Dracula: Resurrection
- April 17, 2014
- Microids
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Dracula: Resurrection" is a Point & Click adventure game set in Transylvania, seven years after the slaying of Dracula. You are Jonathan Harker, whose wife Mina has fled to the Count's castle. Explore eerie locations, solve puzzles, and confront evil to discover the truth behind Mina's disappearance and Dracula's fate. The game features 1st person panoramic views and a chilling atmosphere with dangerous encounters. Dare to enter this terrifying world of vampires.
Reviews
- The game builds a very creepy atmosphere and features interesting and challenging puzzles.
- Nostalgic for fans of the original, with some enjoyable cinematic scenes and a decent storyline.
- Works well on Steam and is a fun experience for those who appreciate classic point-and-click adventure games.
- This version is a poor port with many bugs, missing cutscenes, and simplified puzzles that auto-solve.
- The graphics and animations are dated, and the gameplay lacks the depth and challenge of the original.
- Players have reported being unable to progress due to game-breaking bugs, particularly on MacOS.
- story38 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally viewed as underdeveloped and simplistic, often failing to engage players despite some interesting cutscenes and a nostalgic atmosphere. While it attempts to connect to Bram Stoker's Dracula, many reviewers find it lacking in depth and memorable elements, with puzzles overshadowing the narrative. Overall, the story serves its purpose but leaves much to be desired, especially for those seeking a more intricate plot.
“Blood-stunning story, terrific and cold atmosphere, fearsome-challenging puzzles on the way.”
“It's a fun, if short, Myst-like adventure game with beautiful graphics and an interesting storyline that follows up on Bram Stoker's novel.”
“The storyline, while short, is very well told; the creepiness factor is very high (a must for a game based on Dracula's lore).”
“The story is not engaging enough for me to care.”
“I loved the book and was looking forward to trying a faithful continuation of the story, but this game sorely disappointed.”
“The old graphics definitely give some nostalgia of watching my dad play this game, but the voice acting is crap, the story (what little there is) is crap, the puzzles are confusing at times and there is too much backtracking.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated, reflecting an authentic 2000s aesthetic that evokes nostalgia for some players, particularly fans of classic point-and-click adventures. While the visuals may lack modern polish and can detract from the overall experience due to issues like lag and graininess, many players emphasize that the game's charm lies more in its story and nostalgic value than in its graphical fidelity. Overall, the graphics are seen as a mixed bag, with some appreciating the retro style while others find them tiresome and lacking compared to contemporary standards.
“For the time, the graphics were amazing and I loved playing the Dracula story.”
“Everything started out nice, with reasonable graphics for a game its age, despite the hilarious animations and voice syncing.”
“It's a fun, if short, Myst-like adventure game with beautiful graphics and an interesting storyline that follows up on Bram Stoker's novel.”
“And these puzzles just drag on, mixed with the annoying traversal, mixed with the extremely dated visuals that lack the muster they had 20 years ago, it all just becomes a very tiresome and boring experience.”
“This is a crippled port of the Android/iPad version, missing a lot of content/puzzles and has worse graphics and video quality than the original PC release!”
“Secondly, the dialogues and cinematics aren't in full screen as the original but windowed... the graphics, the atmosphere, and the sounds aren't as creepy as the old scary and emotional game... also, the parts with the magnifying glass where you see some less important things of the game are missing too... but these aren't the worst!”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it lacks the polish and smoothness of the original version, leading to frustrating experiences. While some appreciate the simplicity and intuitive nature of the puzzles, others criticize the animation quality and the awkward transitions between cutscenes and gameplay. Overall, the gameplay feels outdated and marred by technical issues, detracting from the overall experience.
“Dracula has a simple storyline, simple gameplay, very intuitive and simple puzzles to solve.”
“Gameplay is very simple and rather smooth, and the game aged well for a pre-2000s game, with decent animation and cinematics.”
“The downside to playing this game on Steam is I noticed some of the gameplay didn't translate well.”
“The gameplay itself is quite annoying.”
