Developer: Psygnosis Publisher: Sony Imagesoft Released: 1993 Genre: Action
Bram Stoker’s Dracula was one of the movie events of the year. Whether the film itself was worth all of that hype is debatable but I digress. Like any popular film back then licensed titles would follow and Dracula hit every platform known to man, even the Sega Master System. Forget the license for a moment. Any game based on vampires has a laundry list of features and enemies to draw from to make an awesome action platformer. Yet somehow this game in all of its forms is average and frankly boring.
Dracula should have been an easy slam dunk. They could easily have copied Castlevania and made a kick ass action game while still staying true to the license. In fact that would have been better than….this. The fact is Dracula is boring, which is completely baffling as it has so much to draw from. Between its repetitive structure, heavily flawed action, and awful boss battles the game fails to entertain at every turn. How embarrassing, that Castlevania is a better Dracula game than the actual game based on the movie.
As Jonathan Harker you will explore many different locations in and around Dracula’s castle. Each level has two areas. In the first you explore an indoor location for power-ups and its exit. These items range from extra lives to dynamite and wooden stakes. Abraham Von Helsing will provide hints as to what will be the most effective weapon on the current level although it is not necessary. These tend to be shorter, especially if you make a bee line for the exit. The second half of each level is more action focused as you make your way to its boss. Enemies are more densely packed and there are all manner of traps and such. These stages are pretty cool in that there are often multiple paths to the end. Unfortunately there are a number of problems that get in the way of any fun you may have.
Like many European developed games at the time you have no invincibility when hit. Your small life bar can be sapped in seconds. Health items are incredibly scarce and the game does not refill your life between levels. The special weapons are all almost completely useless as well. Dynamite almost never kills anything and while stakes have range they lack power. The shotgun is the most useful but is exceedingly rare. Luckily the sword you find (hopefully) on the first level is more than enough.
The level design has its highs and lows. Exploring the first half of each level is tedious and sometimes frustrating due to confusing design. There are many objects you can stand on that are not immediately obvious. If you have the right weapon for the level the arrow will point to the exit instead. The action half relies on gotcha mechanics to raise the difficulty. Sudden spikes, falling rocks, instant enemy spawns, Dracula game has every cheap trick in the book. The times where it isn’t being obstinate can be enjoyable. Aside from multiple paths there is a wealth of secrets to incentivize exploration. Some levels even add an extra element of danger. In the Dungeon Dracula’s 3 brides chase you. Balancing progress and collecting items is what the game needs to avoid feeling stale. Too bad this is a one off before it goes back to mediocrity.
With everything I have just described Dracula would seem to be an incredibly difficult game. To some extent it is. But as I mentioned before it is mostly frustrating. The scarcity of health potions is purely to add an artificial level of difficulty. The numerous cheap deaths you will suffer as a result of the lack of temporary invincibility never feel earned. Yet in spite of all this the boss battles, which you would expect to be the hardest, are actually simple and disappointing. They all possess one attack and once you’ve seen it the pattern never strays. Even with that the chance that you will finish this with its limited continues and frustrating elements is nil. But that is contingent on Dracula keeping you interested until its conclusion.
In Closing
Bram Stoker’s Dracula should have been better than the average game it is. It had all the necessary pieces to create a kick ass action title but completely fumbles it in the end. Dracula could have been good but is another bad licensed title. They should have made a Castlevania clone, license be damned.
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