Castlevania is one of the longest running series in video games, Castlevania Legacy of Darkness being the 11nth game in the series. This game is said by many to simply be just a remake of Castlevania in order to make more money. Instead this game is truly a prequel to the famed Castlevania 64.

Cornell, the main character, has returned to his village after training to control his powers only to find that the village has been utterly destroyed by evil spirits (a group of skeletons and such under the control of the dark Count Dracula). During the attack Cornell's only living relative Ada, his sister, has been kidnapped and is going to be sacrificed to strengthen the Count's already superior powers. Using his keen sense of smell Cornell follows his sisters scent to Castlevania (Dracula's castle).

The game begins after an excellent cinematic showing Death, Gilles de Rais (a vampire), and Actrise (a witch who sacrificed her own child to appease the dark lord) performing a ritual and sacrifice to raise the Count. The game then opens with an awesome talking narration of Cornell's story and a cinematic of what has happened. You then take control of Cornell aboard a ship in the Foggy Lake, the first level in the game. Cornell's main attack is a sonic boom like attack that emanates from his hand when he takes a swipe. Although not as effective as Carries homing fireball orbs, they still can keep the enemies from getting close before they fall to pieces. Cornell's secondary attack is a claw swipe. The cool thing about Cornell though is his ability to turn into a werewolf. Being a man-beast he has the ability to transform into an equally powerful and defensive werewolf when he collects 10 or more red jewels. By this I mean that his defensive and offensive abilities are significantly increased. He also lets loose an awesome growl whenever you use his primary attack. The only problem with this is there is no way to turn back into Cornell until all of your jewels have been consumed.

Along with these awesome abilities Cornell can pick up the ordinary secondary weapons like holy water, knife, battle axe, and cross. The cool thing about this game unlike any other Castlevania is the ability to upgrade your secondary weapons. For example if you have the battle axe and you pick up another battle axe it now becomes twice as powerful, pick up another on top of it and it will kill groups of enemies at once. Not only do the weapons get stronger but they also have devastating effects. The battle axe for example strikes the enemy then a bolt of lightning comes down and annihilates that enemy when you upgrade it once. When the battle axe is upgraded twice it strikes the enemy then a enormous bolt comes down and obliterates the enemy and surrounding enemies with splash damage. Don't worry your immune to the effects of you own weapons. The other weapon effects are great too like flaming knives and huge flames of holy water. The ability to upgrade your primary weapon is also available. Cornell's attack increases in range and power with each of the two upgrades.

As you progress through the game you encounter many characters. Ortega is a fellow beast-man and long time friend and rival of Cornell. Ortega may have been a friend but has sold his soul to acquire what he believes to be true power from Dracula. In return he will sacrifice Ada. Cornell cannot allow this and so is pitted against his old friend. Cornell also meets a young boy named Henry. Henry's father has been turned into a vampire and is trying to feast on his wife and his son. Your mission is to get Henry out of the castle at any cost, and players of Castlevania 64 will be reminded of the high cost of getting out of the hedge maze alive.

Along the way players will go through many familiar levels but then will be shocked by new and very challenging levels like the Outer Wall and the Tower of Ruins. If somehow you manage to get past old rival Ortega you will have the honor of dueling with the Count himself. Once, ahem, if you beat the game using Cornell then the fun has just begun.

Not only do you get a spectacular cinematic ending, but a new character Henry has been unlocked. I know what your saying, "What I have to go through that awful castle again?" but chill out because Henry is in a suit of armor. "Oh, ok then he has a big sword. Ok then I'll play." you say. But wait there's more. Henry doesn't have a big sword, he has a big gun! Just like Cornell Henry's gun can be upgraded to ultimate hand cannon level. At this setting no enemy stands a chance. This time however your not up against the Dark Lord, your mission is to save six children in seven days. While this mission is challenging, the rewards far outweigh the task. For every child you save a candle wil be lit and you will receive a reward of some type. The rewards are hard mode (oh fun), Cornell's second costume, both players Reinhardt and Carrie, and both of there original costumes. Oh yeah and you get a cool ending for saving all 6 children.

Now you say "Ok I'm done because I already beat Castlevania 64." but in doing that you would throw away a better looking version with new levels and enemies. The story still follows the same path but the weapons can be upgraded just like in Cornell and Henry's games. Reinhardt's whip turns from leather whip to chain whip to a light-saber like whip instead of brown whip, orange whip, red whip in the first one. There are two endings with each of these players which means that unless you don't have a job or go to school or something like that, then your going to be playing this game for about a month or two, at least 6 times to see all the endings. Don't get down though because your not going to be playing the same game over and over again.

"What about the enemies?" you say. Skeleton's, ghosts, zombies, vampires, werewolfs, weretigers are just a few of the enemies. "Bosses?" you ask. Medussa, a big skeleton guerilla, a giant spider, death, vampires, a witch, and the Count and his many forms.

The game itself looks spectacular if you have an expansion pak. Forget the bright colors and childish graphics that most people are used to. Castlevania uses dark, spooky colors to match their equally horrific environments. The music is extremely superior and is matched only by the excellent cinematics. The only real con I have with this game is that the characters fail to talk in the game itself. Players of the first Castlevania game for the 64 remember the scene where the dark Count spoke with a booming voice and taunted the characters saying things like "Miserable worm, upstart weakling. All who oppose the dark lord must die!!!" Players then realized that there was no more talking in the rest of the game. Hopes were high for this to be fixed in the Legacy of Darkness. Other than that the game is perfectly horrible, just the way makers intended for it to be originally. This game is great for any Castlevania fan or any action/adventure fan who might enjoy a frightful month or two.



Recommended: Yes