Topic: I knew it! Castlevania: Lords of Shadow!(SPOILERS HERE, PLZ USE THE SPOILER TAG)

[shelverton.]

If the LoS-style continues for the franchise, in a couple of years people (newcomers in particular) will complain if Konami ever decides to go back to the Metroidvania formula. They will think that it's not "Castlevania enough". The curse and blessings of having such a long-running series is that the style will change many times along the road, and most people will only be familiar with whatever style the most recent entries have. It's different for hardcore fans such as ourselves. We know EVERYTHING about the saga and have played every game ever released. There are many casual Castlevania fans that don't know crap about the early, linear games.

I think LoS may very well be that game that changes this franchise like SotN did. Uness IGA has another Metroidvania up his sleeve... But in all honesty, I don't think the Metroidvania style will be around forever. It's been done to death, and while the games are mostly great, they don't sell very well, and there's only so much you can do with the formula. From here on, Castlevania will probably never be the same.. dunno. It's just a feeling I have.

[jediblaster]

I am so glad they strayed from the "metroidvania" style though.  I have had my fill of them.  I usually get excited when a new one comes out, but after OoE, I knew I was done with them.  I played SOTN to death anyway.  I still boot up the classic vanias every now and then, probably because they are so short and don't require much to get them going.  I really can't see myself ever playing this one again either, not b/c it isn't good, but just b/c I don't have the time.  Demons souls was the last game I played repeatedly, but once I forged every weapon I wanted to try, I had my fill of that too.  Funny how that is.  We want games to be long and in depth, but when they are, they lose that replay value eventually.  Years from now, the CV games I probably will still replay from time to time and especially around this time of year will be the 2d CV games and the Ninja gaiden nes games.  Sometimes simple can be better to a degree.

BTW, anyone know when Ripten will review this?  I find it particularly odd that they had such a high praised preview for this game, but didn't get a review copy?  They even met with David Cox and interviewed him.  I just thought they would have had a review out by now.  Does anyone know when the 2nd part to the history of castlevania will be up?

[Kale]

- The BIGGEST complaint I have so far is that when you revisit a level to get something you missed, you have to do the entire level, including the boss battle, all over again   Now the one upside to that is you will keep gaining EP and skills, etc. But having to re-fight every battle just for the sake of say, 1 gem, is a bit tiresome.

But again these are just minor grievances. Overall I'm quite happy with the game.

I'm pretty sure you don't have to finish the level if you are there to get an upgrade you missed. You have to if you want the trial though.

Camera's my biggest complaint, that and no mini map, i really need one.

I was gonna buy the game, and then... I didn't.
I picked up Assassin's Creed 2 instead for about 16$   Dunno what happened.
I do this all the time: I have the cash to pick up a brand new game, and then I see all these other, cheaper games I haven't played yet.  

Ass Creed 2 is a good game. Maybe you are just saving money subconsciously. I mean this game is great after the beginning imo, but Ass Creed was great too.

[superDioplus]

Castlevania -Lords of Shadow- 作品紹介映像

Japanese website updated with the same gameplay intro video which was narrated by Jason Issacs,instead this time Solid Snake himself(Otsuka Akio) is up for the job. Also the action elements have been described with more detail.

[Munchy]

I just feel in a video game about Castlevania, they could have done a bit better in maintaining the old while bringing in the new regime.  Metroid Prime did it.

I think this sums up one of my main problems about the game. So far the only thing that really makes it Castlevania to me is that there's a guy with a whip. It feels kind of like a bait-and-switch to me.

[shelverton.]

I am so glad they strayed from the "metroidvania" style though.  I have had my fill of them.  I usually get excited when a new one comes out, but after OoE, I knew I was done with them.  I played SOTN to death anyway.

I felt the same way after OoE, but then a few weeks ago I was REALLY up for some 2D exploration. So I decided to play through Metroid Fusion once and for all, and I came to some kind of conclusion; The Metroidvania formula is kinda... dead. So far, there are only two games that does it brilliantly and that is SotN and Super Metroid. Both games are so mysterious and epic, even after all these years. Metroid Fusion is pretty much like the GBA/DS Castlevanias - great fun and solid overall, but ultimately lacks that mysterious, larger-than-life feeling of its forefather. The XBLA Shadow Complex shows that there's still potential in the genre, but even that was flawed (I wasn't too excited to explore every nook and cranny cause the game is honestly a little too big. Didn't feel the pay-off was worth it either since the game can be finished in a surprisingly "straightforward" fashion.). Right now I think the Metroidvania style is better left alone for at least 5 years.

