In terms of timelines and story, I would honestly be fine with a new continuity, cause I feel Aria and Dawn wrapped up the original storyline very well.
I’m not sure if I really want to play Dawn of Sorrow again or if it should continue to live as unsullied memories in my head. It was my first Metroidvania and it was very special to me.
It was a good time to discover the series as I had a years long buffet of going back to older entries in between new DS releases.
I think it's silly how rigidly they have tried to stick with the whole Hero vs Dracula thing. Why haven't they introduced new villains to the franchise? Why do they keep reusing the same villain 14 times?
I think it's silly how rigidly they have tried to stick with the whole Hero vs Dracula thing. Why haven't they introduced new villains to the franchise? Why do they keep reusing the same villain 14 times?
Because the series' real name is Demon Castle: Dracula??
I think it's silly how rigidly they have tried to stick with the whole Hero vs Dracula thing. Why haven't they introduced new villains to the franchise? Why do they keep reusing the same villain 14 times?
Lords of Shadow (the PS3/XBOX360 Castlevania) mixed up the cast. To varying degrees of success.
Very luckily pulled Mostima from a Top Operator tag today. I've been sitting on yellow certs enough to get someone new, so that pull double confirms that that person will be Schwarz, once she comes back around.
I think it's silly how rigidly they have tried to stick with the whole Hero vs Dracula thing. Why haven't they introduced new villains to the franchise? Why do they keep reusing the same villain 14 times?
Lords of Shadow (the PS3/XBOX360 Castlevania) mixed up the cast. To varying degrees of success.
Interestingly the Japanese titles for this sub-series are mostly the same english words, with nary a Dracula or Demon Castle to be found.
But Grimoire of Souls is back to good ol Demon Castle: Dracula. (Then again, it's basically a compilation of retro characters.)
What is there to sully, Dawn is still one of the best. Symphony has more dated elements.
Nah, Dawn shows its age way worse than SotN. Visually it's all over the place, with not great animation, inconsistent design of areas (some being ultra low quality, and some being a weird mishmash of an attempt at photorealism, against anime-ish characters and random enemy designs), and hit or miss enemy designs that borrows from previous games and also changes some needlessly and not for the better. EDIT: SotN is technically more visually dated, but it is has consistency throughout that doesn't show its age as much as Dawn does. I mean, in Dawns defense, it tried some new things, and probably attempted some of them to deal with the limitations of the DS, while having more horsepower than the GBA games, it just didn't come together in a way that I think feels good these days. SotN (which I will admit has substantially more nostalgia for me) still feels like something that was better designed and had more consistent direction throughout. I'm actually getting annoyed that it's not on Steam or Switch right now. :rotate:
And the audio in Dawn isn't great. The sound effects are terribly low quality, and the music, while decent, isn't even in the same league as SotN's. Sure, some of that is because of the limitations of the cart and the DS's audio, but it just kinda peters around in the audio department.
Plus, SotN doesn't have touchscreen bullshit for boss fights.
I'm not trying to say Dawn is bad, but all of the portable Castlevania games, while good games, had limitations that hold them back due to their platforms. They're relatively short, have limited animations and all over the place visuals (though Portrait and OoE were a lot better, despite the gameplay getting a bit repetitive and stale and lacking much innovation by that point), and generally have lower quality audio across the board. Portrait and OoE have some great tracks, but again, pretty much every song in SotN knocked it out of the park, so it's a pretty absurdly high bar to be held to (even Bloodstained, which has some fantastic music, still just doesn't have the same level of memorable tunes IMO as SotN).
Dawn is good, but overall it feels like it and Aria should have been the same game, and not two different ones. They're both relatively short and would have worked well as one product; they kinda feel like half a game each.
I just definitely don't think SotN has aged worse than Dawn. The main place it could be argued is in gameplay, as SotN doesn't have the soul system, and thus theoretically simpler gameplay; but it doesn't feel that way. The vast majority of souls (in any of the games that had those systems, even Bloodstained) are fairly useless and they typically boil down to a handful of actually useful ones that you ever use unless you're forced to use something else, which in the end kinda breaks even with SotN and the different abilities you get, that all have their uses throughout.
It's weird that the 2-game collection that includes SotN and Rondo did not make it to the Switch or Steam. I believe they called that collection "Castlevania Requiem Collection" or something like that.
