TheCastlevaniafranchise has been dormant for a while now, at least as far as the video game side of things is concerned. While Netflix’s adaptation kept audiences interested in the series, Konami’s made no attempts at developing a newCastlevania. The most meat fans of the games have had to chew on recently comes fromCastlevania: Resurrection.
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Originally planned to launch for theDreamcast,Castlevania: Resurrectionwas a 3D action-adventure game that was ultimately cancelled. The factCastlevaniahas never had true success with 3D perhaps makes this for the best, but it’s hard not to imagine whatResurrectionwould have become with more dev time.
10Intended Dreamcast Launch
The Sega Dreamcast’s launch was the progenitor for modern video game launches, turning a console release into a genuine event with dozens of games to choose from on Day 1. Konami’s plan was to developCastlevania: Resurrectionas a Dreamcast launch title – getting in on the action alongside now classic games likeSoul CaliburandSonic Adventure. Unfortunately, September, 1999 came and went withResurrectionnowhere close to ready for release.
9No Belmonts In 1666
The central premise of theCastlevaniafranchise follows the Belmont family locked in their eternal war against Count Dracula, always ready to combat him whenever the Dark Lord resurrects. Bizarrely,Resurrectionwould have been set in 1666, with the lack of Belmonts serving as a distinct plot point. This doesn’t make sense when taking the timeline into consideration, however. Soleil would likely be dead at this point, but Simon’s father should both be alive and in his prime – especially since Simon is born around 1669.
8Time Travel
Even though it logically doesn’t make sense, the absence of Belmonts in 1666 necessitates time travel (somethingCastlevania Judgementwould actually play around with years later).Castlevania: Resurrectionwould have starred two playable characters: Sonia Belmont fromCastlevania Legendsfor the Game Boy and Victor Belmont, a brand new character who was developed specifically forResurrection.
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Due toResurrection’s eventual cancellation, neither Sonia or Victor were welcomed into the series’ canon and the official timeline jumps from the events ofBelmont’s Revengein 1591 to the originalCastlevaniain 1691.
7The Return Of Sonia
Sonia Belmont was originally introduced inCastlevania Legends, considered one of the worst games in the series due to its poor level design and contradictory story.Legendsends with Sonia having a child with Alucard who grows up to be Trevor Belmont fromDracula’s Curse. This has since been expunged from the series’ canon, butResurrectionpresumably would have made this piece of lore official. Sonia would have been brought back in time from the 1450s, serving as the main character while Victor neglects his duties as a Belmont.
6Victor Belmont
Victor Belmont was actually referenced inLords of Shadows 2, acting as the last living member of the Belmont clan into the 21st century. Victor’s role inResurrectionwould have seen him abandoning his vampire hunting duties entirely only to be whisked back in time. There, he would presumably regain his sense of responsibility by fighting alongside Sonia and learning from the matriarch of the Belmont clan. While Victor is billed as the co-lead alongside Sonia, all ofResurrection’s footage indicates the game would have been mainly from Sonia’s perspective.
5Dracula, Death, And The Countess
In franchise fashion, the main antagonists ofCastlevania: Resurrectionwould have been Count Dracula himself, Death, and the unnamed Countess. Female suitors of Dracula aren’t new to the series, but the fan servicey nature ofResurrection(set in close proximity to Simon’s birth and starring a previous main character) could suggest that the Countess might have been Carmilla. The fact that time travel plays a role in the plot could have led to an early introduction for Saint Germain, as well.
4The First Castlevania Set In England
The averageCastlevaniagame is set in Eastern Europe with only a few exceptions across the entire franchise.Castlevania: Resurrectionwould have been a stark departure from the series’ established setting by having Dracula’s Castle appear in London, England. While it’s entirely possibleResurrectioncould have been envisioned as a cross continental adventure likeBloodlines, everything seems to indicate that London was the main setting – a place no Belmont has ever had a connection to.
3Canonizing Legends
Probably the biggest “What If?” surroundingCastlevania: Resurrectionis the impact the game would have had onLegends’role in the franchise. A big budget 3D release likeResurrectionmerits canonicity, butLegendscontradicts so much ofCastlevania’s established lore and themes that it ultimately does more harm than good.
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Resurrectionreleasing would have forcedLegendsinto canon, if only to justify Sonia’s entire presence in the game. The idea of a Belmont matriarch isn’t inherently a bad one, but making every descendant after Belmont part-vampire is a bit of dramatic irony that lends the storytelling no favors and only sours future games. Interestly, this is an angle heavily played with in theLords of Shadowsub-series.
2The Demo
Against all odds, an E3 demo ofCastlevania: Resurrectionsurfaced in April of 2021. The demo featured Sonia as the sole playable character along with a boss fight against Medusa and a level select screen with a few playable areas. While a truly excellent find, the demo’s gameplay is in bad shape and it’s not hard to see whyKonamieventually gave up on the project.Resurrectionis just a bog-standard action game lacking in inspiration and creativity, seemingly destined to make the same mistakes asCastlevania 64.
1Cancellation And PS2 Connections
Castlevania: Resurrectionwas canceled in March, 2000 – the exact same month the PlayStation 2 launched in Japan and beat the Dreamcast at its own game. It’s really no coincidence thatResurrectiondied in light of thePS2. Konami likely saw the game was nowhere close to matching its 3D contemporaries and chose to cut the title before it could even have the chance to underperform. Considering how much successCastlevaniahad as a 2D series after the fact, it was for the best.
