Topic: The Future of the Castlevania Series

[Dremn]

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3DS Classicvania 1st okthx

I can only pray.

Anything 2D Castlevania would be appreciated at this point, I need a sign Konami won't kill it off.

[Flame]

No one is whether people like that or not, the real question is what musical direction is best for the series' integrity. The truth is CV always had a more gothic style musical score particularly with classicvania titles. Throwing in an OST which doesn't particularly suit the series nor retain it's identity shouldn't be how Konami approaches the next game. Assuming CV is brought back to its roots, the music was a very large component of these classic titles, much like legend of Zelda, CV (until LOS) always had a distinct and recognisable musical score, even when titles like LOD and OOE deviated slightly.

I never considered CV1-3 to have a gothic soundtrack. 4 is where the tracks started to ooze atmosphere, and even then, not necessarily a gothic atmosphere, just... atmosphere in general.

Also, I consider Lords 2 to have a fairly memorable score. far more memorable than LoS1. The battle themes were amazing, and the ambient themes, particularly in the castle,  were pretty fantastic. My favorite being the one with that like, sad singing(?) in it

Lets consider Aurujo asked Konami about the Music, and it was Konami who told him not to make it like previous games because they felt it was "too feminine". So he made a more generic fantasy score, since thats what they were going for with LoS, a dark fantasy.

MoF and LoS2 he had a bit more free reign on music and as a result the tracks are IMO, much better in terms of atmosphere and feeling. loS2 specifically.

That said, I was sad that there wasnt even one orchestrated classic theme.

[e105beta]

Since I've heard the claim so many times...

Can someone tell me what "gothic" music is? Because I have no idea what people mean when they say it.

I know it's not this:

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The Cure - Friday Im In Love

And I know it's not this:

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Gothic chant - Kyrie

Or this:

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Music of the Gothic Era

And it can't be this...

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Let's Listen: Castlevania Rondo Of Blood - Opposing Bloodlines (Extended)

I don't even think it's this:

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFZZ3o7lXvo

[Eärendil]

I've always thought of Gothic music as really anything melodic or atmospheric that is played through a pipe organ. Mainly because Gothic originally describes an architectural style that was born out of large cathedrals, abbeys and castles of the late medieval period. And perhaps besides any instrument of music, other than the joined vocal chords of a choir, the pipes of an organ come to mind almost immediately.

The main musical themes of CV I to III seemed to have very little of what I consider Gothic based on my thoughts above. To me, the music of I to III was better described as progressive jazz and rock rhythms with an evil twist, of course, all midi style. These progressive jazz/rock elements continue into the 16 bit era, with the epic soundtrack that is CV IV (or Super Castlevania); however, clearly, there is a more "Gothic" sound to be found here. In fact, that sound kicks you right in the nuts with the opening prelude of Dracula's Theme. Perhaps the technology had allowed for more than just jazzy beats but some real atmosphere. But you clearly hear some pipe organ-like music in just about everything. I will never forget the haunting feeling as a kid the first time hearing the Forest of Monsters on my first play through. Even still to this day, that entire soundtrack just throws down the gauntlet for me as the best soundtrack of all the Castlevania games ever made.

[Flame]

What people consider Gothic to CV is actually mostly Baroque, not "Gothic". A good example would probably be Wood Carving Partitia. That, is baroque.

But Baroque has sort of become synonymous with Gothic because it's very often incorporated into gothic stuff.

[Viskod]

That said, I was sad that there wasnt even one orchestrated classic theme.

I was sad that with all of those damn elevators we didn't get a little remixed classic theme as some upbeat elevator music just for some humor.

[Little Dracula]

Is a matter of what Konami wants, keep the franchise in the niche level or try to appeal the mass market, this last option is dangerous because can't destroy the franchise like it happen with Silent Hill.

To be honest I will love if they do something like they did with Hard Corps Uprising, that game was amazing and it was true to his roots, in a way they already did it with Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles but I don't think it was the right time or platform and ofcourse it was a remake not a sequel.

[zangetsu468]

@Flame I consider bloody tears in CV II to sound heavily gothic, along with the password music, though not as much as Super CV IV.

Maybe CV 1 and 3 not totally, though I never played 3 much. I will say that the boss battles in Cv 1 do sound gothic to me, as well as the clock tower. In CV 3 I'd argue the first Stage and final form of Dracula do also.

My point was that Classicvania always evolved that way or for those who think differently, the OST always evoked a particular context in the mind of the player. I don't feel LOS or MOF did that, but I've yet to play LOS2.

[Dremn]

I'm worried Konami will keep going for an LoS inspired score for future games since they apparently hated the old music.

I miss Yamane, or just any sort of melody in general.

[Mangoaxe5]

Hopefully Konami will return to the real timeline and give us that Alucard game that they showed ages ago. I'm sick of playing as a Belmont so yeah playing as Alucard in 3D would be badass.

[GuyStarwind]

No thank you. I just want a Belmont game. Not a Alucard, Soma, Shanoa, Hector, or Belmontcula game. Just a simple badass, holy power, whip cracking, wall meat eating, candle destroying Belmont. If those above mentioned characters want to be side characters or extra modes so be it but Belmont should be the hero. Especially after their lameness in LoS. 

[Ahasverus]

For all the LoS2 problems, music wasn't one of them. The score is far superior to lords 1.

[e105beta]

Belmontz4lyfe

[Eärendil]

I want a reboot of the original 1691 setting and I want our whip-cracking Simon Belmont back. The game takes place in Transylvania near the Carpathian Mountains. The antagonist will be the original Dracula, based on a combination of the historical Vlad Țepeș and the famed vampire by Bram Stoker. A writer can give him some historical backstory, explain how both the antagonist and protagonist came to be, whatever; otherwise, Dracula has evolved into this entirely evil, dark sorcerer of necromancy, who strives to dominate all of mankind. Simon Belmont is the hero that will be mankind's last hope to defeat him. I don't mind if the characters are given a little depth for a sense of realism. The game needs to feel as if it's you against an army of darkness, full of all the familiar evil creatures and bosses that should be in a Castlevania game. The graphics engines for current generation consoles and PCs allow for amazing scenes now. Use it to the full extent. Take advantage of voice actors and all that jazz. But the focus needs to be on the environments and game play. Give me the dark foreboding atmosphere of Super Castlevania. I don't mind exploration of the countryside, but I want a huge castle worthy to be called Castlevania to explore. I want hidden rooms, corridors and puzzles. I want the music to represent the original games: Gothic, progressive, baroque, evil, haunting... The technology has got good enough to pull off a 3D remake of the original and make it an amazing game. One with all the big production that it deserves. Oh well, I can dream.

[Ahasverus]

I don't know if I could live without Trevor anymore. Best Belmont is best. but yeah, new storyline, please keep it simple, a few Belmonts, with marked personalities and different relations to Dracula.