On September 8th, I gotten every map completion in Castlevania Dominus Collection. Now I fully done that with all seven 2D metroidvania Castlevania game on one console being Xbox. I never thought in a million years I'll ever do it. I kept knocking off stuff from my gaming bucket list this year. I am really satisfied with this new Castlevania collection.
This is on Xbox Series X version. I already owned both Castlevania Anniversary Collection and Castlevania Advance Collection.
I figured to review the game in question. This quickly became my number #1 Konami game of the year. yes even more so than Rocket Knight Adventures: Re-Sparked. I was so impressed with Castlevania Advance Collection. In fact, I actually gave it Game of the Year. My expectations are going to be insanely high with this.
Castlevania Dominus Collection (2024)
Despite being advertise as a four game collection. It's actually a five game collection since you get two versions of Haunted Castle. The main Castlevania games in this collection are the DS Castlevania games. Unlike the GBA Castlevania games, Koji Igarashi was directly involved with all three games. This automatically makes them better but I still have a lot of respect for em.
Haunted Castle (both versions)
I actually started playing with both versions of Haunted Castle. Let me tell you how mind blowing different those experiences was. The original version of Haunted Castle is another alternate version of Castlevania 1. Three Castlevania collections, we're still getting Castlevania 1 wow right? Anyway, just when you think Castlevania: The Adventure was bad.
Then I sure go news for you, this is much worst!!! Let's get a handful of the positives out the way. I do kinda like some of the artwork. Also the soundtrack is easily the best part of the game. Beyond that, it goes south fast. The sound effects aren't great or remotely rememberable. The controls do take time getting use to.
Just when you think you got em down, try going up or down the stairs!!! I never struggled so much on the stairs in an Castlevania game before. The game is questionable on continues. It's one of those arcade games you think you're getting a lot of continues, you aren't. The game even could end with one death!!! Simon moves slightly faster than reacting to attacking things.
Usually you can easily jump attack enemies. Even on a bridge falling apart but you can't do that. You also can't use your sub weapon because it takes longer than necessary. Thankfully it's not forever but on the last stage, you really don't want that. The bosses are alright at best, the second boss ended up being my favorite.
Thank god there's only six stages!!! Six stages of Hell, where's three more of em. If you get that Nine Circles of Hell reference. I am so glad we get a save state as well as the ability to rewind. Previously in another compilation, Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection. You didn't have rewinds but it had achievements/trophies.
Unfortunately neither version of the game has achievements/trophies. But at the same time, it's still a decent achievement/trophy lineup. Haunted Castle really quickly wore out it's welcome. I would even dare to say the worst version of Castlevania 1 I ever played!!! The best being Super Castlevania IV, no need to compare everyone agrees!!!
Haunted Castle Revisited is a remastered version. I guess we can technically called this a redesigned version of the game. The new team took what essentially was the arcade game, I refuse to call it a classic. Then they made much needed changes that notably made it a million times better!!! In every possible way, this is the true definitive Haunted Castle experience.
After you beat it, there's a stage selection. Sadly neither version gets pictures in the Gallery Section. It previously happened to Castlevania Dracula X in Castlevania Advance Collection, the same team. This is way better than Dracula X as well. Every Castlevania game's soundtrack is included as well. Haunted Castle Revisited notably changed several sections.
It reminds me of MediEvil Remake doing the same thing. The final stage is vastly better as well as more interesting too. The boss fights all been notably improved. It's no surprise I prefer these boss fights!!! Yes that includes Dracula X too. Haunted Castle Revisited was a nice surprise. No one was expecting it even with the now epic shadow drop of this collection.
It is notably extended to a degree. You know kinda like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game. Where the stages pulled from the original TMNT arcade game got extended. People kept comparing this to Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth, which I never played. Which was also developed by M2.
The enemy placements is much more fair. If you fall, don't worry you will respawn with some health taken. I did receive some health items I wasn't sure where to find em in a blind playthrough. When you die, you will resume from where you left off. This alone put it high among the classic style Castlevania games.
The artwork was truly amazing almost mimicking the DS Castlevania games style to a degree. I felt the overall pace was notably nicer. It wasn't like hey hurry up like in the arcade version. I don't know if there's a limit on the continues or it's infinite by default. Both are way nicer than not knowing until you die what happens like in Comix Zone.
Comix Zone is way better than Haunted Castle arcade too. They made the intro more awesome. The insane character art during the ending. This felt like something you never knew you needed. Once you got it, you couldn't be any happier. If you are feeling that with Haunted Castle Revisited. Then good we're on the same page.
