Castlevania The Dracula X Chronicles for the PSP is a remake of the masterful Castlevania Rondo of Blood. It recreates very faithfully the original, keeping the traditional 2D gameplay of the franchise but with 3D graphics, also implementing some additions and adjustments that modernize the title a bit, making it my favorite version.
First of all, I'd like to talk about why this remake was important and necessary in its time. Rondo of Blood was originally a game released only in Japan for the PC Engine's Super CD-ROM, so outside of Japan there really weren't many options to play Rondo of Blood, not to mention that most Castlevania fans knew that game existed because Symphony of the Night is a direct sequel to it and its introduction is literally the end of this game. So, The Dracula X Chronicles was made with the intention of being the first global release of Rondo of Blood, but not being a simple ROM re-release of the PC-Engine version, but as a remake on a globally more popular console like the PSP was.
And what can I say, I love it. Even though the characters and scenarios are made from 3D models, the character control was painstakingly made to recreate the gameplay of Rondo of Blood accurately, I even think it feels more responsive and fluid, so if you're someone who has mastered the gameplay of the original you'll feel right at home. One subtle change that makes the whip feel slightly more satisfying when you hit an attack is that this game adds the “hit stop” effect when an enemy gets hit, something that was present in virtually every classic Castlevania game, including the NES ones, but that the original Rondo of Blood lacked.
I've always loved the art style and atmosphere that Lament of Innocence and Curse of Darkness have, so I like that this remake had a very similar graphical style. The characters were redesigned by Symphony of the Night illustrator Ayami Kojima herself, and while the original designs still have their charm, I prefer the new ones by far. As for the graphics, these are a bit divisive among the community, as in some parts of the game there are things that look a bit unpolished, which makes it feel like a very cheap 3D, however, this is not always the case, as there are levels where the graphics look pretty good, such as the clock tower level. Considering it's a PSP game, I think it looks good for the time and overall I also consider it a substantial improvement over the original (Original vs. PSP), as the scenarios gain a lot by having more detail and better represent the gothic and horror structures that the Castlevania series always tries to bring. A compromise that had to be made for the models and level structures to be mostly 3D, is that the game runs at 30FPS, however, the classic Castlevania gameplay translates very well to that framerate and is very easy to get used to. To finish talking about this, I just want to say that I totally understand if you don't like this remake because of the graphics, after all the graphical style changes a lot, and each style has its own appeal.
The level and boss design remains pretty much the same in most cases, albeit with some minor adjustments to fit the PSP screen size. I like how in some ways the boss battles feel more fair despite having the same patterns, since the enemies are now made with 3D models, it makes their animations more detailed than the original pixel art sprites, making it easier to read if they are about to make an attack. Yes there are a couple of changes in some cases though, for example, the final battle now has a surprise for all those who may have thought the battle against Dracula was too easy in the original. Stage 7 now has Annette as the boss, Richter's beloved, who is transformed into a vampire if we fail to rescue her, and in fact, rescuing her is now more difficult, because to do so we need the ability to break crystals and destroy red skulls, skills that we can get if we save the other 2 damsels. The alternate Stage 5, now instead of being a remix of all the levels is a new level, which maintains a very high difficulty, but is very satisfying to complete and also awaits a very cool new boss battle. Something that I like, is that now it is easier to discover the alternative stages, because in the original it was very easy to miss them and never discover them if it was your first time playing the game (many players miss almost half of the game content when this happened).
Unpopular opinion, but the remix of “Divine Bloodlines” in this edition is my favorite version of that song; I like how it starts with synth like electronic music (that sounds like it belongs to a Mega Man X game) and alternates between that violin that makes it keep that classic touch while at the same time it sounds modern and optimistic. I don't know, the first time I heard it on my PSP it gave me goosebumps (and still does). The musical arrangements included in this version are great. I know many here will prefer the original songs and that's totally understandable, that OST was very hard to beat, even so, it's still great to have remixes with a different musical style of all the songs, in some cases it's an improvement. Stage 7 for example, changes the remix of Vampire Killer (Den), for Moon Fight, and that was the best decision for the last level of the game, it goes better with the setting and the story up to that point.
I've always liked it when platform games hide collectibles in the levels, as it makes them more replayable and makes it more interesting and rewarding to discover secrets. The collectible that this remake adds are the discs, which are hidden in the levels and once obtained can be used to unlock music from this Remake, from the original Rondo of Blood, or even from Symphony of the Night, and the best thing is that these songs are not only used to play them in the music player, but we can assign them to the levels freely. It sounds like a minor addition, but having the freedom to switch between the original music in the levels we specify is a great feature. Try playing SotN's “Marble Gallery” on Stage 3 and you'll thank me.
