Top 5 Castlevania Games

 

What a horrible night to have a curse...yes everyone, we are taking a look the one of the Konami's classic franchise that are originated from mid-80's era which is a Castlevania.

It's one of the game that you take control of the vampire hunter set off the journey to confront and defeat Dracula to save the humanity.

Starting off from successful traditional 2D action-platform to popularising Metroidvania genres to 3D hack 'n' slash reboot, Castlevania as a whole are widely regarded as being one of the Konami's acclaimed franchises and also one of the best-selling of all-time in early days had spawned many of sequels, spin-offs, comics, novels, and of course animated series.

It was known for unique level design, gothic themes, bunch of vampires and monsters, numerous of sub-weapons and specials, epic bosses, memorable soundtrack, and overly challenged gameplay element which heavily focused on enemy's patterns, exploration, and multiple paths is what makes the whole franchise so recognisable.

I decided to make my 5 favourite games that I had a nostalgia on these games as a childhood such as the designs, sounds, graphics, and bosses. 

So without go further do, here is my top 5 Castlevania games.

5 - Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (GBA)

Before I begin explaining this game, first of all I wasn't impressed with the first two GBA games such as Castlevania: Circle of the Moon which brings me a disappointing experience that aren't as good as the outstanding Castlevania: Symphony of the Night had delivered perfectly well on the PS1 libraries, but going back to this it suffered with dull graphics design and stiff gameplay controls that really started to effect my overall fun factor and then we have another title called Castlevania: Harmony of dissonance which had improved upon over the Circle of the Moon, but then again it suffers with easier difficulty lacks overall challenge and poor quality soundtrack that didn't give a game justice.

Then I finally found a better GBA game that finally got everything right it should are Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow which is a final Castlevania title for GBA libraries that beings very close to Symphony of the Night has to offer.

You take control of young teenager student named Soma Cruz battles against the dark figures that wish to inherit the undead lord's power. 

Like Symphony of the Night that heavily focused on non-linear gameplay with large exploration and RPG elements requiring experience points for level up system, the game introduces the new mechanics called tactical soul which involves absorbing the souls of enemies in order to gain additional abilities such as Bullet souls are Soma Cruz's replacement for sub weapons, Guardian souls allows you to transform into mythical creatures and summoning familiars, Enchant souls provides you a unique abilities equipment such as the ability to walk on water, and Ability souls makes your abilities active longer such as double jump and sliding.

So far, I had no issue with the game at all because I believe the producer Koji Igarashi had acknowledged the issues from the Harmony of Dissonance after receiving the feedback from the fans of the series resulting more depth gameplay design, lengthy levels, satisfied difficulty system, quality soundtrack, and detailed graphics is what made Aria of Sorrow a worthy title for all Castlevania fans should able to appreciate more on this game than the previous two GBA titles.

4 - Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (TGCD)

"Die monster, you don't belong in this world!" -Richter Belmont 

At the time where I remember playing Castlevania: Dracula X on the SNES as a young teen back then right before I've discovered this game for TGCD that I didn't knew this was existed way before the SNES port. 
This is Castlevania: Rondo of Blood which is a first traditional 2D action-platform that never got released officially outside of Japan till I got it off from software emulation site as well as owning both the PSP and PS4 version as the Dracula X Chronicles and Castlevania Requiem. 

You take control of Richter Belmont goes out to save his lover Annette, who was abducted by the evil vampire leader Dracula.

This game has 9 stages with 4 multiple routes resulting with different alternative levels, so you will have a whip as a main weapon and various of sub-weapons such as throwing daggers and axes, holy water, spinning crosses, pocket watch, and grimoire which you will need these to fight off against the hordes of vampires or monsters throughout the level before facing with the bosses and you will have some sub-goals is to rescue 4 maidens including 12 year old Maria Renard, who then becomes a playable character, has ability to use attacks using her doves and one of 6 sub-weapons such as a white tiger kitten, dragon whelp, baby phoenix, turtle, egg and musical notes as well as being able to perform double jump.

I got to say that I was impressed with the game because I did not expect TGCD version to be more superior than the SNES port has to offer due to technical marvel of CD add-ons system was capable of utilising the graphical power and arranged soundtracks that really adds up the game's atmosphere and action.

