Topic: Akumajo Dracula will also become Castlevania in Japan.

[Ratty]

Of course the problem with that is that "Castlevania" still implies that it takes place in a castle or mansion, which still limits your choice of settings if you stick too closely to it or don't find a new creative way around it like the Paintings in PoR.

[Zetheraxza]

^This!

As I stated the same thing in "Castlevania confessions"

"CASTLE-vania" is already giving off its limits that the whole game takes place in one architecture and therefore turns off most gamers as they don't know anything about the franchise. They should change the title of the series. It will add more creativity to it. And some may disagree with this, but Castlevania's Dracula is just alternate retelling of the Bram Stoker's Dracula and is that character too according to bloodlines, but it had been an original character once, therefore you may ignore it's alter ego. This is what Mercurysteam has done. Gabriel is an Original Character and as "Dracula" of this trilogy, he's nothing like your archetypical Dracula. His apparel is completely different and goes nowhere near Vlad III Tepés or Dracula. It's completely original, but pays homage to the classic vampire media. Castlevania here has been original as well, therefore giving more creative freedom to the producers. It's the essence of a game that would make it a castlevania game. For example, some may think LoS doesn't reflect as a CV game, despite having the main character as a Belmont, have a whip, classic sub weapons, classic monsters, remagined locales, few known soundtracks and a castle. Yet, they will claim that BloodRayne Betrayal is more "Castlevania" than LoS regardless of having features that makes a Castlevania game. Why? That's because of the "Atmosphere" it gave and that's the keyword here. BloodRayne Betrayal projected the Gothic environment constantly. The moon being there constantly up in sky in most parts. The gameplay being 2D. The music being "Castlevania" although there was no classic tracks being played like they did in LoS, but the "style" was Castlevania. So these are the things developers need to know about the series when they are to work on them. But again, I played LoS and did question, why can't this be considered "Castlevania". Why can't ruins of an old city or mystical forests be considered Castlevania. Why is the moment when the series touches an unfimiliar idea is considered "different"? Why is the series "Limited" to these things. What make a Castlevania game "Castlevania". Why do some non-Castlevania games seem more Castlevania than LoS despite having none of those things that was Castlevania. Which is why, I feel that after LoS2, they should make serious renditions of their ideas and be strategic about what they want to do next. Castlevania is coming back and if this trilogy becomes successful enough, it won't be too far for the series to become mainstream. I mean for once, Castkevania was breathing the same air as mainstream games in VGAs. That's a huge step. But they will have to be careful from now on...

LoS is a completely new concept for Castlevania, it's pretty alien. A radical change. But, it's Castlevania in "essence" so therefore it's a Castlevania game. IGA's Castlevania was different and a radical change too once, and pretty successful too. But having the same monotone atmosphere and gameplay was making the series somewhat stale and therefore killing it slowly. There were times in OoE where I felt if was still playing Castlevania because that game relied more on the atmosphere than the essence that made it a Castlevania game. There were all kinds of weapon, magic and sub weapon glyphs except for a whip glyph... Like, seriously? And that's what Konami has to look out for, they're actually trying to make Castlevania big. If they are to do this, they'll have to innovate and get new ideas yet keep the essence of the series as well. That's what makes games successful.

[Profbeanburrito]

It's probably a smart move to keep the name the same globally so that there is no confusion, plus I like the Castlevania name better, Akumajou Dracula, obviously, implies Dracula is in it, and they could take a break and do more side stories.

And it's not like the Castlevania name is new in Japan anyways. If I remember correctly, and maybe someone else knows this, but in the japanese Dracula's Curse, on the map, doesn't it say Castlevania in the corner just like in the US release? People in Japan shouldn't get confused regardless of the change

[Successor The Cruel]

I actually don't mind Dracula having something to do with all the games. He doesn't really need to come back in all of them, but having him as an overarching connector is actually a good idea to me.

"CASTLE-vania" is already giving off its limits that the whole game takes place in one architecture and therefore turns off most gamers as they don't know anything about the franchise. They should change the title of the series. It will add more creativity to it.

