Remember that Castlevania: Resurrection prototype that was discovered a few weeks back? Well, there’s now a playable build of the game online!
Prior to the game’s digital preservation, the “E3 Pre-Demo” existed on a physical disc owned by an anonymous keeper. Now, Dreamcast fans can download the game from the preservation site Dreamcast Info, which is accompanied by heaps of information [Via The Dreamcast Junkyard]. According to Sega Dreamcast Info, the prototype contains five stages, four of which are playable on actual Dreamcast hardware.
If you’re unfamiliar with the premise of Castlevania: Resurrection, the game is essentially a 3D action-adventure starring Sonia Belmont. If you’ve played Castlevania Legends on the original Game Boy, then you’ll already be aware of Sonia as a character. The vampire hunter was also one of the series’ first female protagonists, with previous games featuring male members of the Belmont clan.
What’s The History Behind Castlevania: Resurrection?
Castlevania: Resurrection was supposed to release on the Dreamcast back in 2000. However, to internal “sabotage” by Konami, the game never saw the light of day. Thanks to the preservation efforts of Sega Dreamcast Info, fans can now get more than a taste of what the game would have been like. The preservation group has also created a mock trailer for the game, which shows off the pre-demo’s environments and combat.
Journalists and VIPs were presented with the demo at E3 1999. At least, according to Sega Dreamcast Info. The demo was also apparently unanimously praised for its graphics, which seem to push the hardware to its limits. While the trailer’s framerate is admittedly questionable, the game’s existence is impressive nonetheless.
If you still own a Dreamcast, then you’ll be able to play the demo by burning it to a blank CD-R. The demo is also compatible with devices like the GDEMU, which allows the Dreamcast to run games from an SD card. Alternatively, you can also use the likes of REDREAM, an easy to use Dreamcast emulator that boasts excellent compatibility and high-resolution gameplay.
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