Topic: Dracula X Chronicles?

[vengeance]

I loved the SNES version back in the days, but never really got into the series. Now I bought Sotn for the psp (PSN>psx), but when i wanted to buy the Rondo port for psp, it stated that Sotn is included aswell, and improved.
I read that they added english voice acting and subtitles in the original rondo port, and the Sotn port had reworked voice acting. I dont care much about that, from what i heard till now is pretty amusing, but no replacement is needed imo, although some english subtitles in rondo would be welcome. 
They also added new gameplay features like new fimiliars, items and maria as a playable character in sotn or something.
I also read some mixed opinions, about the ports being harder or easier, and its a bit confusing. 

So my questions are: Are the 2 ports (Rondo pc-engine & Sotn, not the remake) faithfull to the originals? Are the added features in Sotn (and rondo too, if they touched the original gameplay-wise) really balanced, or does it make the games easier? I dont mind having a challenge, but i really dont want easier level lay-out, added gameplay stuff or quicksaving that lets you breeze through the games, just keeping it oldskool

And is this Sotn version notable better then the PSX version, or this just a matter of opinion?

[crisis]

You may be able to find the answers to your questions in this thread http://castlevaniadungeon.net/forums/index.php?topic=2913.0

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

1. Rondo's the same as old PC-Engine Rondo of Blood (not Castlevania: DraculaX for SNES).  The only changed material is the voice acting in the cutscenes to English.

SotN's voice acting is radically changed from its original campy dialogue from the PSX.  Gameplay changes for SotN are mostly limited to the new Maria mode, which is essentially having Maria play through the SotN map with her weaponry from Rondo "Child" Maria, and different than the Sega Saturn Maria mode (which gave her super moves).

2. Again, Rondo's the same (exactly), SotN's Maria mode is... fair, I guess?

3. "Better" is a matter of opinion, indeed.

But as Crisis said, more info in that other thread.  I'm just abridging it for you.
Welcome to the forums!

[vengeance]

Thanks I bought it on psn, and im really curious. It only needs to complete the download now.
Its pretty nice that Rondo has english voices aswell. I am used to resident evils "Jill Sandwiches, Master of Unlocking" and silent hills "Huh? Radio? Whats with that radio?" voice acting, so im not so bothered by campy voice acting i guess. Going to play both versions anyway

PS: Wait, rondo's snes version was the dracula x/vampires kiss port, but different from the pc-engine version, right? (Iv only played SCV4.)

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

Original PSX version (XBLA/PSN/Disc) is awesome.

Sega Saturn version has a super Maria mode that's different from the new PSP version, and also has improved audio quality and music looping over the PSX version, and a couple of extra stages/items added in.  However, some issues:
-Difficult to read some Japanese.  Also, JPN voiceacting cannot be understood.  Kinda nice, though.
-You need a Sega Saturn with either a gameshark or a 4in1 or 5in1 cartridge to play it.
-Improper emulation (when not using a real Saturn and a TV) always makes the Saturn version look like crap (I own a Saturn and when you play it in the Saturn, most of the graphical flaws in the Saturn emulation are almost completely nullified), thus painting the Saturn version as an 'inferior' version.

Some people would like to see a version  of SotN with the best of all worlds; the Saturn extra stages and music, both versions of Maria Mode and both Richter costumes.  Sadly, such a version does not exist.

[Alukard]

I actually preferred the classic PSX version of SOTN over the one they.. erm, uhh, "enhanced (I guess)" in the PSP DXC game.

//The 2 added familiars are almost exact clones of the demon and fairy familiars.
//The new voice acting was alright, but I find the original voices to be much more entertaining.
//The Maria boss battle and mode I found quite silly. One word to describe it is "Meh"

This is just my opinion of course, at the very least I'm glad they tried to improve on a few things but if I had to pick one to play through again I would definitely choose the classic PSX version.

[RichterB]

I was disappointed that The Dracula X Chronicles lacked the SNES Dracula X. Also, I think that Rondo is a little darker and more muddy in this PSP port, but then, I've never played Rondo on its original PC Engine hardware. I will say that Drac X Chronicles is still a great bargain, though, as the 2.5D CG Rondo upgrade is an interesting production, and having it plus the original Rondo and SotN is nice.

[Alutwon]

Just beat DXC. Originals were better.

