Topic: "The Dragon Returns" - Castlevania Lords of Shadow Sequel (HERE BE SPOILER INFO)

[Sumac]

Yes, anywhere but near the LoS soundtrack.   

As for my "sensationalism" comment on LoS. It was just the bombastic nature of the game.

Well, eveyrone have their own opinion on the matter. 
After having so much "metroidvanias" I really craved for something different. LOS delivered. Such things help to put things into perspective and see what was wrong and was right in the past and what should avoided in the future.
I am not saying all Castlevanias should be like LOS...no, far from it. But such experiments really fun (well for some people) and good way to refresh series after a stale period.
Besides, I think after LOS, Castlevania will jump from one hands to another, until it will finally lose all appeal and quitely die on some pads and smartphones.

What series needs, more than reboot or return to the past, is some strong leader-figure, who will care about it and it will put series into new and solid direction for the next few years. Kind of like, what IGA was, but with better grounding in reality and with less bizzare ideas. And team of talented writers at hand, of course.

[crisis]

HOHOHO we need more games like Adventure ReBirth which was way more refreshing & true to the formula

Vampire Killer (Music Box) - Castlevania Lords of Shadow BEST QUALITY + MP3

[Kingshango]

So who's ready for a short 1-2 minute snippet of gameplay this friday?

We still haven't seen a lot from Mirror of Fate, I'm surprised they're showing LoS2 this early.

Im sure there'll be an extended trailer afterwards.

And im actually glad they're showing it off now rather than waiting till the next big gaming convention in a year or so. The waiting would have made me go insane and I've already gotten over one long delayed game.

[RichterB]

Well, eveyrone have their own opinion on the matter. 
After having so much "metroidvanias" I really craved for something different. LOS delivered. Such things help to put things into perspective and see what was wrong and was right in the past and what should avoided in the future.
I am not saying all Castlevanias should be like LOS...no, far from it. But such experiments really fun (well for some people) and good way to refresh series after a stale period.
Besides, I think after LOS, Castlevania will jump from one hands to another, until it will finally lose all appeal and quitely die on some pads and smartphones.

What series needs, more than reboot or return to the past, is some strong leader-figure, who will care about it and it will put series into new and solid direction for the next few years. Kind of like, what IGA was, but with better grounding in reality and with less bizzare ideas. And team of talented writers at hand, of course.

Sumac, I definitely can relate to craving something else after so many Metroidvanias. I had hoped the change would happen even sooner than it did, so I was interested in the possibility of a new direction that, in the process, returned more to the bare bones/roots of the franchise, as Cox seemed to promise over and over during development. And I will admit, when Lords of Shadow was first teased as a new IP, separate from Castlevania, I was thinking it was disappointing that Konami wouldn't put this effort into Castlevania itself. (IGA's mysterious teaser with a 3D Alucard didn't seem to guarantee anything, especially after what happened from LoI to CoD, which, in my opinion, concluded in a net value step backward). But from the very first trailer reveal of LoS as a Castlevania reboot, I was left with mixed feelings from some of the art direction/story/gameplay choices, even though I loved the idea of a next-gen Castlevania where the whip would have multiple functions. The final product left me disillusioned; I liked it casually as a game, in the same way I might feel about God of War, but neither are particularly my cup of tea that really moves me. It didn't have that "Castlevania" punch to it for me that I'd been hoping a switch from IGA might bring.

I think a new concerted effort, post-Cox/MS games is comforting, and I hope it results in a product that pushes all the right buttons. That's hard to do with a franchise that has split in so many ways, though. For instance, the stories of LoS2 being more like SotN creates a dilemma, as it brings me right back to the problem I (and maybe you) had in the beginning, that we were tired of that direction. And for me, it presumably ties that style of gameplay with the gameplay and story elements of LoS, which were suspect for me.