What do you say, you still don't like the remake?, well, The Dracula X Chronicles has you covered, because one of these hidden discs unlocks the full localized original Rondo of Blood. I've already talked about Rondo of Blood, having such a mythical game included in its remake is simply the best. In addition, all the cinematics are also dubbed with the voice actors of this remake. As a curiosity, Akumajyo Dracula Peke is also included, a small easter egg from the original PC Engine version, that although it's not a big deal, it's a good thing to have it preserved here.
What do you say, you never really liked the classic Castlevania formula and you're only here for the Metroid/RPG style Castlevania games?, well, this game has you covered too, as Symphony of the Night is also unlockable. And what can I say, it's literally Castlevania SotN portable and that straight up is like the coolest thing ever created in history. Best of all, this version restores the deleted content from the western PS1 version, and also adds Maria as a playable character (Michiru Yamane also returns to compose a new song for the credits). The script was re-translated and the scenes re-dubbed with the new cast voices, and while the original dub will always be iconic, I actually prefer this new one.
Anyway, if you don't like the new voices, this game offers you the option to switch to the original Japanese voices from the options menu.
Conclusion
You may like it more or you may like it less, but one thing we can't deny is that The Dracula X Chronicles was an extremely important title, and the fact that together with Order of Ecclesia they were the last important releases of the franchise makes it even more special. Not to mention, it was a wise move on Konami's part to include revised versions of Rondo of Blood to preserve the original and Symphony of the Night to celebrate the game that let us know outside of Japan about Rondo of Blood. As a curious fact, those versions were later reused for the PS4 collection.
In conclusion, a great recreation of one of the best games in the franchise, that rather than trying to be a replacement for the original, tries to be a version that celebrates and preserves its legacy while spicing up the original experience a bit to make it feel fresh and modern.
First of all, I'd like to talk about why this remake was important and necessary in its time. Rondo of Blood was originally a game released only in Japan for the PC Engine's Super CD-ROM, so outside of Japan there really weren't many options to play Rondo of Blood, not to mention that most Castlevania fans knew that game existed because Symphony of the Night is a direct sequel to it and its introduction is literally the end of this game. So, The Dracula X Chronicles was made with the intention of being the first global release of Rondo of Blood, but not being a simple ROM re-release of the PC-Engine version, but as a remake on a globally more popular console like the PSP was.
And what can I say, I love it. Even though the characters and scenarios are made from 3D models, the character control was painstakingly made to recreate the gameplay of Rondo of Blood accurately, I even think it feels more responsive and fluid, so if you're someone who has mastered the gameplay of the original you'll feel right at home. One subtle change that makes the whip feel slightly more satisfying when you hit an attack is that this game adds the “hit stop” effect when an enemy gets hit, something that was present in virtually every classic Castlevania game, including the NES ones, but that the original Rondo of Blood lacked.
I've always loved the art style and atmosphere that Lament of Innocence and Curse of Darkness have, so I like that this remake had a very similar graphical style. The characters were redesigned by Symphony of the Night illustrator Ayami Kojima herself, and while the original designs still have their charm, I prefer the new ones by far. As for the graphics, these are a bit divisive among the community, as in some parts of the game there are things that look a bit unpolished, which makes it feel like a very cheap 3D, however, this is not always the case, as there are levels where the graphics look pretty good, such as the clock tower level. Considering it's a PSP game, I think it looks good for the time and overall I also consider it a substantial improvement over the original (Original vs. PSP), as the scenarios gain a lot by having more detail and better represent the gothic and horror structures that the Castlevania series always tries to bring. A compromise that had to be made for the models and level structures to be mostly 3D, is that the game runs at 30FPS, however, the classic Castlevania gameplay translates very well to that framerate and is very easy to get used to. To finish talking about this, I just want to say that I totally understand if you don't like this remake because of the graphics, after all the graphical style changes a lot, and each style has its own appeal.
The level and boss design remains pretty much the same in most cases, albeit with some minor adjustments to fit the PSP screen size. I like how in some ways the boss battles feel more fair despite having the same patterns, since the enemies are now made with 3D models, it makes their animations more detailed than the original pixel art sprites, making it easier to read if they are about to make an attack. Yes there are a couple of changes in some cases though, for example, the final battle now has a surprise for all those who may have thought the battle against Dracula was too easy in the original. Stage 7 now has Annette as the boss, Richter's beloved, who is transformed into a vampire if we fail to rescue her, and in fact, rescuing her is now more difficult, because to do so we need the ability to break crystals and destroy red skulls, skills that we can get if we save the other 2 damsels. The alternate Stage 5, now instead of being a remix of all the levels is a new level, which maintains a very high difficulty, but is very satisfying to complete and also awaits a very cool new boss battle. Something that I like, is that now it is easier to discover the alternative stages, because in the original it was very easy to miss them and never discover them if it was your first time playing the game (many players miss almost half of the game content when this happened).
