Talented developer andDOOMconnoisseur Batandy released a mod that turns the originalCastlevaniainto a first-person vampiric bloodbath. Batandy’s mod, titledCastlevania: Simon’s Destiny, reinventsKonami’s beloved franchise and gives fans a chance to defeat Dracula from an entirely new perspective.
Originally released in 2017,Castlevania: Simon’s Destinyis a non-profitDOOMfan game thatutilizes the popular GZDoom port. Batandy recreated every level from the original NES classicCastlevaniaand released it as a standalone game. Players swapDOOM’s usual assortment of ballistic weaponry for Simon Belmont’s famous whip in order to defeat Dracula’s army of the night. According to Batandy, the game is “a love letter” to Konami’s legendary franchise and is available to download free of charge.
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Despite releasing over 30 years later,Castlevania: Simon’s Destinycaptures all of thecharm and danger of the originalCastlevania. Players dispatch waves of familiar enemies, from the relentless undead to elusive vampire bats, with an assortment of lethal gear. There is a plethora of Holy Water vials to toss, axes to heave, and candlesticks to destroy as Simon ascends the castle.
Batandy is a developer well-known in the modding community for his elaborateDOOMmods. Modders often revamp entire game engines for their favorite series, going as far as bringingResident Evil 7back to the franchise’s fixed camera roots. Batandy has done just that for the originalDOOMby using the game’s classic mechanics to create entirely new experiences within its world. In addition toCastlevania: Simon’s Destiny, Batandy has developedDoom: The Golden Souls ½and is currently working onDoom: The Golden Souls 3.
The work of modders like Batandy offers fans of specific titles opportunities to revisit their favorite games long after developers have moved on to new projects. Bethesda’s releasedDOOM Eternallast year, which offers players a modern first-person shooter experience that meets today’s industry standards. While the game is very well-received, there is still an audience who craves more of the pixelated FPS action ofthe classicDOOMtitles of the 1990s.
As a fan of retro titles, it’s no surprise Batandy shares a strong affinity with theCastlevaniafranchise. Since its 1986 release in Japan, theCastlevaniaseries has developed over 20 games andrecently spawned a successful animated series on Netflix. The franchise’s popularity is so immense that it even helped to coin the term “Metroidvania” as a genre of video games.
All that is required to playCastlevania: Simon’s Destinyis an install of GZDoom. Players interested in combatting Dracula in first-person can download the mod for free at batandy.itch.io/simonsdestiny.