It has well builted level structures that has tons of hazardous objects and many enemies that requires memorising patterns and the bosses are quite satisfactory that keeps you well entertained. 

I also liked the use of multiple routes which relying on rescuing 4 missing maidens and leads you to alternative stage adds the overall replay values. 

The game is ridiculously expensive on TGCD which cost around over £100 to £200, so I highly recommend you to get it cheap on both PSP and PS4 under Dracula X chronicles physically or Castlevania: Requiem digitally. 

3 - Castlevania: Bloodlines (SEGA Genesis/MD)

        

       

As a huge SNES kid back then, I was surprised to see a vampire hunter game being on the SEGA's console platform called Castlevania: Bloodlines which is the only Castlevania game ever released for SEGA Genesis/MD as much with the Super Castlevania IV are exclusively on SNES.

The story focused on the vampire hunter John Morris and his best friend Eric Lecarde set their quest to take up the fight against evil as well as preventing the full resurrection of Dracula. 

Unlike the previous entry of Castlevania, this game gives you an option to select any of two playable heroes has different main weapon and abilities such as John is able to swing past gaps with his whip, whereas Eric must use a different route by performing high jumps by using his spear which adds the new variation of the gameplay style.

Like most of early Castlevania game involves players proceed through each level, defeating enemies, and collecting gems to power special weapons, it included the sub-bosses where you get to fight against them before proceeding to main bosses and the game splits into different paths depending on which character you had chosen. 

I'm really impressed to see the game as a whole turns out to be a stunning experience of 16-bit library thanks to clever use of graphical effects of parallax animation looked pretty amazing for some stages such as glossy water animation bounces ups and downs, wobbly blue castle that tilts side to side, spinning colosseum rotates around, and illusions platforming splits in threes which I considered this as being the most technically achievement on SEGA's 16-bit system. 

I really liked the overall presentation of the game for its vampiric themes of stages filled with dark forests with haunting castle, clock rooms with full of cogs work, blue palace with broken statues, and navy clouds with bloody red moon. 

The gameplay design has the same charm as the early Castlevania titles featuring a tight controls, responsive combat weapons, great use of platforming, battling with bosses, and being able to play as twos with multiple path choices and different style of gameplay is what I called a finest side-scrolling action for those who owns the SEGA's 16-bit machine.

The game is also available on PS4, XBONE, PC and Switch as part of the Castlevania Anniversary Collection that you can able to get it digitally.

2 - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PS1)             

     

         

"What is a man? A miserable little pile of secrets, but enough talk...have at you!" - Dracula

One of the game had caught my attention when I was a young teen at the time where I normally get the software emulators and bunch of game ROMs online to play many of the classic retro games for particular platform. 

I remember playing this game first time on PS1 emulator to see how this game was different from any of the traditional Castlevania games, but I wasn't being able to finish the game properly which I was currently more busy playing on PS3, Wii, and PS Vita as well as had too much focusing on my important studying in college.

Then a years later when I had a Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles digitally on PS Vita as well as Castlevania: Requiem for PS4 which included the 2 favourite classics such as Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night, I decided to give a game another try and see if I can able to beat the game entirely.

The answer is yes I've managed to finish the game on both version and so far it is one of my second favourite title in the series that really adds my gaming nostalgia I will never forget remembering how legendary this game had turned out.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is one of the game mixes with the genres of platforming-adventures and Action RPG are widely known as Metroidvania, a genre was pioneered by Nintendo's Metroid series, making a huge departure of traditional side-scrolling action from early Castlevania games.

It takes place after the event of Rondo of Blood where it takes role of Dracula's son named Alucard sets off his journey to putting the end of his father's cursed castle that harms the humanity. 

It's one of the game that heavily focused on large range of non-linear exploration featuring many locations to visit, finding hidden secrets, collecting items that leads you to gain access to undiscovered areas, and uses the RPG-style level up system that requires gaining many experience points as possible in order to be good enough to fight against the wide range of enemies and bosses with their highest level status.

