Topic: Vampire Killer

[beingthehero]

I think this is probably the most obscure of all Castlevania games. Have any of your ever played it? It's kind of odd, really, to see how much it shares with CV1 and how much it differs. The atmosphere alone seems to jive more with CVII in contrast with the original game.

The puzzle element is interesting, but I don't know how they botched the combat. It just doesn't 'feel' right like it did in CV1. The bad hit detection didn't help.

On the other hand, Dracula was pretty intimidating. Having him as a skeleton with Dracula's 'normal' bela lugosi head was kind of uhhh!

What do you all think of it?

[Sumac]

Here's my walkthrough and review.
In short - its too formulaic and boring. CV2 improved a lot on its ideas.

[Vampire Killer]

lol , I saw this topic and immediately thought "oh great, what did I do this time"

Never played the game, will have to check it out.

[Ridureyu]

The graphical upgrade is surprising. You can actually recognize the statues outside of the castle - I had always thought they were clouds of smoke!

[VampirehunterB]

the game's difficulty is insane

[beingthehero]

About the graphics: I was surprised that the portraits in the dungeon are, well, actually portraits of Dracula and not empty frames.

But yes, graphically this game is superior to CV1. Soundwise, on the other hand, not so much. The adaptions of CV1's songs are pretty tinny and lacking, and the credits theme sounds like something from a Keystone Kops film. Though at least it gave us a proper epilogue and actual credits.

I think a bulk of the difficulty comes from the inability to continue past your three lives. It doesn't help that some pits are deadly and some aren't, so you'll have to do quite a few replays from the beginning before you get it right.

[GuyStarwind]

Here's my walkthrough and review.
In short - its too formulaic and boring. CV2 improved a lot on its ideas.

I enjoyed those videos  . Whens the next one?

[Sumac]

But yes, graphically this game is superior to CV1.

On one hand, yes. On the other, I liked CV1 graphical style, because it looked blury and undefined. It gave location the feeling of decay and abandonment. In Vampire Killer locations looks to bright and more like a stereotypical 8 bit game. Especially it goes for the level 3.

the game's difficulty is insane

It's easy. You just need to know what to do and in what order. Aside form that, there are only few dificult moments - in level 4 its escape from the igor-troopers and in level 6 once again, escape from the igor-troopers. The bosses are cakewalk unlike CV1.

I enjoyed those videos  . Whens the next one?

Quite soon I hope.

[crimsonmist]

it annoys me when people think vampire killer msx is the first castlevania game and precedes the nes castlevania! it's really a common mistake to put vampire killer before the nes castlevania in many chronologically arranged slideshows i see on youtube!
well yes it came out in japan/europe for the msx in 1986 and reached the nes in the us in 1987. but these guys must not have known that the akumajou dracula original for the japanese famicom disk system (also from 1986) was made before the msx counterpart!

[Puwexil]

Castlevania and Vampire Killer were in development around the same time with their release dates only a month apart - it's not a big deal if people shuffle the order around a bit when the gap is so minimal to begin with.

I enjoy Vampire Killer, as you would any curiosity of its ilk. It's a game where you either revel in its inherent obscurity or become infuriated by it, perhaps ending up with a happy mixture of both. Visually the game shows up a lot more subdued than its sibling - the palette is full of earthy browns and depressing greys. It manages to differentiate successfully from the source, but also lacks any sort of memorable flair in stark contrast with its vibrant counterpart. The stage architecture is also a lot more compartmentalized and boxy, playing with the rules of the platform by necessity, which is unfortunate considering its aspirations for being a sort of a mystery puzzler. Combatwise, I don't think it could be more awkward, another quirk to call its own.

It's a game that's held back in a lot of ways by uncooked, half-realized ideas and execution, but it's so novel and unique that it deserves anyone's time of day, at least once.

[Sumac]

Castlevania and Vampire Killer were in development around the same time with their release dates only a month apart - it's not a big deal if people shuffle the order around a bit when the gap is so minimal to begin with.

I would say it's a kind of big deal what to consider the first game in the series - brilliant classic action or inarticulate puzzle / adventure game. I myself pleased that FDS / NES Castlevania was the first game in the series. It gives me a sense of comfort that series started with something that good.

Besides, as I've heard some time ago, that Vampire Killer was created that way only because of technical limitations of MSX. If not for them, who knows, maybe VK would become just another port of Castlevania.

[Puwexil]

I meant it's not a big deal in the context of "chronologically arranged slideshows on Youtube". It's something of a common misconception, so I'm not surprised people are not always entirely clear on it.

[crimsonmist]

I meant it's not a big deal in the context of "chronologically arranged slideshows on Youtube". It's something of a common misconception, so I'm not surprised people are not always entirely clear on it.

the more widespread the misconception, the more i hate it.

anyhow...knowing that "vampire killer" is also the name of the japanese version of bloodlines (i'm planning to show gameplay of that particular version soon), i'm afraid i'll hear misconceptions about it being a retelling, remake, etc. of the msx game. and i expect to hear questions about whether it's really much related to the msx vampire killer aside from being from the same series. i'll most likely just say no.

[Inccubus]

I like it a lot. Using some of it's ideas and designs for my remake.

[X]

I like it a lot. Using some of it's ideas and designs for my remake.

I thought you'd already established that when you started your thread? At least that what I remember reading...