The Last Sanctuary

How I looked forward to Dracula Resurrection - and then almost gave up before reaching Dracula's castle, because graphics, atmosphere and puzzles didn't thrill me at all at that time. But how different the game became in the evening playing it in a dark room, when I was sneaking with Jonathan Harker on creaking timber floor boards through the castle, always strained, where the cursor would probably bring me with the next movement, whom or which I would probably find behind the next uncanny dark corner. This really was pure suspense and adrenalin! And also the puzzles to be solved in the castle - here the count of darkness made it far more interesting for Jonathan Harter and me to stay!

In a word: at the end I was more than reconciled with the game, especially after the movie-like end sequence. After that it was no question for me that I wanted to meet Dracula and Jonathan again in part 2, all the more because it was promised that this game should offer a strongly extended story with trickier puzzles.

The end sequence auf Dracula Resurrection is set as starting sequence of Dracula 2 again for my pleasure, creating a smooth transition between the two games.

A very special chessboard

A terrible host

Unfortunately this pleasure was clouded in the course of the game by the fact that you always had to click away this sequence with the spacebar each time you wanted to start and go on with the game, if you didn't want to watch it again. 

Thus in Dracula 2 you could meet Jonathan Harker and Mina in London again where they are trying to find healing for Mina's transsylvanian experience by Dr. Seward. But will she ever recover? That is questionable, because Dracula wouldn't be Dracula, if he would give up at this point and leave Mina in Jonathan's care.

Dracula is in London too with evil intentions and even before Jonathan could discover any of his artifices, Dracula kidnaps poor Mina again to Transsylvania. And it seems final this time, for his last sanctuary is secured by insurmountable obstacles and traps. So Jonathan must go on a final journey to Transsylvania too - a journey that will become either his ruin or finally destroy Dracula!

One did not promise too much with the fact that this second fight between Jonathan and the count of darkness would last much longer than the first game and through this would bring us a really more expanded gaming pleasure.

I spent more than twice the time with Dracula 2 as I did with "Dracula Resurrection":

The puzzles are more difficult and the story is much more substantial. There also seem to be some inspired Harry Potter-fans among the developers, because here also a deadly chessboard is created by magic, which must be surmounted by our hero. The puzzles are very various and I enjoyed them very much. For example deciphering a number keylock and other similar not just simple combination puzzles or the complicated search/find of objects and hot spots up to the fight against Dracula's creatures (partially they must be defeated using your grey cells, but sometimes by main force too). 

Some tasks have a time limit, which drives up your adrenalin level, but they are not unsolvable. Though you can die during the game, there are no brutal dying scenes, but simply a Game-Over-screen. Three times the game becomes bloody. But the flowing blood looks so much like red bubbles from a lava lamp that it is earable even for a delicately strung gamer like me. However the game is classified by USK suitable for gamers starting from 16 years and up. 

Many impressing animations make Dracula very alive and a graphic cream slice. As I said, already with "Dracula Resurrection" I was very inspired by the stunning atmosphere. In Dracula 2 atmosphere and suspense are increasing more and more until you will be facing   Dracula in its last sanctuary ... The cemetery scenes and transsylvanian scenes are atmospherically especially well done ... you positively must play them in a dark room! I especially enjoyed  here to meet my favourite witch Dorko again.

Not so pleased I was with the fact that the game has to be played almost completely from CD. My CD-drive was constantly rotating and flashing - sometimes with threatening noises - and it lasted a very long time until   clicked objects from the inventory could be used, a saved game had loaded or you got a reaction from clicked hot spots etc.. I believe, my drive was really glad, when it got over this game save.

Rating: "Dracula 2 - The Last Sanctuary" is a really recommendable game, but my CD-drive nevertheless gives a few minus points for the giant strain. I rate the game with 78% (recommendable)!  If my drive should survive this torture a bit longer, I will in any case get the follow-up game - Necronomicon -, as soon as this game appears on German shelves.

Adventure-Archiv rating system:

• 80% - 100%  excellent game, very recommendable
• 70% - 79%    good game, recommandable
• 60% - 69%    satisfactory, restricted recommendable
• 50% - 59%    sufficient (not very recommendable)
• 40% - 49%    rather deficient (not to be recommended - for Hardcore-Adventure-Freaks and collectors only)
• 0%  -  39%    worst (don't put your fingers on it)
  
  

An already known witch ...

Magic fire

Imprisoned in Dracula's castle


A cruel movie show

Hopkins ... friend or enemy?

More screenshots