Castlevania: Bloodlines is a strange little game, but that’s definitely to its benefit.

You don’t play as a Belmont this time around (well, one of them is related to the Belmonts, but only distantly); rather, you play as John Morris— the son of Quincey Morris from Bram Stoker’s original Dracula novel— and Eric Lecarde, a noble spearman out to avenge the death of his wife. Dracula and Death are still here (as always), but the main antagonist this time around is instead Elizabeth Bartley (based on a possible serial killer from the 1600s), Dracula’s “niece” who orchestrates World War I to raise an undead army and resurrect the Count himself.

None of that story stuff is really relevant; it’s all found in the manual and a brief opening cutscene. Yet the sheer amount of detail the developers shoved into the game’s backstory goes to show that this isn’t your typical Classicvania.

Instead of exploring Dracula’s castle or the Transylvanian countryside, you’re on an international adventure across a war-torn Europe. Gothic castles? Creepy graveyards? Nah, now you’re trekking across battlefields, wading in Atlantean ruins (for some reason), scaling the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and invading munitions factories. And yes, there is a skeleton with a fucking machine gun.

All of these unique settings, combined with the Sega Genesis' graphical capabilities and the typically solid Castlevania art direction, make for some truly memorable set pieces that stand out among a series filled with awesome set pieces.

Also, don’t play as John. Play as Eric. His spear has a ridiculously long reach and allows him to pull off a super jump. He’s awesome.

Overall, what Castlevania: Bloodlines lacks in length, it more than makes up for with its fast-paced action, fun platforming, and sheer creativity. I’ll have to play Portrait of Ruin at some point to see where this wild storyline goes next.