Topic: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate 3DS (Discussion Thread)

[A-Yty]

In a Japanese guide for Rondo.

Hmm, that puts another spin on timeline interpretations. Completely new info to me.

[thernz]

nothing is canon
question everything

[RichterB]

Future of CV: They'll probably do another contest, like they did for LoS, with European, American, and Japanese studios submitting ideas. The best idea/concept wins. Maybe even a runner-up from before will get a chance this time.

A solid, self-contained story with top-notch gameplay and level design, paying close attention to the origins of the brand is all I ask for. (If it's 3D, I truly hope they pay close attention to the N64 era--the 3D camera, the simple but versatile combat, the consequential platforming that uses vertical and horizontal space, and the complementary use of exploration in self-contained areas). I don't need some inflated epic or superfluous whiz-bang. It's about a guy/gal with a whip who, for some good reason, goes after Dracula, traversing a fictional version of Transylvania and all its horror-movie hazards, and ends up in a lethal castle. He/She is not a superhero with superpowers that allow him/her to double-jump tall buildings and juggle enemies in tornadoes; they get the job done through pure grit. It's outnumbered good versus overwhelming evil. Hordes of skeletons, zombies, vampires, bats, medusa heads, mermen, knights, etc. Don't fix what isn't broken. The "storytelling" comes primarily from the atmosphere and the challenges; and is only subtly and occasionally about the people met along the way (IE: Rosa, Renaldo, etc). A narrator doesn't tell you what to think or feel after every level.

If I can get that defining new 3D Castlevania experience I'm looking for, I'll personally be satisfied, and then they can try all the side-stories and timelines they want. Honestly, I think you can squeeze out a few Circle of the Moon- or Legacy of Darkness-like side-stories within a timeframe that could be interpreted as both inside and outside the original timeline, so timelines aren't that big of a deal unless it's a timeline like LoS that purposely tries to erase the visual conventions of the franchise.

And one final request: If Contra, Castlevania's cousin, gets its rumored and teased reboot, 1.) Don't put Dave Cox in charge, which is a stated interest of his, and 2.) Even if he is in charge, don't, under any circumstances, make it into Gears of War's brother.

[DragonSlayr81]

After the LOS saga is over, I think Konami will give another development team. Rather than giving it to IGA again so that he can continue to not make the 1999 game, Konami wants to let new developers give it a go and see what they can do.

I gotta say, it's gonna be interesting to see where the Castlevania series go after 2013.

I kinda bring this up from time to time, but I was always interested int he American pitch for the CV series reins. Japanese pitch was seemingly the Alucard video. Europe's pitch was LoS(the Simon tech demo). We know that American also had an idea/pitch, but we know NOTHING about it other than that.

Also, regarding CV's future, I wouldn't mind it going back to Japan. Not necessarily IGA's team, but a new team.

Going back to the IGA timeline is, in my opinion, more unlikely than just ending the series altogether. Konami went out of their way to reboot the series and then... unreboot it? Equally unlikely is the thought of a new developer continuing with Cox story, because it's supposed to be done, probably with no loose ends to speak of.

Well, Cox has always referred to LoS as the "Ultimate" version of the CV series. Ultimate Universe Marvel, despite being popular, was never made to replace the old canon, and the old canon still exists and is going strong. Maybe the old canon is not done yet. As I listed elsewhere, there are so many possiblities to explore, time periods untouched, things going on in the background with supporting clans/villains, the possiblities are endless. They could also go the "What If" direction, set new CVs in the old canon but ignore IGA's proposed timeline(like Legends, which is old canon, but exists out of the timeline). Basically, SCV4, Adventures Rebirth and such are "What Ifs" in themselves, basically new retellings of classic events. "What if" the history DIDN'T go down like IGA said. "What if" there was no Demon Castle War, no Soma, no Symphony of the Night. What if there was no "hundred year cycle"?

I'd like to see a complete Castlevania reboot a la Prince of Persia.
No Dracula, no Belmonts, a new setting (luckily non european) with the basics only, an epic journey, a new dark lord (lords?) who has a Castle/Fortress and platfforming. Perhaps loosely tied to the old canon but not that much. In summary, a new story.
If tthe Dracula story is finished, why not?

