Okay, this is a tough review to write for me.  Not because it is a bad game or anything but because Castlevania Spectral Interlude is just so damned good.  While this is a fan made title, i.e. technically illegal as Konami has not licensed this version, it feels like an official Konami release.  Aleksander Udotov and his team started out wanting to do a demake of Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest (my personal favorite and only game in the series I have beaten without cheating) Spectral Interlude quickly evolved into its own game.  Read on to find out how well things turned out for Castlevania Spectral Interlude on the ZX Spectrum, of all platforms to program for.

The team set out to create a new, original, Castlevania title that was still capable of being within the proper canon that Konami has created (however loosely that “official” veil is).  Spectral Interlude covers a lot of interesting details about the Castlevania world.  One detail that is completely ignored by Konami is what happened to the Belmont clan for so many years.  That and many other details are told in this fan game.

Now that that stuff is out of the way we can get on to the review.  Since this is a ZX Spectrum title you won’t be able to simply download and play it.  You will need to grab an emulator if you don’t happen to have a 3.5 Mhz Spectrum 128 laying around.  Don’t worry, over on the website where you can grab Castlevania Spectral Interlude they have a few links to popular ZX Spectrum emulators for various platforms.  I used the JXD S7300B for my review running the Unreal Speccy Portable app which has the controls already mapped to the physical keys (though the map and secondary weapon need remapping).

Much like the story portion of Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest the story in Spectral Interlude is quite lengthy and one that should not be simply skipped over.  Early on you meet a magician that asks you to end his life, you end up doing it which brings mixed consequences.  As you journey through the land you discover some of your family have taken up shop in town where they wish to live a peaceful life.

For those not used to ZX Spectrum gaming let me give you a heads up on the graphics.  The team behind Castlevania Spectral Interlude have done a great job with the limitations of the platform.  Blocks have shading, the cemetery looks decrepit and the enemies are clearly defined.  Not to mention the whip action is solid and so are the controls.  What more can you ask for?

Fans of the Castlevania series will be right at home with this fan game.  It really feels like an official release.  It is much better than the second Castlevania game (which for some reason a lot of gamers hate) and it is challenging as all get out.

Castlevania Spectral Interlude by Aleksander Udotov and his team
Platform: ZX Spectrum 128
Genre: Action Adventure/Light Role Playing elements
Available now at SpectralInterlude.com

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Carl Williams

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