Unpopular opinion, but the remix of “Divine Bloodlines” in this edition is my favorite version of that song; I like how it starts with synth like electronic music (that sounds like it belongs to a Mega Man X game) and alternates between that violin that makes it keep that classic touch while at the same time it sounds modern and optimistic. I don't know, the first time I heard it on my PSP it gave me goosebumps (and still does). The musical arrangements included in this version are great. I know many here will prefer the original songs and that's totally understandable, that OST was very hard to beat, even so, it's still great to have remixes with a different musical style of all the songs, in some cases it's an improvement. Stage 7 for example, changes the remix of Vampire Killer (Den), for Moon Fight, and that was the best decision for the last level of the game, it goes better with the setting and the story up to that point.
I've always liked it when platform games hide collectibles in the levels, as it makes them more replayable and makes it more interesting and rewarding to discover secrets. The collectible that this remake adds are the discs, which are hidden in the levels and once obtained can be used to unlock music from this Remake, from the original Rondo of Blood, or even from Symphony of the Night, and the best thing is that these songs are not only used to play them in the music player, but we can assign them to the levels freely. It sounds like a minor addition, but having the freedom to switch between the original music in the levels we specify is a great feature. Try playing SotN's “Marble Gallery” on Stage 3 and you'll thank me.
What do you say, you still don't like the remake?, well, The Dracula X Chronicles has you covered, because one of these hidden discs unlocks the full localized original Rondo of Blood. I've already talked about Rondo of Blood, having such a mythical game included in its remake is simply the best. In addition, all the cinematics are also dubbed with the voice actors of this remake. As a curiosity, Akumajyo Dracula Peke is also included, a small easter egg from the original PC Engine version, that although it's not a big deal, it's a good thing to have it preserved here.
What do you say, you never really liked the classic Castlevania formula and you're only here for the Metroid/RPG style Castlevania games?, well, this game has you covered too, as Symphony of the Night is also unlockable. And what can I say, it's literally Castlevania SotN portable and that straight up is like the coolest thing ever created in history. Best of all, this version restores the deleted content from the western PS1 version, and also adds Maria as a playable character (Michiru Yamane also returns to compose a new song for the credits). The script was re-translated and the scenes re-dubbed with the new cast voices, and while the original dub will always be iconic, I actually prefer this new one.
Anyway, if you don't like the new voices, this game offers you the option to switch to the original Japanese voices from the options menu.
Conclusion
You may like it more or you may like it less, but one thing we can't deny is that The Dracula X Chronicles was an extremely important title, and the fact that together with Order of Ecclesia they were the last important releases of the franchise makes it even more special. Not to mention, it was a wise move on Konami's part to include revised versions of Rondo of Blood to preserve the original and Symphony of the Night to celebrate the game that let us know outside of Japan about Rondo of Blood. As a curious fact, those versions were later reused for the PS4 collection.
In conclusion, a great recreation of one of the best games in the franchise, that rather than trying to be a replacement for the original, tries to be a version that celebrates and preserves its legacy while spicing up the original experience a bit to make it feel fresh and modern.
Um remake ÓTIMO e que conseguiu manter bem a essência do Rondo of Blood, deixando ele até mais Castlevaneaesco que o Rondo of Blood original.
E o melhor de tudo, ele é um pack de 3 jogos em um: 'Castlevania Rondo of Blood Remake', 'Rondo of Blood Original' e 'Symphony of the Night Expanded'. Apenas isso já é motivo mais que o suficiente para dar 5 estrelas para ele, mas eu tirei meia estrelinha pq, quando fui testar o Rondo original, ele tava sofrendo com diversos probleminhas de áudio (sons cortando, músicas acabando do nada e ficando tudo silencioso, cutscenes com sons dessincronizados, etc), mas essa foi a única falha que eu encontrei no jogo inteiro.
