![]() Cursed Castilla has a certain charm that comes from its much-appreciated and welcomed different setting. For example, although three hits will kill you, you have an endless supply of continues (an option not afforded to retro gamers back in the day). The above comparison to old '80s Nintendo games is apt and a shorthand for a game that wields a brutal challenge but thankfully a few modern concessions. I surprised myself by forcing my aging reflexes through to the true end boss and one version of the real ending, but am unlikely to improve enough for the best versions which are locked behind continue counts.This is a simple and super-solid action title that's an obvious throwback to classic video games. A few of the hidden items are a little obscure, some requiring you to kneel in front of statues or destroy specific parts of the scenery, but the linear nature of the game means that you never need to spend hours backtracking. It is impressive how much of an effect the various weapons can have on the way you play, and is particularly fortunate given games of this genre live or die based on their controls and level design.įinishing the game through normal progression results in missing out on the ‘true’ end level and receiving the bad ending, butj replaying to get the final level is actually more fun as you can feel the ways in which you have improved. Personally I found the bolas to be the most useful weapon for much of the game, but guides online recommend the powerful but difficult to aim fire bombs and speed runners go for the rapid fire of the sickle. This again adds to the process of learning the levels and becoming more skilled. Strategies for combating enemies also require a good knowledge of the various weapons available and picking the power up most appropriate for what you’re facing.Ĭhest locations and their contents are set, which can be refreshing in this age of procedurally generated levels. Even here, though, most deaths could be attributed to lapses in concentration or foolishly trying to sneak an extra hit in. At least until the endgame, where a sequence of three boss fights proved particularly punishing. The overall difficulty of the game is well set, and I always felt that I was making progress. ![]() That’s perhaps the greatest compliment to the quality of level design to be found here. I was soon completing levels without dying that I had initially thought overly difficult. In this sense, the genealogy from Ghouls ‘n Ghosts to Dark Souls can be seen, with dying being an essential part of improvement. Don Ramiro controls well and, aside from a couple of floating platform sections, deaths generally felt like part of what makes the game enjoyable rather than detracting from it. This learning often takes place through a frustrating amount of trial and error, but rarely feels unfair. ![]() There’s the traditional forest, town, swamp, and castle that will be familiar to anybody who has played a fantasy arcade game, but within these locations are an assortment of demons and monsters, all of which have individual patterns and behaviours to learn. This results in the player taking Don Ramiro on a perilous adventure through a range of pixelated Spanish settings. ![]() The backstory, as far as I could decipher, revolves around a king sending his most favoured knights on a quest to close the gateway to Hell, having been opened up by a demon taking advantage of a witch’s sorrow. Fortunately, this isn’t a game that relies upon its narrative, so this is a minor quibble. Even the introductory screens, wonderfully retro as they are, suffer from odd translation choices. It is a shame, however, that the level of translation is pretty poor, with many of the descriptions making little sense. Each of these entries is unlocked after you first pick up an item or fight the respective foe. The lore is supplemented by the welcome inclusion of a codex that offers brief descriptions of the various items and enemies that you will encounter. ![]()
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