Topic: Konami's Approval Rating

[Renonsgoods]

BTW Renon was the best part of 64 games --love your avatar.   

Thanks.   IMO Renon is one of those elements that definitely needs to make a comeback in a future CV game.  I love the idea of a demonic merchant with whom the player experiences certain consequences for doing business with.

[thernz]

Then he reveals himself to be Satan, master of temptation.

[Renonsgoods]

IMO this is wishful thinking.  Mercury Steam has written themselves into a corner in a lot of ways.  The more likely scenario is that we'll see Mr. Eu Sunt Dracul as the playable anti-hero and Satan is the new villain.  If the sequel shoehorns a new Belmont and Vampire Killer into the game, it undermines the story they've told up till now.  Making Belmont into Dracula and destroying the Vampire Killer were both well thought out and deliberate --why would they go backwards?

 

Well, truly, it is just wishful thinking.  By no means am I saying that MS will do the right things with LoS2, I'm just stating that I'm willing to wait and see what they do before saying that their involvement in this franchise was nothing but a huge mistake.  If the more unpleasant changes to the core formula were purely of MS' doing, and they continue with that route with LoS2...then I'm on board with the rest of you.  If they make the right changes, however, LoS2 has as decent a chance as anything of being a truly great addition to the franchise. 

As far as why would they go "backwards"?  Well, look at gaming franchises throughout history.  How many games featured a part 2 that went a radically different route from the original game...only to revert back to that original formula for the 3rd installment?  QUITE a few.  It's a very common thing in the gaming industry.  I won't be surprised in the least if we see an LoS sequel that features Simon Belmont squaring off against Dracula with a traditional VK whip and all the original subweapons. Nothing in LoS rules out a traditional Belmont vs Drac legacy taking place.  And really, MS stands to drive out EVERY longtime core fan (myself included) if they decide to throw out that paradigm.

I guess the only real difference between me and the rest of you is that I saw enough good things in LoS to give MS the benefit of the doubt for its next title.  As I said previously, their recipe was solid...it was just missing some key ingredients.  I'd far prefer that to having a CV game with plenty of great CV ingredients, but a very poor recipe...as we've experienced many times with this franchise in recent years.  All in all, it's just a difference in perspective that separates us.

[Nagumo]

After having the Dark Keep move itself to Japan in AoS 

Aria of Sorrow takes place in a solar eclipse. 

[Flame]

Aria of Sorrow takes place in a solar eclipse.

I always found it amusing how the game itself lampshades this.

"You are japanese highschool student in Dracula's Castle which appeared to you."

"Isnt Dracula's castle in Europe?"


"Yes but its in an eclipse now"

[Kingshango]

I always found it amusing how the game itself lampshades this.

"You are japanese highschool student in Dracula's Castle which appeared to you."

"Isnt Dracula's castle in Europe?"


"Yes but its in an eclipse now"

I dunno know why but this made me laugh, sounds like a line out of an abriged anime series.

[Renonsgoods]

Aria of Sorrow takes place in a solar eclipse.

Well, considering the only people who could or would access this eclipse were in Japan...I'd say it's a safe bet that the whole "trapped in an eclipse" idea was nothing but a ploy for moving the setting of a Castlevania game to somewhere other than Europe.  That aside, the whole trapped in an eclipse idea was, in itself, pretty ridiculous.

[Nagumo]

I think they came up with the eastern setting was because of the backstory that IGA developed for the Demon Castle Wars which involved a solar eclipse, and it tied in pretty neatly to the sun shrines that can be found in Japan. I see no reason to be upset because the first five seconds of the game take place there.

[thernz]

At the very least, it was a nice reason to have that giant moon in the Castle Corridor. What a great moon.
Don't really care for it for story though. I guess it builds in junction with the cosmopolitan roster of creatures.

[narkolepsi]

Well, they do use Nostradamus' prophecies as a basis for the date of 1999 and it may seem plausible that they used it for the location of Japan as well:

"The year 1999, seventh month,  
From the sky will come a great King of Terror:  
To bring back to life the great King of the Mongols,  
Before and after Mars to reign by good luck."
(Century 10, Quatrain LXXII)

Three quatrains later:

"Long awaited he will never return
In Europe, he will appear in Asia:
One of the league issued from the great Hermes,
And he will grow over all the Kings of the East."
(Century 10, Quatrain LXXV)

It was an interesting change, no doubt, and I have no clue if any actual writings influenced it or not, but it was quite a pleasant surprise to see this while reading over the 1999 verse.

[C Belmont]

You know what Gabriel has in common with Simon aside from his armour?
They both fought against evil and ended up cursed afterward

just some food for thought...

[Munchy]

You know what Gabriel has in common with Simon aside from his armour?
They both fought against evil and ended up cursed afterward

just some food for thought...

Oh yeah huh. Many games do mention they're a cursed bloodline.

[X]

A cursed bloodline that is doomed for eternity to confront the forces of evil. This was put into perspective in the bloodlines intro story. But while some may view it as a curse, even the Belmonts themselves, I personally believe it's a blessing. 'Cause as long as they are around, evil will never triumph.

[C Belmont]

I was actually thinking of the curse on Simon in Castlevania II

[Reinhart77]

Well, they do use Nostradamus' prophecies as a basis for the date of 1999 and it may seem plausible that they used it for the location of Japan as well:

"The year 1999, seventh month,   
From the sky will come a great King of Terror:   
To bring back to life the great King of the Mongols,   
Before and after Mars to reign by good luck."
(Century 10, Quatrain LXXII)

Three quatrains later:

"Long awaited he will never return
In Europe, he will appear in Asia:
One of the league issued from the great Hermes,
And he will grow over all the Kings of the East."
(Century 10, Quatrain LXXV)

It was an interesting change, no doubt, and I have no clue if any actual writings influenced it or not, but it was quite a pleasant surprise to see this while reading over the 1999 verse.

that's awesome to know.  Dracula being reborn in Japan actually makes sense now =)  Sounds like Julius Mode in Dawn of Sorrow too.