Topic: My Return and another LoS topic.

[VeteranVk]

              Hello CV Dungeon, I haven't posted here since CoD was all the rage (or lack there of for some) and I was formerly known and maybe remembered by some as CVeteran. I mainly stopped posting due to lack of time between a gf, schooling, working, etc; but I am looking forward to speaking with all of you again about one of our most beloved game series again rather than "lurking in the shadows" and skimming over topics once a or twice a week. 

Now, with my re-introduction out of the way... Let me put an end to any ensuing flaming about my topic by stating that I DON'T have a problem with IGA and I give heavy kudos to a man who tried to make sense of a series that was becoming a tangled mess to begin with. Did he always go about it the right way? No, maybe not but then again, if one of us handled the franchise Im sure we all wouldn't agree on the end result either. Such appears to be the case with David Cox and Lords of Shadow which IMO was a large step in the right direction (except the music) and I am most curios to see what direction that is exactly once the wrinkles have been well ironed out. To some, the biggest wrinkle seems to be the elimination of the current timeline... I'll be the first to tell you, being told to "forget" the past quarter-century of Castlevania was not an easy thing to do, but do I have a problem with Cox for doing so? Absolutely not. Why? Like IGA, he's tried/trying and Im sure he had reason for doing as such. Just like any forum goer Im here to speculate why.

As a Castlevania fan I couldn't wrap my head around being told to forget everything I know about Castlevania by another fan who happened to be a developer. But what if this was never the case...? I had seen in another thread a short while ago somebody trying to find a way to fit LoS into the current CV timeline only to be constantly thwarted by the same response of it simply not being possible...And its true...its not possible to fit LoS into IGA's timeline. This couldn't be made more clear in game by the referencing or redesigning of older characters, places or objects scattered about LoS. To me, this doesn't just strike me as fan service alone so much as Cox making it a point to NOT eliminate all traces of IGA. On the other side of the same coin, why wasn't there any mentioning of non IGA characters with the exception of Cornell? Nevermind other Belmonts. No Graves or Morris' but what about Grant, Sypha, or even Alucard? No sign of them anywhere... I think the answer to this might even be clearer than we thought. Imagine if you will, IGA telling us that CVIII was his favorite game then proceed to retcon it with LoI. Im sure everything wrong with that scenario is just screaming at you. So in my mind, why would Cox Retcon SCVIV if that is his favorite game?

He hasn't...I don't think he's retconned much if he has at all. He's doing what IGA did in the beginning when the franchise landed in his lap but in a more graceful and tactful manner. My guess is this, with the facts we've been given, I'd be hard pressed to say that the old timeline in its entirety has been completely eliminated. I think that MOST pre-IGA games and previous Belmont exploits may still be in place, from Trevor to John Morris sr. and including SotN... while IGA's games are removed from the list of canonical events they will remain in memory in some humble form or another whether it be more mere mentionings in scrolls or by another means instead of being completely wiped clean from the franchise's history. If this is indeed the case, then Cox has left himself plenty of working room to further elaborate his vision of Castlevania or even revisit some of the older titles in the new-gen, lets not forget that Gabe was originally going to be a revamped Simon. Of course none of this was stated by Cox himself but neither has he stated anything contrary to it.

This is all one fan's guess that I am more than likely wrong about, but if this turns out to be true, I have to say I wouldn't mind it in the least. What do you all think?
 

[Thomas Belmont]

              Now, with my re-introduction out of the way... Let me put an end to any ensuing flaming about my topic by stating that I DON'T have a problem with IGA and I give heavy kudos to a man who tried to make sense of a series that was becoming a tangled mess to begin with.

What are you talking about? He's the one who fucked it all up .

[VeteranVk]

If you mean by retconning legends and a few other games? No he didn't. But by retconning those games, adding his own games, then adding them again rather than working around them first place? Then yes he did. He needed to make a decision and stick with it. But IMO I think thats about the extent of it. I mean, not all of his stories are outright terrible. I think he would have done better to work with what was there. In example, while I liked OoE, I think he may have faired better if the clock could be turned back about 7 years and we received a prequel to CotM.

