The Castlevania series is one of the most acclaimed in gaming, but Rondo of Blood was one game in the series that fans in the west didn’t get to play for years. The game was darker than the previous games, in terms of content and storytelling but that wasn’t what held it in Japan only. It was due to the game being only released on the PC Engine CD which had failed in the west by the time the game came out. Thanks to re-releases and better importing however, we now can play the game in all its glory.
Rondo of Blood was an excellent followup to the games that came before. It didn’t have the full direction whip movement that Super Castlevania IV had, but it had a lot more to offer instead. Branching paths, new weapon techniques and multiple characters made this a game that you would replay over and over again. The game was challenging in a great way and had amazing bosses that kept you on your toes, and the enemies in general had better variety. The gameplay in general was amazing, because there were so many ways you could go about things. You could use your subweapons in new ways, or play as Maria for a very different playstyle, all of which provided a much different Castlevania than what had ever come before.
The music in this game was also a standout, and it was thanks to being on a CD system. I would even say that this game has the best music in the entire series, with some of the most iconic incarnations of the famous tunes. They just sound so amazing and it is clear that the team went all out with the presentation. The visuals and animations were also of a much higher quality and all of this added up to an excellent game.
What was most notable however, was the story. The story of this game directly led into Symphony of the Night and therefore the Sorrow duology. I would this say, that this is one of the most important games in the entire series. It brought the narrative forward in a new way, it brought new gameplay mechanics and ideas, and it gave the game a vastly superior presentation than what had come before, which pushed developers of the later games to do better.
I encourage you to seek out this game and try it for yourself. It is available on the Wii virtual console, and the PSP among other services. It is a truly excellent experience and one that everyone should try!