If that was the case, just go new IP instead. It's basically the same thing. I mean, in some cases regarding LoS, I would've loved a similar thing. Instead of CV, call it "Dark King Saga" or something. Make it kinda like CV, but start this badass knight in armor, taking down wizards and dragons(kinda like the Soul games), making pacts with mystical Treants/Ents, Fairy King Oberon, Cyclops lord and other mystical creatures. Something like the NES Wizards & Warriors games, but the LoS approach(3D action-adventure). For a new IP, I can get behind the medieval "thou" fantasy trope. For CV, anything outside of "spooky, moonlight night and gothic castle and horror monsters" feels off to me. If you are going to do something completely different, just bite the bullet and JUST FUCKIN DO SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AS IT'S OWN ORIGINAL THING.

Has many have said, there's just so much stories you could make about the same thing again and again and again. Castlevania could be described like: man fights with supernatural creatures in hazardous stages ending up in a castle with a dark lord. Now, if they erease the CV name but keep those elements then it could be seen as the spiritual successor. But seriously, I don't want to be killing Dracula in my 40's. Just a thought of course, it will probbly never happen.

Well, there ARE other games in the universe OUT there where you DON'T fight "supernatural creatures in hazardous stages ending up in a castle with a dark lord". I've never understood the logic of wanting a game series to change because you're tired of what it's known for doing, especially if it's a series with a LONG history of being known for what it IS. Assassin's Creed, changing settings, that's not a problem. It's a fairly new IP compared to CV. The fan talk about changing GoW to another setting(many want new characters and a setting that revolves around Norse mythology) would be great because GoW is also fairly new, and besides that, they absurdidly made Kratos as overpowered as a character as one can get. Unlike CV, where there are more liberties and things to explore, Kratos is running out of gods and monsters to slay.  But with something like CV, I'd rather a new IP take similar route that CV itself. I'd actually welcome it, like I stated above. A CV-LIKE game taking place in a medieval fantasy realm, or a CV-LIKE game with a ninja in feudal Japan trying to kill a Spirit Emperor, that might work, if it's it's own thing.

[Ahasverus]

Yeah that's what I'm talking a bout. A game with the basic Castlevania DNA sharing some concepts and why not, the same universe, but perhaps don't even named Castlevania. Just a "successor". BTW, I don't want a medieval setting for that. An Egyptian setting NOW that wuold be awesome. (Hint hint Konami: Main baddie: Galamoth)

[RichterB]

Yeah that's what I'm talking a bout. A game with the basic Castlevania DNA sharing some concepts and why not, the same universe, but perhaps don't even named Castlevania. Just a "successor". BTW, I don't want a medieval setting for that. An Egyptian setting NOW that wuold be awesome. (Hint hint Konami: Main baddie: Galamoth)

If we're going this route, shouldn't Castlevania: Lords of Shadow have just dropped the "Castlevania" part altogether, and been a true spin-off effort like Maximo was to Capcom's Ghosts N Goblins series? Think about it. Particularly if you dropped some of the names. Gabriel Belmont Carlyle who becomes Dracula The Lord of Shadow. We've already got ambiguously named characters like Zobek, who could be anything from the proto-Grim Reaper to Santa Claus' evil brother given how he was used. And then we've got Pan and the devil tossed in, the latter being revealed as the last boss. There's these two magical masks that do all sorts of wacky things, and ancient civilizations that used pseudo-mechanical titans to fight wars. Etc. They stretched the "Castlevania" name to the breaking point. It didn't even appear to occur in a real historical setting, exaggerated or otherwise. I think LoS is enough of a departure for it to have been its own franchise separate from Castlevania. However, if that were the case, the fans, including me, would have screamed bloody murder for Konami pouring money into a new whip-toting franchise that wasn't "Castlevania." So, maybe it's a lose-lose situation.

[Maedhros]

I really hope the game comes back to Japanese hands after 2013. I hate the direction the series taken and I'm happy to at least know it'll end.
I don't want to see an epic. I don't need over the top cinematics. Keep it simple, evolve the older formula a bit. Release Castlevania/Akumajo Dracula V.

