Castlevania: The New Generation
a game by | Konami |
Genres: | Arcade Classics, Platformer |
Platform: | Genesis |
Editor Rating: | 7.5/10, based on 2 reviews |
User Rating: | 5.1/10 - 128 votes |
Rate this game: | |
See also: | Monsters Games, Castlevania Games |
When a game deviates a bit from its source material, the result could be either magnificently innovative or terribly disappointing. In the case of Castlevania: The New Generation, players will find that this is a new take on the familiar vampire-killing formula: one that shakes things up in (almost) all the right ways.
Also known as Castlevania: Bloodlines, The New Generation – as the name implies – takes the focus away from the legendary Belmont clan as a new duo of heroes rises to the challenge of facing the dreaded Count Dracula.
Vampire Killers
While most entries in the Castlevania series have had a single protagonist for players to control, Castlevania: The New Generation has two quite unique vampire hunters for players to choose from.
First, we have John Morris. This hunter would be the perfect choice for players who are familiar with the classic Castlevania gameplay, as he wields the legendary whip Vampire Killer and controls similarly to Simon Belmont in Super Castlevania IV.
On the other hand, we have Eric Lecarde. Unlike Morris, Lecarde wields a spear into battle, and also makes use of a vast array of acrobatic skills for both combat and traversal. Players who are new to the series, or want an easier overall experience than using John Morris, should pick Eric in their first playthrough.
Seeing as this game came before Castlevania: Symphony of the Night introduced the whole “Metroidvania” concept into the series, The New Generation still has that classic Castlevania level layout. Instead of exploring one massive castle, players will have to travel the world through different stages, each of them introducing a new selection of deadly traps and fearsome foes.
While the lack of an open exploration – or even diverging paths like in Castlevania: Rondo of Blood – might be a detriment for some players, The New Generation manages to keep things fresh with its varied environments and amazingly creative scenarios.
Mega Power
Being one of the only Castlevania games on a Sega console, The New Generation tries to use the Sega Mega Drive’s power to match the special effects we saw in the spectacular Super Castlevania IV.
Things like rotation effects and parallax scrolling are certainly not as impressive as what we saw three years earlier on the Super Nintendo, but there are some segments that truly illustrate just how unique the game’s presentation can be.
If there’s one area that will disappoint players, no matter how familiar they are with the Castlevania series, that would be the game’s sound department. Some audio effects sound completely wrong, like the console’s sound chip is struggling to decipher what it is supposed to do.
Thankfully, not every aspect of the game’s audio is terrible. Castlevania: The New Generation is the first game in the franchise with music from the insanely talented Michiru Yamane. While her magnum opus would unquestionably be Symphony of the Night, the quality of The New Generation’s soundtrack is nothing to sneeze at.
In fact, we’d go as far as to say that the soundtrack of The New Generation is much more fitting for the Castlevania series and its mythos than Super Castlevania IV’s – and that’s saying a lot.
Castlevania: The New Generation might deviate a bit from the classic Castlevania setting, but it does so in a way that invites both new and returning players to explore its dark and impressive setpieces.
Pros
- Great platforming gameplay
- The two characters have unique gameplay mechanics that make them feel different from each other
- A wide variety of locations and enemies
Cons
- Somewhat disappointing visuals
- Fuzzy audio quality
Download Castlevania: The New Generation
System requirements:
- PC compatible
- Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
- Game modes: Single game mode
Player controls:
- Up, Down, Left, Right - Arrow keys
- Start - Enter (Pause, Menu select, Skip intro, Inventory)
- "A" Gamepad button - Ctrl (usually Jump or Change weapon)
- "B" button - Space (Jump, Fire, Menu select)
- "C" button - Left Shift (Item select)
Use the F12 key to toggle mouse capture / release when using the mouse as a controller.
Game Reviews
Castlevania:The New Generations, is also known on the Genesis as Castlevania:Bloodlines
Snapshots and Media
Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Screenshots
All Castlevania Games
- Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
- Castlevania 64
- Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest
- Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse
- Castlevania: Bloodlines
- Castlevania Chronicles
- Castlevania: Curse Of Darkness
- Castlevania: Dracula X
- Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
- Castlevania
- Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
- Castlevania: Resurrection