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MASTER OF DARKNESS
review | MASTER SYSTEM
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Publisher: SEGA.
Developer: SIMS. Released: 1992 (Europe). Genre: 2D Action-platformer. Other versions: GG. Posted 3rd August 2025. By Tom Clare © 2025 |
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SEGA fans would have to wait until 1994 for their first dose of Castlevania, likely the legacy of a policy that inhibited the porting of Nintendo console games to competing systems. The upside of this was that when life gave SEGA lemons, they tended to make lemonade, getting stuck in creating like-for-like titles to rival those of their competitors. Developed by SIMS, 1992’s Master of Darkness was the Master System’s answer to Konami’s action-platformer, albeit with a fresh spin on the theme.
The story centres around the enigmatically-named Dr. Ferdinand Social, who tasks himself with solving the mystery of the Jack the Ripper murders in Victorian London. The rabbit hole goes far deeper than he could have imagined, as he finds a sinister undercurrent involving the occult, the undead and a mad Count’s attempts to resurrect Dracula himself. This translates to 13 levels of atmospheric, absorbing platforming, and a really addictive challenge.
Social gets to explore a host of foreboding locations: Master of Darkness has a marvellously macabre atmosphere
Perhaps the game’s strongest element is its setting. Whereas Castlevania focused its design around labyrinth-like castles and dungeons, Master of Darkness offers a more progressive, evocative sequence of environments. The Thames River round is a brilliant way to kick off the adventure. Murky waterways, stark brick buildings, Victorian street lamps and a cloudy night against the backdrop of a full moon: it sets an ominous tone, a feeling of lurking danger. Social must overcome shady gunmen, vicious dogs and dive-bombing bats, taking the occasional boat ride before hopping across rooftops and through wine cellars, where the atmosphere is no less thick.
Accounting for the Master System’s 8-bit graphical capabilities, it’s impressive how strong a vibe the game creates, as the first level ends with a nerve-racking boss fight against Jack the Ripper. There’s barely time for a sigh of relief at escaping London’s dangerous streets, before you arrive at the House of Wax, an even creepier location. Ambling through ornate halls, it’s soon clear there’s some serious voodoo at work, with wax figures springing to life, ambushing the player. Things get stranger still, as the Gallery floor sees chairs, candles, tables and portraits launched your way. The Master System wasn’t especially synonymous with unnerving atmospheres, but it peaks with the hair-raising psychic girl / floating skull boss.
Accounting for the Master System’s 8-bit graphical capabilities, it’s impressive how strong a vibe the game creates, as the first level ends with a nerve-racking boss fight against Jack the Ripper. There’s barely time for a sigh of relief at escaping London’s dangerous streets, before you arrive at the House of Wax, an even creepier location. Ambling through ornate halls, it’s soon clear there’s some serious voodoo at work, with wax figures springing to life, ambushing the player. Things get stranger still, as the Gallery floor sees chairs, candles, tables and portraits launched your way. The Master System wasn’t especially synonymous with unnerving atmospheres, but it peaks with the hair-raising psychic girl / floating skull boss.
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Dr. Social can attain an elegant array of weapons. A basic dagger, a fencing foil with limited power but a lengthy reach, a cane, and the must-have accessory for downing the denizens of the Underworld: a hefty axe. In a blatant lift from Castlevania, the player can deploy secondary projectile weapons through a combination of the attack button and ‘up’. These include grenades, pistols, boomerangs and giant silver bullets, and are well worth stocking up on, as they often make the difference in close boss fights. New weapons replace existing ones, so players need to take care not to blunder into dagger icons in the run-up to a boss battle. Unless, of course, they want a challenge.
