Topic: What do you guys think of 3D Castlevanias?

[Rodriguezjr]

Well, from the N64, I've only played CV64. I found it enjoyable to play. I loved the platforming and the creepy music that suited the game's atmosphere.

From the PS2, I like playing LoI all the time. I went through the game many times and past it once in Crazy mode. I haven't played CoD much, the areas can tend to be boring but, like shelverton. said, I also enjoy listening to the music.

[fallenangel86]

 the problem i have with curse of darkness is that it feels more like a seiken densetsu game than castlevania. i mean you could actually call this an rpg, something you can't even do with the handhelds(i haven't played ecclesia so i don't know if that feels more like one than usual either). the rest of the 3d games have more of a classic feel. lament goes kind of half and half, the metroid exploration is there, but you don't level up, which makes the game shorter, which to me, is a good thing actually.

 i mean castlevania is initially an action series, and you don't want these games hitting the 20+ hour range. especially since you might need to go back and gain a few levels to take on the next boss or what have you. not much incentive to play a second time, relatively soon afterward, when it takes that much time to get through it once. that said i have enjoyed curse of darkness, and thankfully trevor does not level up.

[CapComMDb]

not much incentive to play a second time, relatively soon afterward, when it takes that much time to get through it once.

Interesting. Play length is definitely one that would be hard to balance. A shorter game would have higher replay value than a 100-hour game I'd think, but the 100-hour game you might get more out of. Of course, you could also get bored with it and never finish...

I rarely play through a game twice, and that's part of the reason. There has to be something significantly different in the play-through, like Sisters mode. (Then again, I also don't tend to read the same book twice or watch the same movie twice!). Though I guess if you think about it, Castlevania 1 was kinda like that, except you played through the whole game again on a harder difficulty. SotN and the rest follow that model, only you're given a different character.

[Mobius]

What do I think? I agree with Igarashi-sama that the ideal 3D Castlevania still continues to elude us. For once, we agree on something. Now if that isn't a positive sign of interspecies co-operation I just don't know what is.

[snakes3425]

I don't have a problem with 3D castlevanias.

  I don't even know if this affects all the copies, but my biggest complaint is with Curse of Darkness for the Xbox, for some reason Konomi forgot to put in the sound effects.

[The Last Belmont]

I liked the gameplay in LOI but the plot should have been way better for the very first game. The graphics were also top notch for the ps2,  and contrary to many I actually found cod alot of fun. I loved exploring all over romania and fighting the time traveler was fun.

[gravekeeper]

I think all of the 3D Castlevanias are a bit of a spread out puzzle. If they'd be put together it'd be awesome. They're all good, but the PS2 titles seem to lack something the N64 titles have and vice versa. I think if you took the N64 title's setup and mixed it with the PS2 title's graphics, music and battling system I think it'd be great. Running around through identical rooms slaying endless amounts of monsters get kinda boring in the long run.

So technically the N64 titles are better but somehow I still prefer the ones for PS2. I hope to see more 3D Castlevanias! With some new ideas in it of course

[Shinobi]

The 2 N64 3d CV games:
Great environment but the movement of the character is sluggish.

Iga's 3d CV games:
The graphics, music, gameplay are great but the stages is boring that makes me yawn several times.

[fallenangel86]

here's what i think would work. cross the best elements of the n64 games(pretty much everything) and god of war(the 3d platforming aspects and excellent usage of an elongated, prehensile weapon). more focus on the belmonts too....much more... i mean seriously, do they just get lazy and give up until one has to fight dracula? what the fuck type of vampire hunter lineage only cares about one vampire?

bleh, i gotta stop here. i start thinking about the glaring holes in this series overall plotline, i could probably go off on a 50 paragraph long rant.

[justin312]

I enjoy the N64 titles more than the PS2 games.  For some reason the whole Devil May Cry feel turned me off of the PS2 games, and I also thought they got tedious very quickly.  Even though the N64 games were flawed and frustrating at times, at least they kept me interested the whole way through.  I also thought the atmosphere was much better in the N64 games, and the plots and cutscenes of the PS2 games didn't do much for me.

But I agree that we still haven't seen the definitive 3D Castlevania yet.  Hopefully they will get it perfect someday.