[Castlevania] - Oh, shame for you. You activated my Alu-card.

Xenogears of Bore

Castlevania IV has a great soundtrack you heathen.

Rizzi

Damn it. The Gametrailers retrospective gave me a hankering to play Rondo.

The Dude With Herpes

MechMantis wrote: »

Huh.

I am mistaken.

However there was also the issue of the soundtrack. Which was... poor. At least in comparison.

You are clearly thinking of a different game.

IV had a great soundtrack.

EDIT: Also bloodlines was awesome and I'm sad it's still not on VC.

Cantido

I bought the Wii points but my Wii is picking up every router in my neighborhood but mine. I hope I just have to do a round of resetting to fix that.

Walt

I'm not even done with Lords of Shadow and you jerks are making me want to get my classic 'Vania on.

Haikira

Completed this earlier. Went on to discuss the ending, but the forums went down at the same time.

Spoiler:

Thought the ending was great. Though I did find all the talk about ruses,tricks and deception a little comical at the end. Everybody was fooling everyone. But it was all appropriately epic and the final boss was good. The epilogue certainly brings about more questions than it answers. I can definitely see quite a few ways the sequel can go.

I'd say one of my favourite bosses in the game was actually Pan. Not quite as epic as some of the others, but just thought it was a great boss.

I remember hearing talk about DLC. Has it been confirmed what it is? I'm curious if it's set between the ending and the epilogue.

Behemoth

Just picked this up, and I'm really enjoying it.

I just got to chapter 2, and I died a couple times because I forget to turn on Light Magic.

Whoever it was that suggested turning on all the damage and experience indicators is right on, it somehow makes the combat much more satisfying.

SteevL

Behemoth wrote: »

Just picked this up, and I'm really enjoying it.

I just got to chapter 2, and I died a couple times because I forget to turn on Light Magic.

Whoever it was that suggested turning on all the damage and experience indicators is right on, it somehow makes the combat much more satisfying.

It really does; I think it would have been better if the designer had enabled it by default.

gjaustin

Ouch, the fight in the Fire Pinnacle is destroying me.

I'm apparently completely dependent on Light magic.

Akilae

Haikira wrote: »

Completed this earlier. Went on to discuss the ending, but the forums went down at the same time.

Spoiler:

Thought the ending was great. Though I did find all the talk about ruses,tricks and deception a little comical at the end. Everybody was fooling everyone. But it was all appropriately epic and the final boss was good. The epilogue certainly brings about more questions than it answers. I can definitely see quite a few ways the sequel can go.

I'd say one of my favourite bosses in the game was actually Pan. Not quite as epic as some of the others, but just thought it was a great boss.

I remember hearing talk about DLC. Has it been confirmed what it is? I'm curious if it's set between the ending and the epilogue.

Spoiler:

I liked the fact that the final boss fight had you slightly overpowered. Too many games make the boss fight too hard for the player to actually enjoy the fact that they've gotten all the upgrades and has the power to rival a god. Pan is a pretty good fight in that it trains you for the final boss fight.

There are lots of loose ends left in the game. The Devil Mask that's left behind. The fact that we still have a powerful vampire aristocrat running around. Why Zobek is still alive and now sporting a different set of eyes. How Gabriel turned into a vampire...

Calling it now, the next game will be: Castlevania: Prince of Darkness.

jeddy lee

I have to say, this has been the most completely engaged in a game I've been in a long time.

Lucascraft

I just completed the Music Box level a little while ago.

Spoiler:

Was anyone else a bit disappointed that they didn't get to see the witch transform when she used the rose?

CaptainNemo

I'm going to rent this tomorrow, since the demo was awesome. Any tips or tricks before I begin?

Behemoth

CaptainNemo wrote: »

I'm going to rent this tomorrow, since the demo was awesome. Any tips or tricks before I begin?

Go into extras and turn on damage indicators and health bars

Orochi_Rockman

Lucascraft wrote: »

I just completed the Music Box level a little while ago.

