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

[Anglachel]

After playing Lords of Shadow 2, the epilogue for the first game seems like a lot better game. 

When I beat the first one, I imagined Dracula was just sitting on that throne for years, hoping that somehow he would die. After fighting century to century, Belmont to Belmont, through war after war after war, Dracula would finally decide to hide away and to stop wreaking havoc on the world. He grew cryptic, a shadow of himself. His once feared name was now ridiculed and mocked as a folk tale, a spook story for children. The living knew nothing about this undead warrior, hiding away in his derelict chapel. He no longer felt like the Dragon, but he feels at odds with God. He remembers everything that he has been through. His still yearns for his Marie. He remembers his son Alucard. He feels anger at him for helping the Belmonts, but still loves his son. His wrath on the world now feels empty. He realizes he has achieved nothing but torment. He begins to question his cursing of God, wondering if perhaps he was wrong about Him. But then one rainy day, a visitor arrives before him. Not to kneel or to battle, but there to strike a bargain with him. The angel Lucifer has not forgotten about what Gabriel and God did to him, and he plans his revenge on both of them. Zobek, knowing Satan will come after him too to reclaim his powers of death, offers Gabriel the chance to die if he helps him in his plan. Dracula feels no pity for Zobek, and hates him for what he did to him, but realizes that Zobek is his only chance to escape his unlife. Reluctantly, Dracula agrees to help Zobek. But Dracula is not going to fall for Zobek's plans again. When Dracula arises, his castle returns from the dead. It erects from the abyss, demolishing the city and replacing it with the glory and splendor of his fortress. Dracula does not expect Zobek to challenge him.

But, Dracula suspects that his ancestors have not given up in their quest. For tonight, Alucard awakens from his slumber. He slept when Dracula did not return as expected. Sheathing his Crissaegrim, Alucard goes in search of the Belmont that will join him in his quest to defeat Dracula again. Victor Belmont meets Alucard, and upon hearing the name Dracula, picks up his battle cross and gathers his allies to enter the castle and defeat the Prince of Darkness, as his lineage has been bound to do until Dracula is defeated forever.

[Ahasverus]

Eh that was a little fan ficty. I liked the LoS version more. Gabriel didn't long for power anyway, that's not in his personality. His motives were clear enough. You know, that's something I liked about the LoS series, Gabriel didn't become a super monster or a different person, Dracula was a bitter Gabriel Belmont, but you could see Gabriel Belmont there.

[Anglachel]

Well, I've been following this game for a long time, so to keep my busy I've always tried to come up with stories about why Gabriel was here and what happened in between the past and future. One of my biggest disappointments with Lords of Shadow 2 was how the Belmonts seem to be completely thrown under the bus. When it was first revealed, I thought the game would take place over many centuries, like each time period you would play in is like a mini Castlevania game, where a Belmont or group of vampire hunters go after Gabriel. Then it all builds up to the ending battle with Satan. But the Belmont family seemed to get no love in Lords of Shadow 2. Victor Belmont is there just to die, he doesn't really hunt Dracula. There's no other Belmonts talked or shown between Simon and Victor, which was very disappointing to me.

[Ahasverus]

For all we know the Belmont family got lots of adventures as they were the leaders of the brotherhood for a lot of time and they were very recognized in Castlevania city. I'm sure they could make a LoS Belmont game if they wanted focusing on Galamoth or something like that. I personally don't think Gabriel would have attacked another Belmont after Simon as seen by his rectlutance to harm Victor.

[Flame]

For all we know the Belmont family got lots of adventures as they were the leaders of the brotherhood for a lot of time and they were very recognized in Castlevania city. I'm sure they could make a LoS Belmont game if they wanted focusing on Galamoth or something like that. I personally don't think Gabriel would have attacked another Belmont after Simon as seen by his rectlutance to harm Victor.

LoS2 Gabriel is also not the same as MoF Gabriel.

LoS2 Gabriel is out for redemption. he wants to die and wants it all to just end. MoF Gabriel is right at the start, while he's still really angry and permapissed at the brotherhood.

Also, he still fought Simon despite killing Trevor. He didn't seem to have his heart into it, but he followed due process anyway.

[Ahasverus]

He was pissed off, but he got soft after he saw Alucard alive I think. I really doubt he wanted to kill them in that fight.

[Viskod]

Granted yes, my version would have destroyed the city, but I'm not going to be all broken up about that. I would have rather had the game take place all over the country that his castle resided in, if we're going to revisit modern areas, why not see some modern versions of the ruins of Agharta and whatever became of a place like the titan graveyard in modern times?

And have the city on top of the castle ruins, basically be the capital, so when Dracula raises his castle, he's basically claiming dominion over that country and all who decide to live there.

Yes, it would basically open the door for Konami to do more with the character, but I'm fine with that, I'd go so far to say I would prefer that.

There's no reason that this Dracula's personal journey and story has to end with his death or eternal torture by the brotherhood. I don't see any problem with Dracula accepting everything he's done, who he really is, making some kind of peace with Alucard, and accepting an anti hero role of a person who will stop forces like Zobek and Satan, but at the same time you stay the fuck out of his castle and off his lawn and don't screw around with his domain and in return he wont send hordes of monsters to destroy everything you love and personally rip out your throat with his teeth.

I'm not saying it had to be that way verbatim but I think its a general set up that would keep these incarnations of Dracula and Alucard alive so that they could be revisited in the future and still bring an end to the personal story of Dracula so that the next time we see him, we can do something totally different with him thematically and won't be retreading old ground.

I personally would love this, because I really like this Dracula as a character and I would love a game where he is confident and sure of who he is and what his role in the world is. Opposition could come from another evil force, a Belmont descendant who ignorantly blames Dracula for Victors death, or the remaining Brotherhood who despite Dracula defeating satan twice and saving the world, just won't tolerate a vampire as the savior of humanity and want to kill him regardless, or a cult of would be followers that turn against him because they're disappointed he's not evil enough, and I throw that one in there just because I want a LoS version of " ...the dark priest called Shaft."

[Ahasverus]

That's an idea I can get behind to.

[EstebanT]

The artbook has an entire section for weapons. But all it has is the dark pain and combat cross.... It's one page long.... It reminds me of victors appearance in the game.

[Dominus]

does it have a Carmilla section? 

[EstebanT]

It does. It's also very small.

[Dracul_Belmont]

Does anybody know the name of the track from the Inner Dracula battle?

[Ahasverus]

Does anybody know the name of the track from the Inner Dracula battle?

Inner_Dracula_3, Nothing to Lose, untittled track, pick one

[Dracul_Belmont]

I don't have that track

[Ahasverus]

Do you have the real soundtrack or the game file rip? It's Enough_talk_ g9 on the rip, nothing to lose is the classic track it's based on. A great moment in the game when it started playing, I got the chills (funFact: It also has the begining of "Tragic Prince")