Following through with my Castlevania adventures, this time playing the infamous Castlevania 2: Simon’s Quest. I missed this the first time around, I could only dream of owning a NES with I was younger, I had an amazing Amstrad CPC 464+ and was very grateful for it – but I used to head to our local department store and drool over games like this displayed on the TV screen.
In fact this was the first NES game I ever saw, Looking at the screen, entranced by the graphics and the ideas of chasing monsters and the RPG elements… Now I know that this game was controversial at the time, it was slightly disappointing for many fans who looked for an improvedCastlevania.
But instead of more of the same, we got a different approach to the franchise, we had new mechanics and while not perfect, it does hark back to a better time in gaming, where we don’t have endless similar games being churned out and a higher numeric slapped on the cover.
This was the start of Metroid-vania for me, the form of ‘free roaming’ and ‘leveling up’ mechanic which is enjoyed today by the fans. Unfortunately it is a little bit of a confusing mess… I reached the second mansion, only by the aid of a copy of Nintendo power – you wander through the Transylvanian landscape – mostly confused – not knowing where to go, or when to go, I mistakenly went left out of the first village and had my ass handed to me instantly because I hadn’t levelled up enough..
It’s a very abstract game – how to summon the boatman (despite what is said in the first village it’s not Garlic!) and constantly having to grab hearts to purchase items in the game – again a different concept for how hearts are used in the original game and a confusing touch…Finding the shopkeepers as well, having to break down perfectly solid walls and floors with holy water to get to them.. don’t they want to trade or something!
Anyway, there are some interesting additions to the series in this title – a Day/Night cycle – Night time, the villagers disappear and monsters replace them, shops close and monsters are twice as strong.
It really is worth a play, it IS fun and come on the music – Bloody Tears, that track alone is worth booting this up… Just… download a guide book 
Talking Comics 