[Munchy]

-Improper emulation (when not using a real Saturn and a TV) always makes the Saturn version look like crap (I own a Saturn and when you play it in the Saturn, most of the graphical flaws in the Saturn emulation are almost completely nullified), thus painting the Saturn version as an 'inferior' version.

Some people would like to see a version  of SotN with the best of all worlds; the Saturn extra stages and music, both versions of Maria Mode and both Richter costumes.  Sadly, such a version does not exist.

You know, for a while Saturn NitM ran far, far better on my laptop's emulator than on the Saturn itself. Then one day it decided to revert back to nonstop slowdown and ass loading times just as always.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

I am going to attempt Sega Saturn emulation again, now that I've got an awesome new computer.

Well, what I meant was, some of the effects look better on the Saturn's TV output than on the emulator itself.  For example, the dithering used to compensate for some of the transparency losses, is exaggerated a lot more on the emulator than on the TV.  In fact, you really have to look hard when playing on the Saturn to spot the effects that ended up using dithering.  However, in an emulator, they're easy to spot.

Another aspect is the... aspect ratio.  On the TV output you don't see the stretching of the pixels nearly as much as you do on the emulator.  Then again, this could've been me not setting up the emulator correctly back then (at the time I used Cassini, then switched to SSF, I believe).

Here's what I spotted on the TV that was different, and what looked out of place:
1. There's a missing layer of trees in the Royal Chapel, at the bottom of the great stairway.  So as soon as you're there you already see the cloud effects (those are still transparent, not dithered by the way).

2. Seems Saturn couldn't copy the PSX's 'transformation' animation for Alucard, so whenever he changes from one form to another (bat/mist/wolf), there's a noticeable 'lack' of an animation.  It is kind of cool that when he morphs back to human from animal, he takes on his 'caped over his body' sprite stance.

3. The axe armor usually dies with a big flashing ring of light.  Because the ring of light didn't get a transparency in the Saturn version, it instead looks like a glowing orb with psychedelic colors.  I actually like it more than the PSX version.

4. There's no light coming from the windows at the 3D Altar Room in the Royal Chapel, where the first Poltergeist Sword is.  So the room looks darker than its PSX counterpart.

There were a few more, but they're peppered throughout and difficult to spot.  People sometimes complain about the lack of transparencies, but most of them are still in the game, and the 'bigger' ones are still in, such as the cloud effects in the chapel and keep, etc.

Here's one cool thing that sped the game up greatly for me, and is only in the Saturn version:  In the Saturn version, Alucard's WingSmash spell can fly, uninterrupted, until you crash into a wall or until you run out of MP.  this is UNLIKE the PSX version, where it runs out after a few seconds.  Because of this, you can speed through the Marble Gallery, Olrox's Quarters, Underground Caverns, and the Clock Tower's larger rooms with just one wingsmash.  It's awesome to do it right from the eternal corridor (right by the exit to the Outer Wall) and be able to fly super-fast all the way through to the center of the castle by the floor openings and the clock room.

And then there's of course the superawesome (but terribly broken-easy) Maria Mode, where she throws Salamander Dragons and other stuff, haha.

[vengeance]

I have the played it a bit, and its awesome.

The remake seems to be nearly the same gameplaywise, except you can backflip while richter moves.
The bosses do seem to be a bit slower then in the original (at least the werewolf imo). There is a quicksave option, also available in the ports, but it cant be spammed and abused cuz it deletes the quicksave the moment you load it, which is pretty neat and optimized for a handheld platform.

Sotn's voiceacting does sound better now, but i still like the psx voiceacting aswell. Iv only played the Sotn psp port once now, with and without earbuds, but it seems that the sound quality is slightly lower?Or is it just that Richters voiceactor in the psx version likes to yell louder? Does the windowsize (ports) also affect anything, or is it really just a preference?

They probably didnt use the Saturn port directly because of sega, but i wonder why they didnt just add Saturns extras in this port, especially because it's a modified psone version already? (maybe 2 maria modes? Like rondo-pidgeon-mode and sega-pwntage-edition)

[Belmonto]

-Improper emulation (when not using a real Saturn and a TV) always makes the Saturn version look like crap (I own a Saturn and when you play it in the Saturn, most of the graphical flaws in the Saturn emulation are almost completely nullified), thus painting the Saturn version as an 'inferior' version.

If you want to play on PC, try SSF emulator.
It's better than Yabause, and achieves nearly-perfect emulation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSF_(emulator)



Download link:
http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~phantasy/ssf/files/SSF_011_alpha_R5''.zip