Because of a certain Vtubers malign influence (making a special punch card for people who beat Castlevanias during this month) I have returned to this lovely series. I have a pretty good grasp on CV1, a fantastic all-timer of a game, so I figured I'd take a crack at my long-held ambition of getting Castlevania 3 down. I'll try for a 1CC, I said. That will be fun. I studied up on the route, committed some strategies to memory,
And then ate shit on the second level. Well, level 3, but it's the second level. I skipped 2 because who wants Grant Nasty when we have Sypha.
Honestly, it was a great time, just incredibly hard. Stupidly hard game. Very mean. Very upsetting. I love it. I always found the Japanese version too easy and the US version too hard, so I figured that learning how to play it would make the US version more workable and I'd hit the sweet spot. I'd say that basically worked out, but the thing about Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (not Castlevania II, the one that actually deals with a curse laid by Dracula) is that oh my god it's so difficult and it's so long. There's so much game here even when I stay committed to the Sypha route only and miss, I dunno, 8 of the game's 17 levels.
The thing that studying up on the strats helps with, though, is that you have some busted options in this sucker. All of Sypha's spells are just ridiculously good. It would be out-of-line to even give them to you if the game wasn't firing back with equally out-of-line obstacles to destroy you with. If there was no password system here I think that would be a mistake, but there is, and that makes it feel okay to me.
I don't think I can like, DESCRIBE Castlevania: The Third One in a way that will add anything new, this game has been analyzed pretty thoroughly. All I can say is that I probably like the first game a smidge more but that could change if I get more in tune with this one. There's certainly a lot more of it, and it's wildly ambitious, and Alucard is in it. All points in its favor.
And then ate shit on the second level. Well, level 3, but it's the second level. I skipped 2 because who wants Grant Nasty when we have Sypha.
Honestly, it was a great time, just incredibly hard. Stupidly hard game. Very mean. Very upsetting. I love it. I always found the Japanese version too easy and the US version too hard, so I figured that learning how to play it would make the US version more workable and I'd hit the sweet spot. I'd say that basically worked out, but the thing about Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (not Castlevania II, the one that actually deals with a curse laid by Dracula) is that oh my god it's so difficult and it's so long. There's so much game here even when I stay committed to the Sypha route only and miss, I dunno, 8 of the game's 17 levels.
The thing that studying up on the strats helps with, though, is that you have some busted options in this sucker. All of Sypha's spells are just ridiculously good. It would be out-of-line to even give them to you if the game wasn't firing back with equally out-of-line obstacles to destroy you with. If there was no password system here I think that would be a mistake, but there is, and that makes it feel okay to me.
I don't think I can like, DESCRIBE Castlevania: The Third One in a way that will add anything new, this game has been analyzed pretty thoroughly. All I can say is that I probably like the first game a smidge more but that could change if I get more in tune with this one. There's certainly a lot more of it, and it's wildly ambitious, and Alucard is in it. All points in its favor.