Both the Original and the Arranged modes in Castlevania: Chronicles use 2D graphics, similar to, but not on the level of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The Arranged mode definitely looks nicer, with a more detailed Simon and some other visual effects--some of which might spoil the game--but for the most part the two versions look very similar. Of course, for those of you who think this is a port of the NES version of the game, you'll be pleasantly surprised with the graphical quality. It's not, of course--it's a port of a Japan-only release of the series, similar but not identical to the NES version and much better looking. Nonetheless, the game looks nice but not amazing; it's something you'd expect of a mid-generation SNES game, and definitely doesn't push the PSX to its limits.

A Castlevania game without superb sound would be a poor game, and Chronicles doesn't disappoint in this area. The music is solid, in both modes--but especially in Arranged--and you can even tweak the sound emulation and pick how you want it to sound. The sound effects are pretty much the same as they've always been in the series, with whip-smacking fun. But I can bebop to Castlevania music for hours.

Which, unfortunately, is just about all this game is going to last you. It's fun while you're playing it, and there are a number of surprises for people who've never touched the older games in the series, but for the most part Castlevania: Chronicles is an old-school Castlevania game, with many of the problems that that entails.

There's a plot, I'm sure, but it was never really coherent in these games. You have to go whip Dracula's butt as usual, and the game starts with you going to his evil castle in Transylvania. Or something. As the game progresses, you'll dive under the castle, over the castle, and all of the sorts of places you expect in the series. Unlike Symphony of the Night or Circle of the Moon, the game is linear, and you'll basically be marching through the stages one-by-one on your way to fight Dracula.

More can be said, but there's really not that much to the formula. Like the older games, you have considerably less control over your whip and your jumps, which may be realistic, but it's a pain in a platformer. The levels range from trivial to damned difficult, and there are a lot of cheap hits in the game that you can only get past with rote memorization. Ah, well. You can unlock some stuff by beating the game, and it's worth playing through--it's a fun game--but the staying power is a little more dubious.

Fortunately, the game's being offered at a low-enough price point to make it worth a romp.

For the most part, the early Castlevania games were very difficult until you learned their tricks, and Castlevania: Chronicles is no exception. You can tweak the settings in the Arrange mode, but the standard game puts you in the action with no real recourse. People who haven't dealt much with the sorts of things that happen in older Castlevania games may have problems with Chronicles for a while, but practice definitely makes perfect, and soon enough you'll be doing fine in the game.

Jump, whip, move. You can press up and whip to use your special attack. Anyone who's played any of the games in the series will pick up the controls instantly, no instructions needed. They're responsive, which is nice. I didn't notice any major glitches while I played, and while I thought a few of the tricks were dirty--I don't like what they replaced the meat in the first level with one bit--it's certainly amusing. The load times are short enough to almost not be noticeable, and while the gameplay is dated you can't fault the control with which it's executed.

Castlevania: Chronicles is really a game that can only be recommended to aficionados of the series. Later games, like Symphony of the Night, are in every way better than this, and it's hard to go back if you started with such an excellent title. Fans of the series, though, will find quite a bit to like in the game, and while it's not perfect, it's definitely an enjoyable enough romp. Make sure you sharpen your daggers and get the holy water out, because the trek to Dracula has rarely been more devious.