Castlevania 64 commonly gets a bad rap. It's certainly a game with some glaring flaws, notably in the camera and climbing controls. However, it does have some very strong points, as well.
Gameplay-wise, it's a rather awkward transition from 2D to 3D. Whipping isn't too bad, but using sub-weapons is a bit hard to get used to. However, in general the combat is a pretty enjoyable part of the game. The game in some places goes for adventure elements over action, which is kind of cool as you're exploring a castle that really does feel haunted. You also have unique storylines for both Reinhardt and Carrie, which adds some replay value.
This is also the first Castlevania to really have any story related in game. OK, maybe that's not totally accurate, but it actually has a reasonably substantial storyline with characters you interact with more than once. It's slight, but it's interesting, and there's a strong air of mystery about it. Reinhardt and Carrie's stories sort of fuse together to give you a complete picture of what's happening at the castle.
Level design is largely hit and miss. There are some parts that are very cool and enjoyable like the Villa and Duel Tower; then there are tedious segments like the infamous Nitro puzzle. One of the biggest problems surfaces here, and that's with the platforming. Grabbing a platform and pulling yourself up doesn't work well like Tomb Raider or similar games does- the direction you have to push to mantle a ledge sometimes seems arbitrary. And sometimes the camera doesn't want to cooperate when you have a difficult jump to make. For these reasons, I recommend playing the game on an emulator. It's immensely less frustrating if you can load a save state before an easy-to-mess-up jump.
The bosses, in general, are one of the coolest parts of the game. The camera can screw you here, but it's generally worth dealing with.
Overall, Castlevania 64 isn't a bad game; it just has a lot of unpolished facets that detract heavily from the experience. If you try it, I do recommend emulation. It will save you tearing your hair out.
A mix of success and failure.
Castlevania 64 commonly gets a bad rap. It's certainly a game with some glaring flaws, notably in the camera and climbing controls. However, it does have some very strong points, as well.
Gameplay-wise, it's a rather awkward transition from 2D to 3D. Whipping isn't too bad, but using sub-weapons is a bit hard to get used to. However, in general the combat is a pretty enjoyable part of the game. The game in some places goes for adventure elements over action, which is kind of cool as you're exploring a castle that really does feel haunted. You also have unique storylines for both Reinhardt and Carrie, which adds some replay value.
This is also the first Castlevania to really have any story related in game. OK, maybe that's not totally accurate, but it actually has a reasonably substantial storyline with characters you interact with more than once. It's slight, but it's interesting, and there's a strong air of mystery about it. Reinhardt and Carrie's stories sort of fuse together to give you a complete picture of what's happening at the castle.
Level design is largely hit and miss. There are some parts that are very cool and enjoyable like the Villa and Duel Tower; then there are tedious segments like the infamous Nitro puzzle. One of the biggest problems surfaces here, and that's with the platforming. Grabbing a platform and pulling yourself up doesn't work well like Tomb Raider or similar games does- the direction you have to push to mantle a ledge sometimes seems arbitrary. And sometimes the camera doesn't want to cooperate when you have a difficult jump to make. For these reasons, I recommend playing the game on an emulator. It's immensely less frustrating if you can load a save state before an easy-to-mess-up jump.
The bosses, in general, are one of the coolest parts of the game. The camera can screw you here, but it's generally worth dealing with.
Overall, Castlevania 64 isn't a bad game; it just has a lot of unpolished facets that detract heavily from the experience. If you try it, I do recommend emulation. It will save you tearing your hair out.