Spoiler:

Was anyone else a bit disappointed that they didn't get to see the witch transform when she used the rose?

I was. I was really curious to see what would happen.

CaptainNemo

Behemoth wrote: »

CaptainNemo wrote: »

I'm going to rent this tomorrow, since the demo was awesome. Any tips or tricks before I begin?

Go into extras and turn on damage indicators and health bars

I always do that for my games. It always helps me to know what works and what doesn't. Buy why is it under extras instead of options?

Behemoth

CaptainNemo wrote: »

Behemoth wrote: »

CaptainNemo wrote: »

I'm going to rent this tomorrow, since the demo was awesome. Any tips or tricks before I begin?

Go into extras and turn on damage indicators and health bars

I always do that for my games. It always helps me to know what works and what doesn't. Buy why is it under extras instead of options?

I have no idea, but it is. Took me a while to find it.

Draper

Akilae wrote: »

Haikira wrote: »

Completed this earlier. Went on to discuss the ending, but the forums went down at the same time.

Spoiler:

Thought the ending was great. Though I did find all the talk about ruses,tricks and deception a little comical at the end. Everybody was fooling everyone. But it was all appropriately epic and the final boss was good. The epilogue certainly brings about more questions than it answers. I can definitely see quite a few ways the sequel can go.

I'd say one of my favourite bosses in the game was actually Pan. Not quite as epic as some of the others, but just thought it was a great boss.

I remember hearing talk about DLC. Has it been confirmed what it is? I'm curious if it's set between the ending and the epilogue.

Spoiler:

I liked the fact that the final boss fight had you slightly overpowered. Too many games make the boss fight too hard for the player to actually enjoy the fact that they've gotten all the upgrades and has the power to rival a god. Pan is a pretty good fight in that it trains you for the final boss fight.

There are lots of loose ends left in the game. The Devil Mask that's left behind. The fact that we still have a powerful vampire aristocrat running around. Why Zobek is still alive and now sporting a different set of eyes. How Gabriel turned into a vampire...

Calling it now, the next game will be: Castlevania: Prince of Darkness.

Spoiler:

Watch Bram Stoker's Dracula and Gabriel becoming Dracula will make perfect sense. If you look at what happened to Gary Oldman's character and compare it with Gabriel, you'll see a lot of similarities. They were both supreme warriors for their religion who lost their loved one as a result of deceit. They both grew angry and resentful of their religion because of it's hypocrisies. This anger caused Vlad the Impaler to basically end up becoming Dracula. Maybe the same thing happened to Gabriel. Hopefully the DLC will provide some insight.

Also, I want to suggest that we change the thread title to "Castlevania Thread".

Capt Howdy

Now that I finally have the

Spoiler:

double jump

, I went back and got everything I missed/couldn't get. Gabriel is now a certifiable badass.

Walt

CORNY ROCK UPDATE

New DLC for Harmony of Despair today.
Music Pack 1
160MSP
Includes 5 new remixed tracks you can use:
Pitiful Scion, Pitch-Black Intrusion, Invitation of a Crazed Moon, The Hidden Curse, and An Empty Tome.

VILE SHITWIZARD UPDATE

Here is Jim Sterling's awful "review" of LoS
http://destructoid.com/review-castlevania-lords-of-shadow

Capt Howdy

Konami has fucking lost it. They want $5 for one level, and now they want to charge us for in game music? This should have all been part of a $5 pack, with another level and at least an extra character.

In game music, really?

Cantido

Capt Howdy wrote: »

Konami has fucking lost it. They want $5 for one level, and now they want to charge us for in game music? This should have all been part of a $5 pack, with another level and at least an extra character.

In game music, really?

I think it's a great way to both punish and shut up the IGA people.

And I'm an IGA person.

Deaderinred

Akilae wrote: »

Haikira wrote: »

Completed this earlier. Went on to discuss the ending, but the forums went down at the same time.