DS Castlevania Trilogy
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
A large amount I'm going to talk about heavily applies to all three Castlevania games. I will directly mention stuff that differs em somewhat. They virtually aren't the same at all by any means. They simply have a lot of similarities, well it should being in the same franchise. All three of them are within the main Castlevania canon.
Dawn of Sorrow is a sequel to Aria of Sorrow, a game I love so much!!! Portrait of Ruin is a sequel to Bloodlines, another game I love a lot as well. Order of Ecclesia is kinda an important spin off game. The Belmont clan are in two of these Castlevania games. In their absence, we have Shanoa a magic user that works for a church.
Dawn of Sorrow plays very similar to Aria of Sorrow with you playing as Soma again. You can claim souls that notably helps you out as you're playing the game. You also get a lot of weapons as well. I felt Hammer to me was the best merchant in these DS Castlevania games, I kinda like the guy. You may have to look it up, this actually takes place in Germany.
Correction: the castle actually called With Light's Castle. There's additional areas that connects to the castle. I kinda forgot to mention that originally.
Parts of my family tree originated from there. Portrait of Ruin is a rather interesting Castlevania game. In a few ways continued the story of Castlevania: Bloodlines. At the same time, this is a vastly different game. You play as both Jonathan and Charlotte. Jonathan so happened to be John Morris' son. You come across two ladies that are later revealed to be Eric's daughters.
Speaking of Eric, he's in the game. Sadly he acts more of a sage meaning he's dead. He comes off as a mentor of sorta to Jonathan. There's ten maps to explore with most being inside paintings. Somehow Order of Ecclesia went a little further with more maps concept. Dawn of Sorrow has two maps with the Abyss being my favorite.
Order of Ecclesia, the Belmonts are missing. Sadly there isn't much given to why that is. You actually get to travel to many locations. Something James Rolfe would've loved. Speaking of him, I highly doubt he'll read this. Hey Rolfe you should revisit Best Castlevania topic one more time. Make sure to talk about the GBA and DS Castlevania games!!!
I'm still a little salty over that AVGN episode sorry. I would love for you to try guessing how many maps Order of Ecclesia has? If you guessed twenty one of them then congratulations. Keep in mind for two of these games, the maps do differ notably in size. I kinda liked the idea of traveling around. I just wish it was done slightly better, it's not bad by any means.
Portrait of Ruin, you play as two characters. You can swap between them as well as a few team actions. Which to be honest aren't well executed. Just when you got pushing heavier objects down. The train part late into the game will cause you to freak out!!! You are suppose to push the train with your partner.
The way it's setup, the AI doesn't properly register that action. I figured to quickly press to the left you might need to do it twice with Jonathan. Then quickly swap to Charlotte to hope the train stops before you get forced off the screen. I almost had to consider trying to glitch pass the train. I was somehow able to do it.
Dawn of Sorrow does use the additional DS controls the most. Which every platform recreated to a degree. You have to gain an ability to break ice. You can use the pointer to simply break em was a great idea. The duo in Portrait of Rune is like two game play styles in one. You got Jonathan whose more of a fighter.
Charlotte being more of a defense magic user. Shanoa is also a magic user while mirroring a trait to Soma. She can claim glyphs to get abilities. Virtually being the female Soma, it starts out not great. Very late into it, this game blew my mind how awesome it suddenly gotten. You always got to make room to grind up levels.
You can find better stuff or buy em to get further. In another related Castlevania blog, some stuff I'm not discussing will be in that instead. A little heads up, you're getting two Castlevania blogs today. There's a lot of bosses, a great variety that keeps things interesting for a longer playing period. Dawn of Sorrow adds among defeating most bosses, you got to use seals.
This can be strict but thanks to rewinds & save states it's not much of an issue. If you don't do em correctly, the bosses regains some of their health. It's a little cheap sure but it helps to push you to do better. You also can view the maps through the stats screen for a more clear idea. For example, unless you somehow see the opening on the smaller map already on your screen.
You may need to access the map screen to see where to go. Personally, I done surprisingly well with the smaller map. If Castlevania Advance Collection already more content than Castlevania Anniversary Collection. This is even more content than that. Not only you get Boss Rush Mode in all three games. You also get a few secondary versions of the campaigns too.
Oddly Sisters version in Portrait of Ruin doesn't have an achievement. I kinda see that as disrespect towards Eric maybe that's just me. I can say these are a lot of fun to play as well. Notably better than the second campaigns in the GBA Castlevania games. Julius Mode is way better since they play off of Castlevania 3 concept.