I think one area in which SOTN shows its age is the way it just uses every mechanic and item in the world into the game. Alucard has a variety of weapons, Belmont subweapons, hidden magic stuff, and also throwing items that I never use (which are separate from the Belmont subweapons). I definitely feel like there are areas that make it clear this was a game of a lot of firsts, and they were just seeing what would stick if they threw everything at the wall. Later games of its type were a bit more focused in terms of item and mechanic design.
It doesn't make it a bad game in the slightest, but it is pretty noticeable as a game where they were still figuring some stuff out.
Anzekay on
+2
38thDoelets never be stupid againwait lets always be stupid foreverRegistered Userregular
edited April 19
That's one of the things I love about Symphony though, you have infinite options to choose from, you can pick something you like. I love the thrown swords: the big one that writes Verboten when you throw it and the little ones that stab and circle back. I love the great sword that summons a giant army of skeletons. I love the katanas with their secret moves, the rapier with its multi-hit attack, the shield rod combos, etc. There is so much variation that the game has a ton of replay value. I love that they made an item to absorb cat-type damage. Its silly and fun and still fun to play. The thrown items are great with the duplicator.
Regarding special abilities and subweapons, I'm still playing Aria of Sorrow. And I have never changed my subweapon from the first one they give you. I guess it's a monster power this time. The starter ability is a spear throw. It has good range and decent damage for being a very safe spell to cast. So I just keep using it. I've never even tried any of the other options, because the spear is so good.
Maybe we should slag SMB for its flat graphics too?
I can't imagine spending half a paragraph comparing the aesthetics of old games as the most important thing. Especially when that's the last thing someone full of nostalgia would care about.
Dawn isn't weighed down by a second half of the game that lacks any level design, cuts off the metroidvania movement progression, and is filled with reject mobs posing zero threat.
Iga has done things that hint in that direction but has never exactly repeated that decision, because it was a mistake, full stop.
It's weird that the 2-game collection that includes SotN and Rondo did not make it to the Switch or Steam. I believe they called that collection "Castlevania Requiem Collection" or something like that.
Speculation is that it's because Sony was involved with this collection, so it hasn't left their platforms.
Regarding special abilities and subweapons, I'm still playing Aria of Sorrow. And I have never changed my subweapon from the first one they give you. I guess it's a monster power this time. The starter ability is a spear throw. It has good range and decent damage for being a very safe spell to cast. So I just keep using it. I've never even tried any of the other options, because the spear is so good.
I can't remember if it's Aria, Dawn, or possibly both. But there's one that just spins an enormous fuck-you sword around Soma that does insane damage. It's more or less the "I win" soul of the game.
Anzekay on
"The sausage of Green Earth explodes with flavor like the cannon of culinary delight."
Regarding special abilities and subweapons, I'm still playing Aria of Sorrow. And I have never changed my subweapon from the first one they give you. I guess it's a monster power this time. The starter ability is a spear throw. It has good range and decent damage for being a very safe spell to cast. So I just keep using it. I've never even tried any of the other options, because the spear is so good.
I can't remember if it's Aria, Dawn, or possibly both. But there's one that just spins an enormous fuck-you sword around Soma that does insane damage. It's more or less the "I win" soul of the game.
I don't believe I've found that yet. But to be honest, I'm not sure exactly how soul acquisition even works. As far as I can tell, it's RNG based. Sometimes I'll kill a mob and get it's soul, but most of the time not.
Anzekay on
0
38thDoelets never be stupid againwait lets always be stupid foreverRegistered Userregular
edited April 19
Isn't that Claimh Solais? That weapon was pretty absurd. I mean nowhere near Crissegrim but what is.
Whether you get a Soul or not is in fact random, generally with very low drop rates. I think Luck raises drop rates generally, and the Soul-Eater Ring (which you won't be able to afford even if you don't spend a cent from the beginning of the game) also raises the drop rate explicitly. The drop rates are increased overall in Hard Mode as well.
Anzekay on
My favorite musical instrument is the air-raid siren.
Isn't that Claimh Solais? That weapon was pretty absurd. I mean nowhere near Crissegrim but what is.
I think the thing being mentioned is the Red Minotaur Soul. It makes a giant axe appear, bend back behind Soma, and then whirl around hitting everything around him.
I do not believe I have encountered any Red Minotaurs yet. I've fought a bunch of regular ones, but not any red ones.
It's funny, I swear I've played this game before. But I have no memory of it. It's like I'm playing it for the very first time.
