Topic: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate 3DS (Discussion Thread)

[Nagumo]

I thought he said MercurySteam wouldn't be doing anymore stories in the LoSverse.

He said it on twitter recently. Somebody asked if the LoS storyline will continue and he said no.

[RichterB]

Nintendo Power regarding the combat system: "...occasionally felt drawn out, but we're hopeful that Konami will refine the pacing in the final product."

OK, watched the demo video. Honestly, what Nintendo Power talked about, that might be the game's biggest issue. I don't think they'll change it much, because it seems to be what they're going for. They really are trying to replicate that LoS smack-down combat. As a result, the skeletons are going to take 5 to 10 hits, and there was one knight, confirmed as a regular enemy by Cox, who took about 20 hits. With the closed off doors and arena battles with blocking, this is sort of like a 2D LoI.

As an aside, I think the ceiling-grappling is a bit too on-rails still; an automatic button press versus an aiming skill like IV.

Outside of this, there is a lot to like about the game from the demo, though. Unfortunately, I think a lot of people are going to have to leave their thoughts of Castlevania at the door, and just see it as a sort of toned down Lords of Shadow. Combo-mongering is quickly becoming one of the biggest issues of modern gaming. (It looks cool, but it hampers game design flow).

[e105beta]

He said it on twitter recently. Somebody asked if the LoS storyline will continue and he said no.

Got it. Thanks.

Will be interesting so see what happens next, though for right now, I'm pretty set.

[Inccubus]

Boo.....


I don't see how people are excited about him being back, other than him hopefully learning how to do captivating and memorable music right and stop doing the whole damn soundtrack as bland, theatrical background noise. If there are any musical gods on high, they will hopefully have inspired him to at least TRY to look back at what Japanese composers have done in past CV games and get some clues.

Yes, I'm sorry I'm getting down on the game before it's even released and I'm sure some of the people who liked LoS are giving me the stink-eye for it, but considering how I didn't feel the last game was compelling enough to even finish (the first and only Castlevania game I've ever done that with, even goddamn Judgment), I'm not exactly jumping for joy that they plan on revisiting alot of the same with Mirror of Fate.

I honestly hope they surprise me.

This perfectly mirrors my sentiments exactly. The only thing I can add is that each new tidbit they reveal about the game is consistently making my glass swing more and more towards being half empty. :/

[RichterB]

This perfectly mirrors my sentiments exactly. The only thing I can add is that each new tidbit they reveal about the game is consistently making my glass swing more and more towards being half empty. :/

Yeah, this is one of the most frustrating things. It's so extremely frustrating because it's obvious that more resources and effort are being paid to the Castlevania brand now, but it is still mired with the "one step forward, three steps backward" problem its had since about 2003. Why can't someone get it right? It's unbelievable to me the tweaks that keep being made to no avail. For every improvement, it's like some fundamental error is made that makes you really want to like a game, but it just ends up as an amusing pick-up-and-play-and-then-discard-with-a-bad-taste-in-your-mouth kind of feeling. What's it going to take?

[e105beta]

Yeah, this is one of the most frustrating things. It's so extremely frustrating because it's obvious that more resources and effort are being paid to the Castlevania brand now, but it is still mired with the "one step forward, three steps backward" problem its had since about 2003. Why can't someone get it right? It's unbelievable to me the tweaks that keep being made to no avail. For every improvement, it's like some fundamental error is made that makes you really want to like a game, but it just ends up as an amusing pick-up-and-play-and-then-discard-with-a-bad-taste-in-your-mouth kind of feeling. What's it going to take?

I can understand your frustrations, but at the same time "right" seems to be extremely subjective in this case. I'd wager there are probably more people that think this game is "three steps forward, one step back" than there are people who think it's "one step forward, three steps back"

[Sindra]

What I note of the translation of Alverez's interview, is that he said Konami came to him and gave him total freedom to do what he wanted with the series. You have to wonder, how much did IGA piss the execs at Konami headquarters for them to take everything from him and dump it on someone else and say "Here it is, go nuts."?

It really made it sound like Konami wants nothing to do with IGA running Castlevania anymore and that the old canon is probably a lost cause.

