Topic: Egoraptor pit's CV1 against CV2

[Harrycombs]

Simon's Quest kicks the shit out of every Castlevania game that isn't called Castlevania (NES) and Super Castlevania IV, so...

Castlevania 3? Rondo?  

This is gonna sound crazy and condescending (and I assure you I don't mean it that way) but I don't think you can fully appreciate Simon's Quest unless you played it around the time it was released. Sure, nowadays it seems poorly designed and even antiquated in some ways, but back in '88-'89, it was an amazing game, in part because there weren't many like it. Games back then couldn't be made to be beaten in a day. SQ is actually the game that got me into VIDEO GAMES as a whole, so I'm certainly biased. But I still think the game holds up despite its shortcomings.

You definitely need a guide in a couple places, but overall, the game gives you a lot of the information you need to solve it. You just have to try every clue you're given and suss out which ones are real and which are fake. I was able to get through the entire game and only needed help finding Dracula's Castle at the end. I think most of you who think the game sucks just aren't willing to put in the time, which is fine. But don't blame the game for your lack of interest.

I understand your point, and surely it was pretty revolutionary for its time, but you have to admit that despite what it did right, it did so many things wrong. It introduced some great ideas but was just very poorly executed. I lost interest in the game at a point where I was apparently supposed to crouch in front of that lake to reveal the next path. I really tried, but I couldn't get into it. It just didn't make sense.

[DoctaMario]

Aside from being a bit obtuse at times (which I will admit is a pain in the ass, but it was a function of the times), what did Simon's Quest do poorly?

[Joachim]

Docta:
so basically, quality is contingent upon its chronological context? that doesn't really make much sense. if something is good, it is good, and it does not matter when it was made or when it is being received; similarly, if something is bad, the same is true. if something that is bad appears to be good out of ignorance, or because something is not so developed, then that is a matter of misperception or self-deception.

comparatively good does not equal good.

[Ahasverus]

Simon's Quest was a great game mudded by bad localization, but it was very ambitious and well  designed. Not the black sheep at all (I'm looking at you, Original Adventure)

[thernz]

Apparently the dialogue in the Japanese version was just as confusing. But I liked it. It had a cool mood to it.

[Aridale]

so basically, quality is contingent upon its chronological context? that doesn't really make much sense.

This is wrong. It makes perfect sense. Of course somethin you never played thats 20+ years old wont be as good now as it was when it was new. If youd never played Doom1 when it was new and you went back and played it now youd be like "wtf is this? Why did ppl like this game so much? I dont see what the big deal is?"

Sure CV2 is lacking in the explanation department of things but its also from an era when damn near EVERY game translated for NES was done as a joke by some dude over the course of a single weekend. Dont forget this was back when gaming as a whole wasnt taken seriously at all

[Abnormal Freak]

Castlevania 3? Rondo? 

Love 'em, but I love SQ more.

And really, "kicks the shit out of them" is pure hyperbole, but I get tired of hearing people spewing crap about the game. It's got some weirdness, but in my opinion criticisms against the tornado bit and such are invalid 'cos everybody knows how to do those parts anyway. I have a hell of a lot of fun playing the game every time that I do, and it never gets tiring, and I've never seen it as poorly designed. To date, no other Castlevania game gives you the open-ended freedom to explore as this game does. It's still linear in a lot of ways, but it makes you feel like you're on an adventure, which is a feeling I've never really gotten from any other games in the series besides the first N64 game.

Dracula's Curse is actually one of my least favorite of the classic Castlevanias. I love it to bits and pieces, but I, IV, II, Rondo, Bloodlines, and X68000 (in that order) are all better, in my mind.

[Bloodreign]

Sorry, but people saying that they found how to kneel in one specific spot with a red crystal equiped alone (since no one in the game mention this) can only be lying, lol. It's fuck'n impossible to just figure that alone... I would never finish this game without a guide on that part.

"Oh hey, why don't I equip the red cristal and go crouch on this wall here... hey, wtf is this tornado?"