You can swap between three characters with Yoko being the missable character. Sadly, there isn't anything representing Grant at all. It's kinda mind blowing to play as three characters. Richter Mode is way better than Symphony of the Night version. You play as both Richter and Maria, likely pulled from Rondo of Blood.
Albus Mode is in all honestly, one of my favorite Castlevania modes ever!!! It's virtually a faster shooter version. This might come as a huge surprise to some. I strongly preferred this over the main complain. This mode kept blowing my mind with it's awesomeness. I'm glad I finished playing that the end of achievement hunting this game.
Speaking of that, The Creature's sprites were directly pulled from the same game too. This is Portrait of Ruin to clarify. The Creature actually appears in all three DS Castlevania games. Order of Ecclesia has a few variations including Goliath whose the boss one. I got a nick name for this collection. Castlevania: The Frankenstein Collection.
He also appears in both versions of Haunted Castle, I can say that. I'm even happy Medusa returns in Portrait of Ruin as well. Easily my favorite Medusa boss ever!!! Order of Ecclesia sorta combines fighting with magic. You still do magic attacks like normal. But you also use magic to use your weapons too.
This alone was a major reason I struggled so hard in Order of Ecclesia. The game is surprisingly harder than the other two DS Castlevania games. To me, it felt like each one kept getting more ambitious in some way. You could argue Order of Ecclesia might've been a little too ambitious. I can safely say I highly recommend all three of these fantastic Castlevania games.
Yes there's a notable learning curve to a degree. Dracula's castle is presently different in all three games. Obviously it's the biggest in Dawn of Sorrow. My favorite maps in the other two Castlevania games. Burnt Paradise quickly became my favorite. It's a parallel world to Nation of Fools. Both are twisted distorted carnival, destroyed buildings worlds.
Then add in Medusa being the boss we got a rather unique fun time. I can say instantly Skeleton Cave was my favorite in Order of Ecclesia. It's kinda a remind to Cave of Skeletons from Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance. Which also ended up being my favorite section too. Look I always had a thing for skeletons that's never changing.
These DS Castlevania games further pushed everything. I am deeply impressed by their hard work overall. In all honestly, they really knock it out the park with these games!!! Obviously or maybe it's not to some people. Order of Ecclesia was my least favorite of the three. Dawn of Sorrow ended up being my favorite with everything considered.
In the long run, I had the fewest issues than the other two DS Castlevania games. Portrait of Rune was truly amazing stuff, I'm so thankful to finally play it. I would even say to me one of the greatest Castlevania games I ever played. Order of Ecclesia felt a little too strict overall. None of the maps included are boring by any means.
I just felt comparing Order to Ecclesia to the other two DS Castlevania games. It simply fell short of them but still a great Castlevania game. Also making the condition to get the best ending a little too secretive didn't help either. Again more information on that in a related blog. I also can confirm the grinding process works just fine in all three games.
I should point out all three of them has side stuff you can go. Order of Ecclesia's case, it would help better your chances in the long run. We all knew the best three Castlevania games in the collection going to be. I also love removing ominu from Dominus spells DS. A clever title reference trick. You also get a gallery that's done way better than Castlevania Advance Collection.
Now all three DS Castlevania games has their own section. We also have a music section with the option to create your own playlist. They even went further with the presentation than expected. If you wait a little bit before selecting the DS games. It loads up something awesome to watch from them. Instead of that surprisingly cool ending credits animation.
They decided to do prerecord game play of the DS games together on the bottom of the screen. Oh okay I'll take that, rather impress they pulled that off. This is in the credits section for anyone wondering. Achievements wise I explain more in detail in another blog. I still prefer achievement hunting Castlevania Advance Collection the most.
Here's how I view things from Castlevania Anniversary Collection to Castlevania Dominus Collection. Kinda like the overall procession of the GBA Castlevania games. Each newer Castlevania compilation kept getting better. I really felt that's on the money. All were developed by M2 with Konami that made every Castlevania game originally.
Now along with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection. The two greatest Konami compilations I ever played in my entire life!!! There isn't much actual negatives I can say about it. I could even gave it a perfect score, it was that damn good!!! It's quite rare when I give a perfect score to games too.
Castlevania Dominus Collection goes beyond your expectations. Then it kept blowing your mind with it's sheer awesomeness. Even with Haunted Castle arcade included. Most of these games are so good you don't even care you got one bad Castlevania game. This is as close to perfection for a compilation game I seen in a long time, a very big recommendations.
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