Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest (FC) (1988)
Developer: Konami

Review by Faididi and Co.

Stick with The Goonies 2

Story: Average

Sometimes, simply killing the leader of the bad guys isn't enough. Simon Belmond may have defeated Count Dracula, but the vampire lord sneaks out a final curse at the moment of his demise. This curse apparently involves monsters running rampant across the countryside, because Simon needs to reassemble Dracula's scattered remains in order to properly dispose of them and to lift the curse. The story has its morbidly interesting twists, and the multiple endings are a surprise, but one really wishes that the townspeople would offer helpful advice instead of useless messages.

Gameplay: Average

One can say that Konami's Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest sets out to do what The Goonies 2 has done in respect to its own preceding game. This sequel is an action adventure that strives far beyond the linear, arcade-like formula of the first Akumajou Dracula (Castlevania). Wandering through several interconnected areas that can now scroll vertically as well as sideways, Simon must find and battle through the 5 dungeon-like mansions where Dracula's body parts are guarded. Only when all the remains are gathered may he reach the final showdown.

The game brings in many cool new features. Simon collects experience points and money by grabbing the heart-shaped power-ups dropped by bad guys. Our hero gains a larger stamina capacity as his experience level increases, and the items he buys are stored in an inventory that may be accessed at any time. (Why be forced to choose among knives, axes, and holy water when all can be permanently kept?) There's even a time-of-day system, where enemies at night grow stronger yet yield greater rewards when defeated. Simon may freely continue from wherever he gets wasted, and passwords can be used to record his progress.

Alas, more than a few rough spots render Castlevania 2 needlessly difficult. Top on the list is finding exactly where to go next, because the clues provided are hopelessly meager. Unlike in Nintendo's Metroid or even Konami's own The Goonies 2, merely exploring every path won't work here, because Simon must progress at certain points by performing very specific actions at very specific locations. In other words, those who wish to enjoy the game without relying on exterior information sources are going to be disappointed. (Not everyone suscribes to Nintendo Power.) Making matters worse is that, in contrast to The Goonies 2, Castlevania 2 contains more stretched-out corridors instead of overlapping (and relatively compact) level design, and there are no upgrade items that improve the hero's movement speed and no in-game map feature.

Controls: Average

The controls see virtually zero improvement, retaining the jumping's deliberate, inertia-driven stiffness. The message displays can't be sped up, but at least the inventory menu is easy to navigate.

Graphics: Above Average

The visuals show off characters who are animated as well as before and backgrounds that are still colorfully detailed. Although the towns and the mansions recycle many textures, the overland scenery covers a wide variety of spooky forests, rivers, swamps, and caverns. The game's world looks even more interesting when it changes to reflect the passing days and nights.

Audio: Excellent

The audio work is definitely a strong point. The sound effects are loud and crisp, while the music consists of entirely new tunes that are all catchy.

Overall: Average

Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest is a disappointing showing after The Goonies 2. That earlier action adventure contains complex level design as well, but it also includes in-game clues that actually help, plus friendlier jumping controls and collectible upgrades that boost maneuverability. Although Castlevania 2's experience system and day-and-night gimmick may be noteworthy additions, they do little to alleviate the weak clues as to where the hero should explore next. That is a pity, because had the clues been written with more care, this game could've passed as another classic action adventure.