Topic: Best looking Castlevania

[DingusBelmondo]

 This has nothing to do with the graphics, but rather, the art design, sprite theme and style of the game. For example, I think SCVIV is kind of bland, and generic looking compared to the overall spritework and look of Bloodlines, which is defined and vibrant.

[ReyVGM]

My picks are Castlevania 3, Rondo of Blood/Dracula X, SotN and Order of Ecclesia.

[DingusBelmondo]

My fav is probably Harmony, I just love how weird and crazy they went with it.

[RichterB]

Ironically, I think Super Castlevania IV has the best "look" for the mood of the series--eerie and gritty. However, I think that the SNES' Dracula XX/Vampire's Kiss  has a very beautiful, distinctive palette.

[UnManuel]

I pick Super Castlevania IV too. This is the moodier Castlevania ever made, the music is practically true orchestra, and the graphics resemble medieval paintings (the evil ones) in some way. As a matter of fact, this game was prone to frighten the hell out of me when I was a child, heh.

[DragonSlayr81]

Mine would probably have to be SotN. Other choices would be CV2, CV3 and Bloodlines.

[uzo]

SotN is the obvious choice. Lament and Curse weren't bad themselves. I am assuming Lords of Shadow will replace SotN though.

SotN was pretty much the pinnacle of 2D CV graphics. The DS titles started mixing anime outlined and not outlined sprites, which was really ugly.

I do have to give CV3 and CV4 special mentions though. Their use of mixing and matching tile variations to give about a unique texture is highly commendable. Not an easy task by far. It looked great too, and made the games seem less grid repeating. It really gave the stages some real texture to them.

[DingusBelmondo]

I guess what I mean is, If the castle came into the real world and you had a chance to explore it's halls, which would be the most interesting.

[Aridale]

CV4... Id actually be scared of CV4. The rest of em just dont invoke that horror feeling. They might look good (in some cases) but they dont look foreboding and evil

[DingusBelmondo]

CV4... Id actually be scared of CV4. The rest of em just dont invoke that horror feeling. They might look good (in some cases) but they dont look foreboding and evil

Hahah actually yeah, I think i would freak out once the rooms started rotating.

[Dark Nemesis]

Hahah actually yeah, I think i would freak out once the rooms started rotating.

Same goes for me!!!!

[Gecko]

Castlevania 4 for obvious reasons, then Harmony of Dissonance. Seriously, I love the atmosphere in HoD. There are neat things in the background sometimes, in the chapel, there are cool ghost shadows that appear every so many lightning strikes, and everything looks really cool. There's also the neat crystal-covered cave. A lot of cool stuff going on in that game. Plus there's the more decrepit Castle B in contrast the more majestic Castle A.

[e105beta]

Super Castlevania IV or Adventure Rebirth.
Super Castlevania IV has a great atmosphere, but I'm a sucker for the incredibly fluid animation of Christopher Belmont.

[Ahasverus]

Castlevania Lords of Shadows, obvioulsy. 

[Belmont Stakes]

SCIV was excellent in its presentation but not all of the graphics were stellar. I would say just about all of the bosses were spot on (they nailed Death and Dracula was just about perfect) Medusa was probably the lamest looking but only marginally. However, I did not like the Medusa Heads or the Bone Pillars were so so at best. As for the backgrounds I really can't see any flaws in them. Simon was not at all impressive nor was the sound of some of the weapon hits or special weapons thrown.

SOTN (excellent boss animations, music occasionally memorable, backgrounds horribly bland)     I know, music is not what this post is about.
Chronicles (boss animations average, arranged music exceptional second only to CVIV, backgrounds decent)
CV 3 (cool bosses some revisions of the prior two games, music great if its the Japanese version, backgrounds colorful)
CV 2 (music superb, visuals redundant but spooky excellent ambiance, bosses and enemies run the gamut)
CV DX Chronicles the 2.5 D graphics were very involved and moving as far as backgrounds go bosses were alright though.
CV64 honestly I was hoping that it would be a 3d version of CVIV, a good idea that was probably a victim of inferior technology

Overall I would have to give the nod to CV4 though none of these games are graphically perfect. Praise be to the modification gods.