Aside from, what could be considered, the immense length, Symphony of the Night is arguably the franchise’s magnum opus. It’s unique, creative, addictive and fun. Most importantly, Symphony of the Night’s reputation one that is justified. Find a copy of this game and just play it.

31 Nights of Castlevania: Castlevania: Dracula X

October 10, 2017 colin

Castlevania: Dracula X Screenshot

Castlevania: Dracula X is another red-headed stepchild in the series. It is often unfavorably compared to Rondo of Blood, and to be fair, Dracula X takes a lot from it including characters, music, etc. When the game was announced, fans expected it to be a SNES port of the PC Engine game.

Sadly, we ended up with a flawed, but overall good, Castlevania title. A lot of what made Rondo of Blood great is still in the package, but there’s more than a few cons that bring it down.

Castlevania: Dracula X Screenshot

Castlevania: Dracula X isn’t exactly a port or a remake…

Dracula X stars Richter Belmont (Author’s Note: My personal favorite out of all the Belmonts, to be honest…) once again, as Dracula has risen again and has taken over Transylvania and has kidnapped his girlfriend…blah blah blah. The story is an all too well-traveled road. However, that is just the beginning of the issues.

The game doesn’t have anime-inspired cut scenes and characters are completely cut from the story. Level design, while pretty good in the sense that it focuses on platforming rather than straightforward combat, is very OK. There is also a complete lack of open-ended levels and you cannot play as Maria. Much of this can be chopped up to the SNES’ limitations, though.

Castlevania: Dracula X Screenshot

Worse yet, Richter doesn’t have the same mobility he did in Rondo of Blood making this game rather slow. However, it’s not all bad.

Dracula X takes parts of Rondo of Blood and makes it a whole new experience. There are different levels and bosses and the remixed music sounds fantastic.

Castlevania: Dracula X Screenshot

The SNES doesn’t have the graphics or sound capabilities the PC Engine does, but Dracula X does hold its own against a superior console. Seriously, the fire effects in the first stage are nice to look at. The whip sounds are also, strangely enough, nice to hear. Dracula X might have some of the best sound design in the entire series.

Gameplay is simplistic but still as satisfying as ever. Ritcher’s whip gets the job done, as well as his Item Crash technique. The Item Crash now takes up hearts instead of health and it’s much easier to pull off.

Castlevania: Dracula X turns up the difficulty to 11

Castlevania: Dracula X’s biggest flaw is its monstrous difficulty. Richter’s backflip, which was previously useful in Rondo of Blood, now has a huge emphasis placed on it. Getting hearts from candles almost becomes a chore because some are placed high above Richter’s head. Boss fights also focus on it, which is strange considering how sluggish the game can be.

Count Dracula is also a significantly difficult boss fight, but more so than usual. Instead of one plane to fight on, Richter has to constantly jump all over the place in order to avoid Drac’s attacks. Oh, this game also reintroduces the infamous “knock-back” from the first game.

Castlevania: Dracula X Screenshot

If fans were to rank Dracula X in the whole series, it would probably be head-and-shoulders above the “bad” titles of the series, but fall just short underneath Bloodlines and other 16-bit entries. By all means, not a terrible game, but a very, very generic Castlevania experience.

31 Nights of Castlevania: Castlevania: Rondo of Blood

October 9, 2017 colin

Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rondo Screenshot

Castlevania: Rondo of Blood is the only Castlevania to be released for the PC Engine CD. It was also a Japanese only release until the compilation the Dracula X Chronicles for the PSP and the official release on the Nintendo Wii’s Virtual Console.

It was worth the wait, because what a game Rondo of Blood is. Konami took full advantage of the system’s sound capabilities and managed to show off some stylish cutscenes as well. Rondo of Blood may not have the graphical tricks and whip controls of Super Castlevania IV, but the overall package is a fantastic one.

Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rondo Screenshot

A new Belmont takes on Dracula in Rondo of Blood
Players will take control of Richter Belmont, the latest member of the Belmont clan to wield the Vampire Killer whip. One aspect of Rondo of Blood players will take note are the graphics. Not just with the creepy intro and anime-styled cutscenes, but with the game itself. It’s a well-animated game, as backgrounds will also have a life to them.

Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rondo Screenshot

Enemies won’t have just one walk cycle, but will sometimes disintegrate or break down after being attacked. Richter himself is also animated in his confident idle pose. There is just as much color as seen in the SNES games, but the graphics are not quite as crisp. Regardless, Rondo of Blood is a nice game to look at.

Richter is not the only playable character, as the little girl Maria Renard joins him. Maria uses cutesy animals as weapons and is actually pretty fun to play as. Their initial meeting is actually pretty humorous.

