A popular video game series developed by Konami focusing on horror and gothic-related themes. Players take on the role of a vampire hunter who is a member of the Belmont family on a quest to destroy
Dracula along with his evil underlings.
Dracula himself is routinely resurrected every couple of hundred years promising an endless barrage of sequels for players to enjoy. The games are loosely based on Bram Stoker’s own novel,
Dracula but have no direct correlation. Castlevania’s
Dracula typically also leads a host of other horror villains including Frankenstein’s monster,
the Mummy, and the Grim
Reaper.
The gameplay itself is that of a typical 2D platformer(although modern sequels have attempted 3D play). The hero’s primary weapon is a whip, a curious choice given the legions of monsters he/she must face, but it has nonetheless become a part of the Castlevania mainstay. Secondary weapons can include daggers, garlic, crosses, and even holy water.
The early games were confined to the PC and Nintendo’s console systems before finally being ported to the
Sony Playstation. The PS installment, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, is credited with revitalizing the series by introducing RPG elements, non-linear gameplay, and a rich, detailed soundtrack. This is currently the new direction for most of the Castlevania sequels.
