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

[darkmanx_429]

If this game does superbly well, does this mean David Cox really did save the Castlevania franchise?

[crisis]

No because the franchise was never in any real danger. They've been producing games consecutively year after year

If however Dave Cox reboots the Goemon/Mystical Ninja franchise so it has mass appeal ala Mario, THAT'S what I call "saving a franchise."

[Flame]

If this game does superbly well does this mean David Cox really did save the Castlevania franchise?

Depends on the fate of the franchise after he leaves. if Castlevania regains it's place at the top, and gets consistent good games with GOOD BUDGETS, then yes.

No because the franchise was never in any real danger. They've been producing games consecutively year after year

Relegated to handhelds, with 4 3D console flops, (3 if you count the 2 N64 games as 1 entity a-la Sonic 3&K) (not counting Judgement) and apparently pitiable budgets and stagnant gameplay and presentation, i would say it was not dead yet, but it was going there. IGA's era had simply run it's course, and his bad habits were doing more harm than good.

LoS, like the game or not, was the booster shot that the franchise needed to kick it into the present day, back onto consoles where it belongs, with the kind of budget and dedication it deserves.

When he says he prevented it from becoming another Mega Man, he's not lying. Mega Man failed to enter the modern 3D gaming era when X7 bombed, and Capcom just gave up trying. Legends 3 could have been something the franchise needed, and I think Capcom severely underestimated the audience for it. But it didn't happen, and Mega Man is in limbo. Castlevania would have met the same fate eventually.

[Munchy]

4. Dracula's method of taking down the titan by throwing up blood on the core was the oddest thing I've seen a vampire do and I've seen vampires do odd things.

Oh God pleeeease let this be one of the default subweapons. Blood vomit would be an amazing way to troll enemies.

And the respawning doesn't sound much better or worse than what was in LoS. Just quicker, which isn't all that bad. Sure, I hope the difficulty levels actually change more than just enemy damage output (like, say, changing enemy layouts and more sparse checkpoints perhaps???), but you can't win them all I guess.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

When he says he prevented it from becoming another Mega Man, he's not lying. Mega Man failed to enter the modern 3D gaming era when X7 bombed, and Capcom just gave up trying. Legends 3 could have been something the franchise needed, and I think Capcom severely underestimated the audience for it. But it didn't happen, and Mega Man is in limbo. Castlevania would have met the same fate eventually.

[SaibotMK]

At least that rumor about Dracula being a fake impersonation created by the Toy Maker isn't true. The demo says Dracula returns after Simon and Alucard defeated him in MoF.

If Julius doesn't show up, maybe Richter will be the one trailing him for the whole game.

I hope so, I want to see Richter in LoS 2

[crisis]

Relegated to handhelds,

Not really a "bad" thing since people were still buying them, or else they would've stopped at Harmony of Dissonance.

stagnant gameplay and presentation,

That's entirely subjective

i would say it was not dead yet, but it was going there. IGA's era had simply run it's course, and his bad habits were doing more harm than good.

If Cox/MercurySteam hadn't come into the picture, then things would've most likely proceeded "business as usual" regardless of their presence. "Mystical Ninja" hasn't seen a fresh game in years. Suikoden isn't getting the attention it deserves. Those are just a couple examples of series that are on "life support/near death." Like I said, Castlevania has seen consecutive releases for the past decade and there was no signs of it slowing down, despite "flops" like Judgment and CoD. Akumajo Dracula PS360 would've came out instead of LoS, a new handheld game after that (which no doubt would've faired way better than MoF had it followed the trend of the previous "metroidvanias"), maybe even a port of Akumajo Dracula The Arcade. People even bought and still play Harmony of Despair. Did you forget they were actually pitching a live-action movie for a while? Dead/forgotton franchises don't have that luxury.


So I disagree that Castlevania was "near death" before MS/Cox came along. Sure the series deserved more respect than it was given (especially after they flat-out ignored the 25th Anniversary) but it was still receiving more attention than other Konami properties. It may not be a "heavy hitter" series, but it certainly wasn't fading into obscurity. Of course MercurySteam deserves a lot of credit for finally realizing Castlevania in glorious 3D, but to say they saved the franchise from doom is an exaggeration.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

Indeed.

