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Castlevania Community Thread | What is a man?!

The FuzzPig

Member
Oct 31, 2017
261
I came to the castlevania series late. First one I played was super castlevania on the Wii. But since then I've played and completed almost all the 2d games, only ones I've not played as far as I'm aware are the Ps3/xbox360 download one and the 3rd Gameboy one (legends? I think).
I'll get round to playing them eventually.
I've also not played the two Kid Dracula games for nes and Gameboy, are they worth tracking down?
After that I'll just have the 3d ones to play.
 

Jiggy

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
9,280
wherever
Harmony of Despair is super underrated. I think I spent like 80+ hours on the XBLA game. Konami should do an expanded sequel but, y'know, Konami.
 
OP
OP

Deleted member 8001

user requested account closure
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Jiggy said:
Harmony of Despair is super underrated. I think I spent like 80+ hours on the XBLA game. Konami should do an expanded sequel but, y'know, Konami.
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It really is. I recall at first I was feeling a little weird about it since it's kind of different from the typical Castlevania formula, but it ended up clicking real hard with me, especially with the DLC updates and attack additions. It's a truly fun title that would benefit hugely being on Steam and modern consoles.

I'll take a sequel or a port with new stages. The remixes also were stellar.

 
Emka

Emka

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,269
I never understood what Harmony of Despair was all about. I tried the demo on psn when it came out on PS3 and I was welcomed by a super zoom out camera with my character looking like an ant. I got scared and I closed the game :P.
 
Kogasu

Kogasu

Member
Oct 25, 2017
76
Gosh, Kid Dracula is one part of the CV series I've never really seen much of to be honest. I've meant to look into them but I guess I never got around to it. "Quirky" is definitely the term I'd think those games are though. At least on a surface level.

And on the Harmony of Despair talk, I think it's an awesome concept and a sequel with some refined ideas would have been pretty fuckin' ace!! I mean what we have now is still pretty good for what it is though I never got to play the multiplayer :(. Also I wish we had like one more magnification level on the zoom lol! Great stuff! Love hearing those remixes too. Couldn't get most of it out of my head when I first played it!
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Ok then, can we just sit and admire how awesome the Netflix Castlevania show is for the fans and such! Look at tis hype animation for the intro!
Source: https://twitter.com/SpencerWan/status/929480623806472192
8AILkCD.gif
 
OP
OP

Deleted member 8001

user requested account closure
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Oct 26, 2017
7,440
Emka said:
I never understood what Harmony of Despair was all about. I tried the demo on psn when it came out on PS3 and I was welcomed by a super zoom out camera with my character looking like an ant. I got scared and I closed the game :P.
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The problem with the intro is that it does start you out all zoomed out and it makes you go "wtf" at first. Essentially what you're suppose to do is click R3 and make the view completely zoomed in so that it's like a typical video game. The camera changing is mainly there so you can see where to go (think of it as your map system).
 

Deleted member 3082

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Oct 25, 2017
3,099
Quacktion said:
How's Harmony of Dissonance compared to Aria and Moon?
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I'd put Harmony of Dissonance at the absolute bottom of the list of the SotN clones IGA put out, if not the bottom of the entire series (unless we're including spin-offs in which case it's still probably at the bottom, behind that godawful waggle fighting game and titty-pachinko machines but maybe slightly above the mobile game that nobody remembers).

It's the one Castlevania game I've never bothered to beat out of sheer disgust.
 
Quacktion

Quacktion

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,479
Tizoc said:
Off the top of my head, Castlevania games that I haven't finished yet include

Dracula X (might skip it since I heard it wasn't very good)
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NovumVeritas said:
Dracula X on SNES is inferior to Rondo of Blood, so yeah you can skip that.
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Dracula X is a downgraded port of Rondo which is true, but its still a great game in its own right. Honestly its so different that you could reskin the game a bit, change the name and it could have stood on its own. The only thing against it I would say is how weirdly the few alt paths that exist in the game are implemented. They can get especially annoying when you go for the best ending, but in the end I am glad they are there to spice things up on repeat playthroughs at the very least.