Antes de tudo, quanto a comparação do Rondo original e do remake, ambos são incríveis à sua maneira. Claro, são bem parecidos na maioria dos aspectos da gameplay, mas o remake mudou certos quesitos, como adaptar a progressão para melhor direcionar a gameplay, mudar a personalidade dos personagens para um tom que melhor encaixa no tema gótico e melancólico dos Castlevanias e mudar as batalhas contra bosses para durarem mais tempo, assim forçando o jogador a ser mais defensivo e cuidadoso durante essas batalhas - para isso funcionar bem, vários bosses acabaram ficando mais fáceis (mas não todos, alguns ainda são uma desgraça de passar - Shaft, to olhando pra vc!).
Com isso, mesmo que o remake possa ser considerado uma versão definitiva do Rondo, tanto o remake quanto o original estão em pé de igualdade em suas qualidades gerais de gameplay, servindo como fator de desempate apenas o gosto pessoal pelo estilo artístico e personalidade dos personagens. Eu, particularmente, prefiro o Rondo original justamente por esses dois aspectos - amo pixelart e adorei as cutscenes animadas do jogo (além de ter simpatizado muito com a personalidade confiante e cômica da Maria original) - mas, mais uma vez, ambos são jogos incríveis e vale MUITO A PENA jogar ambos para poder presenciar as duas faces fenomenais dessa pérola que é o Rondo of Blood!
E o melhor de tudo, ele é um pack de 3 jogos em um: 'Castlevania Rondo of Blood Remake', 'Rondo of Blood Original' e 'Symphony of the Night Expanded'. Apenas isso já é motivo mais que o suficiente para dar 5 estrelas para ele, mas eu tirei meia estrelinha pq, quando fui testar o Rondo original, ele tava sofrendo com diversos probleminhas de áudio (sons cortando, músicas acabando do nada e ficando tudo silencioso, cutscenes com sons dessincronizados, etc), mas essa foi a única falha que eu encontrei no jogo inteiro.
Antes de tudo, quanto a comparação do Rondo original e do remake, ambos são incríveis à sua maneira. Claro, são bem parecidos na maioria dos aspectos da gameplay, mas o remake mudou certos quesitos, como adaptar a progressão para melhor direcionar a gameplay, mudar a personalidade dos personagens para um tom que melhor encaixa no tema gótico e melancólico dos Castlevanias e mudar as batalhas contra bosses para durarem mais tempo, assim forçando o jogador a ser mais defensivo e cuidadoso durante essas batalhas - para isso funcionar bem, vários bosses acabaram ficando mais fáceis (mas não todos, alguns ainda são uma desgraça de passar - Shaft, to olhando pra vc!).
Com isso, mesmo que o remake possa ser considerado uma versão definitiva do Rondo, tanto o remake quanto o original estão em pé de igualdade em suas qualidades gerais de gameplay, servindo como fator de desempate apenas o gosto pessoal pelo estilo artístico e personalidade dos personagens. Eu, particularmente, prefiro o Rondo original justamente por esses dois aspectos - amo pixelart e adorei as cutscenes animadas do jogo (além de ter simpatizado muito com a personalidade confiante e cômica da Maria original) - mas, mais uma vez, ambos são jogos incríveis e vale MUITO A PENA jogar ambos para poder presenciar as duas faces fenomenais dessa pérola que é o Rondo of Blood!
É mais feio do que o original e joga de maneira Idêntica, mas a soundtrack foi reformulada (mesmo que a trilha original já era muito boa) e ainda vem com o Sotn e o Rondo ORIGINAL junto, brabo apenas.
7/10
7/10
Os cara botaram um remake, e o port dos dois melhores jogos da franquia, apelação demais pae.
Ótimo remake, provavelmente o melhor Classicvania da série inteira. Não sei como mas conseguiram melhorar Rondo of Blood e isso é algo inacreditável.
A última fase do Drácula é bem chatinha, de resto BASED PRA CACETE
A última fase do Drácula é bem chatinha, de resto BASED PRA CACETE
Remake iradasso com 3 jogos completos em 1. E hoje em dia a gente paga por roupinha....
Cristiano Rondo
Um remake de respeito, ele vem até com jogo original nele.
The Original PC-Engine release of Rondo of Blood was already an incredible game by itself but this just makes it even better. Not only that but if the remake version doesn't tickle your fancy and you want the original experience then that is bundled in this game as an unlockable
Not only that, however, but you can also unlock Symphony of the Night in its entirety to play if you need a metroidvania fix after a session of classic Castlevania, the value for money this game provides is incredible
One minor criticism I have of the game is that Maria, who you can unlock quite early if you know what you're doing, makes the entire games difficulty pretty trivial and even with Richter its not that hard. If you're looking for a gentler classic Castlevania experience then this is a good place to come to
Not only that, however, but you can also unlock Symphony of the Night in its entirety to play if you need a metroidvania fix after a session of classic Castlevania, the value for money this game provides is incredible
One minor criticism I have of the game is that Maria, who you can unlock quite early if you know what you're doing, makes the entire games difficulty pretty trivial and even with Richter its not that hard. If you're looking for a gentler classic Castlevania experience then this is a good place to come to
Tried it because I saw a lot of good reviews and to be fair it looks and sounds great, the OST is incredible and it's graphically good looking for a PSP game, that being said I guess Castlevania isn't my thing, I felt the combat to be a bit slow.
