Castlevania at its finest!
I'm a huge Castlevania enthusiast and have been playing games in the series for nearly two decades.
Note that I have only played it in Single Player mode (Xbox Silver Account).
Let's start with this notion - Game is absolutely stunning and engaging, it keeps you hooked.
Presentation is fabulous, first time in HD, it looks great! (sprites have not been redrawn so they don't look super crisp but they have transitioned quite well for the first time to current generation consoles, it has a distinctive look and needless to say art direction is imaginative and instantly recognizable to a well versed player).
I have finished single playthrough in 9-10 hours (with one character) but there are five to choose from and each varies quite significantly so there is a lot to do.
If you're a casual gamer, I wouldn't recommend going the single player route because you might get frustrated, difficulty is high and even though grinding definitely helps, it won't necessarily lets you finish desired level you if you're not skilled (many reviewers apparently lack in this department as they complain about the difficulty, - it's Castlevania, what did you expect?).
Game shines, don't let some of the reviews discourage you, it's a robust adventure game that has whole lot of replayability that made other Castlevania games so enjoyable to go through multiple times (level designs are very interesting, each castle/dungeon with its own vibe and scenery to go with).
Soundtrack Arrangements are top notch and keep adrenaline pumping, filled with heavy riffs and classic motives, reminiscent of those from Dracula Perfect Selection (arranged castlevania albums from the mid 90's, Japan only release naturally).
Downloadable content will hopefully come soon, adding new levels/possibly characters to choose from.
At measly $15 it is been offered for, it's a fantastic value proposition for any adventure/platformer fanatic as it delivers in spades, giving player challenge, thrills and polished ride we've come to expect from Castlevania series and interesting multiplayer options are welcomed addition to the series.
Highest Recommendation!
