Developer: Sinclaire Strange Publisher: Sinclaire Strange Release: 10/30/20 Genre: Action
It has been a long time since Konami has graced us with a Castlevania game. While the last few titles under the Lords of Shadow banner were not met with a warm reception the fire still burns for the further adventures of the Belmont clan. You would think someone at Konami would try to capitalize on the popularity of the Netflix series but apparently everyone is asleep at the wheel. If Konami will not do it indie developers will fill the void left in their absence. Crypt Stalker is blatant in its admiration for Castlevania. But it does not use that to hide a subpar adventure. No sir, this one is truly great on its own merits.
Every 90th eclipse demons attempt to invade our world. They try to open their portals in a different region of the world but every time trained crypt stalkers repel their advance. The time has come once again for the demons to invade and it falls on the shoulders of Gladys to uphold tradition.
Crypt Stalker wears its Castlevania inspiration like a badge of honor. Gladys wields a whip like the Belmont clan and can swing from hooks with the best of them. You get whip power-ups that turn it in to a flame whip too. Unlike those games you only have one other weapon, a handgun. However you can pick up a large number of different ammunition for a variety of effects. Neuro fires bullets that explode in a cloud of splash damage. Split is a three-way shot while Hi-ex is a straightforward powerful shot. The worst is the laser as it is weak and its only benefit is that it passes through walls. The game revels in throwing this POS in your path like the useless torch in Ghosts n’ Goblins. While ammo is limited it is never scarce unless you die.
The level design is strong considering the game it cribs from. You will recognize many staples such as flying bats, demon cannons, and spikes. They even have a clocktower that is one of the most frustrating levels in the game. Nearly every level has a central gimmick it revolves around and they are pretty cool. Stage three takes a page out of Sonic as you must reach air bubbles to stay alive underwater. Level seven has platforms that become invisible as you get close, forcing you to memorize their position or use the enemies to know where it is safe. Outside of the gimmicks the interplay between whip slinging and ranged combat gives the game a unique feel. Knowing when to prioritize each weapon becomes key at certain points and it is possible to complete the game only using either option. In fact there are challenges and achievements for such!
Speaking of feel the controls are not as rigid as Konami’s title and I do not know how I feel about it. I like that you automatically climb stairs and can even jump on them with no input from the player. You have full control when you jump but that is problematic. The level design adheres to the Castlevania structure of measured enemy and platform placement. But your free flowing controls often work against it. You can adjust of course but it is noticeable. The pixel art is exquisite and dripping with detail. However there are readability problems as it is often not clear what is a platform and part of the background. This is one area they should have shown some restraint as it would make the game so much better.
The difficulty can be just as high as the classic platformers of yore. Knock back damage is in full effect and just as aggravating as you remember. Enemy placement is devious and the level gimmicks usually result in instant death if you fail. There is a curve and it is pretty steep. But like Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon there is a casual setting you can activate at any time that grants infinite lives. It relieves the burden but the challenge is still there. Surprisingly the bosses are incredibly easy. They must have realized that as some of the later ones feature instant death mechanics but they are cheap more than challenging. Take what you can get I say.
The main campaign is suitable length for the style of game this is. But with its recent update you are essentially getting three games in one. Handheld mode is a separate version of the game created as if it were originally a Gameboy title. This is not a filter applied to the main game but new levels and enemies patterned after the Castlevania Adventure. It is astounding how committed to the bit they are; the screen resolution is the same, there are similar enemies and it is four levels long like that title. Thankfully it is not slow and plodding like that game but can be just as frustrating. Even with that in mind it is very short and is more of a nice bonus.
The recently released “Lost Sequel” is exactly what the name implies. This mode assumes you are already familiar with the game and its mechanics and throws you in the deep end immediately. The difficulty is up there with the roughest of the Castlevania titles as the game takes the gloves off. There are new enemies and fiendishly clever new tricks like avalanches and auto scrolling sequences. Yet the bosses are still pushovers, curious that. The lost sequel pushes its 8-bit aesthetic further with more parallax scrolling and more detailed modern environments. Seriously the last stage looks ripped from Ninja Gaiden 3 more than Castlevania. You will have to work hard to see this one through but I think it is worth it.
In Closing
Crypt Stalker is a great action game in the Castlevania mold and for the price can’t be beat. The developers understood the assignment and execute on it near perfectly to provide the style of action we have not received from Konami in a while. The fact you essentially get three games in one only adds to its insane value. I enjoyed every minute I spent with Crypt Stalker and if you are a fan of the Belmonts you will too.
