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

[jimmay17]

Sorry guys, chalk it up to the vagaries of personal opinion and subjective interpretation, but my excitement level on this is pretty damn low. Part of that, of course, is the starvation of info or screenshots, but part is also the overall generic feel of everything we've seen so far.

I'm not looking for reasons to hate the game, and I fully expect to buy it day of release, but I'm not holding my breath. After God of War II and Chains of Olympus, I'm just not sold on the similarity, or, more directly, the presumed need for it. The environments look good, and I'm not too worried about the enemies, but I'm going to need something a little more to raise my enthusiasm level.

Honestly I just wish they'd continue with some bread and butter games for the rest of us. Keep making games for the PSP and DS (not the Wii), as a supplement to completely, perhaps irrevocably, reinventing the series with LoS.

[CastleDan]

I'm just not seeing this generic look.

This "style" of action adventure has been done numerous times. Everything aped Castlevania now castlevania apes the 3d games that originally aped it.

I mean, the visuals themselves have such character. I feel like posting pictures for the sake of posting sweet pics.

1. http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/101/1016021/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-20090819110138687_640w.jpg      --Castle in a snowy land. Beautiful artwork.

2.http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/kotaku/2009/08/CV_LOS_gamescom_1.jpg --This screams castlevania..Reminds me of Lament of Innocence main castle area.

3.  http://images.dailyradar.com/media/uploads/gamer/story_preview/2009/12/03/10_000_years_of_castlevania_castlevania_lords_of.jpg Small but beautiful pic that shows off a lot of castlevania charm

4. THE CASTLE LOOKS AMAZING -- http://games.softpedia.com/screenshots/Castlevania--Lord-of-Shadows-E3-2009-Trailer_2.jpg

Again I'm stoked.

[e105beta]

I don't see the generic look either. The art direction is pretty heavily stylized away from any other action games coming out.
Say what you want about the flaming whip, art-wise, It doesn't look like God of War, it doesn't look like Dante's Inferno, it doesn't look like Bayonetta, and it only kind of looks like Devil May Cry, which, in all honesty, everyone was saying looked like Castlevania when it came out.

[Sindra]

*Grabs the mic from her*

YO sindra i respect you I really do and I'm gonna let you finish BUT Castlevania Lords of Shadow has stage by stage progression, whip swinging, gothic monsters as well as fantasy based one.....

Seriously? You just pulled a Kanye? So damn sick of those jokes.



Look, I just am going by what I've seen thus far, which honestly hasn't been a lot. Yes, I'm very highly skeptical of how well this is going to turn out in terms of a good Castlevania. From what I've seen (which really, considering how people keep going on and on about how great it'll be, hasn't been alot), it looks like it will be a great fantasy-adventure game, but I'm struggling to believe it'll be a convincing Castlevania game. A big chunk of this has to do with the fact they're throwing it in as a AU story right off the bat. (which could end up being for the best....I can't say right now honestly) I'd feel a bit better about it if they had at least tried putting it in the main continuity, but that's just for the sake of my own thoughts and opinions. The other thing making me wary, of course, is what they are taking out as opposed to what they are adding. Notice it's been alot of talk about what's staying and what's being omitted, rather than big emphasis on what's being added short of "better gameplay" and "re-imagined characters and enemies". Those are great aspects, don't get me wrong, but at this point there isn't enough explanation to make me convinced what they are changing and taking out is worth what they are going to be putting in and adding onto.

I'm not saying I'm rejecting the game or anything, and I'm sincerely hoping it turns out better than I'm anticipating. I just have worries that I believe are at least semi-valid, and I know I'm not alone. If many of you want to be wholly optimistic about this game, go for it! I'm not going to tell you not to be. I just know what my expectations are, and that so far alot of them have been already questioned or shot-down altogether, and that I'm going to expect the worst and hope to pleasantly surprised when I play the game for myself.

[Inccubus]

I totally agree with your view, Sindra.
When a company is re-imagining or re-birthing or re-what-ever-the-hell it's best to keep your expectations low until you actually play the thing. By no means am I saying we shouldn't look forward to LoS, but it really sucks when you get yourself worked up and the reality doesn't live up to the propaganda.

I had a similar issue with Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. I got really excited about the game thinking that it would be a fresh new reboot of the series, but was kinda disappointed when it turned out to actually be a sequel of sorts. Don't get me wrong, It's a great game and everyone should try it, but it left me feeling a little empty. I don't want that to be the case with LoS.

