Castlevania is a game I can appreciate but it's one I don't love.

Like many NES games, Castlevania is a short experience and can be beaten in less than half an hour. Seemingly to counteract this, the game is incredibly challenging and demands to be played dozens of times to master. Every level has been carefully curated so that EVERYTHING, from the smallest enemies to the most modest of jumps, poses a massive threat. The combination of Simon Belmont's sluggish, stiff movement (an intentional design choice, forcing the player to attack and jump with absolute precision) and the devilish enemy attack patterns make this game feel overly difficult at times but I appreciate just how well crafted every level feels. Absolutely everything feels intentional, not a pixel feels out of place.

As much as I appreciate how tight the gameplay feels, I had to rely on save states to get past some of the trickier sections. Some of the bosses, for example, are nigh impossible if you didn't happen to pick up and keep the right weapon from the preceding level. Without the modern convenience of save states, I'd probably have given up playing halfway through.

Ultimately the best thing about Castlevania is the atmosphere. It's genuinely impressive how much gothic ambience the game has, considering the technical limitations of the NES. The game uses the limited available palette wonderfully to bring the enemies and levels to life, it's surprisingly gorgeous at times. The soundtrack also helps tremendously. It's one of the NES' best. Each track imbues it's corresponding level with a slightly different vibe from adventurous to spooky.

On a final note, I was first exposed to the Castlevania series by YouTuber James Rolfe and I have to parrot one of his takes. This first game was so evocative of old, gothic horror that it very much reminds me of old Hammer horror movies. I can't help but feel it's a shame (though true to the original Japanese intention I suppose) that Castlevania projects are now always tied to an anime aesthetic.