Dracula X: Rondo of Blood

[Melf]

Hoo boy, where do I begin? The forgotten masterpiece? The best of the traditional Castlevania games? The best game you've never played? I believe they all apply. Dracula X is one of the greatest games of all time, and one of the few games that's actually worth its eBay asking price, if not
more.

After a successful run on the NES, Konami brought the Castlevania series to the PC-Engine in a way that was all gamers could ask for at the time: on CD. Voice overs, animated cut scenes, an orchestrated soundtrack...these were all things gamers everywhere dreamed of. Imagine their disappointment when it was revealed that such a treat wouldn't be coming stateside. Konami, in one of their biggest goofs (the others being Snatcher, Policenauts, and Metal Gear 2), kept the game in Japan, forcing hungry U.S. enthusiasts to import. Being a college freshman with no credit card meant I would have to wait years to play this version, by no means an easy feat.

Contrary to what many people think, the PC-Engine version of Dracula X is not the same as the SNES cart. A few similarities are evident, such as Richter Belmont being the main character, certain enemies, and in-game sprites. However, the CD game is a totally different beast gameplay-wise, and is much larger and complex than its cartridge sibling.

The first difference is that there are two playable characters. When Richter rescues Maria, his girlfriend's little sister, she becomes available in the options menu. This is the same Maria that's all grown up in Symphony of the Night for Playstation. While Richter maintains the trademark Belmont whip and heart-based items (knife, cross, holy water, holy book, axe, and watch), Maria uses a pair of white doves that she launches at her attackers. Her power ups include a more birds, a cat, a dragon, a turtle shell, a song book, and a bird's egg that hatches for more bird attacks. Although she may seem a bit lame in concept, her attacks are actually pretty potent. Some bosses can even be beaten more easily using Maria, and the fact that you can switch between her and Richter adds a welcome dimension to the gameplay. Her double jump is a must for reaching high ledges and new areas, so if you want to find everything you'll have to use her, no matter how macho you think you are. Maria also slides and has an "alter-ego" attack that causes some decent damage.

For both characters, each item has an item crash (special attack). These attacks consume hearts and are very useful for getting out of a jam. There are also keys that can be found that are used to rescue several NPCs. Ol' Drac has a penchant for capturing pretty women, and finding them will earn you some nifty cut scenes where I assume you're thanked for your effort. Holding the key means you can't pick up any other item, so you'll have to make due with your standard weapon until you rescue whoever is nearby.

Another thing you'll love is that the PC-Engine version has alternate paths. Some stages, like stage one for example, have hidden routes than lead to whole new areas, including new bosses. I cannot emphasize just how much this adds to the game, as you'll be going back to find those new routes and any NPCs found therein. The stage select in the option menu makes retracing your steps a breeze. You can also check your continues, cash level, and completed percentage here. Four save files means you don't have to worry about your little brother/sister messing with your game too!

The Belmonts love to collect bags of money and this time it's finally useful for more than just points. As you pick up the different colored bags, a total is registered under your health bar. The money can be used in the option screen to unlock demos on how to beat each boss in the game. Watching them not only adds to your completed percentage (What? You thought SotN started that?), it also gives you some valuable tips by way of some flawless boss ownage. The guy who recorded each of these never got hit even once!

Graphically, both versions of Dracula X are very much alike. The SNES version has superior color and parallax, but the CD rev doesn't lag behind by much and has some of the best graphics on the system. You'll recognize many of the enemies right away, as they are also found in SotN. Their attacks and animation are mostly the same, giving experienced Castlevania players a slight advantage from the get-go.

Sprites are large and animate well, and the game retains the feel of the series that gamers have grown to love. If you've played Super Castlevania IV or the SNES version of this installment, you'll be very pleased by how everything looks. Just don't expect the same level of visuals found in the Playstation sequel...

The item crash attacks decent and the cut scenes are awesome, especially since this is the first time we've been treated to such goodies in a console Castlevania release. After seeing them I was actually a bit disappointed that SotN went CG instead. The anime scenes seem to go better with this type of game.

One of Dracula X's biggest draws is its godly soundtrack. The music here is truly incredible, and stands with the sequel among the best in all of gaming. Sure, I may sound a little over the top with that comment but I honestly mean it. You will love the music in this game. As with most CD games for the Turbo, it's red book so you basically have the OST included.

The effects are well done, and there's some booming bass here, especially from the bosses. Voice overs are emotional (about as emotional as most Japanese anime conversations are), while explosions, weapon hits, and monster roars are clear and loud. This is a game you play with the receiver cranked up!

Going for over $100 on eBay, you are probably asking: it looks great but is it worth it? Yes. Yes it is. This is a game you buy and never trade away or sell. This is the one you put at the center of your gaming collection, not just because it's expensive, but because it's that damn good. Yeah, the game is lot easier than the SNES versions. It's also a lot better. However, given that the SNES version has different levels and higher difficulty, I recommend you get both. Luckily, Konami seems to have finally seen the error of its ways and will finally be releasing Dracula X on the Sony PSP, in both a remade version with 3D graphics on 2D gameplay, as well as the original classic. The new release also includes Symphony of the Night, so fans and PSP owners know what they must do.

So, it basically comes down to this: If you're a Castlevania fan and even remotely care for your Duo/PC-Engine CD/TG-16CD or PSP, you should buy Dracula X. There's nothing else to it.

[bbobb]

White text on a white background, means me can no readie.

[sleeve]

Just highlight it, genius.

[bbobb]

Too lazy, someone should fix it.

[AstroBlue]

Your background should be dark blue, and if it isn't, you suck at life.

[Yoshi]

How does Dracula X get a 3 on technical achievement when it is an 8-bit game?

[Thief Silver]

Technical Achievement should be measured by how much the game pushed the envelope for its time on the hardware it was on. That means you should try to rate graphics, sound, and other technical factors on how well they measured up to what else was out at the time and take into consideration what system the game was on and how far that system had been pushed up to that point. That's the ideal way to look at it, and I think that the people that post here are generally knowledgeable enough to make an educated rating.

That answer?

[kingoffighters]

I would give it a 5 then

[Yoshi]

Exactly. The game came out in 1993. Go look at the crap that it whipped back then.

[Thief Silver]

Fair enough, but your point wasn't clear in your original statement, at least it wasn't until I reread it lol.

I interpreted your wording as "how can this 8-bit game score a 3 technically"