Review - In the Wake of Vampire (ITWOV) was released on GameGear both in Japan and in the west (where it was renamed 'Vampire: Master of Darkness'). It was also released on Master System under the names 'Vampire' and 'Master of Darkness'.

Basically, this game is some sort of happy mix between a pumped up version of Bram Stoker's Dracula and Castlevania.

In particular, it mimics Konami's long running series down to the smallest of details. The stairs for example work in the same exact way, and by hitting walls, guess what? you'll find hidden health potions! Also, the secondary weapons such as bombs, spikes, the pistol and so on work just like you would expect them to at this point (up+fire).

Unlike Castlevania though, the main weapon here is not the whip but you can actually choose between the dagger (which is the weapon you start off with and the weakest of them all), the stick (which has good range but is not very powerful), the sword, the axe and the hammer.

Besides this, it is no secret that ITWOV tries hard to look and play like Castlevania but to my surprise, it really does it with style.

For one thing, the graphics throughout the 5 stages are simply among the best seen on Sega's 8bit console. The main sprite is big, well drawn and decently animated while enemies are varied and really beautiful to look at, especially from level 3 onward. Backgrounds are also very nicely drawn, with a good amount of detail and a convincing use of colors.

Amazingly, the music is also of very high quality and the composers managed to create some evocative tunes that enhance the overall atmosphere. It's hard to believe that music that sounds so crisp and clean is actually coming out from the GameGear sound chips! I found myself playing this game right through the end just to find out what the music of the next level would sound like. Yes, it's that good! Gameplay is also extremely refined. Controls are very precise and responsive (although sometimes I had some issues with the damn Castlevania-like stairs but I never really liked these anyway) while the level-structure is well thought out and definitely flows well. Sure, there aren't any surprises in how the game develops but everything there is, it is done with beauty and class. You'll find both familiar levels such as the graveyard, the labs, the cathedral, the clock-tower and original levels such as the Thames or the house of wax dolls. The final battle will put you against Dracula himself in a battle that will feel once again familiar but still interesting and challenging.

To conclude, In the Wake of Vampire is without doubt the best Castlevania clone I ever came across. It squeezes the GameGear/Master System hardware to the last bit to deliver a truely excellent gaming experience that will please Castlevania fans and gamers who just want to put their hands on an addictive and well crafted action game.

Bottom line: an excellent castlevania-clone...8/10