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Skeletons, werewolves, the Grim Reaper and a knife-hurling hunchback. Nope, these aren't people on Tim Burton's Christmas card list but just a few of the nightmarish denizens to be contended with in Castlevania: Spectral Interlude.

Taking control of vampire hunter Simon Belmont, the objective is to rid the land of Dracula. But first Belmont must deal with his infernal chums and gain their powers to stand a chance against the dark lord. This won't be a breeze: to summon just one of Drac's pals, four pieces of a magic altar are needed, which are hidden all over the land, guarded by an array of lesser (but still unpleasantly ferocious) monsters.

Simon's main weapon to combat the forces of darkness is a whip, which can be upgraded by finding extra parts and visiting the blacksmith in the town. Secondary weapons and magical attacks can also be purchased in the town but aren't particularly affordable and don't seem to last long, making them something to be used sparingly.

Castlevania: Spectral Interlude doesn't stray far from the 'feel' of the early entries in the Castlevania series from nearly two decades prior. While it doesn't really bring anything new to the table, it's still a very solid, terrific fun action-adventure title that deserves to be played by fans of the series or anyone who wants to try their hand at classic monster slaying amid a setting of graveyards, dungeons, forests and castles.

The Castlevania games always featured great music, as far back as the original 1986 game, and Castlevania: Spectral Interlude follows its predecessors' footsteps, boasting an awesome soundtrack. Some songs are upbeat, some moody and atmospheric. A few tracks seem to suffer at times and start sounding crackly but - considering the limitations of the Spectrum - the overall sound is just great and adds so much to the game.

The impressive graphics and clear, detailed backgrounds help bring the Gothic-horror vibe of the Castlevania world to life. The character sprites are nicely defined and I can think of only one occasion when an enemy 'blended' into the background due to the colour limitations.

For those who like an element of narrative during gameplay, this has it in buckets. One minor gripe: if you just want to get on and whip some demons to death it can be irritating having to scroll through lots of text. The Castlevania universe has an expansive lore so it's nice that the game accommodates this while also adding some novel elements (and even explains away some inconsistencies in other Castlevania games).

A word of warning: this game is insanely difficult! I spent ninety minutes battling the Gorgon in normal mode. I think it's one of the most challenging boss battles I've ever participated in - and I have played a lot of games. But don't let that put you off if you enjoy a challenge and can wield a vampire slayer's whip like a pro!

Quite a tough game - harder than I remember the original Castlevania games. Nasties come at you pretty fast and you need to kill a lot of them for the cash that other characters are asking for the weapons and objects you need to progress.

At least there are plenty of handy save points dotted around as you only have one life - and losing it a lot is a certainty. This is a game with plenty of exploring; it needs practice, practice, practice - it's not something you can drop in and out of. There's also a lot of muddled text to read through for snippets of what might be useful. A very ambitious game that could have done with maybe more playtesting from a less hardcore audience.

Control keys: Redefinable
Keyboard play: Responsive, making the game feel fluid and fun
Use of colour: Some sprite blending but otherwise clear and precise
Graphics: Good animation, detailed character sprites and backgrounds
Sound: Fantastic - catchy and brooding melodies
Skill levels: Normal and Hard
Screens: Over 150 screens
General rating: A worthy addition to the Castlevania series!