Spoiler:

Thought the ending was great. Though I did find all the talk about ruses,tricks and deception a little comical at the end. Everybody was fooling everyone. But it was all appropriately epic and the final boss was good. The epilogue certainly brings about more questions than it answers. I can definitely see quite a few ways the sequel can go.

I'd say one of my favourite bosses in the game was actually Pan. Not quite as epic as some of the others, but just thought it was a great boss.

I remember hearing talk about DLC. Has it been confirmed what it is? I'm curious if it's set between the ending and the epilogue.

Spoiler:

I liked the fact that the final boss fight had you slightly overpowered. Too many games make the boss fight too hard for the player to actually enjoy the fact that they've gotten all the upgrades and has the power to rival a god. Pan is a pretty good fight in that it trains you for the final boss fight.

There are lots of loose ends left in the game. The Devil Mask that's left behind. The fact that we still have a powerful vampire aristocrat running around. Why Zobek is still alive and now sporting a different set of eyes. How Gabriel turned into a vampire...

Calling it now, the next game will be: Castlevania: Prince of Darkness.

Spoiler:

well zobek is death and considering death and drac are supposed to be best buds it not hard to figure out why he is still alive

Deaderinred

Walt wrote: »

CORNY ROCK UPDATE

New DLC for Harmony of Despair today.
Music Pack 1
160MSP
Includes 5 new remixed tracks you can use:
Pitiful Scion, Pitch-Black Intrusion, Invitation of a Crazed Moon, The Hidden Curse, and An Empty Tome.

VILE SHITWIZARD UPDATE

Here is Jim Sterling's awful "review" of LoS
http://destructoid.com/review-castlevania-lords-of-shadow

aw what, i thought it was a character pack next with richter and simon..

Cherrn

Walt wrote: »

Here is Jim Sterling's awful "review" of LoS
http://destructoid.com/review-castlevania-lords-of-shadow

Not only that, but the game attempts to force even more gameplay by hiding items in early levels that require powers earned in later ones to obtain. In an open game like Zelda or a cleverly designed backtracker like Metroid, this kind of schtick is acceptable. However, Lords of Shadow's linear levels mean that when you return to a previous stage, you have to beat the entire thing from beginning to end again, just to get the item you came for. You can't even return to the World Map once you obtain the item either, as your progress only saves at the very end. It's a transparent and inexcusable attempt to bump up the running time, and when the game is already too long, it defies all logic as to what MercuryStream were thinking, unless it believes that game length automatically equals value for money (a shockingly poor misconception that we as gamers have unfortunately encouraged).

I've seen several people say this, and I don't know where they get it from, because it isn't true.

I guess it's because the item doesn't register on the map screen immediately, only after you actually choose to go to another level. The only reason you should ever need to finish a stage more than one time is if you want to beat the trial or complete it on a harder setting.

Cantido

Destructoid not know what the fuck they're talking about? I'm utterly shocked.

Deaderinred

Cherrn wrote: »

Walt wrote: »

Here is Jim Sterling's awful "review" of LoS
http://destructoid.com/review-castlevania-lords-of-shadow

Not only that, but the game attempts to force even more gameplay by hiding items in early levels that require powers earned in later ones to obtain. In an open game like Zelda or a cleverly designed backtracker like Metroid, this kind of schtick is acceptable. However, Lords of Shadow's linear levels mean that when you return to a previous stage, you have to beat the entire thing from beginning to end again, just to get the item you came for. You can't even return to the World Map once you obtain the item either, as your progress only saves at the very end. It's a transparent and inexcusable attempt to bump up the running time, and when the game is already too long, it defies all logic as to what MercuryStream were thinking, unless it believes that game length automatically equals value for money (a shockingly poor misconception that we as gamers have unfortunately encouraged).

I've seen several people say this, and I don't know where they get it from, because it isn't true.

I guess it's because the item doesn't register on the map screen immediately, only after you actually choose to go to another level. The only reason you should ever need to finish a stage more than one time is if you want to beat the trial or complete it on a harder setting.

or keep a dark crystal gem you got so you can go back to another level and beat a titan trial within the ridiculous time limit, shit like that doesnt save. believe me.

