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The lost Castlevania. Only available in Japan for over a decade, Rondo of Blood actually feels like a more natural progression for the series than the SNES and Genesis entries which did get stateside releases. The visuals have gotten a massive reworking with an anime-like style, and this visual direction has stuck with the series since. Richter Belmont plays and handles much like Belmonts of games past, and that's a good thing. The biggest differences are that subweapons are wielded with more flair (and have expensive screen-clearing special attacks), Richter's whip always takes a morning star form, and he can finally jump on stairs. Stages are full of dynamic visuals, and enemies are beautifully animated, with every enemy in the game having at least two types of attacks. Branching stage design rewards diligent searching for secrets, as going off the critical path leads to entirely new areas, new levels, and different endings contingent on completing certain secret areas in certain levels. And of course the soundtrack is excellent and free of chiptune restrictions thanks to the CD format. The only weakness of Rondo - only relevant because prior games excelled in this manner - is a lack of consistency and sense of progress. After an amazing first level, you're dropped into a series of random areas like a graveyard and a pirate ship, none contributing to any sense of narrative or consistent setting until reaching the final stage.
Not to be confused with Dracula X, a mediocre SNES Castlevania featuring Rondo's plot and graphics.
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