Lucky for me I guess. Like a long lost classic. A hidden gem that I just discovered. But I'm pretty sure I even own the original GBA cartridge for it somewhere.
Isn't that Claimh Solais? That weapon was pretty absurd. I mean nowhere near Crissegrim but what is.
I think the thing being mentioned is the Red Minotaur Soul. It makes a giant axe appear, bend back behind Soma, and then whirl around hitting everything around him.
That's in Aria, though Dawn has the Great Axe Armor soul that replicates it, though that version doesn't quite fill the whole screen, which is a good thing when
Dracula-Soma uses it on you in Dawn's Julius Mode.
So there's a JP livestream going to happen on the 14th. Easy guess is announcing Under Tides; the event/banners with the alternate Skadi and Kal'tsit.
So long orundum hoard, it was nice knowing you.
What 6 stars should I have for Support? I have SilverAsh and Eyja right now, E2 60 S3M3. Should I swap one for Surtr, same level/skill/mastery?
It honestly doesn't really matter until Contingency Contract comes around... and then... it depends on what's valuable for that main stage or rotating daily bullshit.
Medal requirements a little indecisive this time. Kill NO drones followed immediately by kill ALL the drones. Surprisingly no challenge specific to EX level 8 or Challenge EX 8.
I've got siblings that enjoy jigsaws, they might get a bang out of that
How do you go about getting a jigsaw made out of a photo?
Honestly, I can't remember which service we used, sorry (the box it came in was mostly black, that's as far as my memory goes), but googling "photo to jigsaw puzzle" gets me a bunch of hits, none of which quite look familiar after that long. (I'm in Canada, so we use London Drugs for our start-of-the-easter-egg-hunt puzzles, but those just come in an envelope like prints, not in a box)
So, I got a hankering to come back to my favorite tower defense gatcha, but I've been away so long I have forgotten what I should have been working on. After messing around a bit, I realized I had stopped just a few mats away from promoting Exusiai to E2, so I just went ahead and did that, though now looking at a priority list, that may have not been the best choice, since I have SilverAsh and Eyja at E1.
Anyways, just in general, what should I be focusing on map wise? I think I'm not that far along on the main scenario compared to my level (I think I just started episode 6), so should I be focusing on progressing there? Spending my sanity on promotion mats? I only have Myrtle, Ptilopsis, and now Exusiai at E2. At E1 I think my notable units are Siege, SilverAsh, Eyja and Silence.
Also, if any one has room on their friends list, I'm Zerth#9711. I've been away so long my friends list is empty.
Anzekay on
The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. ~ Terry Pratchett
@chrono_traveller also I would highly recommend getting Cuora to E2 lvl 50 or so. I say this as someone with Hoshiguma at E2 lvl 50. She is worth having for any time you need a big block of meat to hold dudes back.
Anzekay on
0
Warlock82Never pet a burning dogRegistered Userregular
edited April 14
Ugg I need to get the EX missions done before this event ends...
Posts
It was a good time to discover the series as I had a years long buffet of going back to older entries in between new DS releases.
(edit: I just realised one of these is upside-down, I was playing around with them and forgot to un-flip it)
Because the series' real name is Demon Castle: Dracula??
It's the Metroid issue all over again.
Not that there's been any new game in ages...
Lords of Shadow (the PS3/XBOX360 Castlevania) mixed up the cast. To varying degrees of success.
Interestingly the Japanese titles for this sub-series are mostly the same english words, with nary a Dracula or Demon Castle to be found.
But Grimoire of Souls is back to good ol Demon Castle: Dracula. (Then again, it's basically a compilation of retro characters.)
Nah, Dawn shows its age way worse than SotN. Visually it's all over the place, with not great animation, inconsistent design of areas (some being ultra low quality, and some being a weird mishmash of an attempt at photorealism, against anime-ish characters and random enemy designs), and hit or miss enemy designs that borrows from previous games and also changes some needlessly and not for the better. EDIT: SotN is technically more visually dated, but it is has consistency throughout that doesn't show its age as much as Dawn does. I mean, in Dawns defense, it tried some new things, and probably attempted some of them to deal with the limitations of the DS, while having more horsepower than the GBA games, it just didn't come together in a way that I think feels good these days. SotN (which I will admit has substantially more nostalgia for me) still feels like something that was better designed and had more consistent direction throughout. I'm actually getting annoyed that it's not on Steam or Switch right now. :rotate:
And the audio in Dawn isn't great. The sound effects are terribly low quality, and the music, while decent, isn't even in the same league as SotN's. Sure, some of that is because of the limitations of the cart and the DS's audio, but it just kinda peters around in the audio department.
