Castlevania

"The first 3D Castlevania is actually a great game."

When I first looked into the N64's brand new Castlevania, it didn't really strike me as a noteworthy game. It received mostly good, but not outstanding reviews, and the images I saw of it seemed pretty bland. However, by pure chance a game store I visited had a playable copy of the game available, and I tried it out. After a couple of minutes, having by then fought a thrilling battle against a giant, screen-filling skeleton and spent the rest of the time entertaining myself by killing other enemies in various creative ways using a number of cool weapons, I was absolutely hooked and knew I needed to get this game as quickly as possible. Fortunately the rest of the game more than lived up to the enjoyable first stage, and proved to be an unforgettable experience.

Concept

Castlevania 64 (the actual name is just Castlevania, but everyone calls it Castlevania 64 anyway) is a 3rd person action/adventure game that also contains plenty of platforming elements. It's the first 3D game in Konami's long running vampire-slaying series and was released exclusively for the N64 in 1999. Taking place in the year 1852, it's set in the Transylvanian province of Wallachia (which BTW is a factual error, Wallachia is in no way a province of Transylvania, being of Romanian origin I should know). The game features two playable characters, the whip-wielding Reinhardt Schneider of the legendary Belmont clan (don't be distracted by that last name of his) and Carrie Fernandez, a young girl with magical powers.

Story

Reinhardt and Carrie are both on a mission to defeat Dracula and while they go through many of the same levels, they also meet some different characters along the way and fight different bosses. Reinhardt's sidestory is a tragic tale of impossible love involving the vampire Rosa and the villain Death, while Carrie's journey brings her in conflict with the powerful witch Actrise, and through her encounters with Actrise we also find out more about Carrie's turbulent past. Both these sidestories are well integrated into the main game and are quite interesting in their own right. The main story is also quite good, producing some memorable characters and offering up some big twists at the end. It's all driven along by a good number of cut scenes, and the story succeeds in giving you a sense of purpose and additional motivation to progress further.

Graphics

Visually Castlevania 64 isn't all that impressive, and certainly doesn't compare to the best looking N64 games at the time, games like Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Banjo-Kazooie. Certain levels look kinda drab, greyish and monotonous, and there is quite a bit of fogging. Some suggest that the fogging is used for atmospheric purposes, but while this might ring true in some cases (like the dark, haunted forest) the fogging is too persistent to simply be accepted as a way to add atmosphere. However, some other levels certainly look quite good, offering decent draw distance and nice colors (Tower of Sorcery springs to mind), and are really rather pretty. Another thing the game has going for it is good character models for its time, and most of the enemies (not to mention the bosses) certainly look great. A decent looking game back in the day, but the graphics were certainly not the high point even then.

Music & Sound

Castlevania games are known for their great music and Castlevania 64 really delivers in this regard. The number of music tracks is pretty good in itself, but it's their quality that really stand out, as this is really good, dramatic and atmospheric music. Ranging from the truly rousing and epic to the more subdued and gentle, the soundtrack of Castlevania 64 is superb and adds a lot to the game, while also possessing the kind of quality that means you'd enjoy listening to it even when not playing. The sound effects are great too, and there's even a bit of voice acting in here, though it's pretty much limited to the narrator and one particular character.

Gameplay

Castlevania 64 has caught some flack for both its controls and its camera, but I honestly had few problems with those aspects of the game. The controls are pretty tight and responsive, and as a result I found the game pretty easy to simply pick up and play. Some of the platform jumping stages were certainly challenging, but by intent, not because of clunky controls. The camera could at times be troublesome, but mostly stayed where I wanted it to, and I can barely ever remember dying because the camera suddenly developed a mind of its own. For a first generation 3D game, the camera is actually quite decent.