Walt

He also says that if you repel to the bottom of the chain you automatically jump off of it.

And he says that the combos you buy later in the game are useless because the enemies don't give you a chance to use them.

Essentially, Jim Sterling is too much of a baby to l2p and he takes it out on the game. I see a lot of 13 year olds do the same thing when they play Halo online.

But, like Cantido says, it's Destructoid, so of course it's fail.

Deaderinred

Walt wrote: »

He also says that if you repel to the bottom of the chain you automatically jump off of it.

And he says that the combos you buy later in the game are useless because the enemies don't give you a chance to use them.

Essentially, Jim Sterling is too much of a baby to l2p and he takes it out on the game. I see a lot of 13 year olds do the same thing when they play Halo online.

to be fair, if you repel to the bottom of the chain you do automatically jump off it.

and the later combos are only useless because you don't need really need them, even on paladin.

Capt Howdy

Cherrn wrote: »

Walt wrote: »

Here is Jim Sterling's awful "review" of LoS
http://destructoid.com/review-castlevania-lords-of-shadow

Not only that, but the game attempts to force even more gameplay by hiding items in early levels that require powers earned in later ones to obtain. In an open game like Zelda or a cleverly designed backtracker like Metroid, this kind of schtick is acceptable. However, Lords of Shadow's linear levels mean that when you return to a previous stage, you have to beat the entire thing from beginning to end again, just to get the item you came for. You can't even return to the World Map once you obtain the item either, as your progress only saves at the very end. It's a transparent and inexcusable attempt to bump up the running time, and when the game is already too long, it defies all logic as to what MercuryStream were thinking, unless it believes that game length automatically equals value for money (a shockingly poor misconception that we as gamers have unfortunately encouraged).

I've seen several people say this, and I don't know where they get it from, because it isn't true.

I guess it's because the item doesn't register on the map screen immediately, only after you actually choose to go to another level. The only reason you should ever need to finish a stage more than one time is if you want to beat the trial or complete it on a harder setting.

It doesn't show that you got it until you start another level, so it confuses people.

But yes, you can grab and go to a different level. It will save it.

Cantido

Oh, and "I Hate Japan" Yatzhee is discussing LoS tomorrow. I can't picture him being an IGA guy, so I don't know what to expect.

Deaderinred

Capt Howdy wrote: »

Cherrn wrote: »

Walt wrote: »

Here is Jim Sterling's awful "review" of LoS
http://destructoid.com/review-castlevania-lords-of-shadow

Not only that, but the game attempts to force even more gameplay by hiding items in early levels that require powers earned in later ones to obtain. In an open game like Zelda or a cleverly designed backtracker like Metroid, this kind of schtick is acceptable. However, Lords of Shadow's linear levels mean that when you return to a previous stage, you have to beat the entire thing from beginning to end again, just to get the item you came for. You can't even return to the World Map once you obtain the item either, as your progress only saves at the very end. It's a transparent and inexcusable attempt to bump up the running time, and when the game is already too long, it defies all logic as to what MercuryStream were thinking, unless it believes that game length automatically equals value for money (a shockingly poor misconception that we as gamers have unfortunately encouraged).

I've seen several people say this, and I don't know where they get it from, because it isn't true.

I guess it's because the item doesn't register on the map screen immediately, only after you actually choose to go to another level. The only reason you should ever need to finish a stage more than one time is if you want to beat the trial or complete it on a harder setting.

It doesn't show that you got it until you start another level, so it confuses people.

But yes, you can grab and go to a different level. It will save it.

only upgrades and xp, not health/magic/subweapons.

Grimthwacker

All this talk about sexy witches, and nobody's mentioned Miss Aulin yet?

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Well, at least I think she's sexy. . .

