Castlevania Chronicles

"A classic revisited, with entertaining extras"

Castlevania Chronicles is a reproduction of a classic Japanese computer game that was originally released in 1993. It is a side-scrolling action game like those of the series released before Symphony of the Night. This 2001 release features two modes of play: Original Mode and Arrange Mode. Original Mode is the aforementioned PC game; every feature of the gameplay, graphics, and music remains intact. Arrange Mode offers a few noticeable changes; new sprites for Simon Belmont and Dracula based on the artwork of Ayami Kojima have been added, the background songs are remixed, with a sound that slightly resembles techno-music, and new introduction and ending FMVs have been added.

Definitely the most important part of any game is gameplay, which is as tight as ever in Chronicles. No complex button combinations are required in this game, just old-fashioned reflex actions and timed jumps. Speaking of which, there are quite a few pitfalls and other instant disasters in this game. As in previous Castlevanias, there are hidden treasures, usually meat, hidden in the walls. A few of the bosses in this game, mostly Medusa and Death, may seem very difficult at first. None of them are impossible, though; with the right skills, and admittedly the right special item, every boss can be beaten eventually. It might be helpful to some players to know that the Arrange Mode's difficulty can be changed in the options menu. For maximum enjoyment, one should have a memory card to play this game; without one, Time Attack mode (covered later in this review) and the Art Gallery will be inaccessible.

The story of this game should be well-known to Castlevania fans by now. Monsters from Dracula's castle are terrorizing the peaceful Transylvania, and, armed with his ancestor's legendary whip, Simon Belmont traverses to the castle to defeat the Prince of Darkness and restore tranquility to his homeland. Although this story is not a new one, it is definitely not tired; each visit to the castle of Dracula has been just as exciting as the previous, and this game is no exception.

As has been stated, this game was originally released in 1993. As a result, the graphics aren't as spectacular as one might expect. For the most part, they are very similar to the graphics of, for example, Super Castlevania IV for the SNES, though slightly more detailed. In the Original Mode, Simon is rather plain. In the Arrange Mode, he is very detailed; his long, brown hair has been turned scarlet, and his vampire hunting attire is slightly more detailed than before. There are many cool-looking enemies and bosses, including skeletons, werewolves, Frankenstein's monster, zombies, ghosts, Death, Dracula, and so forth, as well as new bosses and enemies. Everything is, for the most part, well-detailed for the game's time; one must not expect graphics like those in Symphony of the Night.

Music is a very important aspect of the Castlevania series, which has given players such opuses as ''Bloody Tears,'' ''Wicked Child,'' and the legendary theme of Simon Belmont, ''Vampire Killer.'' The music of this game is rather plain in Original Mode, but great in Arrange Mode. In Original Mode, one type of sound card that the game originally supported is emulated, and it doesn't produce sounds as decent as might be expected. The Arrange Mode features slightly technologic remixes of the same songs, and the remixes are surprisingly good. The only things left to cover are the extras . . .

. . . ah, the extras. In the options menu, Konami has added a Special Options category. Originally included in it is a video interview with the producer, who answers various questions regarding the game's story, his background, and what is to be expected in the future of the Castlevania series. One interesting fact that should be mentioned is that the future of the Chronicles series depends on how well this game sells, and that a future Chronicles release might be Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse. After completion of just one level in Arrange Mode, another special option is unlocked: a gallery of art by Ayami Kojima. Level by level, new pieces of art are added to the gallery, which features many characters from Symphony of the Night, as well as a few from Chronicles. Finally, when the Arrange Mode is completed, the Time Attack mode opens up (this is only accessible through the Arrange Mode). Time Attack mode lets players choose any of the eight levels and attempt to beat it as quickly as they possibly can. This expands the life of the game by a while, allowing players to challenge their friends and themselves as well. The extras definitely contribute to making this game worth twenty dollars.

Overall, Castlevania Chronicles is a great, inexpensive Playstation game that fans of classic action games should definitely purchase. The extra features contribute to making this one of the best ''new'' games for this dying system. While it is a great game, it has its share of problems. For example, the Playstation hardware has to be reset to get to the title screen, and the Arrange Mode could have used more updates. While numbers aren't necessarily important in reviewing games, they provide a general idea of what has been said.

If you'd like to look at numbers and disregard all that was said above:

Gameplay: 9/10
Minor frustrations may be encountered with jumping, but, for the most part, this is fine.

Story: Unrated
The story in this game is very simple, and has been used often. It is pointless to give a number to it.

Graphics: 7/10
Let's face it, they're not impressive in today's world of games. They aren't bad, though.

Music: 9/10
Great songs, but they don't sound as good as they could.

Extras: 8/10
Great artwork, but there could have been more offered. The Time Attack mode is cool, and the interview is as well.

Overall: (Not an average) 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/15/01, Updated 11/20/01