Chapter One of The PT History Lesson - Castlevania: Bloodlines

Castlevania: Bloodlines is a video game that was created by Konami and published in March 1994 for the Sega Genesis. It is also known as Vampire Killer in Japan and Castlevania: The New Generation in Europe. With music by Michiru Yamane, writing by Toshiki Yamamura, production by Tomikazu Kirita, and production values that belie its status as a minor gem in the venerable series.

The fact that it was released in 1994 was what first caught my attention. It's possible that it won't be on a list of important 1994 releases if you line it up. Mother 2, Super Metroid, NBA Jam, Sonic & Knuckles, Donkey Kong Country, Ridge Racer, Final Fantasy VI, and Doom II are just a few of the games that compete fiercely.

when was the year when King's Field, Tekken, and a bloodless Mortal Kombat II for the SNES were released. This year is jam-packed with great things. (Each time I attempt to complete this list, Tokimeki Memorial gets added! Shock of the System! Opposing Hard Corps!). In the midst of all that amazing video game goodness, Castlevania: Bloodlines gets neglected.

However, even when considering the series as a whole, Bloodlines occupies a peculiar place in the perception of what "the best Castlevania games" are. The Night's Symphony? Yes, it is very okay. Blood Rondo? Possibly the series' finest. ancestry? Perhaps the greatest in the series as well.

In a year when several series improved their formulae, this is the last installment in the iconic Castlevania series, perfecting the original recipe. Bloodlines tightens up Castlevania's past, while Symphony unleashes its wild side with Rondo and Metroid. It is fueled by a great music, slick visuals, and amazing level design.

Or, at the very least, it is my point of contention. But by way of genealogy, not by way of gameplay analysis. We may examine a few fascinating individuals who have contributed to Bloodlines' evolution and what it signifies for Castlevania's overall history. By the end, you could even find that I'm right.

Now, let's get started with a screenshot. In 1994, producer Tomikazu Kirita contributed to the Japanese dating simulation Tokimeki Memorial. I examined the game's credits page on Moby Games as research. When you get to the bottom, a list of persons is rated according to how many other games they have contributed to.

Tomikazu Kirita has worked on several videogames, as you can see. 111 more games, as stated by Moby. He produced Hideo Kojima's Snatcher, Contra Hard Corps, and Sparkster. He would later work as a supervisor on Uncharted, Boku no Natsuyasumi 3, and Demon's Souls. Cool. Let's go down the list one more.

Yuji Ueda, a voice actor, has 76 more, most of them are from renowned fighting games. Among the forty others that Takashi Tateishi owns are Tenchu, Vandal Hearts, and Suikoden. Very nice. Next in line is Koji Igarashi. Where did I previously hear that name? It seems that he has contributed to thirteen Castlevania games. Oh, and those two games with bloodstains on them too.

Thus, Koji Igarashi was working on Tokimeki Memorial before he had the opportunity to create Symphony of the Night. In the meanwhile, Tomikazu Kirita was embarking on a distinguished career with the renowned dating simulation, a visual novel by Hideo Kojima, and a Castlevania. a specific spin-off. as well as the first Castlevania game released on a Sega system.

The game that the team ultimately produced to the Mega Drive is a special installment in the Castelvania series, situated between two masterpieces: Symphony of the Night and Rondo of Blood. However, it takes a retrospective approach to the franchise instead of seeing its future.

And I find that threading the ancestry in that manner to be intriguing. Bloodlines was perhaps the most Castlevania game at the time, even if Symphony of the Night is \i>the Castlevania game that everyone loves. what aficionados now refer to as Classicvania.

"As you can probably gather from the fact that Vampire Killer is set in a different era from the previous games, the scenario is unique to the Mega Drive, and is my personal conception of the Dracula series," writer Toshiki Yamamura discussed his influences in one of the few interviews available regarding Bloodlines' development.This game replaces the second act of the Dracula legend, which I see as having a trilogy or tri-partite structure. Naturally, I wanted consistency in terms of design and aesthetic as I also really like the earlier Castlevania games. I want Vampire Killer to be seen by gamers as my own version of the canon. I was somewhat inspired by the artwork of Hideyuki Kikuchi.

The books in the Vampire Hunter D series are written by Hideyuki Kikuchi. It's understandable if you've never heard of them, but they're kind a huge thing. More than The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and His Dark Materials, it has sold over 17 million copies worldwide (though the series' 39 installments undoubtedly contribute significantly).

