So here it is, the reason that I bought a Playstation Portable – the rarest of CastleVania games finally released to the United States.
It actually took me awhile before I got it. Like I said before, my son is being treated with a very rare disease, so I bought this game to tide me over while I’m holding him and he’s sleeping or we’re just hanging out in the hospital room while he’s sleeping.
Before I go on with the review, I will state that I’m a huge CastleVania fan. In my eyes, they can do no wrong. So don’t be shocked when I give this game a 5/5, because I will. However, that’s not to say it’s a 100% masterpiece, but in my opinion it’s pretty close. Read on, dear reader, and be subjected to extreme, extreme fanboyism.
There isn’t much about this game that I don’t enjoy. The graphics, music, playstyle – it’s all there plus three additional games. I personally tire of the MetroidVania games that are out now. It seems that the Producer, Iga, really is stuck on that formula. and while I’ll still buy all the games, it’s nice to go back to the way it was. A linear sidescroller where you go from point A to point B-1 or B-2. No real exploration, just ass kicking your way to Dracula.
I love the graphics, plain and simple. I notice that the sprites are very detailed, from Richter whipping the whip, to Dracula flinching when his first form runs out of life. The backgrounds have great depth, and tgiving the game a 3-D feel to it is EXACTLY what I think the series needs to do more often. Publishers have the theory that the big consoles are meant for 3D, which is what the PlayStation 1 pushed (shame on you). Merging 3-D and 2-D like this is a great way to have a good solid game with great graphics as well. The way things change perspectives as you walk by them is just neat looking.
The cutscenes are very well done, in my opinion and the opening video is amazing to see on a handheld system.
CastleVania has always been famous for its soundtracks, and this one doesn’t fail by a longshot. Each song is a remixed version of the original Rondo of Blood so that just adds to my excitement for the series. But what they did is just improve on a good thing – the original soundtrack was great. Plus, having both the remixed tracks, original tracks and Symphony of the Night music … well, you just can’t go wrong there.
Difficulty of the game is reminiscent of the older series. The game is challenging if you want to get through all the levels and get all the goodies. But if you’re used to the formula, you can easily clear it in one day. There are some cheap spots in the game, mainly level 4′, and there are still various puzzles that I haven’t figured out yet as well.
There are two endings to the game. The bad ending and the good ending … … durr. To get the good ending you must save the four maidens and defeat the Ghost of Shaft. This will also let you fight the three forms of Dracula. I was impressed with the final battle. The first is the traditional battle – Dracula disappears and reappears and throws fireballs at you; the second is reminiscent from the beginning of Symphony of the Night; but the third one is the kicker. You’ll spend many a continues trying to get the pattern figured out. And instead of sticking with the same pattern, near the end of his life he’ll go faster and he’ll use different attacks. You’ll have to learn the signs of which attack he’s using and defend yourself but it gets the heart beating as it nears the very end because for the most part, both you and Dracula will be low on health and one more hit will kill you.
The difficulty is easier on the alternative character, Maria. Not only can you attack while moving but you can double-jump. I found myself easily skimming through the levels with little difficulty. She has less life than Richter but she clearly makes up for that with those other two traits. I personally prefer playing as Richter.
With three unlockable games, a boss rush mode and hidden secrets to grant you access to music, the game can keep you busy for awhile. However, for replayability, I find myself just going through the levels again for no apparent reason. When I have a game like this, I know I’ve hit a jackpot on the game. Symphony of the Night and the original Rondo are great additions, but I find myself playing the 3-D remake over and over again.
Can you believe this form of fanboyism? I’m not claiming any faults on the game. The nostalgia has me sold so badly that I’m barely going to give this game any cheap shots. Many newer gamers may not like it because it’s not a MetroidVania-style game but since I grew up with the linear “point-a to point-b” games, I found this to be a nice, refreshing trip back to the good ol’ days, only with updated music and good graphics.
But, the game isn’t flawless. The producer, Iga, put his name on the back of the case. I personally think he’s got a big ego, and having them put “Produced by Koji Igarashi” just screams out, “I think people will buy the game because of me!” Get over yourself champ, I don’t buy into it. You didn’t save the series, you just merely took a good thing and drew it out through numerous games. That’s it.
Another big issue is the fact that Symphony of the Night isn’t readily available. The problem is that it’s advertised on the back of the box. It gets as much print space as Rondo so one can only figure that SotN is available at the beginning. Now, hiding it isn’t necessarily an issue with me but it shouldn’t be advertised as it was. But, this was clearly a marketing ploy to help sales because they know that people would buy the game just for Symphony.
Overall, though, I was very happy for what I paid for. To finally be able to play a rare and difficult game was a treat in itself. To be given three additional games, remixed music and a nice trip down memory lane makes this a game that an old gamer looking for some nostalgia with a 3D update should buy.
