Castlevania

"Don't listen to the hype, this is a solid game."

I must say that I always enjoyed the Castlevania series when I had an NES. When I finally got an N64, one of the first games I got was Castlevania 64. It's a solid game, and although people tend to bash it, I highly recommend it. It's a fine addition to the Castlevania series, and that's saying a lot.

I must admit this game took me for surprise. I wasn't expecting to have an adventure/platform game in one. Some of these levels are a mix of Zelda style gameplay, and it works well. Okay now let's talk about the gameplay. First of all this game is fun and your character controls very well. There is of course a somewhat wacky camera system in the game, but it is still manageable. Yes it will cause occasional on screen deaths, but that happens in all platform games. The basic weapon system has your character either have a whip, or a magic ball of energy as your main weapon. You are also allowed to carry a sub-weapon such as an axe, holy water, knife, and cross. Hand to hand combat is easy, but it is worth noting that there aren't too many enemies in the game. That's weird for a Castlevania game.

One thing that makes Castlevania 64 different from the other N64 game, Legacy of Darkness, is that this game is pretty hard. While Legacy of Darkness was pretty easy, this game isn't. There are two modes to choose from at the beginning, easy and normal. Don't play it on easy, or the game will end at the completion of level 5. Also the Castle Center stage is brutal, as it involves a section where you must carry a bottle of nitro from one end of the stage to the other. The catch is that you can't jump or get hit by an enemy. Also the Duel Tower is very difficult because there are no save crystals in the stage. Some of the jumping areas are also very difficult. It's safe to say that Legacy of Darkness is an easier game.

The story is well done. In the town of Walachia, Dracula has returned from the grave again. It's up to Reinhardt Schneider and Carrie Fernandez to battle their way to the Castle Keep and defeat Dracula again. A nice side story is that Reinhardt is a descendant of the Belmont family, and Carrie is a descendant of Sypha Belnades from Castlevania 3 from the NES.

The graphics are decent, but there are problems. First, the expansion pack isn't used like it is in Legacy of Darkness, so there are some blurry textures. However, some of the stages do have exceptional detail, with the Villa being one of the best. Some of the characters have nice detail, such as the two heroes, and Dracula himself. The sound however is almost non excesstant. Yes the boss battle music is awesome, but as for the stages themselves, the only music played is low key background music. There are some stages that have music playing at all times such as the Castle Wall, and the Castle Center, but some stages have no music at all such as the Forest of Silence, and the Garden Maze. This I must say is very un-Castlevania like.

Replay value is moderate. The game can be beaten fairly quickly, but with two characters there is replay incentive. Also the two characters have different stages at times. While Reinhardt deals with the Tunnel after the Villa stage, Carrie drops into the Underground Waterway. Also there is a hard mode and secret costumes to unlock. Still this game is fun so you will want to play it over and over.

In conclusion, I say that this game is excellent. In fact I think that it's better than Castlevania Lament of Innocence on the PS2. If you can find it in a bargain bin, then I advise you to pick it up. On one final note, I do advise anyone looking for this game to try and find Legacy of Darkness instead. The reason is because after you beat the new original story in Legacy of Darkness, then you can unlock Reinhardt and Carrie's adventure from Castlevania 64. Also there is a fourth hidden character to unlock in Legacy of Darkness as well. So while I do like Castlevania 64, I think that Legacy of Darkness would be a much better choice. The graphics are better, plus you get two new stories as well. It's your choice, but I'd go with Legacy of Darkness. Still, if Castlevania 64 is the only one available, then get it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/19/05, Updated 02/03/06