[CastleDan]

I totally agree with your view, Sindra.
When a company is re-imagining or re-birthing or re-what-ever-the-hell it's best to keep your expectations low until you actually play the thing. By no means am I saying we shouldn't look forward to LoS, but it really sucks when you get yourself worked up and the reality doesn't live up to the propaganda.

I had a similar issue with Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. I got really excited about the game thinking that it would be a fresh new reboot of the series, but was kinda disappointed when it turned out to actually be a sequel of sorts. Don't get me wrong, It's a great game and everyone should try it, but it left me feeling a little empty. I don't want that to be the case with LoS.

Well I guess i'm getting worked up because this will in no way be worse than Curse of Darkness or Lament of innocence. Especially now that it has a bigger budget and is being overseen by a group of people that don't want a crappy game attached to them.

More platforming which the more recent 3d adventures needed. No more repetitive landscapes at least it seems to be the case, and a fresh team to give it a fresh experience and not a rehashed again and again feel.

People say they are annoyed by this being a new STORYLINE, and to an extent I am in the sense that great characters such as Alucard no long exist because of it, but imo the stories of more recent games have been crappy, and I could use a fresh start.

[jimmay17]

. . . Especially now that it has a bigger budget and is being overseen by a group of people that don't want a crappy game attached to them.

And Konami/TeamIga did want to have a crappy game attached to them?

I'm sure that's probably not what you meant, but I found it kind of amusing anyway. 

[Sindra]

Do note also - just because a game has a bigger budget doesn't mean it won't suck or be a disappointment. Case in point, Resident Evil 5. It didn't suck bad, but it didn't live up to its hype and was a huge disappointment despite its long development and big budget.

[Lumas]

Seriously? You just pulled a Kanye? So damn sick of those jokes.


I'm not saying I'm rejecting the game or anything, and I'm sincerely hoping it turns out better than I'm anticipating. I just have worries that I believe are at least semi-valid, and I know I'm not alone. If many of you want to be wholly optimistic about this game, go for it! I'm not going to tell you not to be. I just know what my expectations are, and that so far alot of them have been already questioned or shot-down altogether, and that I'm going to expect the worst and hope to pleasantly surprised when I play the game for myself.

First off, totally went there but it wasn't aimed at your personally just wanted to joke around.

Second
"I'm going to expect the worst and hope to pleasantly surprised " -thats the best thing to do when it comes to something like this.

Third
"Do note also - just because a game has a bigger budget doesn't mean it won't suck or be a disappointment. Case in point, Resident Evil 5. It didn't suck bad, but it didn't live up to its hype and was a huge disappointment despite its long development and big budget." -Agreed it really didn't live up to the hype thus proving your point that there is a chance a that this could suck or any game with a major budget could.

[JR]

...And Koronot, too, right?  Seriously, I do not have a problem with giants in Castlevania. What I do take some issue with is that you allegedly stab glowing points on it to climb up it and slay it. Moreover, battles like that are being highlighted right now as the "sale points," when, as a Classic Castlevania fan, I want to see "Castlevania," not pieces of other games with a Castlevania character.

...While we're talking about the game, do we really need the super powers/super combos where he's spinning around like Link in Wind Waker or dropping into the ground with a flaming fist/boot ala King of Fighters? That kind of over-the-top action generally makes the enemies seem redundant and takes away from the sobering atmosphere. Just because God of War and DMC drop you in a room full of baddies that you have to obliterate, doesn't mean you need that as a main element in a 3D Castlevania. I mean, what's the point of strategically using the classic Sub-weapons and x2/3 then? Oh, that's right...maybe they're not in this game, just like the Candles. But a Hammer is...a giant Hammer...

This is what has me a little worried, too. I want to see this game succeed, but I don't want to see it turn out as a patchwork imitation of other games of its kind. At this point, I'm wondering if we'll see Gabriel destroying objects in the stages to collect orbs/souls/etc. to "buy" new attacks. I like these types of games, but I like Castlevania for different reasons. And if LoS ends up being a clone of other similar, successful games, then the point Cox is trying to make by saying Castlevania needed a radical change is moot to me.

And I hope nobody misinterprets me as saying that the series doesn't need change...it definitely does. But the series can incorporate change without being derivative of other games. It can set itself apart from other franchises. If it doesn't, then what's the point at all?



Also, a thought I had was this: what if the game fails both critically and commercially? I hope it's successful, but what do you think Konami would do with the series? Would they just resume as they had been doing before this project, or would they give up on the series entirely? Just curious to hear everyone's thoughts.