All these different opinions on LoS is making my head spin. Is this bargain bin material? I'm gonna rent it... nah, I'm gonna buy it. (No, I'll rent it first... or actually, I'll buy it straight away! Or....)

[Valtiel]

All these different opinions on LoS is making my head spin. Is this bargain bin material? I'm gonna rent it... nah, I'm gonna buy it. (No, I'll rent it first... or actually, I'll buy it straight away! Or....)


If you bought the DS Castlevania games and you don't buy this, I don't know what  .

[jediblaster]

I don't think it is bargin bin material, though the game may make it to the bin a bit quicker than was suspected.  I would say go get it.  It is definitely a great game.  The more I play it, the more I want to play it if that makes sense.  I don't have the luxury of sitting down and playing it in big chunks, so the inclusion of frequent save points and chapters being cut up nice is a benefit.

[Thunderbrand]

Games that get mentioned as being candidates for Game of the Year before they are even released are hardly ever bargain bin material so soon.

[jediblaster]

All right, I have made some conclusions which have in turn helped me appreciate this game a bit more.  I have noticed there is a certain theme going with the bestiary in game.

Monsters (spiders, trolls) to name a few seem to be "dying" or getting near extinct.  This game takes place in 10??(forgot exact year).  I remember as a kid playing through CVIII and SCIV.  I believe in those two games either in the manual or intro cutscenes (I know they are not cutscenes so much as a rolling dialogue you have to read), that the monsters showing up around the countryside were not seen before and thus were an ever present reminder that the count was back after 100 years of peace.  So, here is my theory on how this fits into the cannon.  Dracula is at the end and creatures of the night that were beginning to wane and die off need to be resurrected through the magic the count uses and now in future games when they appear they are not normal and thus the count needs to bring them back.  Seems cool when you think of it as part of castlevania history.

[Valtiel]

All right, I have made some conclusions which have in turn helped me appreciate this game a bit more.  I have noticed there is a certain theme going with the bestiary in game.

Monsters (spiders, trolls) to name a few seem to be "dying" or getting near extinct.  This game takes place in 10??(forgot exact year).  I remember as a kid playing through CVIII and SCIV.  I believe in those two games either in the manual or intro cutscenes (I know they are not cutscenes so much as a rolling dialogue you have to read), that the monsters showing up around the countryside were not seen before and thus were an ever present reminder that the count was back after 100 years of peace.  So, here is my theory on how this fits into the cannon.  Dracula is at the end and creatures of the night that were beginning to wane and die off need to be resurrected through the magic the count uses and now in future games when they appear they are not normal and thus the count needs to bring them back.  Seems cool when you think of it as part of castlevania history.

That's a good look at it. I won't spoil the story for you, but if you want to fit this into the canon, your interpretation can have quite a lot of meaning because Dracula would have been born in a time where such monsters were disappearing, but he saw them, and once powerful enough, he could bring them back.

Thinking about it, this savage and dangerous world would become more and more civilized after the end of the game, and at each Dracula resurrection, drop back into the darkness.

[shelverton.]

Games that get mentioned as being candidates for Game of the Year before they are even released are hardly ever bargain bin material so soon.

Final Fantasy XIII was like 20-25$ in scandinavia as early as june/july if I recall correctly. Though more obscure games, like Heavy Rain (which was also released in march here) are still not that much cheaper. I don't know where Castlevania will end up though. Games like God of War 3, while not super cheap, are about 35-40$ I'd say. I wonder what decides these things...

[jediblaster]

http://www.consolecreatures.com/component/hdflvplayer/?id=93

Good video and also mentions some DLC details.

[Gunlord]

thanx for the vid jediblaster

[Dremn]

I heard awhile back one of the upcoming DLC packs will tie into the ending. I hope I'm remembering that correctly.