The 35th Anniversary CASTLEVANIA Retrospective (Chapter 3 of 4)
Channel: The Hardcore Retro God
Date: 2022-11-06

'Thought it was all over?  GUESS AGAIN.

The following titles are showcased in this chapter:

CASTLEVANIA BLOODLINES (1994): 1897...  The long-suffering war between humanity and Dracula was over - thanks to the latter being laid to eternal rest by a distant descendant of the Belmont family, Texan Quincy Morris. Europe was at peace until the outbreak of WW1 17 years later, which once again tore the continent apart thanks to its endless massacre and violence - starting with the assassination of Austria's Crown Prince at Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina. Rumor has it that a strange yet tempting beauty was involved through the shadows AND behind the scenes...

The beauty in question who'd just conducted an unholy ceremony that turned out to be the cause of said war by possessing the souls of every human soul, Elizabeth Bartley, to revive her late uncle COUNT F(*expletive*)ING DRACULA.  3 years later, two willing heroes rise up to the occasion to foil Bartley's plot - namely John Morris (another distant descendant to NOT ONLY the Belmonts but also the Morrises, with the unbreakable obedience of his fate to make every vampire fall) & Eric Lecarde, from Segovia. The latter's girlfriend was transformed into a vampire thanks to Bartley's resurrection and ceremony - and did I forget to mention you're only allowed to kick off your quest as ONE OF THE 2?!

CASTLEVANIA DRACULA X (1995): Although this particular offering is a reimagination of Rondo of Blood (released EXCLUSIVELY IN JAPAN for the NEC PC Engine Super CD-ROM² 2 years prior), and advertised as a port - there were a plethora of elements altered from the original, thereby setting the tone in a much different continuity as opposed to the official timeline.
Ol' Drac's back YET AGAIN, resurrected from the wicked hearts of certain Transylvanian men after Simon sealed that blood-sucking S.O.B. away centuries ago. Another descendant of the Belmonts has risen up to the ultimate fateful occasion to once and for all do away with Drac and his often-respawning army and eventually rescue both his better half Annet / Annette and her sister Maria who have been abducted. Who, one might ask? NONE OTHER THAN RICHTER BELMONT!!!

CASTLEVANIA - SYMPHONY OF THE NIGHT (1997): Set 4 years following RONDO OF BLOOD, after Richter's long-awaited vengeance quest was over thanks to his triumph over Drac... Alucard resurfaces out of nowhere to explore his dad's castle - only to find out that Richter is the new lord, and that he shouldn't cause any harm, according to the returning Maria. Did I forget to mention this is more open-world and nonlinear, hence the birth of the "Metroidvania" trend?

Once again, in case anyone hasn't seen the previous 2 chapters:
http://youtu.be/wA9p0evHuZI | http://youtu.be/-073YDvwHQk

...And regarding the 4TH AND FINAL CHAPTER - http://youtu.be/NzK5-34SjmI