Can Konami bring Castlevania to life on the Dreamcast? Game Info Publisher Konami Developer Konami Genre Action Origin UNKNOWN Number of Players 1 Force Feedback YES Release Jan. 16, 2000 Peripherals Analog Notice the light coming in from the windows? In Resurrection, you can play as one of two characters.

For just a few moments, try reeeeaaaaal hard to forget the unintentionally nightmarish experience that was Castlevania 64, and envision a world where a 3-D Castlevania means not the loss of gameplay and blissful detail that we’ve all come to know and love from previous tales of the Belmonts' eternal battle with 'ole Drac. Pretend that there is a system out there that can bring the wonderfully detailed world of this storied series to life in full 3-D without dumbing it down for the Tomb Raider generation. Dare to dream that there is a team out there dedicated to making the noble idea reality.

Are you starting to feel me yet? If so, then leave your justifiable cynicism at the door and prepare yourselves for what could very well be the coming of a new level of gaming brilliance from our friends at Konami. If all goes according to plan, Castlevania Resurrection will be the title that gamers deserved in the last generation; the first game in the series that adequately transitions Castlevania into the realm of 3-D viability seen in such titles as Mario 64 and Sonic Adventure.

I know, I know. It sounds too good to be true…maybe even a little bit crazy. But trust me, if you played Casltevania 64 and wished they had managed to capture the 2-D spirit in a 3-D world, you may not need to look any further than Resurrection, which is shaping up to be the redemptive execution of a generation full of wasted hopes.

Now that I've gotten that lengthy but necessary disclaimer out of the way, let's sink our teeth into the story that sets the stage for this latest journey into the realms of the undead. Resurrection introduces us to a new evil in the form of the Countess, a female vampire whose plot for vengeance leads to the return of everyone's favorite blood sucker via a trans-dimensional portal that allows Drac to make his way back to the land of the living, along with a host of creepy cronies who exist only to serve their dark master and his lover in the ultimate destruction of the pesky Belmont clan.

But what would the good fight be without a little Belmont resistance. Thankfully (?), all this meddlin' with the space-time continuum has upset the balance of good and evil, and threatens to throw the world into eternal chaos if the Countess and her minions are not stopped. So of course, to help restore the balance, two of history's finest have been called into service by the forces of light. Both the first of the Belmont clan, Sonia, and Victor, a renown vampire hunter from the 1800's have been brought to this pivotal point in history to put an end to the madness, and that's where you come in. CR will allow gamers to take control of either member of the Belmont family in an effort to wipe out this evil scourge that plagues the land. OK, so it's not like this one is a huge departure from every other Castlevania, but you've gotta give them credit for at least trying to make things interesting with the whole time thingy, right?

Thankfully, while the story may be a little lacking, the visuals are nothing short of revolutionary for the series, and if you're a die-hard Castlevania fan, you should know that such a distinction can not be taken lightly. I'm sure some of you are convinced that Castlevania's visual brilliance just can't make the transition to 3-D, but let me tell you that after getting a taste of this game in action, you had best leave your prejudice behind you, because you will be beside yourself when you experience this game for the first time. During our recent visit to Konami, we were quite simply left speechless.

By all accounts, the game looked admittedly rough behind closed doors at E3, so you can imagine our shock when we were treated to a run through of the first level, which was easily one of the most atmospheric experiences of our gaming lives. Real-time specular lighting, fog that served only to set the mood, and amazingly complex architecture solidified by some of the most detailed textures this side of Unreal were all brought together by the seamless transition between a host of creepy areas that took nearly 5 minutes to cover on foot without the interference of enemies! I swear, it just left me giggling like a school boy. After the run-through, the thought of causing a little trouble in Transelvania was about all I could focus on outside of a few distinguishable syllables that bared a slight resemblance to "Good lord, that is incredible!" Thing is, words just can't describe how amazing this was. Trust me, though, when I say that this game will easily make you accept the move to 3-D with unbridled glee.

But the thing is, as good as this game looks, visuals will not be enough for the die-hard Castlevania fan, as many are as bloodthirsty for revenge as our friend Dracula after the series' last attempt at 3-D "gameplay." Of course, the first question to leave the lips of the crew at IGNDC during our sit down with project leader Norio Takemoto was to inquire as to the direction of Resurrection from a this standpoint. Could we expect another 3-D flop, or would they attempt to return the series to it's roots? We managed to breathe a collective sigh of relief when we discovered that not only did Takemoto-san worship the PlayStation's exemplary Symphony of the Night, but also had a significant hand in the Genesis' Bloodlines. To top it all off, his key goal with CR is to bring back the action-oriented feel that made the series what it is today. Early impressions indicate that Resurrection is well on it's way to doing just that. We'll see the return of a more linear focus to the levels, as well as upgradable secondary weapons which should serve as an excellent springboard into the action. Items like Holy Water and the mighty Axe will be back, and depending on the number of hearts used in your attacks, you'll actually be able to vary the power of each attack. Cool, eh?

Along with this return to relentless whip-wielding action, CR marks the rebirth of many a favorite enemy. The gang's all here, from Skeletons to Seamen, and they've never looked more frightening. Each enemy will have a host of individual attacks and animations, and we're told that they will also feature advanced group dynamics, gnashing and bashing in unison and running when in trouble in order to re-group or get help. These actions will all be dependant upon the level of enemy, of which there are four main levels of sophistication: basic, advanced, sub-boss, and boss. While this is standard fair in the genre at present, it should mark an interesting moment in Castlvania history.

Even more interesting is that developers have promised that the variety in their behavior is a mere foreshadowing of what we can expect in terms of the differences in the enemies themselves. Resurection sports 5 themed levels, and each will have it's own set of advanced enemies out of the game's total of over 30 distinct creatures which will both help set the mood and find new and interesting ways to impede your progress. We got see a number of models in action, and not only must we confess that these guys have a whole mess of moves, but man…they look incredible!

To help round out the package and satisfy the Castlevania hardcore, the audio of Resurrection will have to be one hell of a masterpiece. True to form on the title, it looks as if Konami is well on their way to holding up this end of the bargain, as well. Haunting sound effects coupled with a driving techno-classical score nearly got the IGNDC crew in trouble during our visit, as we let slip our plans to snipe a copy of the early tracks sampled in "the cave," where the Ressurection sound crew was hard at work on the eerily moving tunes for the title. We managed to keep our noses out of trouble, and we're clinging desperately to the hope that they'll see fit to include the soundtrack with this one, because it is shaping up to be a winner.

Actually, with regards to almost every aspect of Castlevania Resurrection, I have to say I am completely taken aback by its overall level of excellence. The Konami of America-based team knows they have a lot to prove with this title in many senses. If what we witnessed is any indication, they will make raving fanboys out of the cynical masses who feel Castlenvania has no business in the third dimension. We only got a little taste, but hopefully the game will stay on track and deliver a full dose of the hauntingly intense experience we were left craving. We'll be back with more info in a few months, but till then, check out these new screens and as a special treat, a quick video clip of the game in action! Killer.

-- Brandon Justice, IGNDC