Review
Release Date: 10.23.2007
Platform:
PSPDeveloper:
Konami Co., Ltd.Publisher:
Konami of America, Inc.Reviewed by
Mikey Dowling on 11.4.2007
| Review Rating: 9/10 | User Rating: 9.75/10 |
In 1995,
Konami released an adaptation of
Castlevania: Chi no Rondo (hereafter,
Rondo of Blood) for the SNES entitled
Castlevania: Dracula X. The word adaptation is used because, although it maintained the gameplay and storyline of
Rondo of Blood, certain elements were taken out altogether, making it a sort of gimped version of the game that was hailed as the last great “old-school”
Castlevania.
The time has come for the game that has never seen the light of day outside of Japan (unless you paid the exuberant price for a PC Engine system and a copy of the game), to finally make it to our shores in the form of a 2.5D remake for the PSP.
Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles brings back that old-school style of
Castlevania pre-
Symphony of the Night, with psuedo-linear levels that will usually end in a boss battle.
Yet
Rondo of Blood goes a step further and works at being one of the best in traditional
Castlevania games by adding in branching paths for every single level that can then open up a whole new stage. Basically, the game would normally have 9 stages, but with the alternate stages, you get a total of 18 stages of great gaming goodness. Hell, you even get an extra end boss.
Visually,
Dracula X Chronicles may remind some of
Capcom’s
Ultimate Ghosts n’ Goblins in terms of presentation, yet Konami was able to animate their characters a little more fluidly. Richter’s movements are really smooth, and his coat actually moves convincingly. The pre-boss fight cinematics, although short, are done well and look pretty cool, making most bosses seem intimidating (that is until you figure out their pattern of course).
Once again, the gameplay is the tried and true original style of
Castlevania, so that means levels will be platforming-heavy, enemy patterns will have to be learned, and repetition will be the rule. The game is not scared of making you learn how to play it, and the difficulty in level design only ramps up as the game progresses. However, those who are determined enough to keep at it will find a greatly rewarding gaming experience that is filled with secrets.
Speaking of secrets, Konami has also added in not only an extra playable character in
Rondo, but for those willing to search them out, the original PC Engine version of
Rondo of Blood and the more widely known 1997 classic,
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The addition of the original
Rondo of Blood is more a novelty than anything else as it feels like the emulation that Konami used for the PC Engine just doesn’t run so smooth. That, or after playing through the remake, it just feels dated, making the remake the preferred version.
The version of
SotN that is included is rather hit and miss. On one hand it is truly great to finally have a portable version of what is considered by many to be the pinnacle of the
Castlevania franchise and what was a true turning point in how the series was played. Current
Castlevania main man, Koji Igarashi, even added in the ability to play through as Maria (an extra that was only found in the Saturn version of
SotN) with all new animations so she looks like she belongs in the game.
On the other hand, they also saw it fit to fix what IGA has always thought was a bad translation and not only rewrite the game's story so it flows better, but to also recast the voice actors. You’re either going to love the new script and voice acting, or you’re going to hate it. You’ll especially hate it if you’re in the boat of, “This is so amazingly bad that it’s great,” gamers when it comes to the original voice acting. Yet for those of you who feel that way, you can switch the voice acting over to Japanese (this works in the
Rondo remake as well, and is accessed in the main game’s options menu) and play the game that way if you just can’t take it. Other than those two things, the port is a faithful version of the original, but can be taken anywhere. There is no problem with that.
For fans of
Castlevania,
Dracula X Chronicles is a no brainer. You won’t find a better collection of classic
Castlevanias in a portable package for a long time to come [most likely]. For those looking for a challenging return to gaming’s platforming origins, the remake of
Rondo of Blood alone should be enough to make you want to take out those
Nintendo “Roots” T-shirts and wear them with pride. Seriously, don’t let this collection pass you by.