HOHOHO we need more games like Adventure ReBirth which was way more refreshing & true to the formula

Vampire Killer (Music Box) - Castlevania Lords of Shadow BEST QUALITY + MP3

Adventure ReBirth served as a stopgap of the misconception that SotN/Metroidvania has to inform all future Castlevania titles in its basic structure. Rather than DXC, it featured entirely new content in the original style of Castlevania, while adding a strategic use of keys/paths/health items on various difficulty levels with different stage layouts, along with an option motion control option and Classic control option for additional replay value. It also celebrated the rich and even obscure history of Castlevania music, and featured enemies that both celebrated and built off of the Castlevania lore, like the Jekyll and Hyde-like Level 2 Boss. It had its limitations, and room for improvement, but brought back a key focus on strategic action-platforming and enemy placement for the first time in many, many years that was the first definition of Castlevania.

As for LoS' Vampire Killer Music Box, that was like throwing a candy cane to a person ravenous for a full meal, and deprived of full meal for years upon years (when you combine the idea of a big-budget soundtrack with a big-budget Castlevania).

Anyway, who here thinks the Friday trailer will add a classic song and/or a classic location (opening hallway?) to try and sell this to those of us who didn't find LoS "Castlevania enough." I just hope they realize a shout out like that won't be enough.

But at the end of the day, MS is going to make Castlevania as they see it, Castlevania or not. Which is why there is the questionable inclusion of heavy combo-fighting in a backtracking-centric Metroidvania structure for MoF; the net result will be a lot of padding, IMO, smacking one enemy for a long time just to get back to the previously locked area. It just seems counter-intuitive to two formulas I already dislike.

[Kingshango]

 If anyone is expecting Lords of Shadow 2 as the perfect 3D Castlevania, they're setting themselves up for a big, BIG, BIG disappointment.

I just want Lords of Shadow 2 to be a better game in the end. As long as it's better than Lords of Shadow, then it's alright with me.

[Chernabogue]

Cox hinted a new trailer for LoS2 will be shown, not only gameplay.

[Sumac]

Sumac, I definitely can relate to craving something else after so many Metroidvanias.

I understand this. It's not that I will like anything labeled Castlevania, my reviews are prove of that, but LOS was closer to the Castlevania style, that I personally like, than games before it.

And in previous post I just told my desires, when it comes to the series and proposed something necessary for the series. It wasn't insulting anyone, but some people reacted like that...Stop being so nervous people - you will have too many wrinkles, if you go like this. 

[sannyclause]

HO HO HO only one more day guys 

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

@Sumac: Yeah.... no, you should think about what the people's reactions to your post is PRIOR to posting.  Not post it and say "Whoa calm down people I'm just sayin', don't get worked up."   That doesn't really help.

And you were doing so well, too...

[Flame]

Dave Cox's new twitter profile picture. I wonder who could that be... -_-

ITSPIKACHU

the story was very reminiscent of IGA's LoI, which a lot of people decry, so why is it any more serious and mature?

well for one, we actually get to know the character that becomes Dracula. He isn't just a 2 dimensional footnote in the manual of the game who shows up for a few minutes before the final boss and then leaves after a grand speech about his woes and miseries and how he curses God for shit.

[Rugal]

Probably not  gonna get this game until it hits the bargain bin 2 weeks after it comes out. First Castlevania game that won't get a day 1 purchase from me. Also, I wonder if Sean Connery is going to reprise his roll as "Death".

[A-Yty]

Shatan'sh acolytesh are readying for hish imminent return.

[Sumac]

@Sumac: Yeah.... no, you should think about what the people's reactions to your post is PRIOR to posting.  Not post it and say "Whoa calm down people I'm just sayin', don't get worked up."   That doesn't really help.
And you were doing so well, too...

I am still doing well. I am not attacking or insulting anyone. If some people can't accept normally even simple another opinion...well, then I don't think anything gonna help those people.
I will stop complain about it, since it's rather useless and seemingly serves as mere attraction for those poor souls. 

[VladCT]

Thing is, the wording in your posts imply quite a bit of a lack of respect and empathy towards others. If first-timers were to look at your posts, they would think that you think only your feelings matter.

[Munchy]

Somebody please call Hitoshi Sakimoto.   

FUCK YES.

I don't mind classical music at all, but I wish LoS had had some attempt to make it sound horrific. Like mah boi Stravinsky.

Stravinsky: Requiem Canticles (1966) - Part 1/2 [Mvmnts I-V]