Castlevania II: Simon's Quest

"The red-headed stepchild of the NES Castlevanias."

I mean that in a good way. Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest is one of a long list of classic games whose sequel surpassed the original on the NES (see also Zelda 2 and SMB 2). Simon Belmont is back at it again, hacking away at the creatures of the night that are plaguing Transylvania, the land outside of Count Dracula's now-silent castle. Simon has been cursed; he suffers from serious wounds inflicted by the Count from the original game, and he must go on a quest to revive the demon and destroy him. Belmont's survival depends on collecting Dracula's scattered body parts, using them to resurrect him in his own castle, and destroying the beast to eliminate the cursed blood flowing through his vampire-hunter veins. This also must be completed under a strict time constraint, as Simon's life is slowly running out of him.

Graphics
Wonderful. Castlevania 2's environments speak of the decay and rot that Dracula had wreaked upon the land before Belmont destroyed him. There are crumbling towns (all illustrated in side-scrolling glory), wrecked battlements, haunted forests, and gloomy mansions to explore. All are darkened, even during the day (this game makes use of the contrast of day and night with an elapsed time concept). The monsters range from the classic wolfman to floating eyeballs. Everything is horrific and well done, and the marshes glow with an almost bloody-reddish purple. Simon animates well, and the game runs at a slightly slower pace than the original to allow for more fluid movement and more monsters on the screen (although some slowdown occurs). The text is easy to read, which is helpful because you will face plenty of in this game.
(8/10)

Sound
Ghoulishly written, the soundtrack to C2 will chill you to your bones. When night falls during this game, watch out! The outside music resembles something out of the Evil Dead or Friday the 13th. The individual mansions (where Dracula's body parts are kept) have this strange driving music that sounds twisted and insane. The sound effects are interesting, as the whip cracks change as you acquire more powerful versions, and the noise the game makes when you vanquish any enemy is neat- it sounds like evil is being destroyed.
(8/10)

Control
The game plays a bit slower, but Simon's jumps are a little bit more manageable than they were in the first Castlevania. Otherwise, the game plays like classic Castlevania, with the A and B buttons respectively used for jumping and attacking, and Up plus the B button used for special items, which you access from a well-designed subscreen (opens with the Select button). Belmont may use Dracula's body parts in battle, and this is quite an intuitive process. For example, Simon may use the Count's Rib as a shield to deflect certain attacks, but this shield only protects him when he is standing still. This adds an important amount of strategy to a solid action engine.
(7/10)

Gameplay
This game smartly stresses adventure over straightforward action, taking the vampire lore in an exciting new direction. Simon no longer gets all of his items from candles; instead, he acquires hearts from the enemies that he vanquishes. These hearts serve as currency with which Simon may purchase whip upgrades and special weapons like Holy Water. The time constraint and elapsed time ideas are fantastic. The timer clicks by (viewable in the subscreen) as Simon travels, and he must complete his quest under a certain time limit in order to achieve the best ending. Although this game seems nearly impossible to complete under the time limit, time stands still while you are in the mansion. This allows you crucial time to gain plenty of hearts so that you don't waste precious hours battling while travelling. The game also changes from day to night, and important changes take place while time goes by. While people roam the towns during the day, zombies stalk the streets during the night. Also, the enemies are twice as strong once dark falls, making travelling hellish. Another important aspect of the game is that you must talk to the various inhabitants of Transylvania for clues as to what you must do next, but certain morally questionable people will mislead you. This adds another element of danger to an already well thought-out game. Fighting the enemies ranges from engrossing (Vampira) to glitchy and overly easy (the Grim Reaper).
(9/10)

Story
This new chapter to the Belmont story is interesting and engaging. The thought that a curse is slowly running through your body is a great tool in adding to the tension and horror of the game.
(8/10)

Replay Value
There are at least three endings to this game, so the Replay Value is there. The game involves plenty of traveling, so you will want to play again and again. Simon's Quest is challenging and engaging and the world of Transylvania has more than a few secrets to intrigue you.
(7/10)

Average (8/10)
Overall, Simon's Quest succeeds in ways that its predecessor never did. It is a true blend of action and a little bit of adventure, and it adds new features while retaining the classic feel of the series. This is an excellent addition to the Castlevania series.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/14/00, Updated 02/14/00