Derryck Plays - Castlevania: Bloodlines (Castlevania Anniversary Collection) [Nintendo Switch]6/11/2024 And thus, I arrive at the final game of my Castlevania Anniversary Collection journey. It's been fun going through the classic titles of the series, but until I get around to getting the Advance Collection, this is the last Castlevania game I'll be checking out for a while. BACKGROUND:
I knew there was a Castlevania game for the Sega Genesis, but I didn't really know anything about it. I was quite curious about it once I read the synopsis in the Anniversary Collection, but I decided to save this playthrough for last so I had something exciting to look forward to after I cleared out the rest of the games. SUMMARY: While the looming threat of Dracula rising from the ashes once more is still very much a thing in this game, Castlevania: Bloodlines deviates quite a bit from the established story formula so far. Before this point, all of the games in the series have taken place some 400-600 years ago in Transylvania (that's my rough estimate, anyway), and they've all starred a Belmont stepping up to their family legacy of whipping vampire ass. This game is quite different: it's set in the early 20th century, takes place all across Europe, and features very different protagonists (yes, plural). Dracula isn't quite back yet when the events of the game kick off, but Elizabeth Bartley, a descendant of his, has been scheming from the shadows to revive the dark lord. It's implied that her machinations had a hand in starting World War I, but in any case, it seems her sinister goal is at hand. Opposing her are the young vampire hunters John Morris, whose clan is descended from the legendary Belmonts (and whose father, Quincy, was the last to vanquish Dracula), and Eric Lecarde, a close friend of John's and wielder of a weapon on equal standing to Morris's Vampire Killer. Together, they battle the forces of evil and journey across Europe to face off against Bartley and her creatures of the night. I thought this slight change in the formula was really interesting, as it really expands the mythos of the series by jumping far ahead in the timeline. Of course, I have many questions as to what happened between all the other events that I know of and the events of this game, and while I'm sure later game flesh things out further, I found it fun to speculate about as I played. The game immediately stands out as different off the bat when you boot it up, as you get to choose which character you want to play as throughout the campaign. John Morris is your traditional Belmont experience, as he is the one who wields the Vampire Killer whip and he controls like a classic Belmont (but with the additional ability to whip diagonally upwards, and directly downwards). He can also grapple onto and swing from ceilings, though this mechanic is sadly only used a handful of times in a meaningful way. Eric Lecarde is quite the departure in contrast, as he wields the Alucard Spear instead. The spear has respectable range, you can twirl it around to keep approaching enemies at bay, and you can perform a downward thrust if you're in midair. Perhaps the most notable skill Eric has is his ability to vault directly upwards with the spear, allowing him to reach high platforms with what functions pretty much like a super jump. This ability makes several sections of the game pretty easy, as Eric can skip otherwise dangerous sections with a single jump. Both hunters can use the three available sub-weapons: the axe, the boomerang (standing in for the cross), and the holy water, all of which function the same as they do in the older games. What's unique about them here is that you can use a special input to perform a super attack with these sub-weapons, allowing you to deal more damage and cover a wider area at the cost of more hearts. I thought this was a cool evolution of the classic mechanic, and I like that while they are quite powerful, you can't just rely on them completely because they require more resources to use. There are also two special sub-weapons unique to each character that cost plenty of hearts to use, but are well worth the trouble. John gets this insane flurry of orbs that home in on targets, while Eric is able to unleash an onslaught of projectiles that covers most of the screen. They are amazing at tearing through bosses and clearing otherwise dangerous rooms of enemies, but not only do they cost a lot to use, getting hit once causes you to lose these powerful attacks. In total, there are six total zones, each taking place in some landmark in Europe (from the iconic Dracula's castle in Transylvania, to the Leaning Tower of Pisa of all places). The game follows the traditional Castlevania structure of splitting up these stages into "blocks," which you go through in a linear manner and has you explore some interesting locales within the general area. There's a healthy mix of new and familiar here, like how the stage in Germany features elements of the iconic clock tower levels of the old games while also having unique elements that show that you're in a factory. I would say the level design offers a respectable challenge that feels very much in line with what Castlevania has become renowned for, as most areas are guarded by deviously placed enemies with attacks tailor-made to halt