The Castlevania series is one of the very first horror inspired video games I have ever played. One of the earlier titles for the NES, the first Castlevania game stood out to me with box art featuring Dracula and the back of the box promised combat against classic monsters. As a young kid with a taste for monster movies, I was hooked. It was like playing through the history of classic horror films when battling foes such as mummies, Frankenstein’s Monster and even the Grim Reaper. One strange aspect about the game is the fact that it has been re-released several times but it can still be hard to find outside of Nintendo systems. Fortunately, Castlevania Chronicles gives PlayStation gamers a taste of what the original game was like… sort of.
Castlevania Chronicles is a remake of the original Castlevania released for the PlayStation in 2001. It is more or less the same gameplay you would expect – there are even several levels lifted directly from the NES version along with a handful of new exclusive levels.
If you have played the original Castlevania then you should know what to expect here. You make your way through 2D levels, swing your whip at candles for power-ups and hearts and fight classic monsters. All of the special weapons you expect are here – the axe and the cross included. There is also a new power-up; the laurel heals some of your life at a cost of 10 hearts.
If you have a 3DS or an NES Classic, you are probably content to play the original NES version of the game. However, if you have a PlayStation Vita, a PSP or a PS3 – you might want to consider checking this one out.