Rondo of Blood remains one of my favorite Castlevania games, despite this remake lacking some of the charm of the original PC-Engine title. The music rocks, it's hard as hell, it has multiple characters and multiple paths to take for whatever playthrough flavor you're feeling. It's a dope-ass Castlevania game that I would still recommend to this day.
The big reason to get this version was because it contained Symphony of the Night as an unlockable, and that was my first real exposure to that game, lacking a PS1 growing up. Either way, great fucking games for a portable package.
The big reason to get this version was because it contained Symphony of the Night as an unlockable, and that was my first real exposure to that game, lacking a PS1 growing up. Either way, great fucking games for a portable package.
Fine game, fine remake, I like some of the changes and additions...but nothing beats the beauty that is the original for me...man I hate this erasure of Anime pretty boy Dracula lol.
Visually it's really dull tho...I get that this is PSP but that's no excuse to make the textures so colorless...I have no idea why this happened when they didn't have this problem when trying to bring Kojima style to 3D before. Maybe one day it'll be redeemed by a PPSSPP texture pack, so far only an HD upscale exists.
I appreciate them keeping the difficulty and gameplay feeling exactly the same though...this remake doesn't hold your hand unlike the many "remakes" now and I gotta give it props for that.
Also I used Richter more this time and actually saved Annette as her...I felt a bit dissatisfied when I rescued her as Maria in Rondo so I'm glad to find bring that to a closure.
Remakes lately leave a bad taste in my mouth and I'm sick of them, so that definitely made me tired of this one near the end...yes that's not the game's fault but what can I say?
Screw Stage 5' tho, I'm not doing that, especially after having already beaten Dracula.
Also why PSP? What an odd choice of platform going from PC Engine...
Rondo is easily the better version.
Visually it's really dull tho...I get that this is PSP but that's no excuse to make the textures so colorless...I have no idea why this happened when they didn't have this problem when trying to bring Kojima style to 3D before. Maybe one day it'll be redeemed by a PPSSPP texture pack, so far only an HD upscale exists.
I appreciate them keeping the difficulty and gameplay feeling exactly the same though...this remake doesn't hold your hand unlike the many "remakes" now and I gotta give it props for that.
Also I used Richter more this time and actually saved Annette as her...I felt a bit dissatisfied when I rescued her as Maria in Rondo so I'm glad to find bring that to a closure.
Remakes lately leave a bad taste in my mouth and I'm sick of them, so that definitely made me tired of this one near the end...yes that's not the game's fault but what can I say?
Screw Stage 5' tho, I'm not doing that, especially after having already beaten Dracula.
Also why PSP? What an odd choice of platform going from PC Engine...
Rondo is easily the better version.
O castlevania definitivo
Perfeito, e ainda vem com o Symphony e o Rondo of Blood melhorados no conjunto, e é triste saber que nunca vou ver isso em outro jogo.
Just speaking about the remake of Rondo of Blood in this package, frankly it doesn't feel as good to play as the original. It somehow feels slower, and the music isn't as good. It's still Rondo though so it still slaps.
Castlevania simply doesn't fail to impress me, wow, they really improved Rondo of Blood somehow.
Everything I could say about Rondo I could say about Dracula X Chronicles, since it basically remakes the entire game in a very faithful way, now with the extremely charming graphics of the PSP, the only complain I have is that it's still very boring to do the alternate routes to save the girls and fight the extra bosses, but again, it's optional, so I didn't do it :D, despite that, still an excellent game.
What else can I say? More cutscenes, new dialogues, new extra contents (I didn't touch neither SotN nor OG Rondo, but I'm glad they exist), Dracula now has a more developed boss fight, and OOOHH my god Annette Succubus
Everything I could say about Rondo I could say about Dracula X Chronicles, since it basically remakes the entire game in a very faithful way, now with the extremely charming graphics of the PSP, the only complain I have is that it's still very boring to do the alternate routes to save the girls and fight the extra bosses, but again, it's optional, so I didn't do it :D, despite that, still an excellent game.
