Topic: I Critique the Perfect Game

[uzo]

I meant in the design process of the game itself (hypothetically speaking, of course), not in editing the game now that it has already been made.

Ah, yes, that would be very possible. No issue there at all.

[Alukard]

but not this heavenly being that puts all other Castlevania games to shame.

Joining in on the discussion here a bit late and abruptly but

Your argument is INVALID!

SOTN has and will more than likely continue to put all other 2d Castlevania games to shame. It had the most detailed sprite graphics of 'em all, a brilliantly memorable soundtrack, and some of the most new and unique ideas brought to Castlevania during its time. I will accept no rebuttal. Sir, you HAVE ventured into the depths of hell by creating this topic, I hope you can stand the flames.

On a personal sidenote: This topic is an incredible oxymoron. You want to critique it when your saying it's already perfect?

[Ahasverus]

and some of the most new and unique ideas brought to Castlevania during its time

^:rollseyes: Can we play Super Metroid? Please?

---
I tried to play SOTN yesterday in my 360... it's horrible, plain horrible, its graphics... I can't stand them anymore... we need a remake, NOW
Seriously, the game is fugly, unplayable in an HD set, Cv1 looks better IMO, SOTN doesn't because, you know, we all remember it as a good loking game, and see it's pixelated glory is.. a brain smasher.

The game is not perfect, but it's good enough to be worth a nostalgia trip via remake, Konami, make it happen (When the LoS sequel gets made of course, it will be the last big vania this gen so you could release the remake for not making us chill 5 years without some vampire killing).

[uzo]

You sound like a spiteful whiny child. SotN is still an incredibly beautiful game filled with some of the best pixel art to grace the series, let alone all of gaming in general.

[Ahasverus]

I challenge you to download the XBLA version and come here saying the same  

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

I will take that challenge.

I've played the XBLA version.
It's the same as the PSX original (I've done some original PSX tricks in it, too).

You are right that in an HDTV, it looks horizontally stretched, but I believe you can fix that with a tweak in the display options (how the classic games display on the screen, whether in 4:3 or stretched or zoomed).  I don't have an x360 though.

Even now, though, those are very beautiful detailed graphics...  I cannot in good conscience, agree with you on this one, Ahasverus.

Find a 2D game, even now, with graphics that are sufficiently superior, while still being as fresh and varied, as SotN (in any console, and even handhelds).  I believe you will find that task difficult.  I can only name a few off the top of my head and while they may be prettier, they're not in full 2D.  And if they are, they're not as varied.  Those are Muramasa, A Boy and His Blob, and Odin Sphere (and all suffer from not being as varied).  Mayyyyybe World of Goo (and that's a big maybe).

The graphics in the DS games do give it a good shot, but do not come close, especially with regards to the tilesets for the stages.

[thernz]

Oops, sorry. SoTN has the strongest composition in its graphics and level design not only out of the series, but in gaming in general (yes, better than Muramasa). It has the best animation filled with subtleties and techniques that are missing in any of the other vanias. For example: the sub-pixeling in Alucard's animations. It holds a very strong and smart way of using color and tile usage in its backgrounds. The underground caverns only use two layers of parallax yet there is an astounding depth to them because of the way its designed. How you mentioned Castlevania I is just bizarre. Its color usage is pretty awkward and its tile usage is pretty misshapen and wonky at times. I mean even if it's part of the charm of it, the animations are pretty misshapen and plain odd in their poses. Because of it, we got hunchbacks for Belmonts. Richter from RoB is a clearer more detailed version of Simon's stance. Imagine it in high resolution. The pose is just extremely awkward. Alucard's walk animation itself has pretty odd arm movement but it's really recalling the old games anyway.

ask any professional artist and they'd agree lol

[Ahasverus]

