Castlevania: Rondo of Blood review

Castlevania: Rondo of Blood is the strongest of the stage-based Castlevania games on this list, and the one Symphony of the Night continues directly. Konami's Requiem page says it was released on the PC Engine in 1993 as the first CD-ROM game in the series and was praised for its visuals and music. It has 9 stages with hidden levels and alternative routes, imprisoned villagers to rescue, and two playable characters: Richter Belmont and Maria Renard. Today the way to buy it is Castlevania Requiem on PS4, which pairs it with Symphony of the Night for $19.99. Requiem averages 4.69 of 5 from 13,465 ratings on the PlayStation Store, and the listing says it is playable on PS5. It scores lower on ease of setup than the games above because it needs a PlayStation. PC and Switch players can try Castlevania: Dracula X, the SNES reimagining of Rondo of Blood included in the Castlevania Advance Collection, which Steam calls one of the most challenging entries.

Who it is for

players who want classic stage-based action at its peak

Price

$19.99 one-time on PlayStation Store for Castlevania Requiem (PS4, with Symphony of the Night).

$19.99 Add to Cart
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 12, 2026.

Key features

• 9 stages with hidden levels and alternative routes, per Konami
• Rescue imprisoned villagers along the way
• Two playable characters: Richter Belmont and Maria Renard
• First game in the series released as a CD-ROM game
• Bundled with Symphony of the Night, its direct follow-up

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Castlevania Requiem averages 4.69 of 5 from 13,465 PlayStation Store ratings
• Strength: $19.99 covers two games
• Strength: Playable on PS5, according to the store listing
• Weakness: Only sold today on PlayStation; the SNES remake Castlevania: Dracula X is the version in the Advance Collection
• Weakness: Single player only
• Weakness: Some PS4 features may be absent when played on PS5, per the store page

Key facts

• Original release: 1993 (PC Engine, Japan)
• Requiem release: October 26, 2018
• Stages: 9, plus hidden levels
• Playable characters: Richter Belmont, Maria Renard
• Players: 1

Where it ranks

Castlevania: Rondo of Blood is No. 3 in our Best Castlevania Games verdict.