Castlevania II is a surprisingly solid game overall, brought down by several frustrating aspects - most of which have been discussed at length many times over. Yes, the night transition message is annoying. The fake blocks are annoying. The obtuse progression and useless, cryptic messages are also annoying.
Honestly, I assumed that these factors combined would be enough to completely ruin the game but it didn't for me - not entirely. The moment-to-moment gameplay is largely quite satisfying, with responsive controls, good movement and a nice sense of progression as you gain more items and upgrades. The music is also top notch, though perhaps still the weakest of the original trilogy.
It doesn't stack up against Castlevania or Castlevania 3, but it's cool to see this early attempt to move away from level based action platforming toward the "metroidvania" style the series would eventually be known for and I ultimately had a good time with it.
Honestly, I assumed that these factors combined would be enough to completely ruin the game but it didn't for me - not entirely. The moment-to-moment gameplay is largely quite satisfying, with responsive controls, good movement and a nice sense of progression as you gain more items and upgrades. The music is also top notch, though perhaps still the weakest of the original trilogy.
It doesn't stack up against Castlevania or Castlevania 3, but it's cool to see this early attempt to move away from level based action platforming toward the "metroidvania" style the series would eventually be known for and I ultimately had a good time with it.