Retro said:
I'd put Harmony of Dissonance at the absolute bottom of the list of the SotN clones IGA put out, if not the bottom of the entire series (unless we're including spin-offs in which case it's still probably at the bottom, behind that godawful waggle fighting game and titty-pachinko machines but maybe slightly above the mobile game that nobody remembers).

It's the one Castlevania game I've never bothered to beat out of sheer disgust.
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Any particular reasons why its so bad? I gathered from looking around that the soundtrack is pretty ass, but otherwise it looks pretty standard, is blandness the issue?

As far as "bad" games go the only Castlevania that I played that I couldnt stomach was Adventure, it actually scared me off of the series when I was but a bab (untill I played SoTN on XBLA), and even when I tried to go back to it few years back I just couldnt.
 

Deleted member 3082

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Quacktion said:
Any particular reasons why its so bad? I gathered from looking around that the soundtrack is pretty ass, but otherwise it looks pretty standard, is blandness the issue?

As far as "bad" games go the only Castlevania that I played that I couldnt stomach was Adventure, it actually scared me off of the series when I was but a bab (untill I played SoTN on XBLA), and even when I tried to go back to it few years back I just couldnt.
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The soundtrack was actually pretty terrible, maybe it sounds better in another format but on the GBA the music was super low quality; lots of noise and very flat, even with headphones.

My main gripe with the game is the gameplay; a super low difficulty level (bosses especially), castle design (too many 'snake rooms' that are just long vertical spaces where you walk right, drop / jump, walk left, drop / jump, walk right), lots of backtracking and the spellbook / whip system is super bland.
 
Lee Chaolan

Lee Chaolan

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,520
So when are we getting Season 2 of the Netflix Castlevania?

and why isn't Harmony of Despair been ported to XB1/PS4?
 
Lee Chaolan

Lee Chaolan

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,520
Retro said:
Not sure on the second question (probably "because Konami"), but the first has an actual (rough) answer;



Probably won't get a specific date until a new trailer drops.
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Yep, word definitely didn't get around they need to pimp that stuff more. lol

and yeah, "Because Konami" is totally the answer to the other one. Fuck those guys. I would buy it all over again. They just love leaving money on the table.
 
GeekyDad

GeekyDad

Banned
Nov 11, 2017
1,689
USA
Yeah, I noticed that video the other day. Haven't watched it, but I'm looking forward to checking it out.
 
Corvidae

Corvidae

Member
Oct 27, 2017
911
Out and about in nature, NC / USA - ca-caw.
Watched that speed run yesterday during some down time, thanks for posting.

Holy water stays broken. Getting hit and pushing through a tough part is one thing, but man I tend to forget about invincibility / stutter frames when damaging enemies like Axe Knights.

Amazing run.
 
Kogasu

Kogasu

Member
Oct 25, 2017
76
Sooo how are we in Castlevania town feelin' about the new Bloodstained stuff? I'm incredibly hyped for it. It looks fantastic, sounds fantastc and this new mish mash of Castlevania 3 with a more involved character switching mechanic. It looks fun as hell!
 
GeekyDad

GeekyDad

Banned
Nov 11, 2017
1,689
USA
I'm psyched, both for Iga's game and the cool, little 8-bit game by Inti Creates. Hope he does well with this project.
 
Corvidae

Corvidae

Member
Oct 27, 2017
911
Out and about in nature, NC / USA - ca-caw.
I'm continually amazed at the progress Iga has been making with the project overall; and keeping everyone updated on a near constant basis has definitely been a boon in keeping me hyped over the project in general. I've been trying not to spoil myself by pouring over everything since backing it, but dropping this retro-inspired goodness is making me reconsider my initial stance.

Played Castlevania ReBirth for the first time this past week. Interesting take on the old game, and in a lot of ways outright improves the old clunker. For a time I had considered not playing it at all, in the vein of always having a Classic Castlevania to look forward too despite the lean years, but I guess there's nothing terribly romantic about keeping a piece of a once treasured series forever out of reach.

Hope Curse of the Moon is a killer, because I'd like to see a spiritual successor go on to many more titles even if Konami's left this series for dead.
 