[knightmere]

IGA fucked the story by sealing dracula's castle in a sky and making him into japanese teenager.

[VeteranVk]

IGA fucked the story by sealing dracula's castle in a sky and making him into japanese teenager.

I can't argue with that one. 

[Richter]

The LOS plot is removed from the original timeline to sell it to a wider audience. The few scattered references to old names and characters are just small nods to give a bit of fan service. The reason any of these companies, Konami, Capcom, whoever are outsourcing their big names is because of this stupid idea that Japanese games need to be "Westernised" even though their former popularity didn't need anything of the sort. My biggest grip with LOS is the plot writing and the character development itself, not that it doesnt fit the continuity.

[crisis]

Last time I checked, the surname "Cruz" is of Spanish origin. And I don't see anything wrong with Castlevania being sealed in the year 1999..


I suppose Cox making a Belmont Dracula is better lol

[e105beta]

The LOS plot is removed from the original timeline to sell it to a wider audience. The few scattered references to old names and characters are just small nods to give a bit of fan service. The reason any of these companies, Konami, Capcom, whoever are outsourcing their big names is because of this stupid idea that Japanese games need to be "Westernised" even though their former popularity didn't need anything of the sort. My biggest grip with LOS is the plot writing and the character development itself, not that it doesnt fit the continuity.

I agree that "Westernizing" a game doesn't necessarily make it better, but to be frank, though, Castlevania hasn't been popular for awhile so I can understand the concept of redoing the series with a new feel.

[Ahasverus]

Last time I checked, the surname "Cruz" is of Spanish origin. And I don't see anything wrong with Castlevania being sealed in the year 1999..


I suppose Cox making a Belmont Dracula is better lol

A lot, and made a lot of more sense.

[crystos]

Last time I checked, the surname "Cruz" is of Spanish origin. And I don't see anything wrong with Castlevania being sealed in the year 1999..


I suppose Cox making a Belmont Dracula is better lol

well it's hinted that he isn't really a "BELMONT" either.

[crisis]

It's still a lame twist. Ever see "Dracula 2000?"

[Ahasverus]

Yeah sure it's the same!
It's not at least as lame as your efforts to bash it though

[crisis]

uh oh did i offend the ahasverus??


I retract my previous statement; LoS ending is awesome!!!!!!!

[thernz]

Last time I checked, the surname "Cruz" is of Spanish origin. And I don't see anything wrong with Castlevania being sealed in the year 1999..

Actually, Soma is probably Japanese, or at least someone born in Japan because he wasn't an exchange student in the original version, and he had a childhood friendship with Mina!
But you know, both plot twists were lame and predictable! Not sure how making a "Belmont" become Dracula is anymore sensible than Dracula being reincarnated and having a chance to become Dracula again!

i personally think the whole reincarnation thing just melds much more with his kinky habit of resurrection and the whole theme of FATE the series had. it's a bit neat in that concept then just having the twist that the heroes may be the progeny of the GREATEST EVIL! of course, los has just been one entry in its story! might do something else since dracula and zobek seem to TAG TEAM to take down the greatest evil here.

well, excuse me, thernz! but los had a lot of foreshadowing with the heavy cloud of FATE over gabriel. and it might be interesting to see such a well-intended (kinda) holy warrior descend to the rank of demon-honcho! plus there is a lot of mythology to be explored! a lot more figures can be prominent in this than just DRACULA in the old cvs. there's an interesting dynamic with how pan is a pagan god who was killed with how gabriel is all about being Christian God's Man!

[crisis]

well, excuse me, thernz! but los had a lot of foreshadowing with the heavy cloud of FATE over gabriel. and it might be interesting to see such a well-intended (kinda) holy warrior descend to the rank of demon-honcho! plus there is a lot of mythology to be explored! a lot more figures can be prominent in this than just DRACULA in the old cvs. there's an interesting dynamic with how pan is a pagan god who was killed with how gabriel is all about being Christian God's Man!

That's more like it!