Controls are back to the usual two-button format and the awkward jumps are back. Not to mention, Richter doesn’t know how to whip in all different directions. However, he does know a backflip which helps dodge enemies. He also has the Item Crash attack in which, at the cost of a few hearts, he will create a super attack based on a particular item.

Level design is not just linear, as each stage has more than a few exploration options. Richter is not only looking to defeat Dracula, but also rescue is girlfriend and other maidens. Rondo of Blood’s levels are huge and has a similar branching path system seen in Dracula’s Curse, except done in a more organic manner.

Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rondo Screenshot

Every stage is well designed too. The opening stage in the burning village, the clock tower, and rest of the castle are actually fun to play in. There is a lack of adventure feeling, but it’s still a great experience.

Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rondo Screenshot

To complete this phenomenal game, the soundtrack is superb. The addictive sounds of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood are a unique mix of original music and classic Castlevania tunes. Combined with some crisp voice work from the characters, and this is easily one of the best sounding games.

Challenge is a bit high but does not bring down Rondo of Blood
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood brings the controls brought back to basics, which actually creates a lot of challenge in the game. Enemy’s attacks will send Richter flying back and precision jumping is a lot more difficult. His backflip may not help too much in certain situations as well.

Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rondo Screenshot

Enemies and bosses are also in complete defense mode and are borderline merciless in some stages. For example, the knights in the clock tower and dragon heads take a lot of hits, regardless if the player is using Maria or Richter. It’s nowhere near as brutal as its SNES counterpart Dracula X, but it will cause a few broken controllers. Especially in the later stages.

Castlevania: Rondo of Blood succeeds in being a fantastic Castlevania game because of its impressive levels and gameplay. It also manages to capture the horror atmosphere well with the soundtrack and graphics, despite being on a unique system. Its bizarre spikes in difficulty may turn players off and the true lack of any major gameplay changes may turn fans off. However, sticking through it, Castlevania: Rondo of Blood stands head and shoulders above many entries in the series and can be considered one of the best.

31 Nights of Castlevania: Castlevania: Bloodlines

October 8, 2017 colin

Castlevania: Bloodlines Screenshot

Castlevania always appeared to be a franchise only for Nintendo consoles and handhelds. In 1993, Genesis/Mega Drive owners finally got to experience this classic series. Castlevania: Bloodlines features one of the best presentations of the entire series. Aside from a generally engaging story and gameplay as fun as ever, Castlevania: Bloodlines is a very good entry in the series. Not as great as other entries, but absolutely worth owning for the Genesis.

Sega’s only Castlevania game is a one bloody adventure
Bloodlines is, strangely enough, connected to a famous literary source; Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula actually plays a part in this game. The main character, John Morris, is the son of Quincey Morris from the novel.

Taking place in the early 1900s, Countess Elizabeth Bartley, based off of the infamous historical figures Elizabeth Bathory, is resurrecting her uncle. And his name is Count Dracula. John and his friend Eric Lecarde, a French knight wielding a lance, travel all over Europe to put a stop to the evil Countess.

Castlevania: Bloodlines Screenshot

Bloodlines is an adventure, as the player is no longer just confined to a castle. Instead, John and Eric’s excellent adventure has them traveling all over Europe. The two will be fighting all kinds of monsters in Atlantis, a munitions factory in Germany and in the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Castlevania: Bloodlines Screenshot

It’s easily one of the more creative setups in the whole series, as each level has its own unique flavor. There is also some unique graphical tricks that rival Super Castlevania IV.

Castlevania: Bloodlines Screenshot

Bloody does describe the game quite well. This is one of the few 2D Castlevanias which features blood on enemies. It’s a little gimmicky, but it fits the atmosphere of certain stages.

Castlevania Bloodlinesreaches for greatness, but falls short in one way
Castlevania: Bloodlines has a few flaws that set it back from greatness. The controls are a little awkward at first, but once a player gets used to them, it’s no trouble.

Castlevania: Bloodlines Screenshot

Oddly enough, the game’s biggest flaw is the gameplay. It’s as fun and challenging as ever, but there are no real additions to it. It plays fine, but for a game which is pushing the boundaries in terms of level design and graphical aesthetics, it would have been nice to see a little more improvement or additions to the gameplay.

As a standalone Genesis action game, Castlevania: Bloodlines is great. As an entry to the legendary Castlevania franchise, it’s one of the better entries. Not one of the best, but still a solid game in its own right.

31 Nights of Castlevania: Super Castlevania IV

October 7, 2017 colin

Super Castlevania IV Screenshot

By the time the 16-bit era rolled around, Castlevania was one of the many franchises making the jump. The first game to take the plunge was Super Castlevania IV.

While it is essentially a big budget remake of the first game, Super Castlevania IV is a game that showcases the best of the best of the SNES. Super Castlevania IV contains graphics and music that utilize the hardware of the new system.