What else can I say? More cutscenes, new dialogues, new extra contents (I didn't touch neither SotN nor OG Rondo, but I'm glad they exist), Dracula now has a more developed boss fight, and OOOHH my god Annette Succubus
As a remake? It's good, but certainly not perfect. The colors are muted(although I personally think it kinda fits), some of the remixes are inferior compared to the original soundtrack, and the completion requirements are a bit overblown. Thank god I already had a nearly 100% completed save before revisiting it.
Replacing the Stage 7 theme with Moon Fight was an A+ choice though. The original theme wasn't bad, but c'mon! It's Moon Fight!
As a package? Simply stellar. It has the original Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night, all in one bundle! Who cares if the actual remake isn't perfect? You got two of the best games in the series, and an alright remake to go with it. You really can't go wrong here.
Yeah, the voice acting in SotN was replaced, but it's still SotN. On the go, no less!
Easy recommendation for any PSP owner. Even though the main dish is a bit undercooked, both of the side dishes MORE than make up for it.
Replacing the Stage 7 theme with Moon Fight was an A+ choice though. The original theme wasn't bad, but c'mon! It's Moon Fight!
As a package? Simply stellar. It has the original Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night, all in one bundle! Who cares if the actual remake isn't perfect? You got two of the best games in the series, and an alright remake to go with it. You really can't go wrong here.
Yeah, the voice acting in SotN was replaced, but it's still SotN. On the go, no less!
Easy recommendation for any PSP owner. Even though the main dish is a bit undercooked, both of the side dishes MORE than make up for it.
The slightly changed puzzles for two unlockables (finding Iris and Annette) were both an interesting twist and a bit of a "bruh I gotta get a guide to find these now?" with how they are.
Otherwise it seems all arond like Rondo but with a muddier 3D facelift (though it made the snake boss easier to stop fearing), and some songs are good if not kinda close to Rondo's ,others are alright but definitely not as good, and then there's Stage 7/Moon Light which is the one song I would say that beats the original song used.
Stage 5' isn't THAT different in that it did have a neat visual overhaul but when you have played Rondo, the stage does share a similar structure and layout (ducking under spikes over platforms in water, the split with knights guarding the areas, and that going the upper path will have you meet two black knights). Very similar in the first-time frustration factor as well.
A few moments were jankier to platform due to the 3D hitboxes (and Stage 7 has been tweaked to be a little bit more difficult) but other than that, the stages are often the same as Rondo in difficulty, and the bosses feel easier to keep track of which is kinda funny (though I couldn't bother with the Lesser Vampire so I ended up looking up how to find Annette and fight the real boss there)
Its still a version of Rondo which means that it does hold up, and having Rondo/SOTN in the same package really adds to value (even though you will likely need to look up where to find them, or at least Rondo in my case), but while the music remapping feature is cool, having to search so much to find EVERY song from both past games isn't so much. That and not being able to put the OG Rondo music for Dracula's fight; why show the option but lock that out?
That aside, I think that the visual style being kinda cluttered in some stages, the music unlocks (not going for a 100% run because of those when they are kinda useless if I have played everything already unless you want to revisit in the future or are a completionist) and getting a bit frustrated over "OH SO THEY WERE HERE ALL ALONG" moments with Iris/Annette along with Stage 5' being Stage 5' might have knocked off that one/half star from the Rating (though that frustration is also likely because I only played it the most on a phone...but it also means that I can say I beat Dracula and all stages except 5' so far on that of all things), but on the other hand, at least it doesn't break everything and what's still familiar feels more accessible than before.
I like Rondo more but a lot of what done here was clearly done with care for the fans, and PSP owners were eating real good when this came out.
Otherwise it seems all arond like Rondo but with a muddier 3D facelift (though it made the snake boss easier to stop fearing), and some songs are good if not kinda close to Rondo's ,others are alright but definitely not as good, and then there's Stage 7/Moon Light which is the one song I would say that beats the original song used.
Stage 5' isn't THAT different in that it did have a neat visual overhaul but when you have played Rondo, the stage does share a similar structure and layout (ducking under spikes over platforms in water, the split with knights guarding the areas, and that going the upper path will have you meet two black knights). Very similar in the first-time frustration factor as well.
A few moments were jankier to platform due to the 3D hitboxes (and Stage 7 has been tweaked to be a little bit more difficult) but other than that, the stages are often the same as Rondo in difficulty, and the bosses feel easier to keep track of which is kinda funny (though I couldn't bother with the Lesser Vampire so I ended up looking up how to find Annette and fight the real boss there)
Its still a version of Rondo which means that it does hold up, and having Rondo/SOTN in the same package really adds to value (even though you will likely need to look up where to find them, or at least Rondo in my case), but while the music remapping feature is cool, having to search so much to find EVERY song from both past games isn't so much. That and not being able to put the OG Rondo music for Dracula's fight; why show the option but lock that out?
