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| VIDEO: Click on the image above to check out exclusive video footage of The Dracula X Chronicles. |
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Once upon a time there was a Super NES game called Dracula X. And lo did many Castlevania fans play this game and say unto themselves, "Meh, it's okay, but it sure seems like a step back from Castlevania IV." Many seasons later, unto PlayStation a masterpiece was born, building interest in the series among fans new and old. But also did it prompt Japan-loving users of the Internet to issue forth a decree.
"Hear ye, hear ye!" they bellowed. "Dracula X is but a sham! A pitiful shadow of a first-rate classic called Dracula X: Rondo of Blood, to which your new darling Symphony of the Night is the true sequel!" And there was much amazement in those days, and much sadness, for Rondo's excellence was matched only by its rarity and inaccessibility. Having been released as a CD-based game for the PC Engine Duo, Japan's version of the Turbo CD, it was both difficult to come by and nigh-impossible to download back in the days of 56K modems. Thus were both pirates and legitimate customers stymied.
But the virtuous are being rewarded for their patience, because at long last -- on the 10th anniversary of Symphony of the Night, in fact -- Rondo of Blood is finally making its way to America. And how it's coming over might come as a bit of a surprise: a 3D remake for PSP.
A Completist's Dream
But there's more to Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles than a mere graphically-enhanced version of a long-coveted classic (although that alone would certainly sell the game to most people). According to Konami, Chronicles will also include the original 2D version of the game. And, for good measure, a straight port of Symphony of the Night, featuring full-screen graphics and a touched-up localization. Sorry, kitch addicts -- no more scenery-chewing here.
What Symphony won't be receiving is a 3D facelift; that honor is reserved solely for Rondo. But Rondo's the focus here anyway. Fans have been clamoring for years for a port, a rerelease, a remake, anything, so long as the game makes its way into American hands -- and now it's on the way. Symphony's inclusion is simply a sweet, sweet bonus.
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| SCREENS: Battling through the burning ruins of Simon's Quest is just one of the nostalgic treats in store for Castlevania fans. [Click the image above to check out all Dracula X Chronicles screens.] |
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Purists might complain that a polygonal facelift will somehow spoil the feel or gameplay. But even ignoring the fact that the original version of the game will be included for good measure, what we've played of Rondo in 3D feels incredibly faithful, even in its clearly pre-beta condition. Koji Igarashi's team still has a long way to go before the remake is ready for release -- voice clips are missing, the music is still placeholder-only, secrets (including a playable Maria Renard) have yet to be added -- but even so, the addition of a third dimension does nothing to change the gameplay. Normally, 2.5D games feel slower and floatier than their flatter predecessors, but Rondo was a slow, precise game to begin with; the controls feel spot-on, even moreso than in the current gold standard, New Super Mario Bros.
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| ART: The art for Rondo of Blood took the Castlevania series in a distinctly anime-inspired direction, but its sequel went for a more elegant and regal look thanks to the efforts of artist Ayami Kojima. For the remake, Kojima has revisited Rondo to bring its character designs more in line with Symphony's.
"I wanted Maria to remain feminine and elegant, so we used pink as her primary color," she says. "We gave her this new more active outfit because it gives the appearance of an innocent and noble young woman who faces evil bravely despite her dark history, a fitting update for the character and the game."
Click here, here, and here to see more art from the game.
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Rondo of Awesome
The upgraded visuals have a slightly more "realistic" element to them, but the look is still classic Rondo. The opening stage, the burning ruins of a town straight out of Simon's Quest, is clearly precisely that. The bosses no longer look like simple sprite chains, but they behave exactly the same (and kick your ass just as hard). The heroes have earned a visual overhaul, too -- fan favorite Ayami Kojima has returned to bring both Richter Belmont and Maria out of their awkward anime phase. Richter now sports a blue tailcoat similar in style to a British Redcoat uniform (wholly fitting, given the late-18th-century setting), and Maria now looks like the 12-year-old she's supposed to be (an improvement over her original chubby-eight-year-old appearance).
For those who have never played Rondo, it's best to think of it as the midpoint between the classic level-by-level school of Castlevania design and the modern free-roaming structure popularized by Symphony. Rondo technically has only six stages, conquered in a start-to-finish fashion, but that doesn't really do justice to the intricate, secret-laden world that Richter must conquer. Each stage has a "prime" version, an alternate path whose entrance is hidden. Each prime stage has its own boss (usually much more daunting than the standard boss), and it's by exploring these extra routes that players unlock the game's numerous secrets, like the ability to play as a young Maria. Although the game is linear, players are given the opportunity to choose any available level between stages, which makes repeated exploration a breeze.
Rondo introduced a number of concepts that have been retained in subsequent chapters of the series. Multiple characters, obviously (once Maria is unlocked the characters can be swapped out at the level select screen), but also item crashes (the ability to trade a large number of hearts for a powerful-screen filling attack), subweapon retention, and more. And all of these elements will be retained for the PSP version; despite the new look, Chronicles is shaping up to be a fantastic and faithful rendition of Rondo.
Which is to say, it's an exceptionally-crafted action game whose circumstances unfairly limited its audience. Konami is targeting a fall release date, giving the team plenty of time to polish an already promising (and ambitious) collection. Undead or not, Chronicles should be a godsend for both PSP owners hungry for great content and Castlevania fans who don't really feel like shelling out $150 for one of the series' best chapters.
Be sure to check out tomorrow's 1UP Show for more exclusive gameplay footage, and also look out for the March issue of EGM for comments from Castlevania overlord Koji Igarashi and more hands-on impressions of the game.
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