Super Castlevania IV Screenshot

Those features are just the icing on the cake, though.

A cinematic-like intro sets the mood for Super Castlevania IV
Super Castlevania IV marks the first time in the series a full length animated introduction. A lightning strike destroys a gravestone, followed by creeping fog and evil sounding organ music. This is accompanied by a text crawl similar to the one in Dracula’s Curse, but far more sinister and atmospheric. It plays more like a Hammer/Universal studios intro that fits the aesthetics of the Castlevania series.

Players will be taking control of Simon Belmont once more. This time, he is prepared to fight the forces of darkness and end Dracula’s reign once and for all.

Super Castlevania IV Screenshot

Super Castlevania IV plays like a Greatest Hits…plus more!
Once Super Castlevania IV kicks off, it hits the ground running and does not stop going. It very much keeps what made the last three games so incredible. The platforming and combat are completely on point in this game. Controls have been refined, so players won’t have to make any awkward jumps. The whip can now be used to attack enemies below, above and even diagonally, adding more moves to combat. The weapons are still helpful as well, as sometimes the whip may not be enough to beat a boss.

Super Castlevania IV Screenshot

Longtime Castlevania fans can breathe a sigh of relief at the decrease in the challenge, as the game is not unfair. Players will still have to use skills, but it’s no longer a steep curve.

Simon will be traveling to Dracula’s castle through villages, underground caverns, and ruined temples. When he finally steps foot into the castle, our hero will have to fight off all kinds of monsters in the library, the catacombs and the rooftops themselves. Every stage in this game contains an ingenious level design full of creativity and tests for the player.

Super Castlevania IV Screenshot

Boss fights reflect the originality of the levels, in the sense that each of them is a unique fight that requires a different skill from the player. Konami crammed in a few bosses based on Greek mythology as well to add to the innovative enemy types.

Finally, there is the beautifully composed soundtrack. It very much fits the ambiance of the game and feels very much like a horror/adventure film.

Super Castlevania IV’s minor flaw does not come close to ruining the game
Super Castlevania IV has a lot going for it and very little negatives. The cons of the game are almost nitpicky, but there is one that could be a turn-off. For starters, Super Castlevania IV is a very long game. There is over 10 stages, each split up into three sections of varying length and challenge. Even the speed runs of this game are significantly longer than Dracula’s Curse. Which is saying a lot, considering Dracula’s Curse’s overly unfair difficulty.

Super Castlevania IV Screenshot

All in all, Super Castlevania IV is seen by many fans as one of the best “old school” Castlevanias. It’s a damn near perfect experience no Castlevania, or even gamer should pass up. The flawless design of the levels, the sound controls, the faultless graphics that use all the tricks in the SNES and it’s even a blast to play. Super Castlevania IV stands the test of time when compared to many platformers of the day, and is worth every second.

31 Nights of Castlevania: Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge

October 6, 2017 colin

The second Game Boy outing of the franchise, Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge is a massively improved sequel. Taking one look at the monochrome screenshots, and it only looks like a cosmetic upgrade. However, Belmont’s Revenge improves on nearly every issue the first Game Boy game had and holds its own against the original trilogy on the NES.

Belmont’s Revenge tells a story and takes cues from other games

Replaying as Christopher Belmont from Castlevania: The Adventure, Chris is on a quest to save his son Solieyu (Author’s Note: Yeah, I can’t pronounce it either…) who has been kidnapped by Count Dracula and transformed into a demon. And now we have our title…Belmont’s Revenge. To be fair, it is nice to see a lack of damsel-in-distress.

Anyways, Belmont’s Revenge uses the stage select feature popularized by Mega Man. This is also one of the only times the series has ever tried this feature. Christopher can travel to a castle, a forest, a crystal castle (Author’s Note: That would be an interesting crossover) among others. The stages are more detailed than the previous game and look great.

How’s the rest of the game? Good!

Belmont’s Revenge moves at a much quicker pace than the previous games making action and platforming an overall better experience. The game drops the focus on long-range combat and excessive platforming. The stages are perfectly designed to suit this new development as well. It also helps the controls are tight as well.

There is also an inclusion of sub-weapons, granted it’s only the holy water and the axe (or cross-boomerang in the European version), but it helps change up the gameplay. Instead of relying on the fire whip in The Castlevania Adventure, players are given a chance to play around with more stuff.

Finally, like many games in the series, Belmont’s Revenge features a solid soundtrack.

Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge is a great sequel and a worthy addition to the series. Sadly, despite being a huge step forward, Belmont’s Revenge is not available on any of Nintendo’s Virtual Console. Whereas they questionably added The Adventure. That being said, Belmont’s Revenge is worth picking up.