“If only the gameplay reflected that same amount of polish in presentation and execution, I might have given a thumbs up.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its creepy and immersive atmosphere, complemented by interesting and challenging puzzles. While some users note that the sound design is minimal and the port quality is lacking, the overall ambiance remains engaging, particularly for fans of dark and gloomy settings. Despite its age and some cheesy elements, the atmospheric locations and compelling story continue to resonate with players.
“The game builds a very creepy atmosphere and the puzzles are interesting and challenging.”
“Blood-stunning story, terrific and cold atmosphere, fearsome-challenging puzzles on the way.”
“If you're into dark and gloomy atmospheres, this game is worth getting.”
“Secondly, the dialogues and cinematics aren't in full screen like the original but windowed. The graphics, atmosphere, and sounds aren't as creepy as the old game, which was full of emotions. Also, the parts with the magnifying glass that show some less important things are missing too, but these aren't the worst!”
“That being said, I still like the atmosphere and story of the game, which always makes me want to read 'Dracula' again.”
- music8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as having a cheesy and outdated quality, yet it contributes positively to the atmosphere during cutscenes. However, the lack of ambient music in the gameplay itself creates a jarring contrast, as players transition from fully voiced cutscenes with music to static environments devoid of sound. Overall, while the soundtrack has its moments, the inconsistency in musical presence detracts from the overall experience.
“Although cheesy and badly aged, this game has an amazing soundtrack and atmosphere.”
“The music seems to happen exclusively in cutscenes.”
“There's a lot of music stings and sound effects you've probably heard before, royalty free maybe.”
“The world itself has no animation at all, which is especially jarring when you switch from a fully voice acted cutscene with music and sounds only to cut back to a still painting essentially.”
“Having no interaction interface other than a simple mouse cursor, very limited inventory management, no ambient music and a cliché remote castle in a rural area with vampire themes all come together to create an experience that is frustrating to play.”
“Also there's a lot of music stings and sound effects you've probably heard before, royalty free maybe.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is notably poor, with users reporting numerous bugs, visual glitches, and freezing issues, particularly on macOS and Windows 8. Many players express disappointment with the mobile port's performance, which detracts from the nostalgic experience.
“I was looking forward to replaying this since I have a lot of nostalgia for it, but this is just the lousy mobile port that has a ton of odd bugs, visual glitches, and useless additions.”
“As others have noted, the game is buggy.”
“The game is buggy, especially on macOS, where you find yourself stuck at the inn in the very beginning of the game.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing animations and voice acting, which some players find entertainingly bad, reminiscent of the TV show "Buffy." Overall, the comedic elements contribute to a lighthearted experience, despite the game's age and technical limitations.
“It's funny that coincidentally I remember the TV show Buffy used a lot of them.”
“Still funny as hell though with the bad voice actors!”
“Everything started out nice, with reasonable graphics for a game its age, despite the hilarious animations and voice syncing.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for issues such as occasional stuttering, off-center camera alignment, misleading arrow placements, and confusing navigation in its open world sections, particularly on Mac systems. While the mysterious atmosphere is appreciated, these technical shortcomings detract from the overall experience.
“Occasional stuttering, your screen being off-center every time you click to go in a certain direction, so you constantly have to readjust the camera. The odd placement of arrows doesn't take you where you think they're taking you sometimes, and the maze-like 'open world' sections become a dizzying array of figuring out where you are after each button press, trying to reorient yourself in the game world.”
“This game has a mysterious atmosphere, which is a good point, but on Mac, it's still not well optimized.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players generally find the replayability of the game to be high, citing multiple paths, varied character choices, and dynamic outcomes that encourage multiple playthroughs. The inclusion of different difficulty levels and unlockable content further enhances the incentive to revisit the game. Overall, many users appreciate the depth and diversity that contribute to a lasting replay value.
“The replay value is almost nonexistent; once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back.”
“After finishing the main storyline, I found no compelling reasons to replay the game, as the choices felt superficial.”
“The lack of meaningful variations in gameplay makes replaying feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly as they progress toward the end, suggesting that the challenge may become repetitive.
“The game starts off fun, but the grinding becomes tedious and repetitive as you progress.”
“I enjoyed the initial gameplay, but the constant grinding for resources really took away from the experience.”
“While the mechanics are solid, the excessive grinding makes it feel more like a chore than a game.”
