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

[Viskod]

I just honestly hate that guy. I just do.

[Chernabogue]

I am the dragon, that... is my elevator!

[Ahasverus]

I just honestly hate that guy. I just do.

He's not even trying. He probaby already put Castlevania in his mental garbage bin and is now focusing on his Contra or whatever.

[e105beta]

He's not even trying. He probaby already put Castlevania in his mental garbage bin and is now focusing on his Contra or whatever.

Well, as we've already confirmed, Alvarez doesn't give two licks about Castlevania as a franchise. His game didn't do well, so he's just "Fuck it, whatevs, I'm still employed"

[Asgardwolf]

Not exactly the reply I was hoping for... https://twitter.com/Enric_Alvarez/status/448743937189359616 

Yep.. His aswer was moronic... I can only guess he can assimilate other people memories and experience when he drinks their blood, like the vampires in Underworld...

[Mike Belmont]

This is what happens when the developers doesn´t have little interest or love for the franchise they worked in.

Oh, I can´t imagine if they are working in a Contra title, with the looks of Clive Barker´s Jericho...

[KaZudra]

Yep.. His aswer was moronic... I can only guess he can assimilate other people memories and experience when he drinks their blood, like the vampires in Underworld...

He could have just used the Possession ability to acquire the memories, but that would be too creative when compared to that.

[Somacula]

The memories and experience thing makes sense as does the possession. The memories would explain why he understands normal modern tech while possessing the guards and scientists would allow him to know about the approximate location of the cure, what it looks like, and what not. Also, I don't think Drac could have known about all the switches, wires, and retinal scanners if he hadn't possessed one of those guards. It all just makes no sense. Drac should have spent at least some time wondering how to operate devices 500 years past his time.

[zaxiou]

There's one thing bugging me all this while, Alucard said "Only my father Gabriel Belmont can destroy Dracula". So, even with VK Dracul can't die can he? Or is it simply a plothole or maybe Alvarez wrote it to sound cool or whatever?

[Intersection]

Remember Zobek's helpful hints at the beginning of the game? I suppose we were spared all of the offscreen dialogue later on.

Zobek: Enter the ele... the box in the wall in front of you. Good. Now press the red button...

Drac: Eh?

Zobek: The glowing red... rune. Yes, that's right. Now stay still as they decontaminate...

Drac: Eh?

Zobek: They summon... mist in the air. Right.

[Flame]

There's one thing bugging me all this while, Alucard said "Only my father Gabriel Belmont can destroy Dracula". So, even with VK Dracul can't die can he? Or is it simply a plothole or maybe Alvarez wrote it to sound cool or whatever?

I think it was supposed to be a sort of Gabriel vs Dracula thing like they did with Inner Dracula.

The idea that he can only die if he comes to terms with himself. he abandoned his identity. he would have to feel remorse for his actions and basically instead of being the vengeful Dracula, return to being gabriel Belmont.

I think i can sort of understand what they were going for

[TatteredSeraph]

That's how I read into it, Flame.

Sorry guys for my absence, I reached a point where I didn't want any more spoilers, so decided to take a small break from here until I'd finished the game.  I finished it yesterday.  I've been mulling it over, and have watched the Alucard dlc now.  I get what they were going for with the open-endedness of the closing scene, with both Gabriel and Alucard finding peace together, however, what I think let it down was what led up to it, and how certain scenes were handled, especially the last boss fight, which I found frustratingly unsatisfying.  There wasn't enough to it, and I felt that setting it on the Leviathan was a bit shoehorned.  It would have been much more befitting for it to take place in the throne room itself for the start of the fight.  Satan taking the multiple-headed dragon form, and declaring himself the 'true dragon' would have been far more epic, with the final possession of Alucard being a last-ditch effort.  I also didn't feel like there was a proper closure with Marie and young Trevor, Some ambiguity, things left unsaid is fine, but there wasn't enough given to give it the epic, and heart-wrenching ending that it deserved, especially after the scenes with Gabriel declaring that he had already chosen his family, anf then the regaining of his memories of Alucard.  Those scenes were beautifully handled, and it's just such a shame that it wasn't ended properly.  It was too unclear regarding whether Marie and Trevor were manifestations of his mind's humanity, or whether it was actually Marie and Alucard in disguise.

  Cox's declaration of Dracula winning and ruling the world also irked me, as I didn't see how he'd defeated 'God' as well as Satan, and it didn't make sense considering that they seemed to want to go down the redemption route, with it emerging that family after all was what was most important to him.  I can definitely see how the ending could have been changed.  (If someone could tell me what Bergaron had said on this, I'm still trying to find that in my catch up of what was missed.)

  All in all, there were bits I loved, and bits I disliked.  The whole game felt rather disjointed to me (the modern city in conflict with the castle), combined with some pacing issues.  The castle sections were incredible, with some scenes being very heartfelt and moving.  If only more of the game, preferrably all of it, had taken place there!  I loved Alucard's reimagining, and after watching the video of the dlc, I look forward to getting hold of it.

[NagoriyukiSlayer]

Cox's declaration of Dracula winning and ruling the world also irked me, as I didn't see how he'd defeated 'God' as well as Satan, and it didn't make sense considering that they seemed to want to go down the redemption route, with it emerging that family after all was what was most important to him.  I can definitely see how the ending could have been changed.  (If someone could tell me what Bergaron had said on this, I'm still trying to find that in my catch up of what was missed.)

(click to show/hide)

The ending would be the same until Dracula goes to stab Satalucard with the VK, in which Dracula would actually have stabbed Alucard, killing Satan, but also killing Alucard in the process. If you want to know the exact post, here it is:

EDIT: Here's Bergaron's words from page 488, I believe.

As I told the end is regrettable, was not what someone told me long ago, "Dracula kill Alucard, defeated Satan but remained very weak, brotherhood will capture and shatters. Tortured (braveheard type) ". Are they changed? no idea, but even he can be categorized as end (I'm afraid to Konami issued in any meeting that final open ..)

Personally, I find this original ending to be more interesting than just a sequel hook. (and a weak one, at that)

[Koutei]

(If someone could tell me what Bergaron had said on this, I'm still trying to find that in my catch up of what was missed.)

(click to show/hide)

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=102346577&postcount=1019

[Flame]

Personally, I find this original ending to be more interesting than just a sequel hook. (and a weak one, at that)

I dunno. ive heard some say that, but I disagree. That's actually WORSE. You played through the whole game for a BAD END. I'm not a fan of games that give you a bad end. Especially one like THAT. How is that any more satisfying? "Interesting =/= good"