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

[derision]

With the people calling him Dracula, likely because in their eyes, Satan would be the Dragon, and Dracula evil enough to be the spawn of satan or some thing like that.

Lords of Shadow 2 plot synopsis: Dracula hunts down Dracul's Draculas.

[Dremn]

From the new LoS series Artbook:



Trevor's bottom design looks a lot like Ayami Kojima's.

[MKKhanzo]

I always figured with Gabriel it was something like, Since he drinks blood, when he chomps on a neck, he gets all his mouth chin and upper chest covered in blood, so it's just for convenience. So he doesn't stain his pretty outfit or something along those lines. I like to think that practically every pore on a Vampire absorbs blood, which is why when Drac and Alucard drink blood, the bloody mess on their face fades away after a few seconds.

As for Alucard, i suppose Since he was his son, He gave him some similarly designed armor that follows similar conventions to his own, while still retaining Trevor's own outfit style stuff.

I'm curious as to why he didn't think his Son would revive as a Vampire. I guess he didnt know his blood could revive and turn someone after they were dead.

And to be fair, it DID take quite a long while for Trevor to resurrect as Alucard.

By the way, i was thinking- LoS Dracula... is really the very first Castlevania incarnation of the character to ever actually factor in the Dragon aspect.

The real life Vlad  was part of the Order of the Dragon. Which is why he's called Dracula. His father was Dracul, he is Dracula, son of the Dragon.

Other CV games never really delve into that. he just sort of renames himself Vlad Tepes and calls himself Dracula for no other reason than because he's Dracula.

LoS Dracula legot goes the full mile, calling himself Dracul- not Dracula, and often referencing himself as "The Dragon, Dracul"

With the people calling him Dracula, likely because in their eyes, Satan would be the Dragon, and Dracula evil enough to be the spawn of satan or some thing like that.

I always thought of his second (or third) transformations to have draconian form. And some of the Kojima drawings have some sort of draconian stuff, or even dragons itself (Harmony of Dissonance cover).

[Maedhros]

I always figured with Gabriel it was something like, Since he drinks blood, when he chomps on a neck, he gets all his mouth chin and upper chest covered in blood, so it's just for convenience. So he doesn't stain his pretty outfit or something along those lines. I like to think that practically every pore on a Vampire absorbs blood, which is why when Drac and Alucard drink blood, the bloody mess on their face fades away after a few seconds.

As for Alucard, i suppose Since he was his son, He gave him some similarly designed armor that follows similar conventions to his own, while still retaining Trevor's own outfit style stuff.

I'm curious as to why he didn't think his Son would revive as a Vampire. I guess he didnt know his blood could revive and turn someone after they were dead.

And to be fair, it DID take quite a long while for Trevor to resurrect as Alucard.

By the way, i was thinking- LoS Dracula... is really the very first Castlevania incarnation of the character to ever actually factor in the Dragon aspect.

The real life Vlad  was part of the Order of the Dragon. Which is why he's called Dracula. His father was Dracul, he is Dracula, son of the Dragon.

Other CV games never really delve into that. he just sort of renames himself Vlad Tepes and calls himself Dracula for no other reason than because he's Dracula.

LoS Dracula legot goes the full mile, calling himself Dracul- not Dracula, and often referencing himself as "The Dragon, Dracul"

With the people calling him Dracula, likely because in their eyes, Satan would be the Dragon, and Dracula evil enough to be the spawn of satan or some thing like that.

That's because these other games don't try to think too much of reasons for it. It's just a game, Dracula/Vlad Tepes is just a reference for the character on the game, no need to cover all the aspects of the book character on the game, at all, they're not important for Castlevania.

In fact, I don't agree that LoS covers then too, they too use it only as reference, nothing too deep at all.

[Flame]

That's because these other games don't try to think too much of reasons for it. It's just a game, Dracula/Vlad Tepes is just a reference for the character on the game, no need to cover all the aspects of the book character on the game, at all, they're not important for Castlevania.

In fact, I don't agree that LoS covers then too, they too use it only as reference, nothing too deep at all.

