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

[Nox_A15]

I prefer seeing chicks on the beach 

There'll be time for this soon - I need to pass my exams first.

There's so hot recently in Poland, that I'm terrified thinking about Spanish weather.

[The Silverlord]

Great issue of GamesTM this month, some scans (hope I don't get shot)--should say that the magazine also has a "Symphony of Destruction" bit on Castlvania history, and Konami's Pentarou is in the Hall of Fame!

http://img815.imageshack.us/img815/5176/page60.jpg
http://img816.imageshack.us/img816/6594/page61.jpg
http://img815.imageshack.us/img815/5086/page62.jpg
http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/361/page63.jpg
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/2/page64.jpg
http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/855/page65.jpg
http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/2646/page66.jpg
http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/7494/page67.jpg

Quotes:

'Gabriel's surroundings, such as barrels, crates and, yes, candle sticks, all break when thrashed with the Combat Corss.  Which gives the weapon a satisfying feeling of weight and power.'


'As we watch Cox playing through the dining room section of the castle he comes across a grotesque butcher, who holds a key necessary to further progress.  The bloodstained mini-boss is too busy elsewhere to bother with Gabriel, however, so Cox locates a huge piece of rotting beef and hangs it in the kitchen to lure the butcher out ... let him get near the centre of the room abd he'll remove hot blades from the kitchen fire before flinging them at Gabriel.  Inflict enough damage and he'll make a dash for some food to replenish his health.'


'As he skips to the obligatory Clock Tower level, we notice the absence of music, and ask Cox if the final version will include the recurring Clock Tower Theme so loved by fans.  "You can count on it," he says with confidence.'


On the jumping thing, GamesTM wrote:

' ... sees Gabriel scaling walls much like Sands of Time or Uncharted, but good old-fashioned jumping and running remains, except with a new twist.  Two buttons are used for jumping, one for short gaps, another for long, requiring the player to properly judge distances before committing to the leap.'


Hi to Mr. Alvarez.  Good work so far mate by you and the team, and keep it up!

Now I'm off to play a bit of Mario Galaxy 2 (which got a 10/10 in GamesTM) . . .

[Galamoth]

Thanks Silverlord! I really like that gabriel artwork in the 2nd scan.


Mr. Alvarez, I was looking into games you and some of your team have worked on in the past (pre-MercurySteam) and everyone seems to overlook Severance: Blade of Darkness. The game was actually pretty damn cool, and has gained a cult following over the years. I couldn't help but notice a resemblance a mask in that game has to the Devil Mask in Lords of Shadow. Was the design of the Devil Mask a homage to Severance or is this simply how José Luis Vaello Bertol likes to draw evil masks?

[Ahasverus]

Wow, very nice find Galamoth 
@Everyone: See? Candle whiping IS in there, so all the whining too long ago was wasted, and I'm sure a lot of your complains for LOS nt being "castlevanish enough" are unfundamented, see? there's still hope for the hardcore IGA fan and the hardcore CV fan and everyone! 

[Dark Nemesis]

Ok, we have enough information, regarding the game's game play mechanics or scenario. All we need right now is a new trailer of the game with some sound samples and a demo version if it is possible!!

[thernz]

'As he skips to the obligatory Clock Tower level, we notice the absence of music, and ask Cox if the final version will include the recurring Clock Tower Theme so loved by fans.  "You can count on it," he says with confidence.'

Recurring Clock Tower Theme?

[Nagumo]

Clockwork from Castlevania III perhaps?   

[thernz]

I think my main problem with the game is all the mis-information going around and all the slips Cox makes. >->
Stats over enemy heads like in SoTN! Recurring Clock Tower Theme! There are two jump buttons, no there aren't! Cox saying that you won't whip candles because they'll be too much of a distraction, then reveals objects AND candles to whip, contradicting himself. Puzzles like in the older Castlevanias!

like ahhhh

[Nagumo]

That's a bit suspicious. I wonder what is up with that?

Seems like he only knows stuff about SCVIV and gave a quick visit to a random Castlevania website or something.       

[bucky]

Clockwork from Castlevania III perhaps?   

That would be awesome.

I'm very excited about this game. While I still really enjoy the overall experience of the DS games, I've had growing concerns about the direction of the Castlevania franchise. Quick tangent -- I think like many others, my ideal Castlevania title is a new, epic 2D platformer for console, sort of like Castlvania SotN meets Odin Sphere and Muramasa: The Demon Blade.

However, in the 3D realm, I feel like that's where we've been issued the most disservice as fans. I thought Curse of Darkness was a total mess, aesthetically. Horrible characters, story, writing, everything. A time traveling magician wearing a top-hat trying to add some sort of mystery plot to the game and overall series? I think when you have have half naked weirdos and a really silly plot about Death running around in disguise, you've "jumped the shark", as they say. There are lots of problems in that game, beyond the level design, which had me fearing that the people behind it no longer understood the series well enough.

When I saw the trailer for Lords of Shadow, it was a huge sigh of relief. While it's MercurySteam's first step into the world of Castlevania, there is already MUCH more hope and promise here than I think the series would've given us otherwise. The whole approach from the ground up seems much more in line with my tastes, at least.

When I think of Castlevania, this sort of imagry comes to mind:


Not this, so much:


Lords of Shadow looks like a great leap into the right direction. Mr. Alvarez, if you're reading this, thank you so much for making what looks like the 3D Castlevania I've wanted this whole time. I wish you and your team great success on this release, as well as a continued involvement from MercurySteam in the CV series.

[DingusBelmondo]

I think my main problem with the game is all the mis-information going around and all the slips Cox makes. >->
Stats over enemy heads like in SoTN! Recurring Clock Tower Theme! There are two jump buttons, no there aren't! Cox saying that you won't whip candles because they'll be too much of a distraction, then reveals objects AND candles to whip, contradicting himself. Puzzles like in the older Castlevanias!

like ahhhh

So really your problem isn't with the game is it?

[thernz]

I didn't say that was my only problem. Though I don't hate the game either.
All the mixed up and misleading press lends to a feeling of discomfort though. There's adverse uncertain nature to some of these comments like they're just drawing up every straw to make the best Castlevania without any consideration for how these straws to connect persay.
You know, like Portrait of Ruin. Okay, not that bad. Haha.
im being paranoid

[A-Yty]

Ditto on Cox's statements.

To mee it gives a flabby vibe about the man.  It's like he browses fan opinions constantly and after getting negative feedback on something, it's all "oh, it's not like that at all".

[Dremn]

I'll be honest.

Some of those enemies look really generic, I wish they would show off the more Castlevania centric monsters instead of trolls and gnomes straight out of tolkien lore. I know J.R.R Tolkien has been a huge influence for Castlevania for awhile, but where the heck are the Medusa Heads and Mermen?

That artwork of Gabriel is insane though, love it.

[A-Yty]

..and zombies, bats, walking armors etc.