We at Shinohan have managed to get a closer at the 'new' Castlevania for the PSP and I have to say that I am as impressed as I am a bit let down. So first of all for those that have absolutely no idea what the game is about. This Castlevania comprises three games: the remake of Akumajo Dracula X: Chi no Rondo which was never released outside of Japan, translated as Castlevania: Rondo of Blood in English; the original version of Akumajo Dracula X: Chi no Rondo game on UMD; and the best of the three – Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
So let's start off with the remake of Akumajo Dracula X: Chi no Rondo, which is now called Castlevania: Rondo of Blood. The game is exactly like its predecessor, just really nicely looking. The game is completely in 3D but of course the directions for you will still remain in 2D, so no worries - it is still a fully-fledged old school Castlevania. The cutscenes are also worth mentioning, of course the original featured anime sequences, but let’s be honest – even though it was 1999, they really did not look that great to begin with!
There is not much to say about the original that is on this UMD as it is just a direct port, but at least it is in English this time. Still, it is a great experience for those that have never played the game before and would like to experience it in its original manifestation.
As for Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, the game on the PSP is really great. The only downside to the game is the new voiceovers. I admit that the old ones were really horrible and sounded as though they had gone through some voice remixing program; now they sound really good but it kind of kills it for those that know the game already. The good thing is that Maria is now playable again, like in the original Sega Saturn version.
All in all the game can be enjoyed and should be played by any Castlevania fan! The game is not that expensive and as it is for the PSP, you can even enjoy it on the go.
