Topic: In your honest opinion...

[The Last Belmont]

in reply to #1

noewwwwww way is SOTN the best CV. The original trilogy are all leaps and bounds gameplaywise and musicwise above SOTN. I think SOTN is the best recent CV considering what we've gotten since. (not to say any of the new CV are bad, I love them but they can't compare to the oldschool ones, they're two entirely diff types of games).  The first two have the difficulty perfect and the gameplay is such that even though it's hard as fuck you keep going back because it just pulls you in. Hell I spent a good month the first time I got to death going back and trying to beat him and it never got old because there were all these different tactics and strategies I'd keep coming up with and the battle getting to him was so much fun and perfecting the route to him so I could get there with a fighting chance took a lot of time and was a lot of fun as well. The newer games just don't have the same kind of replay value the originals had. I haven't really gone back to play any of them more than once every few years since CV IV. III is perfect as well but in a diff way than I and II. For the first time we had a real in game story and the character had real in game motivation for his actions. The inclusion of allies would have been kickass enough but the game itself is huge without getting repetitive and boring and you get to choose which route you go to the castle which really set the replay value at a whole new high. (which I don't think has been attainable since) III is more of like an adventure and I and II are like linear quests. CV IV was awesome but was too easy in my opinion coming off of the ones before it, it also got repetitive after awhiel and I'd have to take a break, the game would have really benefitted from the ability to run or just walk faster. Rondo is an awesome castlevania game as well and is the closest the series has come to perfect in my opinion since the first 3, it got everything right the only thing that could have been improved was the challenge and the replay value wasn't as high, once I finished the game for some reason I just didn't really get the urge to go back and play it like I did with the previous ones. I still get cravings for the old ones every now and then and have to go back and play them like Mario, Mario 2 (J) and Mario 3.

[John Capricorn]

Do you believe that, while SoTN was amazing, that it was definitely not the best in the series? >_>

I definitely agree with your words.  Other CVs surpassed SotN.

[MidnightSun]

I think Aria is actually IGA's masterpiece. Pretty well everything in that game worked well and felt right. It was a beautiful game with extremely precise controls, a really creative story, good atmosphere, and extremely interesting game mechanics. So technically, I think it is better than SotN. But SotN will always be my favorite because of how it perfectly embodies the ideal feel for the series in all regards.

Kind of funny, because I think Dawn is the better title.  I thought it took everything that Aria did so awesome and improved on it.  What a wonderful little series AoS and DoS turned out to be.

[A n t r a x x]

Kind of funny, because I think Dawn is the better title.

[MDI]

SoTN Was the only 2d Metroidvania with CD quality music, so personally it remains my favorite in terms of quality and presentation.

[Mr Sven]

SOTN - has the best animations and richest art but personally Aria is the best metroid style game for me.

its either SCIV/Rondo or 3 for the best oldskool though

[CVfan13]

I suppose SotN isn't really the best CV, but it's still my favorite.

[A-Yty]

What #2 said, but SotN has definitely been the  most commercially and critically succesful game in the series and widely known among non-fans too.

[MidnightSun]

I suppose SotN isn't really the best CV, but it's still my favorite.

I would say the opposite.  SotN isn't my favorite, but I'd probably say it's the best.

[Gunlord]

I think that's interesting in terms of music. SoTN is famous for the variety of styles it encompasses (a booming baroque choral piece, rococco harpsichord, spanish guitar, etc.) but other Castlevanias had the hints of stylistic diversity as well--the booming Baroque theme in the giant chandelier room in SCIV, for instance.

[CVfan13]

In Reply To #19

Really? I guess you're right, AoS did have some flaws in level design, but you can't say that DoS... actually, no other castle, besides SoTN, has had a more stunning and enchanting appearance to me... so I guess you're right, DoS does have better levels and design, yet I still prefer AoS.

[ChibiMaddiChan]

Castlevania 3 has been and will always be (more than likely) my favorite...but I couldn't honestly say which Castlevania is actually the 'best' (in terms of gameplay and such) in the series.  :hums Mad Forest instead:

[DoctaMario]

Much as I love Symphony, it's not the best. I'd reserve that for the 64 games or Castlevania IV. III, Simon's Quest and Rondo are up there too, and Symphony's defintely near the top of the list, but it's not the best.

[crisis]

Of course, hardcore fans such as yourselves wouldn't admit that SotN is the best. But as for the rest of the population, to them, it is.

[MDI]

Of course, hardcore fans such as yourselves wouldn't admit that SotN is the best. But as for the rest of the population, to them, it is.

So true!

Also, I guess its a good thing this topic title says "In your honest OPINION" Because otherwise its really hard to say which Castlevania truly is the best..

Its all about personal preference and experience! ^_^

But yeah..I love every CV except Haunted Castle and the N64 titles.