[shelverton.]

I like this new rendition of castlevania. People jus need to let the IGA ish go.

But that's not the point, at all. It's not a "IGA vs Cox" thing anymore. The point is that this new rendition of Castlevania IS already coming to an end, according to Mercury Steam themselves. The only thing I'm interested in is where Castlevania should go next. Now, this won't be an issue until 2013-2014, so I'm really jumping ahead here. But it's interesting nevertheless.

[DragonSlayr81]

Yeah that's what I'm talking a bout. A game with the basic Castlevania DNA sharing some concepts and why not, the same universe, but perhaps don't even named Castlevania. Just a "successor". BTW, I don't want a medieval setting for that. An Egyptian setting NOW that wuold be awesome. (Hint hint Konami: Main baddie: Galamoth)

You mean, a sorta side-story to the original canon-but taking place elsewhere? Diving into the origin of Galamoth, maybe? Kinda had an interesting idea revolving around Quincey Morris prior to the Stoker novel's events. One about him hunting vampires and demons on the range(interestingly enough, in the novel, other than Van Helsing, Quincey has some knowledge about vampires too, which always kinda backed up the whole "Belmont relation" thing as far as I was concerned).

Af for IPs, I had this idea inspired by a dream about a lord(similar to Dracula, but not quite) who dabbled in arcane arts and a large mansion that houses various otherworldly creatures, with a main setting of the 19th century Britain countryside and overall theme of Lovecraftian inspiration.

Dammit, I just want my 19th century CV-esque horror game!! I know, most likely MS's not going to deliver it(though I would've loved to see one, with their graphical capabilities).

[Neobelmont]

I just want this game to sell well it does it even need to sell 1,000,000 copies perhaps 500,000-700,000

Alongside Incredible reviews. I pray for this to happen I have a gut feeling that stupid reviews will not only give this game a low score for no good reason at all IGN,GS,GT,DT(mostly IGN they don't even like it from the podcast and I if I recall it's not IGA Crap so boo kind of mentality, I recall the LoS reviews from the others. GS was like to bad it got to much things from other games and not be it's own thing,but to mesh everything together and have it not fall apart is something, and GT was like it's does have it's moments it's just too bad that you have to go through a bit of tedium to get their and I recall no maps, and as for destructroid Jim Sterling can suck a giant purple dildo for all I care guy rates games down so much it's unbelievable    ) ,but affect sales as well if it's less than a nine it's no good  .Yeah these next two games can be nothing short of excellence and that is what I hope and it seems that cv gathered a strong presence this year so who knows right 



EDIT: My eyes deceive me 

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And a full pick of Al

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[Inccubus]

I'm fucking confused.

I think it would be better if Gabe/Dracula impregnates an LoS version of Lisa, produces Alucard, etc. I don't like all this "lets fuse different characters" stuff.

Absolutely! I hate it when Hollywood does it on occasion with books 2 movies. Although this is a reboot and not an adaptation, it still urks me in a not cool way.

[Inccubus]

Fantastic interview. I already do feel sympathy for this new Dracula, so they've definitely succeeded in that regard.

If we end up feeling sympathy for this incarnation of Dracula then I'm all for it because it harkens back to the original novel. However, I'm having a bit of trouble with all the Belmonts having Scottish accents.

[Dremn]

And a full pick of Al

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It looks like Trevor's shoulder piece is hanging off of Alucard's torso.

[Inccubus]

Nice to know for sure that the white haired guy was Alucard,..... Thing is based off of the words in this you would think Trevor does become Alucard. I think Cox is trying to lead us the wrong direction since it would ruin the game.

Maybe the game will lead us in that direction, but then the truth is that they're not the same being at all. It's been done before. It's a classic bait and switch.

[Inccubus]

Yea, after listening to that interview and rewatching the demo footage I definitely do see what Cox was trying to say. It's not a pure Metroidvania but it definitely has those characteristics that would make you think it is one.

Sounds like it's possibly even more like Metroid than any of the Metroidvanias were. If you could change between characters on the fly then I'd call Hebereke.