Tizoc

Tizoc

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,792
Oman
Please be aware that the speedrunner provides commentary, so if you don't like playthroughs with commentary, mute the audio...and maybe have the SC4 soundtrack playing in the background :P

Do you think it ever possible to sub 30 minute speedrun of Castlevania 4?
 
Quacktion

Quacktion

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,479
Took kinda long, but I decided to give Dissonance a go. Its starts slow but by the end I think I liked it better than Moon. I'l need to replay both back to back someday.
 
Zor

Zor

Member
Oct 30, 2017
11,324
I've only really played the GBA games, Dawn of Sorrow, and the first Lords of Shadow, so I recently grabbed everything I could for 3DS via the eShop (including The Adventure), as well as Portrait and Ecclesia, and am finally going to give myself a bit of a Castlevania history tour starting at the very beginning.
 
Zor

Zor

Member
Oct 30, 2017
11,324
And now I've just learned about Chronicles and The Adventure Rebirth, so I guess I'm adding those badboys to the list!
 
Stuart Gipp

Stuart Gipp

The Fallen
Oct 26, 2017
2,174
Cambridge, England
I'm playing Castlevania (1998), "Castlevania 64", and quite honestly having a blast. I think it's a really fun transplant of the classic games into 3D. Why does it get so much shit?
 
Kogasu

Kogasu

Member
Oct 25, 2017
76
I forgot to mention that I was actually on my own little playthrough of Castlevania myself. I'm a HUGE fan of the series yet the DS games have eluded me as I never had a functioning DS when they came around. However a few months ago, I purchased a 2DSXL with the intention of fixing that and I already finished Dawn of Sorrow!

https://twitter.com/Kogasu/status/1008521298966929409
That's my thoughts up on Twitter (follow me if you'd like ;) ) Essentially, I had a fantastic time with it but I had some things, such as the touch screen and artstyle elements, that don't really click for me however I'll always enjoy the gameplay and I love the AoS and DoS ability system.

Tizoc said:
Lovely.
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Ahh yeahh niceee! Very cool cover!
 
Tizoc

Tizoc

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,792
Oman
Season 2 will be available on Netflix in October


Curiously enough...Isn't Paris Game Week in October too?
 
Tizoc

Tizoc

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,792
Oman
Kokonoe said:
We really need a Castlevania collection, it's long overdue at this point.
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A PC release should feature Steam Workshop support to allow for hacks or mods.
As is, here's what a potential Castlevania Classics Vol. 1 collection would be like
The 3 NES/FDS Castlevania
Rondo of Blood
Super Castlevania IV
Castlevania 16 bit remake
Bloodlines
Symphony of the Night

This excludes the Arcade game(s), Gameboy games and Dracula X, but I'd gladly get such a collection for USD 40.
 
Tfritz

Tfritz

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,258
eThtR9l.jpg

Anyway if y'all didn't hear the news, Simon and Richter are in the new Smash Bros game, along with Alucard as an Assist Trophy and a Dracula's Castle stage that will include a number of Classic Castlevania Bosses.
 
Tizoc

Tizoc

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,792
Oman
I commend them for going with the shonen protag donning the white hachimaki of hot blooded justice design for Richter.

Ayami Kojima's design is nice but there's something to appreciate about the 80s anime look of Richter.
 
Barahir_mjh

Barahir_mjh

Member
Feb 18, 2018
178
Been playing the NES original on Wii U...it's remarkable how well it holds up, such an atmospheric game for 8-bit! Visually it's easily among the best-looking NES games, and without pushing the system to its limits like, say, Kirby's Adventure. The castle feels more like a real location than some much more advanced games.

The controls are "clunky", but the game is clearly designed around it and working with it becomes part of the fun. Soundtrack is fantastic of course.

This isn't my first time playing it (nor my first Castlevania) - last time I tried it I couldn't get past level 5. On 4 now, keep getting close with Frankenstein's Monster and I know I'll get there eventually...hopefully I'll be able to beat Death this time.
 
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runlikehell

runlikehell

Member
Oct 26, 2017
865
Hey so there was a thread about this a while back but I've not been able to find it. What's the name of the castle used for the SOTN cover?
 
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