I'm really not sure what to make of Lords due to the reviews; a lot skew positive while some tend to stress that it's really "Castlevania in name only", but I'm willing to give it the benefit of the dobut, as soon as I can start getting stuff from Gamefly again.

And yeah, this kind of DLC-heavy direction that they're taking HoD in makes me want to wait until it's being discounted to consider picking up. Not cool, Konami.

Deaderinred

Grimthwacker wrote: »

All this talk about sexy witches, and nobody's mentioned Miss Aulin yet?

Probably because she's like, 14.

Cantido

Deaderinred wrote: »

Grimthwacker wrote: »

All this talk about sexy witches, and nobody's mentioned Miss Aulin yet?

Probably because she's like, 14.

16. Legal in Japan.

Spoiler:

YOU'RE NOT IN JAPAN.

Walt

Deaderinred wrote: »

Walt wrote: »

He also says that if you repel to the bottom of the chain you automatically jump off of it.

And he says that the combos you buy later in the game are useless because the enemies don't give you a chance to use them.

Essentially, Jim Sterling is too much of a baby to l2p and he takes it out on the game. I see a lot of 13 year olds do the same thing when they play Halo online.

to be fair, if you repel to the bottom of the chain you do automatically jump off it.

and the later combos are only useless because you don't need really need them, even on paladin.

You only auto-fall if you hold the button down. You never need to hold the button down in this game outside of doing combos.

Jamesways

Walt wrote: »

Deaderinred wrote: »

Walt wrote: »

He also says that if you repel to the bottom of the chain you automatically jump off of it.

And he says that the combos you buy later in the game are useless because the enemies don't give you a chance to use them.

Essentially, Jim Sterling is too much of a baby to l2p and he takes it out on the game. I see a lot of 13 year olds do the same thing when they play Halo online.

to be fair, if you repel to the bottom of the chain you do automatically jump off it.

and the later combos are only useless because you don't need really need them, even on paladin.

You only auto-fall if you hold the button down. You never need to hold the button down in this game outside of doing combos.

Yeah, that took a while to figure out. Climbing and the titans are so much easier once you realize you can let go of R2 and just push up or down to climb instead of holding R2 and pressing jump.

Orochi_Rockman

Deaderinred wrote: »

only upgrades and xp, not health/magic/subweapons.

This is what gave me the impression that upgrades didn't save if you left a level. I had that same misunderstanding. I hopped back into Chapter 2-1 after getting shadow magic for the dagger upgrade at the beginning of the level, got it, and then left.

Well getting the upgrade increased my maximum amount of daggers to 15 and filled up my stock to 15 when I only had like 3 when I entered the level. Well, after exiting and going to the next level my daggers were back at 3 again so I just assumed that you had to beat the level for it to keep, but a quick look back at the map screen menu told me that no, it kept my upgrade it just didn't let me keep the refilled stock of daggers.

I can understand why they do this. I mean, how easy would it be to hop back into a boss level like Chapter 3-2 and refill your health and both magic meters and then jump back to where you are currently. It would take a lot of challenge out of the game.

stormbringer

Behemoth wrote: »

CaptainNemo wrote: »

I'm going to rent this tomorrow, since the demo was awesome. Any tips or tricks before I begin?

Go into extras and turn on damage indicators and health bars

Seriously there are health bars and damage indicators in the extras, I have been hacking away trying to find a better way to klll things in the dark for a while now. Still only on the second chapter but heck yeah.

Also at any point do things just die quicker, I seem to have to do a successful block like 6 times and counter attack and mash X to kill any of the big spiders/werewolves.

Mego Thor

Deaderinred wrote: »

to be fair, if you repel to the bottom of the chain you do automatically jump off it.

It seems kind of random. If the drop would kill you, usually Gabriel will just look down and hang there. Overall, I wish the climbing and repelling controls were a little tighter. I'd rather have to hold the trigger down while repelling, and stay on the same ledge until a press a button to jump higher or let go. I've had a couple of cheap deaths because I pressed down and jump to let go, only to drop to the ground and then jump off a ledge.