All three of these elements are given almost equal share of the front art, with both Richter Belmont being the center focus with the vampire castle looming in the background beyond him like a specter and several skeletons clawing at Richter from the bottom peripheries. The focus of the artwork is on key things within the Castlevania series the hero, the castle, and the enemies. The cover of the vinyl, done by Oliver Barrett, is one of Mondo’s better Castlevania offerings in my opinion. In terms of the vinyl release, I’ll start with the artwork. Much of the game’s soundtrack would later be used in the semi-remake/quasi-sequal release Castlevania: Dracula X on the SNES. This change in musical style reflected well in Rondo’s art style shift to a more anime-looking motif. The soundtrack is known for its upbeat and pop-like tracks a stark departure from the previous series entry Super Castlevania IV‘s more ambient music. Its soundtrack was released under the ubiquitous Konami Kukeiha Club catch-all credits, though sources report that composers Akira Sōji ( Snatcher), Keizo Nakamura ( Akumajou Dracula X68000, Snatcher) Tomoko Sano and Mikio Saito all contributed to the game’s music. I will review each game’s soundtrack separately to get the most out of them as individual releases.Ĭastlevania: Rondo Of Blood / Dracula X – Original Video Game Soundtrack 2XLPĪkumajou Dracula: Chi no Rondo (Demon Castle Dracula: Rondo of Blood) was released on the PC Engine in Japan in 1993 and was a rare jewel of the Castlevania series until it was ported to North America over 25 years later on the Wii Virtual Console and PSP. So, how do these releases stack up both as individual offerings as well as compared to the other Mondo releases in the series? ![]() While far more have played through Castlevania Symphony of the Night than they have Rondo of Blood due to the latter’s limited release in the states via ports, the soundtracks for both offer different things while still bringing depth to the history of Castlevania music. The soundtracks from both games are held in high regard both with fans of the series and casual gamers alike. However, after four previous vinyl releases from Mondo for the series, and the announcement of both soundtracks to Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night, I figured that perhaps now was the time to offer my critique. Mostly I never reached out because I assumed my bias towards the franchise music would make my opinions too cynical, and it wouldn’t be fair. The Architect's key (found randomly in a wall) is needed to get it.I’ve admittedly had a lot of opinions on the Mondo releases of the various Castlevania soundtracks on vinyl LP, but until now had not gotten the chance to do an in-depth review of any of them. ![]() The merchants will offer a wider range of categories.įound in the Graveyard. Shows a random enemy or boss that carries a blueprint you don't have yet, Will not show any items that cannot be unlocked at that difficulty, but the mirror can show you inaccessible enemies. Unlocks a mirror near the Scribe that may come in handy during your hunts. Makes the Specialist's Shop spawn in Prisoners' Quarters each run, which contains a Hunter's Grenade, a Forgotten Map, and the Golden Outfit blueprint. There you'll find all sorts of rare and expensive oddities for only the most experienced and discerning shoppers. Unlocks a special shop in the Prisoner's Cells. Can be used 5 times per shop, with the shopkeeper's prices increasing by +40% every time it is used. ![]() The player can interact with a pedestal at any shop to change the items on display. Refreshes a shop's stocks at a very reasonable price. The starting shield is randomly drawn from those you have unlocked. The starting bow is randomly drawn from those you have unlocked. The starting weapon is randomly drawn from those you have unlocked. You can transform the items you find on the ground or in chests into gold (15% of the sale price) You can transform the items you find on the ground or in chests into gold (7% of the sale price) Only available after finding its blueprint in the secret maze room in the Ancient Sewers. Heals 60% of your health over a few seconds. ![]() Unlocks a health potion that can be used at any time. Anything other than general improvements are NOT listed here, as they can be found on their individual pages. Health Flask I must be unlocked before anything else.
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