Poor Mystical Ninja, Twinbee, Parodius (Otomedius I guess works for Gradius?).

Seems Konami is just Metal Gear (and only Solid; no old MSX/NES versions), Silent Hill, and Dance Dance Revolution (though Dance Dance Revolution is dying now it seems).

[SaibotMK]

I know their are more sub weapons in LoS 2, but I am really disappointed we have still not got a confirmation on if we can bloody teleport or not. I know its a hack n slash, but why not add his iconic teleport and 3 fireballs projected out of his cape like we see in MoF.

I know the possibly is their, but he could have at very least kind of gave us a hint at some of his other powers. All we know is, he has 3 main weapons, a whip, a sword, claws and the ability to turn into mist along with possess enemies. A "You will get what you saw in MoF" would have worked, anything.

I only see Dracula teleporting after he is being hit by that golden winged armored archer, which is a uncontrollable thing and only happens to reset your character. It just doesn't feel like the Dracula I know in Castlevania and sure as hell not the Dracula in Rondo or SoTN, yet they quote lines from those games which is just cheese, ugh.

[crisis]

It just doesn't feel like the Dracula I know in Castlevania and sure as hell not the Dracula in Rondo or SoTN

Well, that's their intention. That's why I'm gonna play LoS2 with very little preconceived expectations, so I won't be as disappointed if "such & such" isn't there.

[Flame]

It just doesn't feel like the Dracula I know in Castlevania and sure as hell not the Dracula in Rondo or SoTN,

Because it isn't.
 

yet they quote lines from those games which is just cheese, ugh.

Gotta please people somehow when they complain that it isnt castlevania.

'sides, how could they do Dracula WITHOUT that famous speech?

[Neobelmont]

Indeed.

Poor Mystical Ninja, Twinbee, Parodius (Otomedius I guess works for Gradius?).

Seems Konami is just Metal Gear (and only Solid; no old MSX/NES versions), Silent Hill, and Dance Dance Revolution (though Dance Dance Revolution is dying now it seems).

You forgot Yu-gi-oh!  just to let you know

And poor fuma.

[shelverton.]

Well, if you'd ask a Silent Hill fan, I bet he/she would argue that Konami only cares about Metal Gear and Castlevania. Silent Hill is, IMO, in a really really bad shape. Much worse than Castlevania ever was. And personally, I would probably trade a couple of years of Castlevania for just one more, proper Suikoden game. But that's never going to happen. Oh, and Gradius... and Contra.

I doubt Castlevania was ever in any real danger, it was more about Konami looking at games like God of War, thinking that they'd kill for a franchise like that. And Castlevania was the most obvious choice for that experiment. I doubt LoS2 will sell as much as LoS1, sequels rarely does (unless you're Assassin's Creed, God of War, Call of Duty or stuff like that), but with a little marketing maybe it'll sell... dunno.. 600-700K worldwide maybe, ps3/360/pc combined. Or something. Which isn't half bad.

Castlevania will never ever play with the big boys. I hope Konami have realistic expectations this time. They should, especially after Mirror of Flop.

[Kingshango]

I doubt even Konami had high expectations for Mirror of Fate's sales either. Hell I wouldn't be surprised if the game managed to break even for them.

I think LOS2 will do fine sales wise, however not as fine as LOS1 since a lot of fans were burned by the first game (as well as MoF). So much that they won't bother giving the game a fair chance even if the game managed be good or dare I say great.

And maybe PC sales will help a bit, maybe.

[Maedhros]

  Gotta please people somehow when they complain that it isnt castlevania.

'sides, how could they do Dracula WITHOUT that famous speech?

Now you're being stupid. No one asked for old quotes and this doesn't please anyone. The line comes out of fucking nowhere. Incredible wrong place to even say it. It would be best if they didn't even put the line there at all.