They still go deeper than previous games have. He isnt part of any order of the Dragon, BUT, he calls himself "Dracul" because it means Dragon. Therefore, many refer to him as "The Dragon". in fact, if I can recal right, i don't think anyone but himself ever actually call him Dracul. They either call him Dracula, or "The Dragon", interestingly enough. (Or Lord, when in the castle, but thats another story)

It was interesting to me. The kind of reminder that Dracula isn't just some name, it's a word. A word that means something very specific.

[Maedhros]

I think you're overthinking, but ok.

[crisis]

From the new LoS series Artbook:

if iga returns it should be for the 1999 game, nothing else

[Dremn]

Bestfriendvania - Lords of Shadow 2

[Kingshango]

Finished the game, my final thoughts are exactly the same as my impressions posted a few pages back and very little has changed.

+ Combat was fun
castle settings are awesome
bosses were fun
The somewhat non linear worlds (although there clearly hide the loading times during some doors and elevators)
I liked the music
The art direction is great especially Dracula's castle

- Some of the modern areas are so bland and boring to look at compared to the castle settings, hell I swear I nearly fell asleep during the stealth sections in the factory areas because of how generic the interiors looked. And speaking of stealth sections...

Stealth sections, while they're not really horrible, they're very straightforward with next to no freedom to experiment with your abilities. I thought they were ok when you were weak but I shouldn't be hiding anymore after I just ripped out the heart of a giant Gorgon.

The plot, the less I talk about it, the better.

The enemy variety in the modern settings, seriously, I felt like all I was fighting were Resident Evil monsters, Metal Gears and Zergs.

I wish there were more varied setting aside from the castle and the city, like the castle village or the outskirts of the city or something.


Overall, I liked it slightly more than the first one but I can't help but wonder what could have been if Alvarez didn't go full retard and add in some questionable design choices. The game had mad potential to be great instead of just being "ok" at best.

My personal score: Three Puff Daddy's out of 5

[derision]

Someone found an unused series of ledges. Nothing too fancy since it's all invisible and seems to lead nowhere.

Castlevania LOS2: Secret Structure

Wonder if there's other similar things waiting to be found.

[KaZudra]

Someone found an unused series of ledges. Nothing too fancy since it's all invisible and seems to lead nowhere.

Castlevania LOS2: Secret Structure

Wonder if there's other similar things waiting to be found.

I knew that part had something to it, maybe there was going to be a few more areas cut from final?

[Ahasverus]

That man could buy a new TV for the price of the game.
I remember Cox calling the game "Biblical" when first announced, it pains me to know that pretty surely tons of content was cut.

[Flame]

Someone found an unused series of ledges. Nothing too fancy since it's all invisible and seems to lead nowhere.

Castlevania LOS2: Secret Structure

Wonder if there's other similar things waiting to be found.

AHHH

I KNEW IT

I FUCKING KNEW IT

I KNEW THE MOMENT I SAW THAT SECTION OF MISSING RAILING THAT IT WAS SOMETHING! IT DROVE ME OCD AS FUCK

[DarkPrinceAlucard]

Well i finally got back to playing LOS2 after taking a bit of a break to finish my Dead Rising mega man suit hunt, but I must say that I still stand by my opinion that having stealth sections LATER in the game is completely and utterly pointless and stupid not to mention illogical.

You have Gabriel/Dracula who is able to be beat some of Satans best acolytes still having to sneak by those red armored guards who can pwn you so freaken easily.

So pretty much this game is just saying those guards>>>>>>>>>Satan and his top acolytes.

Those sections at the BEGINNING of the game would not have struck such a illogical nerve with me since it was Gabriel/Dracula and his weakest who was regaining his lost power, but later....

Just seem like such a bad move on MS's part that they never even bothered to stop and think about, later in that game after Gabriel/Dracula had some bosses under his belt that he has beaten they should have done away with those guards or at least made it to where you where able to fight and beat them.

But then again that would have ruined most of their precious stealth sections which they wanted to incorporate so bad that thinking about whether it was logical LATER in the game was lost on them.

I can now see why those sections ruined it for some players.

But to be fair they aren't that long and are only given in small douses, but I stand by the notion that it would have been a MUCH better idea if MS never even bothered with stealth sections period.

[Maedhros]

I tried to drop there too. I didn't really wanted to go back there with double jump though, I was already wanting the game to end at that point.