What I liked about the game is that each of the combat weapons have their own advantages and disadvantages that is designed for various reasons such as you have sword that has a fair amount of damage attack, the daggers are quicker but weak compared with swords, the ranged weapons worked better for far-ranged attack, the two-handed weapons equips two except one, the clubs has better use of defense, and the shields are protective item against the enemy's projectiles. 

The game also has really cool relics that gives you ability to transform into wolf and bat, performing double jump and swim underwater, being able to gain entry to sealed doors, and summoning those supportive familiars such as sword, demon, ghost and fairy which can be found on curtain location.

So far, the overall gameplay design is absolutely terrific for its larger exploration of map design, the combat and relics is fluid and responsive, the RPG elements that builds up your confidence to progressing your player's stats, and it has two possible endings that adds up a ambitious replay value is what made the game so special.

I love the look of the graphics design is pretty damn amazing for the PS1 standards despite the system has the difficulties to create a smooth 2D title, this game offers a use of visual transparency for lighting and shadow, 3D style background design, sharper texture details on environments, and stunning character's animation which I considered as the best looking 2D game of all PS1 libraries.

The game had an excellent CD quality soundtrack by Michiru Yamane, a Japanese composer who had previously worked on some Castlevania games and later for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, did a remarkable job of creating her best video game scores of whole Castlevania series. 

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is clearly the legendary title that really holds up to today standards, so the PS1 copy is stupidly rare which cost more than £200 to £300, so like I've mention with Rondo of Blood before, you can able to get this game dirt cheap on both PSP and PS4 under Dracula X chronicles physically or Castlevania: Requiem digitally. 

1 - Super Castlevania IV

So you been wondering why I chose this game as my number 1 favourite over my previous two on my top 5 Castlevania games? well the answer is that I had the reason why this game had defined my childhood gaming because I grew up mostly on SNES as a young kid which means that Super Castlevania IV is my top favourite of all-time.

I remember when my brother took me to the video game store to discover the game that I really wanted to play, so my brother had given me a recommendation for my SNES library is Super Castlevania IV that I was looking forward to play this kind of game.

I remember having first time playing this with my cousin who came to my home to play my SNES and after playing amount of hours of fun we were very impressed with the game had turned out to be quite success. 

Super Castlevania IV is one of the game similar to original's 1986 Castlevania for NES featuring expanded play control, 16-bit graphics make use of SNES Mode 7, and a soundtrack with new pieces and arrangements based on previous Castlevania music. 

Following the same setting as Castlevania on the NES, you take control of vampire hunter named Simon Belmont has his quest to defeat Dracula once for all through 11 stages.

Like the first Castlevania game where you use whip as a basic main weapon, various of sub-weapons, extending range of whip, and being able to walk on stairs, the game had introduced a whip mechanics such as you can swing your whip around in 8 different direction blocking enemy's projectiles, latching onto rings to swing over areas that are too wide for the player to jump across, and you can able to move as well as using whip attack while crouching which really gives the new addition to its gameplay style making an easier to control.

The gameplay has incredible challenges that involves platforming where you need to memorise all the enemy's pattern and hazards to get to the next area without dying that keeps you playing more and more till you reach at the end of the level. 

The boss battles is superbly epic that is so difficult to master, but it is a fun at the same time that takes you sometime to get used too is what makes the game satisfy you enough to impress the game even more. 

The graphics is absolutely well made for the use of mode 7 engine such as rotating level backgrounds, boss animation, and transparency effects is damn looking spectacular that shows off the SNES powerhouse.    

I really liked the darker presentation of the game filled with the gritty level design and deadly enemies that really adds the game's personality that made the game quite appealing and it does always have one of the most memorable soundtrack that give the SNES do a justice that made the game so recognisable.

That being said, this is my favourite Castlevania games I ever played that really defines my nostalgia as a child and I will never forget this masterpiece had deserved to be on my own SNES libraries.

I say go play this game on SNES or get it for PS4, XBONE, PC and Switch as part of the Castlevania Anniversary Collection I can guarantee you will be superbly impressed by playing this awesome game.      

Honourable Mention:

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (PS3)

Castlevania (NES)

Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse (NES)

Castlevania Adventures (GB)

Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles (PSP)

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