The variations in the game's international editions are another intriguing point Yamamura makes; "if you find Vampire Killer too easy, be sure to check out the overseas version, Castlevania Bloodlines." It is comparable in difficulty to the "tabasco" version of Vampire Killer. Interestingly, the European version, called New Generation, is likewise less graphic than the North American and Japanese versions.

Here we have a writer who draws inspiration from classic Japanese literature and offers his own vision of the series, a producer who is just starting out and might have an impressive résumé, and a videogame that has a special place within a highly regarded franchise. Oh, and there's the music of Michiru Yamane's breakout album to discuss.

Perhaps even more important to Castlevania than Koji Igarashi is Michiru Yamane. Although she had previously worked on other Konami games like Sparkster and Ganbare Goemon 2, Castlevania: Bloodlines was a far larger project.

"Now and then I met unknown employees, for example in the elevator, asking me if I was the composer for the music to the new Castlevania game," the composer said in an interview conducted in 2010 about the pressures she experienced. I received remarks like "make sure you do a good job" after I responded "yes." These kinds of remarks didn't make me feel any less under strain (laughs).

Naturally, the Castlevania series was already well-known, so giving Michiru Yamane the reigns was undoubtedly a major burden. However, as everyone interested in Castlevania is undoubtedly well aware, she composed one of the greatest Mega Drive soundtracks ever.

The Castlevania: Bloodlines soundtrack uses a variety of inspirations, including her expertise of classical music and the reworking of old songs, to create a blend of driving, dynamic sections and eerie minor melodies with baroque grandeur.

What's most intriguing is that Michiru Yamane carefully examined earlier Castlevania tracks. She was really required to do the following: "I was instructed to listen to the music from the previous games and to follow the theme and not to break from this when composing the music."

She elaborates on her thorough analysis of the series' musical past in a different interview, saying, "I was inspired by songs like 'Vampire Killer,' 'Beginning,' and 'Bloody Tears,' which are now the series' standard tunes.' Some great musical works already existed from the previous Castlevania games [...] I studied the compositions to see what made them so appealing, and I wrote in a way that ensured my creations would stand up to earlier ones.

This intrigues me so much because, despite the fact that the series' core songs are like "Vampire Killer," Michiru Yamane has come to represent the Castlevania vibe. She would go on to write the music for Symphony of the Night, another great film, and Bloodstained, Igarashi's film without Konami. Bloodlines is where some of the series' most recognizable elements were established, assuming you have any respect for it.

This holds true for the games as well, not just for the individuals that created it. There are two playable characters in Bloodlines: Eric, a spearman, and John, a traditional whipper-upper. The latter alters the complexity and level structure of the game in a manner that is drastically different from the former.

Yamamura said, "Of course, the whip is an essential part of the Castlevania series, but we wanted to do something different for the Mega Drive, so we added a character that wields a spear." The battles should be simple if you can master Eric's spear move. Though not to the same extent as Rondo or Symphony, this also gave the two protagonists other routes through the game.

Then there is the exquisite sprite art, which gives bosses and characters alike this deft 2D depth via varied portions and deft shading. The gore factor increased dramatically as well, showcasing Konami's mastery of sexy Mega Drive visuals. Furthermore, it's expertly maintained in the fantastic Castlevania Collection, which offers several quality-of-life enhancements like scan lines, simple save states, and more.

We have Castlevania: Bloodlines, a 1994 video game that seems a little neglected despite having some notable names involved. It's a game that advances the franchise in clever and captivating ways, all while coming in a stunning package in terms of both appearance and audio. And more people ought to be thinking about it.

Yamamura heightens the mystery surrounding the creation of this lost masterpiece in the pre-release interview, saying, "Our misfortunes have been so numerous, we've honestly wondered if we ourselves are not cursed." The beginning of it all began with this sinister tapestry we used to set the mood in the development area. I defied everyone's advice to take it down and instead attached some ofuda to fend off the evil. After this, I'll have to post some more.

Perhaps the curse made people feel let down by what they saw to be Bloodlines' lack of creativity. In actuality, however, 1994 was a year when several outstanding games were refined. Just before the PS1 and the Sega Saturn, an era is coming to a close, and familiarity breeds a certain amount of ennui. However, Castlevania: Bloodlines is a well-balanced Castlevania that can easily stand up to the finest games in the series. And you really ought to give it a try if you haven't already.

Come back for more history next month. What are we examining? I'm not sure yet, however. Though I'm terrible at the game, talking about 1994 has made me want to speak about Contra: Hard Corps. I've been playing Phantasy Star a little lately, and it's very intriguing; maybe we should take a closer look at it. In any case, one thing is certain: whether you like it or not, I'll be back.