Topic: What do you like most about the Castlevania franchise?

[The Zeldaniac]

Personally, I absolutely love how fleshed out the Belmont family is and that every single member of it holds some amount of significance to the main plot of the series.

How about you, what do you enjoy most out of the series?

[GuyStarwind]

I also like the Belmont family. I've heard some say Dracula is the glue that holds the series together but I believe that glue is the Belmonts. I like how they're just dudes with whips in an impossibly huge over the top castle and despite all the odds they still venture forth because it's their duty.

[DragonSlayr81]

What I love, or "loved" was the nods to classic horror culture. Dracula's original look being based off the classic Lugosi and Lee depictions(or most so, the more popular pop culture depiction), Frankenstein's monster was inspired by the Karloff depiction, and the setting and locations seemed straight out of an old Hammer horror movie. It was like a tribute to everything horror and monster related, and being a big fan of the genre(moreso movies than games) I loved it.

[X]

What I love, or "loved" was the nods to classic horror culture. Dracula's original look being based off the classic Lugosi and Lee depictions(or most so, the more popular pop culture depiction), Frankenstein's monster was inspired by the Karloff depiction, and the setting and locations seemed straight out of an old Hammer horror movie. It was like a tribute to everything horror and monster related, and being a big fan of the genre(moreso movies than games) I loved it.

Diddo! For me it was the 'feel' that the games presented me with. The type of atmosphere that draws you in and presents you with a rare gem that just is not found anywhere else. Unfortunately this 'feeling' started dying after SotN as only the Classicvanias could properly present it. The NES titles did a good job of delivering that feeling and SCV4 took it to it's zenith. Although surprisingly enough I felt that exact same feeling when playing CV64/LoD so I guess it wasn't totally lost. Or maybe it is only lost through the IGA games, I'm not sure.

[Anglachel]

1. I love the atmosphere of the game, and it's not just the castle or the country. It's also the universe it's in. To me, the Castlevania games feel like they take place in the real world, like the Belmonts are waging war against Dracula but the common folk (i.e. us) don't seem to notice. For instance, imagine the Demon Castle War in 1999. Picture yourself on August 11th, 1999, when the eclipse appeared to everyone. We loved the sight, but unknown to us, Julius Belmont was out sealing Dracula's castle in the eclipse forevermore.

2. I love how it brings together many mythologies and religions to create an epic story.

3. I love both the classic and Lords of Shadow's art design.

4. Belmont family is the coolest family ever in video game history. There's something about the name "Belmont" that rings perfectly with vampire hunting.

[crisis]

i love the part when Keanu is picked up and headed towards the castle with the wolves howling in the background and the carriage goes through that creepy blue flame

[RegalSin]

First off when we use the word "franchise". We are saying this product can be anything. The word franchise, is reserved for evil corporate goon-bags who deserves to be beaten in an alley-way. Not for people who enjoys a piece of media.

Right now it is clean and respectable, like Mario you can feel somewhat happy playing the game, and not feel threaten. Yes people will take out licenses, and stuff, but right now it is something that is clean. The moment I see Alucard, on a KFC bucket, is the moment I say no more Castlevania for me. While being commercialized, licensed, and brought, is the greatest achievement of a series, can be, it is not meant to abused.

Even if a CV fails, it leaves behind something that is still playable. That is what is important. Not just trying to trick money out of somebody who would rather see you starve, and call it making a profit. That is why buying a new system hurts more then buying a new game. It is like somebody throwing their jazz all over your face, and you can't even see the action you paid for.

Castlevania is a safe right now. What I love the most is how the characters have little or no lines, but is so big and gigantic.

[zangetsu468]

Distilling the classic iconicism of one of the most controversial historical and mythological characters (Dracula the somewhat revered antagonist) of such a specific and alluring mythology which is constantly challenged by the skill of the player in new and innovative ways. The beauty of Castlevania imo is that it always evolved and was cultivated into something different -  even if it wasn't necessarily what people had expected.

That and whipping candles. 

[Ahasverus]

This is like the most difficult question ever. I don't know. The combination of fantastic visual art with modern folk tales, a tale about fate, God and redemption, the kicksass neoclassical music. It's hard to know.

(click to show/hide)

And handsome men

Really I can't answer you.

[X]

The moment I see Alucard, on a KFC bucket, is the moment I say no more Castlevania for me.

I can just imagine the slogan that all the women who love Al will be thinking of; "Finger-lick'n good!"

[robsam1982]

Its just so fun.
The gameplay, music and the thought that has gone into each game is staggering.
Each game I have played has its own atmosphere totally different from any other franchise.
I love the fact I can just go on YouTube and watch people play these games.
I was always into horror and Castlevania does horror with a huge sense of fun and style, while retaining that spooky edge.

[Shiroi Koumori]

(click to show/hide)

And handsome men

THIS!
Plus the music and atmosphere for me.

I can just imagine the slogan that all the women who love Al will be thinking of; "Finger-lick'n good!"

LOL  Slurp.

[Morning star]

The old Castlevania games are my favorite games of all time. What's my favorite thing about them? EVERYTHING!!

I have always felt at home playing these games. As if they were designed just for me. That's why i get so upset over the changes this series has had to endure. It was perfect the way it was.

[beingthehero]

The variety of styles in terms of atmosphere and music, really. Especially the GBA era.

[PFG9000]

The atmosphere you feel while trekking through a decrepit old castle.  It was great in the older games, downplayed after SotN, and mostly lost from Portrait of Ruin on.