I think the games taking place primarily in a castle has little to nothing to do with how popular they are. I know sometimes it is brought out that, "In this game you can leave the castle, hur hur!" but I really believe that, by itself, is just some superficial side BS. Just like how on the back of HoD's box it says, "RPG elements let players level up and become more powerful over time." Yeah, that's... nice to know.
What really matters is how good the games are, and how strong and well executed the vision behind them is. I mean, for the most part, Cave Story takes place in subterranean caves, but I have never heard of anyone having a problem with that.

[TheouAegis]

Well it wasn't always Akumajou Dracula. There was also Akumajou Densetsu and Akumajou Special. So they don't have to keep Dracula in the game. They could make a game called Akumajou Olrock if they wanted.

[TheCruelAngel]

Of course the problem with that is that "Castlevania" still implies that it takes place in a castle or mansion, which still limits your choice of settings if you stick too closely to it or don't find a new creative way around it like the Paintings in PoR.

Yeah, didn't a lot of people rage about LoS not having enough Castle time despite being a Castlevania game? I remember reading through stuff like "LoS sucks because LOTR environments, needs MOAR CASTLEZORZ" and then people here saying "Castlevania is limiting us title wise to always being in a castle, we need more sweeping vistas to slay things in!" (can you guess which opinions I favor?)

I say a game is bound by it's title only if you let it be bound. I think most profoundly is dropping the "Dracula" in the Akumajo titles, like TheouAegis said. It's an interesting compromise and reflect's Konami's decision with the Metal Gear Rising naming scheme. Metal Gear lets us know which universe it's in, but switching out Solid with Rising also lets us know that it will be a different kind of game from the Solid lines (like with different protags, play style, etc.). So something like Akumamori Blair (Demon Forest Blair) may be a little...weird (and I think loses something from not having the jo [castle] there to define it as part of the series) but does allow a different main antag (someone called Blair) and a different location (forest instead of castle). Akumajinjya Reimu? Nah...

But doing that would be difficult with Castlevania. While the name is ambiguous with antags, switching it up by primary locations might be a bit...laughable. Forestvania, Shrinevania, for instance (reusing my Akuma-w/e examples) doesn't really carry the impact and could be mistaken as a knock off series. In this case I think it's more beneficial to be loose with the interpretation of the title as a binding element for a game so that Castlevania could take place elsewhere with different antagonists and not have an outcry from the community. As long as it fits in with our Castlevania universe, who cares if we're a Belmont hunting demons in a mountain to only end up in a forest controlled by a witch as the main antag? I wouldn't, and there may be members in the community who really only want to strut around in leather in dungeons whipping things, and that's cool too. But we have previously established titles to do that sort of thing as well. I think a little experimentation and expansion into the CV universe is welcome, especially in Iga's timeline.

Oh and let's not forget brand marketing, without the CV title, a game set in the same universe probably will be overlooked by most people. And when people finally do figure out it's in the same universe they'll probably just go "Why the heck didn't they just slap Castlevania onto the title in the first place? It would have done a lot better and Konami wouldn't of had to close their doors from the flop!" or what have you. 

[Sumac]

Castlevania stopped being about fighting in Castle only, already in the second game. Then there were Haunted Castle (first two stages are not in the castle) and Castlevania 3, in which half of the game consisted from outside areas. Super Castlevania 4 and Rondo Of Blood also had levels set outside. So, switching gameplay to the "inside the castle only" is a bit too late.

[A-Yty]

Well it wasn't always Akumajou Dracula. There was also Akumajou Densetsu and Akumajou Special. So they don't have to keep Dracula in the game. They could make a game called Akumajou Olrock if they wanted.

Indeed. I do thing Dracula has to be part of any continuum of Castlevania, but not every game has to be about him.

[TheouAegis]

Akumajou Choujin (alternatively, Akumajou Nagumo)


Still waiting for Konami to release that one. C'mon, you know you'd play it. You play as Amano Jyaku as your make your way through Osaka toward Osaka Castle then up the castle where you face Nagumo. When you defeat him, he turns into the Demon of Destruction.

That'd be a totally epic game. ... Sure, it might not be canon but the name might lure people into playing it. I think it has a nice ring to it too.