your approach. They also mix in a blend of classic and new level elements and hazards to navigate around, like some of the greatest hits of the NES titles (e.g. gear platforms, auto-scroller sections) and some truly unique platforming mechanics or gimmicks (like the distorted room, or the room where the view is upside down). One thing I found notable is how one of the levels is a split path, and you can only go through one based on what character you're playing as. In this section, John has to go through the path where he can swing from the ceiling across a gap, while Eric has to ascend platforms only his super jump can reach. I thought it was strange that there was literally only one instance of this, and I would have loved more so that a playthrough with each character felt even more distinct. The enemies are a similar mix of old and new, with a number of classics utilized in the same way as they were in the old games (examples include Medusa heads, axe knights, goofy bone-throwing skeletons, bone dragons, bats, and mummies), as well as a bevy of unique ghouls with tricky attacks keeping you from blazing through (like archers, minotaurs, and even some dude with a gatling gun). I've run into my fair share of tough sections where these bastards were placed perfectly to keep me on my toes (with my only reprieve being any sub-weapons I may happen to have), and when it comes to Castlevania, I wouldn't have it any other way. This game spoils you with bosses, as you get sub-bosses in addition to the bosses that wait for you at the end of a zone. Again, you get some familiar faces with a fresh coat of paint (like Frankenstein's monster with new attacks, a completely different Medusa from the first game, and an updated Death fight with a unique gimmick) and a bunch of fresh fights (a giant golem, a Mothra-like creature, and some weird gear contraption). Some of these boss fights are pretty easy once you figure out the few patterns (even more so if you have sub-weapons), while others pose a more respectable challenge. In any case, I was delighted to face off against a lot more imposing creatures of the night compared to the one-a-level formula that was the norm up until this point. The graphics of this game rival that of Super Nintendo's Super Castlevania IV in level of detail and polish, which is all you can want for a title on the SNES's hardware rival. The backgrounds (many of which feel super fresh since most of them take place outside Dracula's castle) look very intricate, the sprites look impressive (and breathe new life into classic enemies with wildly different designs), and the effects were as flashy as can be (the most notable of which are the sections with scrolling elements). The music is fantastic as well, and I enjoyed the new renditions of Nothing to Lose (the final boss theme of the original Castlevania) and Simon Belmont's theme (which was the big track of Super Castlevania IV). Since there are two playable characters, I decided I'd play this game all the way through twice. For the second playthrough, I played on the Japanese version of the game (playable on the Anniversary Collection). I think the main difference between this version and the international release is that it is overall easier thanks to you doing more damage on many enemies, several sections with less enemies, and even a few enemies whose behavior is adjusted to be easier to deal with. I also happened to do this second playthrough as Eric, whose super jump and faster attack speed helped make things more of a breeze. VERDICT: Castlevania: Bloodlines felt like such a fresh experience with a unique playable character, plenty of new enemies and locales, and even a remixed story. And while I enjoyed all this new stuff, the game also preserves the aspects of the series I've been enjoying throughout this journey of playing through the Anniversary Collection (like the level design, the sub-weapons, and the traditional whip combat in the form of John Morris) and improves upon it with meaningful additions like more bosses and special sub-weapon attacks. I had a lot of fun on both playthroughs, so much so that I'm actually a little bummed that I'm out of Castlevania games to play (for now) that can scratch the itch to play more that this one gave me. I haven't really seen much about how this game is viewed by fans and critics as a whole (so I don't know if I can argue that it is "essential" on the merits of acclaim or accolades), but what I will say that I think this is worth playing after playing through at least the original Castlevania, Simon's Quest, Dracula's Curse, and Super Castlevania IV. I think there is a lot of merit in playing those games first and then starting with this one, as Bloodlines does a lot different while also expanding on an established formula, and that there's something to gain in terms of understanding different approaches to evolving the game design of a series by comparing the four aforementioned games with this one. For the last time, I link to the Castlevania Anniversary Collection, where you can play all the eight games that I've been blathering about over the past several weeks (including their Japanese versions, if they have them): Castlevania Anniversary Collection on Steam (steampowered.com) - end -
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