Plus, SotN doesn't have touchscreen bullshit for boss fights.
I'm not trying to say Dawn is bad, but all of the portable Castlevania games, while good games, had limitations that hold them back due to their platforms. They're relatively short, have limited animations and all over the place visuals (though Portrait and OoE were a lot better, despite the gameplay getting a bit repetitive and stale and lacking much innovation by that point), and generally have lower quality audio across the board. Portrait and OoE have some great tracks, but again, pretty much every song in SotN knocked it out of the park, so it's a pretty absurdly high bar to be held to (even Bloodstained, which has some fantastic music, still just doesn't have the same level of memorable tunes IMO as SotN).
Dawn is good, but overall it feels like it and Aria should have been the same game, and not two different ones. They're both relatively short and would have worked well as one product; they kinda feel like half a game each.
I just definitely don't think SotN has aged worse than Dawn. The main place it could be argued is in gameplay, as SotN doesn't have the soul system, and thus theoretically simpler gameplay; but it doesn't feel that way. The vast majority of souls (in any of the games that had those systems, even Bloodstained) are fairly useless and they typically boil down to a handful of actually useful ones that you ever use unless you're forced to use something else, which in the end kinda breaks even with SotN and the different abilities you get, that all have their uses throughout.
Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand
It doesn't make it a bad game in the slightest, but it is pretty noticeable as a game where they were still figuring some stuff out.
I can't imagine spending half a paragraph comparing the aesthetics of old games as the most important thing. Especially when that's the last thing someone full of nostalgia would care about.
Dawn isn't weighed down by a second half of the game that lacks any level design, cuts off the metroidvania movement progression, and is filled with reject mobs posing zero threat.
Iga has done things that hint in that direction but has never exactly repeated that decision, because it was a mistake, full stop.
Speculation is that it's because Sony was involved with this collection, so it hasn't left their platforms.
My Backloggery
I can't remember if it's Aria, Dawn, or possibly both. But there's one that just spins an enormous fuck-you sword around Soma that does insane damage. It's more or less the "I win" soul of the game.
I don't believe I've found that yet. But to be honest, I'm not sure exactly how soul acquisition even works. As far as I can tell, it's RNG based. Sometimes I'll kill a mob and get it's soul, but most of the time not.
I'm "kupiyupaekio" on Discord.
I think the thing being mentioned is the Red Minotaur Soul. It makes a giant axe appear, bend back behind Soma, and then whirl around hitting everything around him.
It's funny, I swear I've played this game before. But I have no memory of it. It's like I'm playing it for the very first time.
Lucky for me I guess. Like a long lost classic. A hidden gem that I just discovered. But I'm pretty sure I even own the original GBA cartridge for it somewhere.
That's in Aria, though Dawn has the Great Axe Armor soul that replicates it, though that version doesn't quite fill the whole screen, which is a good thing when
So long orundum hoard, it was nice knowing you.
It honestly doesn't really matter until Contingency Contract comes around... and then... it depends on what's valuable for that main stage or rotating daily bullshit.
// Switch: SW-5306-0651-6424 //
Biggin dale:
Been very lucky with the weather in October!
My Backloggery
Checked with the people we gave the puzzle to, and it was http://www.jigsaw2order.com, for what it's worth.
Anyways, just in general, what should I be focusing on map wise? I think I'm not that far along on the main scenario compared to my level (I think I just started episode 6), so should I be focusing on progressing there? Spending my sanity on promotion mats? I only have Myrtle, Ptilopsis, and now Exusiai at E2. At E1 I think my notable units are Siege, SilverAsh, Eyja and Silence.
Also, if any one has room on their friends list, I'm Zerth#9711. I've been away so long my friends list is empty.
I’d also prioritize SA and Eyja to E2 S3M3 and S2M1 on Eyja as well. Probably higher priority since they’ll be really useful.
Also don’t ignore your 4/5 star Ops. Amiya is a good E2. Build a healing defender. Sussuro is best medic.
For me only the EX-8 stage was difficult, the rest were no prob for normal/CM. I did need some extra tries to finish the medals for EX-5/6.
// Switch: SW-5306-0651-6424 //
No Demeter, no sale