[uzo]

After watching the Cox interview, I've lost a lot of the hype. The game looks clunky. The frame rate tanked with more thna one enemy on the screen too. This is WITHOUT the 3D effect enabled, which takes more horse power. It may be nigh unplayable with the 3D enabled.

The same issues plaguing LoS are still present, and the returning features look way more clunky than before. I'm beginning to really worry about the game. They haven't learned their lesson. They don't care. They're in the "shit out the same thing again and again" mode now.

[RichterB]

I can understand your frustrations, but at the same time "right" seems to be extremely subjective in this case. I'd wager there are probably more people that think this game is "three steps forward, one step back" than there are people who think it's "one step forward, three steps back"

A very fair assessment, I suppose. (If painful). I do think that the amount of "takes" on Castlevania, and generations who have played it, has sort of created a broken stained-glass window, where it's hard to get even close to everyone to agree. We all have different reference points. I think it can happen, but it's difficult. It just seems to me that after, like, 10 years, we'd be closer than this to appeasing a larger group. I don't know that Castlevania has really made HUGE strides from where it was in 2003. That's crazy. If anyone is being appeased by Mirror of Fate, I think it might be those who leaned more toward IGA's games...though, they may only be "appeased" and not "pleased." (Just mean in terms of the "Metroidvania" maps returning, which I personally think had overstayed their welcome).

I almost want to start a thread about "how far/not far Castlevania has come" post-2000 or 2003-ish. To me, while my hopes were cautiously piqued for a moment, I think this old saying may summarized my feelings better than anything:

"Same hell, different devil."

yeah, the thread would be titled-- "Castlevania: Same hell, different devil--How far as Castlevania come post-2003"....

[Kingshango]

What I note of the translation of Alverez's interview, is that he said Konami came to him and gave him total freedom to do what he wanted with the series. You have to wonder, how much did IGA piss the execs at Konami headquarters for them to take everything from him and dump it on someone else and say "Here it is, go nuts."?

It really made it sound like Konami wants nothing to do with IGA running Castlevania anymore and that the old canon is probably a lost cause.

Konami must have really hated the reception Judgement got. And the declining sale's of each Castlevania game was probably a factor as well.

[Dremn]

Konami must have really hated the reception Judgement got. And the declining sale's of each Castlevania game was probably a factor as well.

I can't blame them, at all. Judgment was an absolute disaster.

Back on topic, the game really gives me those early PSX platformer vibes.

EDIT: Someone's going on another dislike spree again.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

I would LOVE to watch that Enric Alvarez interview... but now it says:
"This video is Private."
Sooooo I can't.

There'll be a 3DS conference today at 9pm.  So hopefully there'll show some more MoF stuff.

[e105beta]

A very fair assessment, I suppose. (If painful). I do think that the amount of "takes" on Castlevania, and generations who have played it, has sort of created a broken stained-glass window, where it's hard to get even close to everyone to agree. We all have different reference points. I think it can happen, but it's difficult. It just seems to me that after, like, 10 years, we'd be closer than this to appeasing a larger group. I don't know that Castlevania has really made HUGE strides from where it was in 2003. That's crazy. If anyone is being appeased by Mirror of Fate, I think it might be those who leaned more toward IGA's games...though, they may only be "appeased" and not "pleased." (Just mean in terms of the "Metroidvania" maps returning, which I personally think had overstayed their welcome).

I almost want to start a thread about "how far/not far Castlevania has come" post-2000 or 2003-ish. To me, while my hopes were cautiously piqued for a moment, I think this old saying may summarized my feelings better than anything:

"Same hell, different devil."

yeah, the thread would be titled-- "Castlevania: Same hell, different devil--How far as Castlevania come post-2003"....

I think a big issue is how niche the series became after SotN came out. Much like Final Fantasy, it divided the fanbase into "pre-Metroidvania" and "post-Metroidvania" which only continued to splinter as the series became increasingly stylized.

Really, Castlevania does have an extremely unique fanbase in that regard.

[flyingchai]

Cox just confirmed on his Twitter that Sypha is Trevor's wife...

[Sumac]

Watched available footage of the game - so far it looks like modern take on the classic CV formula with dash of "metroidvania". So, I am very pleased.