Topic: What do you guys think of Bloodlines?

[Kamirine]

You know, I actually just played Bloodlines last Saturday and honestly, I forgot how great the game is. It's got a bit of a difficulty curve, I love the small touches and overall design of the stages, the music goes without saying, Eric ('the Spear Guy') is for some reason, my favorite to play with (plus I love how it looks like he gets stabbed with his spear when he dies), I literally forgot you could latch on and swing to things with John, and I like how traveling to different countries and places and the game's take on them.

[Abnormal Freak]

Eric is one of the most fun characters to play in any Castlevania game. That was an interesting change. I don't really even enjoy playing John that much, although his whip ceiling swing is fun.

[Inccubus]

You know, I never really played all the way through with John.
Eric is just so much more fun.
Oh, well.
Gives me reason to play it again I suppose.

[Bloodreign]

I remember many moons ago, reading in EGM and Gamepro that the Genesis was getting a Castlevania title. I thought to myself, won't be too good, won't worry about it. One day my cousin comes over and says there's this game that I have , a stage and boss is giving me fits ( the Leaning Tower of Pisa stage), I thought to myself, alright I'll go beat this stage to whatever game he was playing so that he would leave me be about it. We get to his house and lo and behold it was Bloodlines, I thought to myself, "great I gotta play this thing". Once I started playing it I realized I had made a grave error, this one was very good. Now I am a bit nitpicky that the game used gems instead of the traditional hearts, but it still felt like a CV game to me after all was said and done. I went on to breeze through the stage and boss without prior playing the game ever before, so in turn years later I see Bloodlines and Contra Hard Corp sitting in a toys R Us. I quickly snatched both up and purchased them, and still have both in the same boxes they came in, these are two I will never let get away, thankfully for once my gut feeling about a game was dead wrong.

Also about the limited continues thing, lots of games from that era used limited continues, it was the way to keep you playing over and over again till you mastered the game, it's both a handicap and a learning tool.

[Abnormal Freak]

Only game that ever really killed me with limited continues was Cybernator. That game is a bit of a tough one in later stages. You really gotta learn to use your shield a lot.

By any chance in Toys "R" Us did you pick up the Bloodlines and Hard Corps copies that came in cardboard boxes and had black and white manuals? That's when I got the games, after having emulated them for a little while. For some reason, Konami had some Genesis games in Toys "R" Us still as late as mid or late 2000. I was so surprised to see a handful of Genesis and SNES games when I went to pick up Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. Snagged a copy of Super Castlevania IV as well, since my brother is the one who owned it prior. I felt a little miffed though that my manual for IV is black and white while his is in color. I guess Konami reeeaaally wanted to cut back on costs, ha.

Some dude nearby is selling complete copies of Bloodlines (original hard case) and Ghosts 'n Goblins for $35. Tempted to go buy them. I think it's the same guy I bought the three NES games from, since my other copies are cart-only, and I thought for $35 total, it would be cool to have the boxes and manuals. I should find out whatever other games he's selling and just buy a whole lot, ha ha.

[shelverton.]

By any chance in Toys "R" Us did you pick up the Bloodlines and Hard Corps copies that came in cardboard boxes and had black and white manuals?

I have that version, but it's still sealed so I dunno if the manual is in b&w. Sounds kinda lame The actual print on the cover is kinda halfassed too. It seems slightly blurry. Anyone agree? Maybe it's a pirate copy? Nah, it looks legit. Dunno. It was really cheap though - like, $10, I think - unlike the european "New Generation" which I have yet to pick up. Too pricey, and inferior too.

[Bloodreign]

Yeah Freak, my Contra is in the cardboard box and Bloodlines came in the clamshell case, both have b&w manuals. I believe the only color manuals I've seen on Genesis games were on the Mega Drive Japanese games.

[outofthegamer]

My 2 cents:

I played the original NES castlevania games back in the day (1987?) and thought "meh, it's ok, but's no mario or zelda".

