Awakened Evil is a 2.5D Action Platformer heavily inspired by the original Castlevania. It puts us in the shoes of a nameless broadsword-wielding protagonist. Like the iconic whip, it has a good bit of range to face off against our numerous blood-thirsty foes. Before delving head first into things, our first order of business is to pick a difficulty. We have a choice of Easy or Normal. It is a choice many people may not put much thought into, especially considering the description for Normal is “the intended way to play.” Don’t scoff at the Easy option. The infinite lives and additional checkpoints throughout a level make for a great stepping stone into this massively challenging adventure.
While there isn’t any in-game story, the plot, according to the Steam page, is that a Dark Lord has returned and it falls to us to stop him. We are thrust into a city swallowed in flames upon selecting our difficulty. This first area is free of danger, allowing us to get used to the controls before we’re met with the creatures that caused such destruction. You have a single button to swing your sword and another dedicated to your sub-weapon. In the latter’s case, that was a well-appreciated change from Castlevania 1. Finally, you have a jump button. It is a simple control scheme that is fully rebindable should you want to customize it a bit. That was our last bit of solace. From here on out, we must make full use of our character’s abilities while fighting for every inch of progress.
One of the first things you’ll notice is that platforming is a far more significant focus here. The monsters you face are dangerous, sure, but the real threat is missing a jump or being knocked into a pit by their damage. We can withstand a surprising amount of hits, yet falling results in an immediate death. Everything is a menace, no matter how weak they are. Forget the undead or mighty demons. Nothing will cause your blood pressure to fly through the roof more than a frog hopping towards you while you’re trying to line up a jump. And in the fourth Stage, they introduce birds to continuously airdrop in those amphibian fiends. I did not know what true fear was until I saw that unholy alliance plotting our downfall.
Another reason the threat of small and agile creatures is so high is due to our weapon of choice. The massive broadsword will slay many foes we’ll face in a single strike, but requires a bit of windup before swinging and a brief moment to regain your composure after. You must think about when to launch an attack, as doing so too soon will leave our character defenseless for a split second. Combat here is more methodical than in Castlevania, giving it a unique feel. I like it quite a bit, and with the lack of a timer, you can handle things at a cautious pace. A cool head and a plan are just as important as your reaction speed. Be it positioning yourself so you’re unlikely to fall even if hit, or dodging your way across swathes of projectiles, it’s essential to remember we can’t brute force everything.
There are five unique subweapons to use, all bound by the amount of MP you possess. Each takes different amounts to activate. As an example, making yourself temporarily invulnerable with a Bubble Shield is costly, while firing a Gun takes only a single pip of MP. The only way to restore it is to break torches scattered around a level and hope for a green potion. There is also a slight chance an enemy can drop that potion when slain. It creates an exciting dynamic of whether you should avoid using them until a boss encounter. Is it overkill to hit a mouse minding its own business with a Molotov cocktail? Sure is. The thing is that knockback distance is the same whether you’re hit by a dragon or Stuart Little over there. This is typical for the genre, yet with how difficult Awakened Evil is, I say pass me the lighter.
Several checkpoints are found throughout a stage, more if you are on Easy. The most significant advantage of playing on Easy is the ability to attempt challenging sections repeatedly, thanks to infinite lives. If you’re on Normal, you only possess four lives to spend before being sent back to the start of the stage. Finding an extra life will become a near-religious experience. The modern-day equivalent of finding water and next week’s lotto numbers in a vast desert. After beating a level, we can freely load into the next zone or any previously conquered one in the future. It is perfect to play in short bursts and is Steam Deck verified should you want to take Awakened Evil on the go. There are six stages in total, which you can theoretically beat in under 35 minutes according to an achievement.
How long did it take me to beat Normal mode? Four hours and a half. The vast majority of my deaths were caused by being knocked off ledges or flat-out missing a jump. You have random gusts of wind knocking back your character, icy floors where your momentum goes from 0 to 100 real fast, and platforms that are only briefly visible. There is an impressive variety of dangerous hazards that only show up on a single level or infrequently. My suggestion to play on Easy your first time is primarily due to them. Knowing what curveball will occur next and how to deal with it goes a long way. Here comes the real twist. Once you’ve braved the countless challenges and slain the Dark Lord on Normal, the Expert difficulty will be unlocked. It introduces new enemies, additional zones, and different enemy placements. Welcome to the actual game. Normal was basically just a tutorial.
Expert is more than just an increased challenge with how much it changes. Seeing how formerly barren areas come to life with new threats is fascinating. I was expecting just a few new enemies, but no, there are plenty that you’ll need to learn how to fight. This mode also increases how much MP a subweapon takes to bar us from relying on them as much. Much of your past knowledge will be void, so despite technically being the same six levels, it becomes a totally new experience once more. It also features a unique ending. That is insanely ambitious for a game that only costs $7.99 at full price. On top of all this, there is an optional speedrunning mode should you like to have a timer on screen as proof of your skills. For added replay value, there are Steam Achievements for deeds such as clearing a stage without a subweapon or coming out of it at full health on any difficulty.
My primary grievance with this title is the pulsing lightning effect it uses in some areas. There is an accessibility option to turn down its flashing effect, but it remains disorienting with how aggressive the visual impact is. Having a cloud briefly cover the stage’s moon to reveal the invisible platforms would achieve much the same without blinding people. That is pretty much all I have to complain about. I went in craving that original Castlevania experience, and Awakened Evil more than delivered. Its 2.5D graphics were a treat, with the chiptune soundtrack proving just as solid. Every stage was memorable, bringing something new and exciting to the table. What’s more, conquering the campaign on the Normal difficulty was just the beginning of our journey as it then proceeds to open up a slew of new content. Awakened Evil is a love letter to the bygone NES era and is well worth playing for anyone up to the challenge.
- El Panadero -The Baker- Review - August 27, 2024
- Awakened Evil Review - July 10, 2024
- Let’s Look At: Anima Flux - July 3, 2024