Topic: SOTN's Fatal Flaw

[Dracula9]

Yes, I at least am of like mind.

That area was just plain put to waste, I think. Not even a homonculus (aside from the barely-visible contained fetus things in the desk candles, and those hardly are worth noting) or transmutable metal-esque enemy, or even Bird of Hermes. Such a shame, considering the whole Dracula's organs thing is basically a biomagical transmutation. All that potential and room for symbolism, gone to waste.

As for the Inverted Castle...can't say it ever really bugged me. I didn't find it as engaging or riveting as the Regular, but never to the point of dislike. If anything, I think that can be blamed on the repetitive music (as stated several times), and the cooler tones for a lot of upper-castle areas (which is like half the map) which was equally overused IMO.

But at the same time, it IS meant to be the same layout but an entirely different beast, so things like the palette changes I can forgive, but things like the occasionally just uninspired enemy placement (HERE'S A LONG HALLWAY WITH A BUNCH OF WEREWOLVES AND RIGHT OVER THERE ANOTHER HALLWAY WITH A BUNCH OF MINOTAURS HOW EXHILARATING) I cannot.

I don't dislike it, but I also don't think Inverted can stand up to Regular (and rightfully so, because Inverted's not even standing it's bloody floating in magic cloud codswallop.

[LuxKiller65]

SOTN already borrows graphics from other games to begin with.

Sorry if this is off-topic, but I'm curious if there's a list or a gallery explaining this? Just curious, as I don't have much Konami knowledge, and it sounds interesting to see which graphics have been inspired/borrowed by other games.

Unless you mean other Castlevania games... this much I know

[zangetsu468]

I was planning on making a separate thread but since we already have a thread about SotN's flaws I might as well bring it up here. Does anyone also think the Alchemy Laboratory is the worst area in the game? It has a lot of boring box-shaped rooms and lots of copy paste backgrounds which are pretty dull looking, especially the ones in the long vertical rooms with those floating flatform jumps. Also, they didn't really place any enemies there with an alchemy theme in mind which makes the area come more across as artificial. I think all the other areas are more varied in their design and less bloated.

The 'Entrance' (very first area of the castle) is a much better 'introduction' - shall we say - to SOTN. I agree that the inspiration seems lackluster for enemy placement. The music is more reminiscent of a dining hall or art hall. If anything I would say the Marble Gallery's music fits a laboratory better.
Alchemy Lab is sort of a nothing area to me, I hadn't even really thought about it until now but I agree it's one of my least favourite areas. I say that Underground Caverns, Royal Chapel, Coliseum and Clocktower are probably my favourite.

Also, props to SSOTN for having a much better Entrance theme for Maria.

[X]

The alchemy laboratory is very much lacking in the whole 'lab' thing. It does have a lot of wasted background potential to showing all kinds of remarkable and impressive lab equipment that humanity does not have access to. There is also another matter that comes to my attention. The tower leading up to both the Castle library and the Clocktower. Has anyone ever noticed that it has the same music as the Marble Gallery, but just in a slightly different variation? These are the only two sections of the first castle to do this.

[BLOOD MONKEY]

It's also quite ironic that you can destroy the final boss but you can't destroy those rotating skulls

I always wondered why Drac never made gold-skull armor.

One of the few things I dislike about this game is that the Final Boss isn't the hardest boss fight in the game. Galamoth and Beezlebub are much harder.

[The Puritan]

Such is the way of optional bosses.

[zangetsu468]

There is also another matter that comes to my attention. The tower leading up to both the Castle library and the Clocktower. Has anyone ever noticed that it has the same music as the Marble Gallery, but just in a slightly different variation? These are the only two sections of the first castle to do this.

That's right. I've always noticed that the Outer Wall's music mimics the Marble Gallery, it's just slowed down significantly and sounds nicer, suiting the area more imo.

[Dracula9]

Sorry if this is off-topic, but I'm curious if there's a list or a gallery explaining this? Just curious, as I don't have much Konami knowledge, and it sounds interesting to see which graphics have been inspired/borrowed by other games.

Unless you mean other Castlevania games... this much I know

I believe he meant the borrowing of graphics from Rondo, i.e. expansions of the Skeleton Gunmen, a handful of other enemies, many of Richter's frames, Dracula's intro fight forms, Maria in the intro, several of the explosion graphics, etc.

Normally this would bug me, as it does in the DS titles, but considering Symphony is a direct sequel to Rondo, I consider it an appropriate borrowing.

[Belmontoya]

Well they ripped scv4 boss sprites as well. And Iga doesn't even consider it cannon.

[Dracula9]

They did? Which ones?

[theplottwist]

They did? Which ones?

Gaibon and Slogra. Though they did receive a considerable paint-job upgrade so the sprites could fit with the overall style.

[zangetsu468]

Well they ripped scv4 boss sprites as well. And Iga doesn't even consider it cannon.

Chronicles supersedes SCIV given that both are supposed to be remakes of CV1/ VK. This explains why in IGA's official timeline Chronicles artwork is referenced.

[X]

It's not just Slogra and Gaibon that were incorporated. They also used some of the regular enemies as well. For instance; the headless pirates carrying their own heads that roam the long library. And you can also see the thorn weeds in the abandoned mine.

[Belmontoya]

Chronicles supersedes SCIV given that both are supposed to be remakes of CV1/ VK. This explains why in IGA's official timeline Chronicles artwork is referenced.

And why does Chronicles supersede SCV4? People can try to debate it all they want for fun, but come on.. Chronicles is not even close to as good of a game as SCV4. Chronicles has absolutely no business superseding SCV4. The very idea infuriates me.

No sprites from the world of Chronicles appear in SOTN. Yet, SCV4 characters are present. To take assets from SCV4, yet claim a painfully inferior game as the official cannon version of Simon's famous adventure is down right insulting.

[zangetsu468]

And why does Chronicles supersede SCV4?

Belmontoya, get off your high horse for a moment.

First I was referring to Chronology, meaning Chronicles supersedes SCVIV in the timeline

People can try to debate it all they want for fun, but come on..

Come on what? No one is debating anything.

Chronicles is not even close to as good of a game as SCV4.

Then I'd be the first person to tell you it is. Your opinion is your opinion, the community of Castlevania fans in general probably do prefer SCVIV, but what difference should this make to the minority who don't..?

Chronicles has absolutely no business superseding SCV4. The very idea infuriates me.

You sound a lot like a butthurt fanboy trying to defend something which you're afraid people will think is bad. I'm not surprised at you admitting to your fury.

No sprites from the world of Chronicles appear in SOTN. Yet, SCV4 characters are present.

So fucking what? So many CV games take sprites from other CV games. That's a weak argument.

To take assets from SCV4, yet claim a painfully inferior game as the official cannon version of Simon's famous adventure is down right insulting.

First of all, it is canon. There's an interview by Iga on the PSX disc stating it's a retelling of the original CV story.

Secondly, the official Iga timeline that came with POR shows Simon's CV Chronicles Arrange artwork, yet SCVIV is nowehere to be found, not as a retelling of CV1 nor as a sequel to Simon's Quest. http://nichegamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/timeline-side2.jpg

Finally, it's insulting to you, but get out of your own ego for a minute. People like games, people like SCVIV, but nobody cares if you like it aside from you. Your response is utter nonsense. You just love something so much you want it to be canon.