31 Nights of Castlevania: Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse

October 5, 2017 colin

Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse is the series’ triumphant return to form. Instead of the adventure/RPG format, it’s back to platforming. Konami added a few twists and features to make this particular vampire-slaying adventure feel fresh. The majority of Dracula’s Curse is fantastic, carrying on the series’ trademark style and difficulty.

Although, the difficulty gets way too carried away in Dracula’s Curse. It gets to the point where the game comes off as an arduous, mind-numbing chore rather than a challenging video game. If you’re willing to accept the difficulty, then Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse is easily one of the best in the series and one of the NES’ best action platformers.

Castlevania III pulls a George Lucas and is a prequel to the series
Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse stars Simon’s predecessor Trevor Belmont and his quest to stop the evil Count Dracula. The intro to the game starts out with scrolling text, detailing the evil Dracula brings to Transylvania. It’s a great way to start, and there’s even a brief cutscene of Trevor getting ready to fight evil.

The presentation of Dracula’s Curse is first-rate. Konami pushed the limits of the NES hardware, making the third game the most diverse, in terms of graphics. The colors really stand out, but keeping in line with the spooky atmosphere.

For most of the game, Trevor must travel to the castle where Dracula is living, by going through graveyards, clock towers, forests and pirate ships. Besides the variety of interesting settings, Dracula’s Curse introduces a branching path system. Players are given a choice to go a certain way in the game.

Players are also given the option of recruiting secondary characters. Grant is a pirate who can walk on walls. Sypha, a mage who can wield magic and is also the first female playable Castlevania character. Finally, there is Alucard, Dracula’s own son. Alucard can turn into a bat and fly over enemies.

These elements, combined with tight and masterful gameplay, top notch level design, boss fights with classic monsters and a near-perfect soundtrack, it’s not hard to see why many gamers consider Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse to be the best of the NES trilogy. However, it has one major flaw.

The difficulty spike is a stake right to the heart of the player
Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse has a difficulty curve resembling a 90-degree angle. The regular levels are difficult but still fair.

Once Trevor and the Isle of Misfit Vampire Hunters reach Dracula’s castle, it feels like the player just ran into a brick wall. Head first. Repeatedly. Floors will crumble beneath you and enemies are out in full force. If the player has not recruited Alucard than the game is just about over at this point. The boss fight against Dracula is borderline impossible, cheap and unfair. Not to mention, he has three grotesque forms this time around. The player has to not be touched once by his two previous forms to even stand the slightest chance against him. It’s common to cheat and use the infamous HELPME code.

It’s an enormously unnecessary quick bend in difficulty that brings Dracula’s Curse down from legitimate greatness. It’s still a solid game, almost a total package. However, any gamer should be prepared for one of the most frustrating final thirds of any game in the NES library.

31 Nights of Castlevania: Castlevania: The Adventure

October 4, 2017 colin

Castlevania: The Adventure holds the honor of being the first-ever handheld Castlevania game. It also holds a dubious honor; The Adventure is easily one of the weakest, entries in the series.

Is there anything decent about the game? For starters, it’s another attempt at expanding the canon and universe of Castlevania. And as far as Game Boy launch titles go, players could do much, much, MUCH worse. Still, even playing the game today, something about Castlevania: The Adventure seems…off.

Castlevania: The Adventure doesn’t feel like one

Starring Simon Belmont’s predecessor, Christopher Belmont, Castlevania: The Adventure has this particular vampire hunter fighting off…Dracula! (Strange for this series to take such a huge risk, I know?)

The Game Boy, despite all of its technical limitations, can produce some decent-looking games. Castlevania: The Adventure is actually a well-detailed Game Boy title. Backgrounds are actually one of the game’s most striking graphical features, creating mountains, graveyards, and haunted forests.

With a simplified control set up, Castlevania The Adventure has responsive controls, which is perfect for the game’s platforming sections, which dominate the majority of the game.

There is a lack of weapons to play around with, so no Holy Water or knives to toss at zombies. However, Christopher has managed to wield a Vampire Killer whip that, when upgraded, shoots fire. Sweet

One of the weakest in the series? How so?

With all that summed up, The Adventure sounds good, right? When going on your quest to defeat Dracula, players will notice how unbelievably choppy and slow. In typical old-school Nintendo console fashion, flicker and slow down are all too commonplace. This goes against the game’s focus on platforming and long range combat.

Also, the lack of weapons makes the gameplay very repetitive.

Finally, Castlevania: The Adventure’s soundtrack does not translate well onto a Game Boy. It’s shrill, ear-piercing and just not pleasant to listen to.

It’s not a horrible game, (no game is as bad as Haunted Castle) Castlevania: The Adventure isn’t one worth seeking out. The game was actually remade for the Wii and could be considered to be the better game of the two. (Author’s note: that will be covered…)