Agreed. They felt really unnecessary too, what was the point of them plot-wise?
Yeah, they weren't great. They didn't do a whole lot outside of a shuck and jive to try to shake you off.
I actually kind of appreciate the over-the-top-ness it sounds like they're putting in the game (ie, the crucifixplosion). I'm used to the idea that LoS is gonna do its own thing, so if they go more balls to the wall with ideas like that I say go for it. My main hopes in this regard are:
A) Satan should take over Dracula's castle. I appreciated the scope they were going with in the first game, but Hell/The Realm of the Dead wasn't really an interesting area. Just kinda looked like Mars. If they do take stuff back to Hell, I'd like it to look that way - tortured souls, really awful things going on in the environment, etc. rather than just being some underground shit full of lava.
B) Zobek/Death fight. Awful obnoxious scythes and all. If they could at all match the dramatic nature or at least give an homage to the Rondo Death fight, I'd be so goddamn happy.
Aside from Titans, my main worry points are these:
A) Puzzles. I thought they would be okay before LoS one, but I hate them. So much. In a game like Silent Hill or Resident Evil they're fine, because I'm already in a thinking mood to play those, but in an action game like this it grinds the pace to a screeching halt. I'm sure they'll provide the option to skip these as before, but I'd much rather do more exploration or combat than a damned puzzle.
B) Multiple characters. Of course this hasn't been confirmed yet. But in MoF all the abilities had to be stretched so thin mostly to accommodate different characters, only really for the sake of more plot points. I'd much rather they just stick with Gabriel and flesh him out fully rather than come up with a few more cool tricks and shoehorn them into Alucard or some other Belmont. (MoF reminds me of Devil May Cry 4 in this respect.)
C) Yes yes, wall shimmying. I know it's really a given the game's going to have some, but for God's sake let Gabriel move faster or... something.