During the final days of the Igavania era, the Nintendo DS emerged as the main beneficiary of new Castlevania titles. Even so, the PSP did receive one notable entry: Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles.
The Dracula X Chronicles is essentially a modern remake of Rondo of Blood, the classic Castlevania title featuring Richter Belmont as the main hero in the Belmont clan’s endless quest to banish Lord Dracula.
Overall, The Dracula X Chronicles is an earnest reboot attempt with solid production values. However, its new visual makeover combined with old-school gameplay causes it to pale in comparison when placed toe-to-toe with the Nintendo DS Igavania titles. The rigid level design and traditional mechanics feel dated next to the fluid exploration and systems refinement found on the DS.
That said, one of the game’s biggest selling points is its unlockable content. Included are several older Castlevania games, most notably Symphony of the Night. This was a major deal at the time: Symphony of the Night was still considered one of the finest Igavania titles, and it had been nearly ten years since it last received a proper port. Its inclusion alone helped The Dracula X Chronicles maintain its reputation as a solid and worthwhile entry in the series. In fact, it was my gateway to SoTN and the series is still my top Igavania ever since.
Had The Dracula X Chronicles been more commercially successful, it’s tempting to speculate that it might have helped Koji Igarashi remain at Konami a bit longer. Perhaps we could even have seen a remake of Castlevania: Bloodlines, which would have been a natural fit—especially considering that its spiritual successor is often regarded as one of the best Metroidvania games Igarashi ever made.
With Konami’s recent renewed interest in reviving its classic blockbuster IPs, maybe there’s still a chance we’ll see something like that in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment