Today I'm looking at reason #1,748 why Castlevania is one of the most important video games ever made. Its fans, no doubt inspired by the peak they had just experienced, would incorporate elements from the whip-slinging classic into their own games. More specifically, I'm looking at Valis 3, the Dracula's Curse of the series. It's the first to introduce a character-switching mechanic, allowing series regular Yuko to team up with newfound friend Cham and magical sister Valna. This heroic trio must face a new threat. With his home world facing imminent destruction, Glames sets his sights on invading the worlds of Vecanti and Earth. Battle the forces of darkness while sliding in-between spiked ceilings and bottomless pits; it's another day in the life of the fantasm soldier.
While I don't want to dwell on all of the ways in which this game is reminiscent of Castlevania, it does help to set the scene. Besides the character-switching, which I might add functions similarly in that all three ladies share the same health meter, players will find wands capable of performing MP-draining spell-attacks. Enemies near precarious ledges are a common occurrence, so don't act surprised if and when they shove the heroines into a gaping maw of oblivion. You'll never find a turkey hidden in a wall, but you will find restorative hearts hidden in the air. That's... okay that's a stretch. Sorry!
Looking beyond surface similarities, this game also understands the importance of having movement that's methodical, but without being too rigid. Your means of avoiding danger are split between a high jump and a fast slide. Learning both moves as well as the basics of positioning and prediction will get you far. Weapons can be powered up three times and are at their best when performing calm measured strikes instead of frenzied assaults. Also, I guess if I'm going in-depth, then I'll point out to not get to too attached to the wands. Unlike Valis, which had an immensely effective spell for boss-fights, these substandard weapons just won't cut it. Get used to practicing Yuko's sword and Cham's whip, because they're the only tools that matter when fighting Glames and his cronies.
The quest starts in basic action-platformer fashion, with enemies to slash and pits to jump over. Besides the mid-point, which serves more of a narrative purpose, every stage is more complex than the last. "More complex" can mean a lot of things, and Valis 3 kind-of does them all. Shortly after getting a new and spiffy set of bikini armor, Yuko and her crew end up in a mini-labyrinth. There are multiple routes, but as long as you're always heading right, you'll eventually end up at the boss. This is followed by the requisite ice stage. It's not too hard to avoid slipping off of ledges, but a multitude of flying enemies and moving platforms make everything complicated. By the way, you're not getting past this level if you haven't mastered the slide. There are some stunts to perform, like sliding under a spiked ceiling to land on a moving platform that's floating over a pit. Mess up and one of the ladies is eating spikes and/or falling to their doom.
As much as I'd like to claim that this game was influenced by Mega Man 3 and its slide-related chicanery, the fact is that this released in Japan weeks earlier. Furthermore, my willingness to make such a claim shows my inability to recognize that Valis 3's compelling mechanics are wholly unique and not merely borrowed ideas from games that were popular at the time. Maybe this is a lesson that I'll actually take with me into future reviews... or not. I've never been much good at this whole learning business. Point is, this game deserves some major kudos for having a tough yet memorable ice stage. It utilizes all of the expected hazards in a way that fits the series.
Allow me to go a bit further by saying that the level-design is pretty great. Each stage has its own set of monsters to content with, all with abilities that the player must respect if they're to reach the end. I'd say the biggest difference is that monsters can actually respawn, making them a notable threat throughout the entirety of the adventure. Flying creatures are a particularly common problem. They're easily swatted away, but their tendency to show up during the worst possible times is part of what makes the stages fun... or at least engaging. The final stage featuring both flying eyeballs that home in on the heroine as well as homing fireball-spitting creatures is deliciously cruel, yet not in a way that's insurmountably frustrating. Healing items being less common and at times well-hidden is also an appreciated touch. Each stage feels like a series of trials instead of just a path to the next boss.
While I sort-of miss the almost-broken weapons from the previous Valis instalment, the choice to limit Yuko's sword attacks to a basic wave projectile was the right one. Every press of the attack button is a conscious decision. The projectile only travels as far as the sword has charged, so constant button presses produce waves that hardly move. It's a combat mechanic that's easy to understand and creates an unexpectedly immersive rhythm. Since repeat button-presses can no longer solve every problem, players develop more of an awareness of what's around them. Time is spent actually learning a monster's capabilities and how to avoid them. By adhering to its rules, the player essentially becoming a part of the world. Yeah, I suppose it only makes sense that having multiple solutions to a problem instead of just one makes a game much more enjoyable.
While Cham is very effective at tearing through bosses, I don't want to discount the value that Valna brings to the trio. Her shots fly ahead and above, covering two of the most common angles of attack. Her freeze spell is also effective on most goons as well as the single boss that she has to battle on her own. Just don't make the mistake I did by having her face any of the other bosses. Valna's low attack power becomes all-too noticeable when fights drag on a couple minutes longer than they should. Cham on the other hand is so good with that whip I almost wish I could have her take on the final boss instead of Yuko. I know it's narratively and thematically important, but I'm trying to win here!
In spite of the somewhat iffy character balance, boss battles are an across-the-board improvement over the previous games I've covered. Their patterns are easy to read and not so easy to dodge. The fifth boss with his almost shmup levels of projectile spam is a personal favorite. Weaving in-between all of the tiny shredding orbs is made easy thanks to the solid hitboxes. Ashura, the following boss, is also quite the enjoyable challenge. Staying close and slicing them to pieces with Cham's whip is really satisfying.
Of course, I have to discuss the final boss, because he's a bit of a nightmare. The first form is a nothing bout, no big deal. However, once he starts floating and the universe begins spinning, that's when the shit hits the fan. This is one of those battles of attrition that annoy the heck out of me. I'm reminded of the - kinda horeshit IMO - final boss of Ys 2. There has to be a method buried in the madness but landing hits without also taking damage is brutal to pull off consistently. I don't want to attribute my victories over him to luck, but it does feel like I occasionally stumble into a good pattern, land a bunch of uncontested hits, and that's enough to eke out a win. Still, I consider this to be a solid final boss battle. What makes it work is that in all my years of playing the game, I never achieved a decisive victory. Yuko never survived with most or even half of her health remaining. The close wins are always the sweetest. Maybe I should apply the same thought-process to the end-boss of Ys 2... Nah. Screw that teleporting piece of trash.
Valis 3 gets a solid recommendation. It was an enjoyable rental back when I was younger and still holds up today...
...Hm. Well, my brain just called it quits for the day, so I guess this review is going without a proper conclusion. Until next time!
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