That aside, I think that the visual style being kinda cluttered in some stages, the music unlocks (not going for a 100% run because of those when they are kinda useless if I have played everything already unless you want to revisit in the future or are a completionist) and getting a bit frustrated over "OH SO THEY WERE HERE ALL ALONG" moments with Iris/Annette along with Stage 5' being Stage 5' might have knocked off that one/half star from the Rating (though that frustration is also likely because I only played it the most on a phone...but it also means that I can say I beat Dracula and all stages except 5' so far on that of all things), but on the other hand, at least it doesn't break everything and what's still familiar feels more accessible than before.
I like Rondo more but a lot of what done here was clearly done with care for the fans, and PSP owners were eating real good when this came out.
Um remake competente. Apesar de eu não achar graça em como Castlevania era antes do Sotn. Um castelo aberto realmente metroidvania é bem mais interessante que fases sequenciais, por mais que as mesmas não sejam lineares.
O jogo tem bastante conteúdo, me supreendeu muito nessa parte, tendo até o Sotn e o Rondo of blood clássico pra jogar.
No mais, é um jogo divertido, apesar da movimentação ser meio cagada as vezes. Tem bastante conteúdo
O jogo tem bastante conteúdo, me supreendeu muito nessa parte, tendo até o Sotn e o Rondo of blood clássico pra jogar.
No mais, é um jogo divertido, apesar da movimentação ser meio cagada as vezes. Tem bastante conteúdo
This game is torture-perfected. If slop had an image in the dictionary it would be this, next time someone mentions cock and ball torture I will only think of this, if ever I hear about CIA torture methods this game must be involved.
Castlevania The Dracula X Chronicles is a remake of Rondo of Blood that improves the game in just about every aspect. Not only does it add 3D graphics and voice acting as well as a new art style that helps modernize the game, but the game also has several other improvements such as better movement options for Richter and Maria, as well as new content in the form of games that can be unlocked by the player and different pathways that spruce up the game’s progression. The game feels a lot better to play as a whole than the original thanks to these QOL improvements. It does come with the original game as well as Symphony of the Night which is a direct sequel to the game, for people who have not played those I highly recommend experiencing them too, even if I do consider Dracula X to be superior overall to the original Rondo of Blood.
Played this just to unlock the original Rondo of Blood lol
After playing RoB, I feel like the bosses in this game telegraph their moves unclearly. Like with the alternate stage 4 boss, I could not tell if he was gonna jump attack or stab horizontally. It was more obvious in RoB.
I also prefer the chiptune sound of RoB.
After playing RoB, I feel like the bosses in this game telegraph their moves unclearly. Like with the alternate stage 4 boss, I could not tell if he was gonna jump attack or stab horizontally. It was more obvious in RoB.
I also prefer the chiptune sound of RoB.
The best package involving Richter's games. It's a 2.5D remake of the original Rondo of Blood that also comes with that original game and a remaster of Symphony of the Night tho without the fun dialogue
Nice remake (and collection) overall, PSP keeps offering really interesting ones. Maria, even if she can't get many hits like Richter, make the game feels like a breeze. And, trust me, you will be grateful for that in many segments.
I dont like that this game removes the 90s anime aesthetic of RoB and attempts to be more serious in tone, but the gameplay is overall the same as RoB so i cant really say its worse. Those psp graphics dont age as well as pixels tho lol. The revamped Stage 5’ was nice
This review contains spoilers
I've read that IGA had this made because he wanted to recapture the feeling he got when he first played Rondo of Blood, and how much of a jolt of electricity that was for the Castlevania series (also, to give international audiences a taste of Rondo). Noble sentiments, but IGA must've gotten something completely different out of Rondo than I did.
I think I dislike every change made in this version of the game. Rondo's a phenomenal title in its own right, and most of that goodness is still here, but it feels diluted. I'm never a fan of when platformers slow down action in the middle of a level - boss fight cutscenes are fine, but interrupting for a mini-boss or stage hazard completely kills the momentum. That sequence in 'God, Grant Me Strength'/'O Lord, Please Give Me Strength' with the zombie bull isn't nearly as effective when it's telegraphed by a cutscene. I get why Maria's been redesigned, and I honestly think the long ponytail and breeches combo is cute - but there's no comparison with the original. The new version of 'Wandering'/'Shudder' sucks. Bringing back the Dracula X "Annette becomes a boss if you don't save her" buzzkill sucks sucks sucks, particularly when they pull a fast one and not only change Annette's location but put in a "screw you" for players going by their memories of the original.
