In "Part 2", Simon must slap Dracula's head again just to get past that hangover.
Question: Was this game a true sequel?
Before trying to get any answers to such question, I will state that this was one of the few titles I ever wanted to try out after playing Symphony of the Night in the Playstation. That game had all the greatness in 2D gaming and RPG/Action elements. Seeing that Konami tried something similar in the NES, I ventured into finding a copy of this game and wanted to see what was all the hoo-haa about. Not many people liked this game for one reason or another, so it was my opportunity to see why that was.
And even though I had some idea by reading other people's thoughts on the game, and videogame magazines depicting the story of Castlevania, I pretended this was my first time ever trying it out. However, I also printed a Walkthrough from Gamefaqs.com to aid me, since I heard that this quest had some very confusing moments during the adventure.
The Prologue that follows the title screen tells me to step into the hellhouse as Simon comes back to Transylvania to defeat Dracula and his curse.
Oh no…I have to clean up Simon's mess now.
 |
Seeing that there was nothing more in the screen, I
started my adventure not inside the Count's castle, but inside a town
that resembled nothing more than a ghetto apartment complex. The "houses"
were mounted on floor after floor, and squarish footsteps are used as
means to travel from level to level. Looking at the walkthrough, I am
told to buy the very first item called a White Crystal. I do so by paying
some old hag 50 hearts. The monetary system here sucks.
|
It also tells me to buy a bottle of holy water and a thorn whip, but in order to do so, I have to venture out of town and whip some hapless skeletons in order to get me some dough. In hearts.
Before I know it, the screen turns dark with a message reading "What a horrible night to have a curse."
Now I have the same screen, only in hues of purple, pink, dark red, and black. The monsters are twice as strong and some even push me back to the town by shoving Simon like much garbage. I try to get inside the church to refill my lifebar, but even if it's open, Simon is voided of this luxury. Well damn.
| For the next five minutes or so, snot-covered hoodlums that replace the town's people confront me, raising their arms and trying to hug poor Simon. Out of sheer fun, I start whipping these creatures and gain a few hearts in the process. After 200 felled snotties, another message appears: "The sun has vanquished the horrible night." |
 |
I have enough to buy them bottles and whips. Now I can Molotov my way into people's floors and bug them for more items.
 |
 |
 |
So now I have to collect Dracula's organs, yes? Being a donor always pays off. His rib can be used a shield, which is amusing in its own little dark way. Every other mansion has some repetitiveness to it, and I see the same pattern with the same enemies over and over.
| But nothing was as lame as the "fight" with the Grim Reaper. He acted like an old security guard trying to apprehend you while I ran under him with the latest booty. For the sake of heroism, I decided to go back and whip his bony ass just to nab that golden dagger. A waste of time, but if I can sell it to the nearest pawnshop, then it's all good. |  |
Oh yeah, don't expect to get your life refilled after fighting a "boss" here, chances are, if you run into the same room where the Grim Reaper is, he will reappear as if nothing happened and you will have to deal with him with two bits of energy. Still, you can just walk past him without much to it. Great use of AI here, people. Another note: No matter how many golden daggers you collect, you will still have one in your inventory. Hooray!
The last battle takes place in Castlevania itself. I expect the same nice castle as in the previous game, with doors that open to new blocks and the ability to fight a real boss. Instead, a one-way hall awaits me, with an empty room in the end. I read more of the walkthrough, and I find out I have to "burn" Dracula's bodyparts in order to make him appear.
Wait, what?
Now I have to fight a robed Dracula who briefly flashes me before he starts launching a bunch of Frisbees at Simon. Luckily, I still can block them with my trusty rib shield. Why I still have this here when I just "burnt" it is out of my comprehension.
Dracula dies again, and an apathetic ending awaits me. Since I took forever to end this thing, I get a black and white version telling me that Simon will forever be remembered for slapping Dracula two times in a row.
The other two endings weren't different at all. You can get a cheap animation of Dracula's hand rising from the grave as the "best" ending. Huzzah! Even after all this, I still couldn't figure what exactly was the "curse" about (even if the manual gives you an innate explanation about it), why Simon was brainwashed into resurrecting Dracula, why the towns resembled the projects and the people kept telling me to bash my head into a wall to make it vanish.
| Maybe this game was just a mirage, something that was made up in our dreams when all we asked was for a great sequel to a great game. The answer will never be revealed. At least Konami was kind enough to unveil Castlevania 3, which in my opinion, is the true sequel...or prequel for that manner. |
 |
Alas, poor Simon, you were a great vampire hunter but was forced to become the ass of the entire Belmont generation in the end...not counting your predecessor in Dracula X.
 |
 |
 |
Conclusion: Castlevania 2 was NOT a sequel, but a side-story telling just how unfortunate Simon's ass really was.