Just like its bloodsucking antagonist, Castlevania has lain dormant for a few years, however Konami’s vintage vampire-slaying franchise is in spite of everything starting to awaken because of initiatives like Useless Cells: Go back to Castlevania.
Launched previous this week, the heralded DLC stars Richter Belmont and Alucard in what Konami Go back to Castlevania manager Tsutomu Taniguchi half-jokingly refers to as an isekai — slang for anime about characters abruptly being transported into a brand new and unfamiliar international.
“Is ‘isekai’ a buzzword ? As a result of that is how I might outline this storyline,” Taniguchi informed IGN in a brand new interview. “Let’s simply say that Dracula’s Citadel teleported at the Beheaded’s Island and what took place at the island remains at the island.”
No, Useless Cells: Go back to Castlevania is not canon, however this is a amusing reimagining of the old-school platformer, which were given its get started at the Famicom long ago in 1986. The DLC has been heralded by means of lovers and critics alike, with IGN’s evaluate calling it a “shining blueprint of how to do a crossover right.”
‘Respectfully stolen’
In line with Evil Empire leader working officer Benjamin Laulan, it were given its get started at 2019’s BitSummit pageant in Kyoto, which the studio attended within the hope of creating a deal to promote Useless Cells within the Jap marketplace. A gathering with Konami satisfied Laulan to shoot his shot and pitch a crossover, and used to be shocked to discover a receptive target market.
“Again in France, we got to work on it and smartly, since Useless Cells had ‘respectfully stolen’ such a lot of components from the collection already, corresponding to: the whip, the important thing artwork with the citadel, the meals hidden in partitions… the ‘rogue-vania’ punchline… (oops!) It simply made sense to proceed this manner, so we were given misplaced into pleasure and went all-in, the pitch briefly became a complete DLC proposition,” Laulan stated.
Laulan referred to as Empire’s collaboration “in point of fact, in point of fact easy,” announcing Konami readily agreed to the whole thing from Richter Mode to the Konami Code.
Taniguchi, for his phase, stated that Konami is “proud” that Castlevania had such an affect on Useless Cells.
“Significantly, understanding that Useless Cells, which is without doubt one of the biggest indie video games of the previous ten years, used to be impressed by means of Castlevania is a large supply of pleasure for us,” he stated. “When Evil Empire and Movement Dual got here again with their full-DLC proposition as an alternative of simply this brief that includes we weren’t in point of fact shocked and we had been hoping for that to be fair. And we simply idea we needed to allow them to move complete circle, as a result of we knew they’d use each and every ounce in their skill to honor the franchise. And in addition, I for my part admit I simply in point of fact sought after to look what a battle in opposition to Dracula in Useless Cells would seem like!”
‘We all know that our lovers all the time need extra’
Taniguchi would not say what the Useless Cells: Go back to Castlevania method for the wider franchise, which hasn’t observed a right kind free up since 2014’s Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (the a hit Netflix collection apart), however did recognize the “pleasure and exuberance of the lovers on-line,” which is “in point of fact motivating for [Konami].”
“We attempted to convey again the video games that folks liked and beloved with the Castlevania Anniversary Assortment and the Castlevania Advance Assortment, we additionally introduced again Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night time for our PlayStation lovers and on cell, and introduced Grimoire of Souls on Apple Arcade to rejoice the lore of the franchise,” Taniguchi stated. “However we all know that our lovers all the time need extra, and we do too, so this chance to have this wonderful crossover with Useless Cells used to be not possible to go up on. “
Konami is some distance from its glory days, when franchises like Steel Equipment Forged and Castlevania towered over the video games business, however there are indicators of a comeback. Konami is lately operating on a couple of Silent Hill initiatives, together with a full-blown remake of Silent Hill 2, and rumors of a Metal Gear Solid remake persist. Even Suikoden is getting somewhat love with a remaster set for later this year.
Will Castlevania practice go well with? We will simply have to look. However within the temporary, Useless Cells: Go back to Castlevania is a tantalizing reminder of what may well be for one among Konami’s maximum loved franchises.
Kat Bailey is a Senior Information Editor at IGN in addition to co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Ship her a DM at @the_katbot.