Castlevania clone on Game Gear set in Victorian England. Excellent platform-action gameplay, dark gothic atmosphere. One of the best action games on the console.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player12+
Description
The hero battles supernatural creatures and demons to survive in this Sega action-adventure inspired by Castlevania. Published by Sega, released in Europe in January 1992. 2D action-adventure with supernatural enemy combat, gothic dungeon exploration, high difficulty. European version.
Master of Darkness, a Sega gothic action-adventure in which the hero hunts supernatural creatures, released in Europe and Brazil. Often compared to other machines' vampire hunts, it offers on Game Gear an uncommon atmospheric horror experience. Its desirability lies in that singularity of tone within the console's catalogue and the regard of fans for dark portable adventures.
An underrated gem
Too often filed away as a Castlevania imitation, this Sega title nonetheless asserts its own Victorian mood, all fog, blades and nightmare creatures. Released quietly in Europe on a console with an uneven library, it ended up lost in the crowd. Its polished atmosphere makes it a genuine success for fans of gothic action.
Is Master of Darkness still worth playing in 2026?
A Castlevania inspired action adventure, Master of Darkness sends a hero to hunt supernatural creatures in a haunted Victorian London, swinging weapons and sub weapons. The linear progression, the gothic bosses and the macabre mood openly recall Konami's model, with a decent execution for the machine. The lack of originality and a certain stiffness cap the fun. For a fan of gothic retro action or someone curious about Castlevania's heirs on Game Gear, the title keeps a likeable character.