It seems to me the changes were made to bring Rondo of Blood to be tonally consistent with IGA's overall direction of Castlevania - that is, something that takes itself seriously. So much of the fun with Rondo in particular is how much it's unabashedly itself and perfectly content with being silly - that key art of Richter and Maria rocking out is a perfect encapsulation of what Rondo wants to be. Dracula X Chronicles trips over itself trying to slot this silliness neatly into gothic horror drama (stake opera?). Things that were jokes are no longer jokes (Maria's inexplicable control over animals is plot relevant!), things that weren't jokes now are jokes (Tera really, really believes that Richter is God, personally come down from heaven to save her - at least make her think he's St. Michael or someone like that, if you're gonna go that route), and things that were jokes still are jokes (Maria's still collecting parfaits in lieu of pot roasts). These things don't really mesh together, not in the way that's intended.
Still, it's Rondo of Blood at its heart, so it's not all bad - just a lesser version. I guess I don't hate Dracula's third form. If I thought about Castlevania the way I thought about Kirby, I'd be all for it, and I'd definitely learned these patterns for Drac and Cookie Monster already, so getting back to Safer Dracula was more tedious than anything. I also love that the original Rondo is there as an unlock - fully localized, no less, complete with the new English voice actors reading translations of the original script rather than the updated one - as well as Symphony of the Night for funsies. Jury's out yet on how the ports hold up (don't like that at least Rondo's teeny-tiny so as to fit the border - I wouldn't have minded upscaling it a little so it at least fit the full screen height), but that they're there makes this a perfectly worthy remake. Even if I don't prefer any of the changes.
I think I dislike every change made in this version of the game. Rondo's a phenomenal title in its own right, and most of that goodness is still here, but it feels diluted. I'm never a fan of when platformers slow down action in the middle of a level - boss fight cutscenes are fine, but interrupting for a mini-boss or stage hazard completely kills the momentum. That sequence in 'God, Grant Me Strength'/'O Lord, Please Give Me Strength' with the zombie bull isn't nearly as effective when it's telegraphed by a cutscene. I get why Maria's been redesigned, and I honestly think the long ponytail and breeches combo is cute - but there's no comparison with the original. The new version of 'Wandering'/'Shudder' sucks. Bringing back the Dracula X "Annette becomes a boss if you don't save her" buzzkill sucks sucks sucks, particularly when they pull a fast one and not only change Annette's location but put in a "screw you" for players going by their memories of the original.
It seems to me the changes were made to bring Rondo of Blood to be tonally consistent with IGA's overall direction of Castlevania - that is, something that takes itself seriously. So much of the fun with Rondo in particular is how much it's unabashedly itself and perfectly content with being silly - that key art of Richter and Maria rocking out is a perfect encapsulation of what Rondo wants to be. Dracula X Chronicles trips over itself trying to slot this silliness neatly into gothic horror drama (stake opera?). Things that were jokes are no longer jokes (Maria's inexplicable control over animals is plot relevant!), things that weren't jokes now are jokes (Tera really, really believes that Richter is God, personally come down from heaven to save her - at least make her think he's St. Michael or someone like that, if you're gonna go that route), and things that were jokes still are jokes (Maria's still collecting parfaits in lieu of pot roasts). These things don't really mesh together, not in the way that's intended.
Still, it's Rondo of Blood at its heart, so it's not all bad - just a lesser version. I guess I don't hate Dracula's third form. If I thought about Castlevania the way I thought about Kirby, I'd be all for it, and I'd definitely learned these patterns for Drac and Cookie Monster already, so getting back to Safer Dracula was more tedious than anything. I also love that the original Rondo is there as an unlock - fully localized, no less, complete with the new English voice actors reading translations of the original script rather than the updated one - as well as Symphony of the Night for funsies. Jury's out yet on how the ports hold up (don't like that at least Rondo's teeny-tiny so as to fit the border - I wouldn't have minded upscaling it a little so it at least fit the full screen height), but that they're there makes this a perfectly worthy remake. Even if I don't prefer any of the changes.
Ainda tenho q zerar a versão original
O melhor classicvania que vem com o Rondo e o SotN de brinde, perfeição.
Maneirinho
Um otimo remake e reinterpretação de um jogo que já era muito bom, além dos ótimos bonus