People can discover things on accident, how do you think folks discovered cheat codes back in the day in  games? Wasn't always magazine guys finding these things, gamers found many as well.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

The 13 Dracula Clues hidden in the mansions and countryside tell you to do these things.

One of them specifically says:
"TO REPLENISH EARTH, KNEEL BY THE LAKE WITH THE BLUE CRYSTAL" (the Veros woods a few screens away from said lake)

And another says:
"WAIT FOR A SOUL WITH A RED CRYSTAL ON DEBORAH CLIFF" (Brahm's Mansion, before you ever reach Deborah Cliff)

And just in case you reached the other part of Deborah Cliff, another of Dracula's Clue books tells you about it:
"AN OLD GYPSY HOLDS THE DIAMOND IN FRONT OF DE-BORAH CLIFF" (in Aljiba, where you get the Garlic/Laurels)

All of these clues are in the Red Books and can be found by HolyWater FireBombing everywhere.  In town houses, in the woods, and especially in dead ends in mansions.

[Viper]

And you end up throwing holywater in every fucking block in the game. Milon's secret castle's good traditions. *invent*

[Abnormal Freak]

I love throwing the holy water around to find which blocks you can walk on. That, and Milon's Secret Castle rules as well. ;) One of the weirdest games I've ever played, but I have fond memories of playing it as a kid. Couldn't have done it without How to Win at Nintendo Games #2, though. Plus, it paved the way for the much more fun sequel, DoReMi Fantasy: Milon's DokiDoki Adventure, which kicks aaaaaaass.

And another says:
"WAIT FOR A SOUL WITH A RED CRYSTAL ON DEBORAH CLIFF" (Brahm's Mansion, before you ever reach Deborah Cliff)

In regard to this clue, isn't there also one about hitting your head against a rock? It's all pretty cryptic and weird, but it's not like it's impossible to figure things out without a guide. So I call bullshit on the other people in this thread crying bullshit.

[Richter]

Egoraptor does reviews? Amazing 


His points are all pretty valid, but it makes me realised how fucking impossible it was to finish Castlevania NES.... ghhrhrgghh up yours Death 

[Sindra]

Ahhh EgoRaptor. He nailed it all pretty spot-on.

[Harrycombs]

Aside from being a bit obtuse at times (which I will admit is a pain in the ass, but it was a function of the times), what did Simon's Quest do poorly?

One of my biggest complaints is this:

And you end up throwing holywater in every fucking block in the game.

On top of that, the monsters were pretty boring, and the boss fights were awful. If Simon's Quest were able to keep some of the great level design that CV1 had, then that would be great. But the world was just felt a little empty and repetitive. For instance, the mansions really had poor design. They weren't even close to being as visually appealing as the areas in CV1, and the enemy placement just felt boring. When I play through CV1, it feels like every brick, every enemy, and every jump was carefully considered by the designer. Look at level 4 for instance, theres that part where you are on a moving platform while there are bats coming at you, and then at one point you are under those rocks which reduce your mobility, and on top of that there are those merman, at which point you need to jump onto the next ledge and then onto another platform. Those elements all really came together well to make the spot interesting. From what I played of Simon's Quest, there was never really anything like that. It just felt like the mansions and the outdoor areas were just filled with stuff. By all means, its a good game (especially for its time) that introduced some great concepts, but I find that CV1 and 3 (even though I suck at that one) are just more fun to play through and were designed better.

His points are all pretty valid, but it makes me realised how fucking impossible it was to finish Castlevania NES.... ghhrhrgghh up yours Death 

CV1 doesn't feel difficult to me anymore. Its strange. I guess I've just played it too much...

[Abnormal Freak]

From what I played of Simon's Quest

...You haven't even played it all? :p How far did you get? Some of those later mansions have super cool designs and are loads of fun to play through. Also, as I mentioned before, the outdoor segments are so great—really makes you feel like you're on a journey.

Also, how come I never hear people complaining about the invisible pits in the Mega Man games? If people complained about those, I'd think they were crazy and likely video gaming n00bz; I think the same about complaints regarding the invisible pits in Castlevania II—they're the same darn thing, except in Castlevania II you can find out where the pits are ahead of time.