Topic: LoS: Why do some fans hate it?

[Munchy]

Started out kind of hating it, then went to kind of loving it. My problem wasn't so much borrowing from other games, but the things they borrowed (wall shimmying, Colossi bosses, absolutely shameless use of QTEs). The Tolkien-esque enemies I'm more fine with now, because it's a sort of similar thing to CV1 grabbing enemies from Universal monster movies. I loved that the structure was more like the older games, but wasn't crazy about the super-hyping of the emotional quality of the plot (which ended up being no better than one of IGA's outside of vocal talent).

I think it could stand numerous improvements, but it isn't a bad game.

[Maedhros]

All of the options, but on different levels.

[Successor The Cruel]

All of the above except this:

"Bestiary (Monsters and bosses not like in IGA's timeline)"

Replace that with:

"Bestiary (Monsters and bosses not like in Castlevania)"

Also, for what it's worth, I think Dave Cox is an idiot and a liar. Lords of Shadow is not reminiscent of Super Castlevania IV at all. Or any Castlevania, for that matter.

[Super Waffle]

Fans hate it because this is what happens when you take some indie God of War clone and suddenly decide to throw the word "Castlevania" in its name in the middle of production.

[Successor The Cruel]

^I'm inclined to believe that is quite possibly true, because I remember the original Lords of Shadow website (which can probably no longer be found) revealing that the plot of the game was about Gabriel searching for Christmas... or something ridiculous like that.

Which... is actually a whole lot heavier than what the plot actually became. A serious 3-D game featuring a large alpha-male in search of Christmas : p

[C Belmont]

^I'm inclined to believe that is quite possibly true, because I remember the original Lords of Shadow website (which can probably no longer be found) revealing that the plot of the game was about Gabriel searching for Christmas... or something ridiculous like that.

Which... is actually a whole lot heavier than what the plot actually became. A serious 3-D game featuring a large alpha-male in search of Christmas : p

I think it's initial description was a dark fairy tale about "a story of one man’s journey to discover the true meaning of sacrifice amidst murder and betrayal" I'd say you are probably thinking of a joke which was made in an online article with that whole Christmas thing

[beingthehero]

Fans hate it because this is what happens when you take some indie God of War clone and suddenly decide to throw the word "Castlevania" in its name in the middle of production.

That's very signature-worthy, Waffle-kun, and very true.

[uzo]

a story of one man’s journey to discover the true meaning of sacrifice amidst murder and betrayal

Only to turn around and forget it happened two hours later. What a sham of a story.

[Kale]

All of the above.

But mainly the first... and mainly in that, the QTEs that we were told would not be in there.I dispise QTEs... I thought it was fun with Fahrenheit... and maybe even a little bit in RE4. But fuck it in pretty much every other game. Though I single this out... I'd like to say it's still all of the above, because there were so many things wrong.. but if I had to choose the part I hate most... it would QTEs.

I can add more about the others if you want.

[Ahasverus]

I think the title is a little misleading. Fans don't hate LoS.. SOME fans do but you know..history has been very kind to this game (The showing of its sequel in MANY "2012 wanted" lists its a good proof) and if you look around the internet..  people liked it.. some more than others.. but they did...
Some fans don't like LoS just like some other don't like SOTN and some others (like me) don't like SCVIV.

[A-Yty]

I can understand not liking SotN, but SCVIV..? If you don't like either ends of the CV spectrum (Metroidvania and Classicvania), I don't quite get how you can even try to find Castlevania in LoS. Hell, even Cox had the sense to market LoS having been greatly inspired by SCVIV (it was a stretch of a truth, but that's not the point).

[Ahasverus]

I can understand not liking SotN, but SCVIV..? If you don't like either ends of the CV spectrum (Metroidvania and Classicvania), I don't quite get how you can even try to find Castlevania in LoS. Hell, even Cox had the sense to market LoS having been greatly inspired by SCVIV (it was a stretch of a truth, but that's not the point).

That's the beauty of life.. we're all different 

(On a side note my favorite classicvania is CVIII a timeless masterpiece IMO)

[A-Yty]

No, I'm not actually being like "OMG YOU DON'T LIKE SCVIV". I'm just trying to figure out how much and what is in SCVIV not to like, especially since you like LoS so much.

[Puwexil]

If you break CV4 down to its mechanics, certain problems will arise, such as the level design not really taking into account just how powerful a tool multi-directional whipping is in the constraints of a largely traditional Castlevania model. But ultimately such observations ring hollow when all it does is serve to empower the player, and especially when the rest of the game is an aesthetic and atmospheric grand slam in every regard. Video games aren't just sterile math and seeing how pieces fit together, after all.

See also: why Symphony is so good, in spite of its perceived flaws.

As for Lords, all the appreciation I can muster for it is as a tech demo of MercurySteam's visual programming chops. Not that I connect with the presented style in any way, but sometimes it's impressive for just the raw prowess of it. It doesn't take away from how the game is representative of a genre and style of play that should never be associated with Castlevania, however, and how badly it does it to begin with. It's just so janky, and also patronizing in how it always offers a bypass option for its braindead, and similarly out-of-place, puzzle sections. Top it off with a terrible orchestral noise soundtrack for the sake of it and a story I'd rather forget in total (not that I've ever placed much importance on such with Castlevania), and I'm left with a game that just does not engage me on any level.

I guess that's why I hate it.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

**renames title to "Why some fans hate it?" out of General principle**