Then a friend of mine introduced me to Bloodlines and that's the game that really got me interested in Castlevania games. Then SotN came out a few years later and sealed my fate I am now doomed to buy every new CV game that comes out. I own Bloodlines and every CV game that has come out after Bloodlines, except CotM.

As for Uzo....Abnormal Freak, you are not the first one to feel that he was stating his opinions as facts. Or that his opinion was more important than other people's opinions. He is the last of a dying Breed (thank god) of arrogant CV fans, who would rather talk about all the things that are wrong with whatever CV game that someone else chose to show praise for.... ignore, ignore, ignore.

edit: actually there are more people like Uzo at cvcorner.proboards.com ...most of them think they are too cool to post here. Except for Bloodreign and Gunlord.

[Abnormal Freak]

Yeah Freak, my Contra is in the cardboard box and Bloodlines came in the clamshell case, both have b&w manuals. I believe the only color manuals I've seen on Genesis games were on the Mega Drive Japanese games.

I see. I wonder if the other Genesis manuals are as cheap, though. Like, when I touch the Bloodlines and Hard Corps manuals, the ink just rubs right off. I don't own many Genesis games, and only one other with a case and manual (Target Earth, which I don't recall having such a cheap manual). It just seems Konami did some really half-assed reprints for some reason. Like shelverton said, the printing on the boxes is pretty cheap too. I even wondered myself if they were bootlegs, ha ha. But then how would they have wound up in a Toys "R" Us?

But yeah, I think ten bucks is what I paid for each. Even with the poor packaging, I was exceedingly happy to get 'em. Now I should really try finding a non-craptastic Genesis. I own a Genesis 3... Too bad there are like a million different versions of the Genesis 1 and 2, with varying degrees of a/v quality.

[Ralph]

outofthegamer, cut it out. This thread doesn't need any more tension, especially cross-board tension firing up. Everyone cool it, alright?

Keep it on topic.

[DingusBelmondo]

I love Eric's spear spin. The main complaint i ever hear is that people don't like the level designs. I dunno if they mean the layout, but I think they are pretty unique.

[Abnormal Freak]

I think the level designs are fun. The munitions factory? Absolutely love that stage.

[RichterB]

I think the level designs are fun. The munitions factory? Absolutely love that stage.

There was going to be even crazier level ideas, including a Zeppelin blimp, but they were apparently cut out. Here's info/images on the alleged Beta version of Bloodlines: http://www.vgmuseum.com/mrp/2/bl-beta.htm

Even so, I love the wild, creative touches in this game: the giant skeleton holding the swinging blade, the Greco-Roman statue that you break to use as a platform in Atlantis, etc.

By the way, the limited continues work in the favor of a shorter game. Gives you something to work for. Castlevania: The Adventure for GB had that, too.

[LBPHeretic]

outofthegamer, the entire second half of your post was completely unnecessary. It was pure trolling and you know it. Additionally, I am also a member and Administrator of CVC and I post here without any reservations, so your generalization of that forum is incorrect. Please do not bring the petty problems you have with one forum over to this one and vice versa.

Now, back on topic. The entirety of Castlevania: Bloodlines was a great package, in my opinion. I loved the colorful design of the enemies, the synthy sound effects, and especially the music that the Sega Genesis' sound chip produced.

[Abnormal Freak]

A guy near me is selling an original copy of Bloodlines for $25 on Craigslist. Totally emailed him, ha. Having the game with the hard case and original manual (it's color on the outside at least! and looks bigger than the one I have) is just something I can't pass on, for collector's purposes. I think it's the same dude whom I bought the first three NES games from a few weeks ago. I've owned the games for a long time, but he was selling all three with boxes and manuals for $35 total. CV1's box was actually cut up and put in a clear hard plastic NES case, but most of the box was still there. Still... $35? That's a steal.

Holy shit, I hope he's not somebody who posts here and whom I've gotten in a quarrel with, ha ha. Doubtful.