[Lumas]

This is what has me a little worried, too. I want to see this game succeed, but I don't want to see it turn out as a patchwork imitation of other games of its kind. At this point, I'm wondering if we'll see Gabriel destroying objects in the stages to collect orbs/souls/etc. to "buy" new attacks. I like these types of games, but I like Castlevania for different reasons. And if LoS ends up being a clone of other similar, successful games, then the point Cox is trying to make by saying Castlevania needed a radical change is moot to me.

And I hope nobody misinterprets me as saying that the series doesn't need change...it definitely does. But the series can incorporate change without being derivative of other games. It can set itself apart from other franchises. If it doesn't, then what's the point at all?



Also, a thought I had was this: what if the game fails both critically and commercially? I hope it's successful, but what do you think Konami would do with the series? Would they just resume as they had been doing before this project, or would they give up on the series entirely? Just curious to hear everyone's thoughts.

I can agree with you on that. I dont really want to be obtaining orbs, souls or anything like that to purchase new attacks or abilities, Ill play Devil May Cry if I want to do that (Not knocking that series it of course is one of my favorites). Though I doubt something like that is going to ruin the game for me personally. But if it did turn out to be a major clone of another successful series with nothing to do the cv series aside from tidbits here and there then I would no doubt be right behind you on that good sir.

I think it needs a change though I don't want to to see it changed too dramatically. Which I think is what worries alot of us fans is how much change is going to happen. Im all for this game because I've been wanting to a good 3D Castlevania game but like i said earlier if it does turn out to be a clone with nothing at all to do with the castlevania series then I will be disappointed.

It depends I suppose on how bad it flops. Cv has been around for over 20 years now so I dont think konami would just abandon it. They might put it on the backburner for a while and return to the drawing board to see what they need to do to make it successful.

[DingusBelmondo]

Why would anyone even want it a part of the continuity. At this point, any game is going to be just another forced explanation of the time line, no more significant than any other. No matter how epic in scope the game is, it would just be ANOTHER time Dracula is easily killed, and too much story experimentation would be hugely restricted by the convoluted series history.
   Making LoS standalone gives infinite possibilities, making it more epic than anything that could exist in the time line.

[CastleDan]

Resident evil 5 didn't live up to the hype but it was by no means a BAD GAME.

Also, my point in it having a big budget is konami hasn't been giving Castlevania games big budgets and this is the first game thats getting a huge backing.

So there all is being put into it so it delivers and sells. Never did i say it ensures a great game. I was also saying Kojima productions being connected to this is a relief whether you believe it means anything or not.. EVERYONE in the media breathed a sigh of relief when seeing that in the trailer.

WE will see soon enough how this game will turn out but I have no doubt it will EASILY be better than the last two 3d games since both were super underdeveloped 3d games.

[Lumas]

Why would anyone even want it a part of the continuity. At this point, any game is going to be just another forced explanation of the time line, no more significant than any other. No matter how epic in scope the game is, it would just be ANOTHER time Dracula is easily killed, and too much story experimentation would be hugely restricted by the convoluted series history.
   Making LoS standalone gives infinite possibilities, making it more epic than anything that could exist in the time line.

Thats a good point.

One thing that does bug me is how easily Dracula is defeated. I mean seriously the guy is the Lord of Darkness and he only gets like one night or even some times 5 minutes before he gets his ass sent back to the abyss. Not only that it used to take just a holy whip wielded by some pissed of barbarian of a special bloodline to do it but now hell I could probably give ol Drac a run for his money. If I was Dracula I would be seriously pissed at Konami.

[Lumas]

Resident evil 5 didn't live up to the hype but it was by no means a BAD GAME.

Also, my point in it having a big budget is konami hasn't been giving Castlevania games big budgets and this is the first game thats getting a huge backing.

So there all is being put into it so it delivers and sells. Never did i say it ensures a great game. I was also saying Kojima productions being connected to this is a relief whether you believe it means anything or not.. EVERYONE in the media breathed a sigh of relief when seeing that in the trailer.

WE will see soon enough how this game will turn out but I have no doubt it will EASILY be better than the last two 3d games since both were super underdeveloped 3d games.

No one said it was a bad game it just didn't live up to the hype.

And you are right this is the first Castlevania that seems to have a hefty budget behind it. And when it was released as Castlevania Lords of Shadow everyone in the crowd did cheer. Also I dont think Kojima Productions is going to let this game flop for many reasons one being their reputation is on the line as well as this being MS's biggest chance to redeem theirselves. Plus given CV is one of Konami's babies and the fact they put a lot of money into it I think it will do good.

At the very least I can see it doing better then Lament of Innocence and Curse of Darkness (course it wouldnt be hard to beat that horrible game).