I've only played this game as Carrie, so this is a review of her side of the game. This is quite the rough passage to 3D for the franchise.
Castlevania 64 has its fair share of problems. Unintuitive controls, prime early-3D camera problems, confusing level design coupled with very similar-looking areas in a lot of said levels, and very basic bosses that can be beaten with the same strategy with very little thought for what's going on (charging Carrie's homing attack and running in circles around the boss). The game has a wonky camera and weird controls, yet expects you to perform tight platforming all the same, sometimes with enemies around; oftentimes, it will feel more frustrating than hard.
The soundtrack, while good, couldn't really carry the game for me. Still, it has checkpoints in good places most of the time and while it can be frustrating, the player is usually given a chance to retry not too long afterwards. It still has the heart of a Castlevania game, but it lacks polish and love.
Castlevania 64 has its fair share of problems. Unintuitive controls, prime early-3D camera problems, confusing level design coupled with very similar-looking areas in a lot of said levels, and very basic bosses that can be beaten with the same strategy with very little thought for what's going on (charging Carrie's homing attack and running in circles around the boss). The game has a wonky camera and weird controls, yet expects you to perform tight platforming all the same, sometimes with enemies around; oftentimes, it will feel more frustrating than hard.
The soundtrack, while good, couldn't really carry the game for me. Still, it has checkpoints in good places most of the time and while it can be frustrating, the player is usually given a chance to retry not too long afterwards. It still has the heart of a Castlevania game, but it lacks polish and love.