The presentation is another highlight. Cool storytelling cut-scenes prove a nice reward for finishing levels, whilst sprites are sizeable and detailed. Social exhibits a slew of smooth moves, and there’s a particularly impactful death animation where, upon running out of health, he slums agonisingly to the ground. Beautifully designed backdrops dominate the game and make exploring new levels a treat, with the stained-glass adorned Cathedral, the science lab and the aforementioned House of Wax among the many high points. There’s a bit of parallax scrolling here and there, and the game makes smart use of scenic layering, as you move behind pillars and staircase bannister rails. The music alternates urgent, synthy wails with cultured melodies that stick in the memory and lend that little extra weight to the gameplay.
The presentation is another highlight. Cool storytelling cut-scenes prove a nice reward for finishing levels, whilst sprites are sizeable and detailed. Social exhibits a slew of smooth moves, and there’s a particularly impactful death animation where, upon running out of health, he slums agonisingly to the ground. Beautifully designed backdrops dominate the game and make exploring new levels a treat, with the stained-glass adorned Cathedral, the science lab and the aforementioned House of Wax among the many high points. There’s a bit of parallax scrolling here and there, and the game makes smart use of scenic layering, as you move behind pillars and staircase bannister rails. The music alternates urgent, synthy wails with cultured melodies that stick in the memory and lend that little extra weight to the gameplay.
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The bosses prove tense, tricky affairs, but never feel too spammy
Each of the first four rounds consists of three stages, and concludes with a boss. The fifth level involves just one level: the tricky Labyrinth, whereby the route to completion isn’t initially clear. Reach the exit, and two bosses stand between the player and the credits rolling. You’ll likely need a small handful of runs to beat the game, with continues returning the player to the beginning of a chapter. Provided you limit your platforming mistakes and don’t end up with dud weapons heading into boss fights, Master of Darkness isn’t too punishing, though it does ramp up the difficulty at a measured rate. Ferdinand’s health bar is generous and, pitfalls aside, he can endure a fair bit of damage. Health pick-ups are reasonably common, and for those willing to dig around for secrets, you’ll also find a smattering of extra lives.
A lack of options is a small blemish, though there’s no doubt you’ll return post-completion. As the game progresses, the player encounters new enemies, including wizards who fire projectiles, and elaborately designed skeleton warriors. Every screen is packed with gameplay, whether it’s platforming challenges, fighting or evading foes, or planning the best route forward. The bats are an annoyance, as trying to manoeuvre around them can be a hassle, and a poorly timed hit can send Ferdinand staggering to his doom. Social feels vulnerable when climbing stairs, as though he can still land attacks, it’s easy to get stuck trying to manoeuvre. Beyond these small gripes, it’s hard to grumble. For Master System fans, SIMS’ game ensured it was a case of: “no Castlevania? No problem!” Master of Darkness remains a super-playable platformer, with a roll call of awesome settings that horror aficionados will find difficult to resist.
A lack of options is a small blemish, though there’s no doubt you’ll return post-completion. As the game progresses, the player encounters new enemies, including wizards who fire projectiles, and elaborately designed skeleton warriors. Every screen is packed with gameplay, whether it’s platforming challenges, fighting or evading foes, or planning the best route forward. The bats are an annoyance, as trying to manoeuvre around them can be a hassle, and a poorly timed hit can send Ferdinand staggering to his doom. Social feels vulnerable when climbing stairs, as though he can still land attacks, it’s easy to get stuck trying to manoeuvre. Beyond these small gripes, it’s hard to grumble. For Master System fans, SIMS’ game ensured it was a case of: “no Castlevania? No problem!” Master of Darkness remains a super-playable platformer, with a roll call of awesome settings that horror aficionados will find difficult to resist.
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VERDICT"An excellent action-platformer that's heavy on atmosphere and chocked with cool surprises. It plays really well, but it's the excellent levels, settings and bosses that really elevate Master of Darkness." OVERALL: 9/10 |
OTHER 2D ACTION-PLATFORMERS REVIEWED
Super Castlevania IV (1992, Super Nintendo)
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Hype: The Time Quest (2001, Game Boy Color)
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