By Joseph Walter
My first experiences with the "Castlevania" franchise were with Castlevania: The Adventure on the Game Boy, and then my friend's copy of Castlevania: Circle of the Moon on the Game Boy Advance years later, just for a few minutes before I had to get on the bus. Shortly after, I rented Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness from Blockbuster (and I now own that exact cartridge.)
What solidified my love for the series, though, was purchasing the original game, along with its sequel, for the old Nintendo that I had acquired from my best friend.
They were tough games to be sure, but the atmosphere and gameplay hooked me. Yes, even Simon's Quest's befuddling and cryptic scenarios fueled my imagination.
Before purchasing these games, or even playing them, however, my first actual exposure to the series was through its music. On a website that has certainly long since met its fate in the cyber-graveyard, my best friend and I (the same one who gave me the NES!) listened to spooky MIDI remixes of songs from the enchantingly titled Castlevania series. We were enthralled and even legitimately scared by some of the creepier tunes from the first three games, yet couldn't help but listen to them repeatedly.
The music has had that same effect on many over the years, and the games have become synonymous with outstanding music. Simply put, the soundtracks are legendary in their own right. But why is that the case? What's made them stand the test of time for so long? What sets them apart from their peers? Those questions hooked into me during the past few months, so I decided I'd tackle them in a series of soundtrack reviews. Some of these will be very well known and beloved, while others haven't quite gotten the recognition they may deserve and have been obscured by time and other factors. The twist is that, after talking briefly about each track, I'll discuss how the music stands out on its own, without the game to accompany it, along with how it meshes with the on-screen action.
So please join me for my stereotypically Castlevania-infused month of October, featuring OST reviews, and at least one article featuring the games as well!