由 Konami 於 1987 年 8 月 11 日推出的《魔城傳說 2：大魔司教嘉里烏斯》（Knightmare II: The Maze of Galious / 魔城伝説II 大魔司教ガリウス），在動作冒險遊戲歷史上佔有重要地位。雖然前作《魔城傳說》在 MSX 上是一款垂直射擊遊戲，但在 Famicom（紅白機）上轉型成一款規模宏大的非線性橫向捲軸動作探索遊戲。它是後世「類銀河戰士惡魔城（Metroidvania）」風格的先驅之一，其複雜的解謎設計與龐大世界觀在當時震撼了無數玩家。

在系統設計上非常超前，尤其是雙主角切換機制：隨時操控男主角帕皮隆與女主角愛芙羅黛蒂。帕皮隆擁有高跳與強大力量，而愛芙羅黛蒂則擅長水下行動並可攜帶更多箭矢。畫面呈現出 Konami 標誌性的精緻點陣圖與中古奇幻風格，而 BGM 則旋律經典，至今仍被復古玩家津津樂道。遊戲世界由一座巨大的「大城堡」及散落於各處的「十個大世界」構成，探索感極強。

劇情緊接前作：在擊敗大惡魔梅比斯後，帕皮隆與愛芙羅黛蒂結婚。然而邪惡的大魔司教嘉里烏斯趁機綁架他們尚未出生的孩子，佔領宛如希臘神話般的城堡。必須操控雙主角闖入魔城，收集靈魂碎片、解開謎題並擊敗守護者，最終深入最深處徹底消滅嘉里烏斯，確保血脈延續。

操作上，以高度挑戰性的解謎與針對性的戰鬥聞名。許多 Boss 房的門需透過特定操作（如在特定牆壁前跳躍或推動墓碑）才能開啟，而「咒語（Passwords）」系統則要求輸入正確密碼來削弱 Boss 否則幾乎無法戰勝。遊戲中豐富的副武器（箭矢、披風、蠟燭、十字架）需要根據敵人類型頻繁切換，並透過擊敗小怪獲取經驗與金錢，提升最大生命值，讓遊戲兼具 RPG 元素。

在市場上，被認為是硬核玩家眼中的經典之作。評論家高度評價其自由探索感與深奧系統，玩家需要翻遍城堡每個角落才能完成冒險。由於缺乏明確提示，這款遊戲在當時成為許多玩家童年的「陰影」與「成就來源」。其歷史地位不可忽視，是 Konami 早期動作冒險遊戲的巔峰之作，也影響後來獨立遊戲如 La-Mulana 公開向其致敬。

對玩家而言，最經典的回憶莫過於在 Boss 房門口戰戰兢兢地輸入好不容易找齊的字母，生怕哪個環節出錯，以及在雙主角之間切換，讓帕皮隆跳過高台或讓愛芙羅黛蒂在水底潛行更久的操作挑戰。這種緊張而精巧的設計，使《魔城傳說 2》成為紅白機時代難以忘懷的經典。

This game, Knightmare II: The Maze of Galious / 魔城伝説II 大魔司教ガリウス, was released by Konami on August 11, 1987, and is considered a milestone in the history of action-adventure games. While its predecessor, Knightmare, on the MSX, was a vertical shooter, the Famicom (FC) version transformed the series into a large-scale, non-linear side-scrolling action-exploration game. It became one of the early examples of what would later be known as the "Metroidvania" style, impressing players at the time with its complex puzzles and expansive world design.

The game was technically ahead of its time, particularly with its dual-character system: players can switch between the male protagonist Popolon and the female protagonist Aphrodite at any moment. Popolon excels at jumping and physical strength, while Aphrodite is skilled at underwater movement and can carry more arrows. The visuals feature Konami’s signature detailed pixel art with a dark, medieval fantasy atmosphere, and the BGM remains iconic among retro game enthusiasts. The game world consists of a massive "castle" and ten hidden "worlds," offering a deep sense of exploration.

The story picks up from the first game: after defeating the great demon Mebius, Popolon and Aphrodite marry. However, the evil archbishop Galious kidnaps their unborn child and takes control of a castle reminiscent of Greek mythology. Players must navigate the castle, collect soul fragments, solve puzzles, and defeat guardians, ultimately reaching the deepest chambers to eliminate Galious and ensure the continuation of the bloodline.

Gameplay is known for its high difficulty in both puzzles and combat. Many boss doors require specific actions, such as jumping in front of certain walls or pushing tombstones. The “Password” system requires correct input to weaken bosses, otherwise some enemies are nearly invincible. The game also features a variety of sub-weapons—arrows, capes, candles, and crosses—which must be switched depending on the enemy type. Defeating minor enemies grants experience and money to increase maximum HP, giving the game an RPG-like progression.

Critically, Knightmare II was praised as a classic for hardcore players. Reviewers highlighted its freedom of exploration and deep mechanics, requiring players to scour every corner of the castle. Due to minimal hints, it became a source of both childhood frustration and accomplishment. Historically, it stands as one of Konami’s peak early action-adventure titles and influenced later indie games such as La-Mulana, which openly paid homage to it.

For players, the most memorable moments included nervously entering carefully collected letters at boss doors, fearing a single mistake, and constantly switching between the two protagonists—making Popolon jump over high platforms or having Aphrodite dive longer underwater. These tense and intricate mechanics solidify Knightmare II: The Maze of Galious as an unforgettable classic of the Famicom era.