No no no.. you are not getting my point... SOTN's graphics are gorgeous, one of the best (if not THE) in the traditional pixel-by-pixel school, they look great in the PSX, great in the PSP, I played it in my xbox (1) via emulator, and only with some anisontrophic filter, it looks truly truly beautiful... but then comes the XBLA version... in HD, even without stretching, it's ugly, because of the lack of "scanlines", the pixels are now visible one-by-one, and the whole geometric aspect is now gone, background colors suffer from bad compresion (greys and blacks tuning into grays and purples etc) and it just lacks, ermm, rounded edges... it's too squarey (?) but as I said, it happens because it's now being played in a HDTV set that is x7 or so superior in native resolution and those screens display the pixels one over the other and they are no interlined by natural scanlines of SDTV screens so-- believe me, it doesn't look good... and the problem is, it doesn't make justice to the ORIGINAl magnificence those 2D graphics had, that's my concern, newcomers who liked LoS or HoD even could be interested in playing the so lauded SOTN, then they will download it and say "What is this? is this the pretty game I was told? It's crap I won't play it" and then they will miss the great gameplay is there.
It truly, truly, deserves an HD remake, and this generation is the ideal one, I bet next gen development costs will be astronomical, and we know how good Konami is for lending money.. I'm just asking for the preservation of the "classic" rate of the game, an inmortal classic as it deserves to be.

[thernz]

i can see square pixels on my psx and it doesn't bother me. i dont think it detriments the game's graphics at all. the compositions aren't harmed by that. the individual elements that make up the pictures just look different, but it does nothing to harm the way they're organized. though, i could see how changed colors might muck things up though. the game was always blocky. if anything, it's the tv because it's more HIGH TECH and doesn't blur things as much as old tvs.

[Joachim]

can you show some pictures or something to justify that? I haven't heard that complaint from anyone else.

[uzo]

I challenge you to download the XBLA version and come here saying the same  

It was the first thing I downloaded and played. Pixelated or not, it looks great.

I was playing it through ePSXe output to my TV recently too. Looked amazing, even at that size, with no filters.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

Maybe he doesn't like big squared pixels?
I will admit that sometimes, I put on the 'scanlines' filter on my Zsnes for nostalgia-factor.
Zsnes's new versions even have a 'fake TV NTSC' filter for HDTV output... JUST IN CASE YOU WANT YOUR NEW TV TO LOOK OOOOOOOOOLD AND DECREPIT!
(I love that filter sometimes! xD)

[uzo]

Haha, yes, the NTSC filter is so funny. It's a great addition for an old console emulator. They should all have it.

[The Silverlord]

I know where Ahasverus is coming from.  Scanlines make a lot of difference.  It’s the first thing I turn on when playing via emulation.

I downloaded the Xbox360 version of Symphony and played through it a couple of years back, and it really struck me then how vacant the castle felt.  In latter years IGA has over-populated the castle. He’s put all manner of systems over the top.  Symphony feels unadorned by comparison.  And it doesn’t suffer for it.  Sure, in retrospect there are some poor platforming sections, and long, semi-empty corridors, but there’s atmosphere for it.   Arriving at the Outer Wall with that music playing and the rain coming down.  Magical.  Olrox’s Quarters still has a special place in my videogame heart with Dance of Pales playing.  I may have thought it nostalgia, but having gone back and played it, it’s still special.

I also agree with Valtiel: its controls do so much to make it a fun and engaging experience.  Alucard moves with sophistication and fluidity and has such poise that his character and personality takes on superior definition as a dark and elegant anti-hero.  I don’t like many of the characters in the series latterly, but Alucard is thoroughly deserving of his high station in fans’ eyes, even if I still prefer an old rugged Belmont.

[Reapers Death]

It's a great review, because except for the dialogue complaint (I actually loved it all the way through) it's all too true! I've had those complaints sinde Day ONE, ok maybe Day TWO, when I actually got farther in the game.

SotN is a game that had tons of potential, but ultimately fell flat. Like a woman that looks stunningly hot when dressed, you anticipate awesome things coming for you, but then you get her naked and... it just isn't the same at all, but you have to get through the motions because you're already there anyway.

Sure the game is outstanding and it may have staying power as already mentioned, but that's because you keep remembering the awesome intro and what could've been. It might not seem like it at first, but a game like Metroid (the original) actually shows to be much better in the long run.