One thing I like very much is how different characters Reinhardt and Carrie really are. With Reinhardt you have the holy whip as your main weapon, a medium range weapon with which you will have to engage enemies head on. He's powerful, but a poor jumper. Carrie by contrast uses magical orbs as her main attack, which she can charge up and then throw at enemies. What's special about these orbs is that they when charged actively target the enemies no matter which way Carrie is facing, so using her you can basically just run around, charging magical orbs and then throw them to have the orbs home in on enemies. Carrie's also good at jumping (which gives her the edge on the platforming stages she and Reinhardt both play through), but fares worse when it comes to close range combat. The two characters' strengths and weaknesses are reflected in the levels that are exclusive for each of them, as well as the additional bosses each is facing. As a result, their two quests offer quite distinct experiences and challenges as you play through the game.

Another thing I like is the variety offered by the levels, not only in terms of how they look, but also with regard to how they play: Some levels are linear, relatively short and with plenty of platform jumping going on. Other levels are more complex, requiring you to solve basic puzzles, press switches and pull levers to clear obstacles and progress. And finally there are some huge, more open-ended levels, featuring various characters to talk to, requiring you to find different keys and items, blow up obstacles, take advantage of the game's basic night-day system and so on. The various levels are mostly well thought out and successfully executed, and the game always maintains that special creepy atmosphere, not to mention the feeling that you are entering deeper and deeper into Dracula's lair, and the stakes are constantly getting higher. As a result, the final part of the game has a special impact.

Combat proves very enjoyable in Castlevania 64. As well as your main weapon you also have a secondary, close range attack, as well as several special weapons that can be picked up along the way, like holy water and axes you throw at enemies. These weapons are very fun to use and experiment with, and the game features a great number of enemies to fight along the way. Best of all, there are plenty of great bosses to fight, ranging from colossal monsters to agile and deadly vampires. The final boss of the game is incredible, one of the baddest beasties seen in an N64 game, capable of pulling off some insane attacks. Awesome stuff.

There are some annoyances in the game, like a ridiculously frustrating part at the middle, and a level without any save points, but most of the time Castlevania 64 is a very entertaining game. And while it's not as polished as many of the N64's AAA titles, it features plenty of nice touches along the way: The way skeletons that have lost their legs will still crawl after you, how a vampire posing as a villager is exposed by lacking reflection in a mirror, a scene with a statue crying blood, the pool of blood in turn forming into an enemy. It's a well made game, and apart from some minor issues one that boasts great gameplay.

Longevity

If you know what you're doing Castlevania 64 is not a very long game, and can be completed in a couple of hours. The game is pretty challenging though, so you're unlikely to cruise through it the first time around. There's also a lot of replay value. As you remember, there are two playable characters, and only after completing the game with both will you have truly finished it. There are also some alternate endings to see, as well as secret boss battles and new costumes to unlock for the playable characters. Finally there is a Hard mode to try out, for those seeking a greater challenge. Castlevania 64 offered good value for your money back when it was a full price game, and now that you can find it for a lot less it will certainly be worth your cash.

Closing Comments

I loved Castlevania 64, which means I think you should snap it up, right? Well, things are a bit more complicated than that. See, there is a second N64 Castlevania that was released later on, Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness, which is basically Castlevania 64: Special Edition. In addition to containing all the meat of Castlevania 64 (apart from the minimal voice acting, and the fact that some old levels have been redesigned, mostly for the better) it features two new playable characters, new storylines, new levels, new bosses, a slight graphical upgrade and some other improvements. It's very much the superior game, and pretty much renders Castlevania 64 obsolete.

Ignoring Legacy of Darkness though, Castlevania 64 is great. Despite a few issues the game is still very fun to play, featuring superb music and a killer atmosphere. The two playable characters and their unique storylines further add depth and replay value to what is already a surprisingly solid game. If you can't find Legacy of Darkness then Castlevania 64 will be well worth picking up, it probably won't cost you much and should prove a pleasant surprise for N64 owners who once dismissed it like I first did.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 10/27/08

Game Release: Castlevania (EU, 05/14/99)