Topic: Ideas For a Modern Classicvania

[Crying Freeman]

I want an original story heavily inspired by Castlevania 3, featuring a female Belmont, with a Bloodborne-style art design, that does NOT set up for a sequel and is content to just be it's own game separate from everything else.

Now that sounds fuckin awesome. I am a huge Sonia fsn, so maybe another reboot, this time from the very beginning, featuring who is, in my opinion at least, a MUCH more interesting protagonist than Leon.

I mean, back then women weren't allowed to go into battle and fight, so imagine a story like that, Sonia going to prove her strength. Sounds like something Anita Sarkeesian would make except without the man hating 

Reminds me of how CV3 used ppl's fears of black magic back then as a plot device. Replace Alucard with a new love interest, or eliminate that aspect.

[Crying Freeman]

How about a true remake to castlevania the adventure or Belmont's revenge? I had always thought that those two games (if done right) could bring something new to the table. Christopher could be able to whip diagonally on foot or while on rope. Branching paths and alt. levels. Some just stairs, just rope, or both. Since adventure just had you using vampire killer, how about a mode with just sub weapons with infinite hearts or something? How about giving us a mode with soleiyu? Also, I think it would do castlevania some good if the background and excitement was more interactive then just platformings sake. Bring the swinging hooks back. Also, I like how adventures stage 2 boss, wasn't even a boss. It was more like a gauntlet type thing? i would love to see more of that with other enemies. Maybe even just as rooms that trap you unless you defeat them all. Good and bad treasure rooms. Liked the mini boss idea too. Another thing would be to have bosses have unique platforming or enemies that effect your combat.  Just a few things off the top of my head.

I can see a sort of LOS type retelling of BR. Maybe start the game with Chris's original Drac battle akin to SOTN's start, and then get into BR's story.

The reason I say LOS style is because BR took CV in a more fantasy driven setting than horror, which is what LOS did. Plus the idea of the four castle's reminds of those epic action-fantasy films that LOS tried to mimmic. Do it here but more 80s style than modern day style.

Make it an open world where you can exit or return to the four castle's any time you want, or do what LOI did with its level select. Make a Soleiyu mode if you beat the game.

BR is such an overlooked title for ppl outside of us. It really is one of the best in the series, and remake potential is there

[Holy Diver]

I would like to see a new time mechanic so that you could explore stages a bit. I don't know, maybe when time's up boss comes at you supercharged, but when you defeat him he goes back to the end of the stage.

[SubstituteBelmont]

This will sound absolutely mental but:

A remake of Simon's Quest with a lot of (too ambitious ) additions.

Imagine it, a 3D Open world, where you can decide how to tackle the count:

-Players can take the linear root, find Dracula's parts in separate dungeons, and go straight for the count himself

- Optional side-quests that add to a karma rating,as at this time, the Belmonts were feared by the general public. If you gain enough trust, you can build an army to help fight the count and make things much easier. Of course if you don't do any quests, the villagers will give you the infamously misleading clues from the NES game.

-You can choose not to fight the count at all, and go on 3 other alternate quests with completely different items to collect, some easier, some harder: Cure Simon's illness, revive Alucard to help you or even become Dracula yourself (yes, like LOS, and yes, assuming Legends is canon)

- Maybe 20 in-game days to complete the game, perhaps it could be an optional mode? It did become a little annoying in CV64 afterall


Maybe not everyone's cup of tea, but I think it would be an interesting game.


Otherwise, another classicvania, or reviving one of the cancelled games: Castlevania:Resurrection or Castlevania:Bloodletting?

[Lumi Kløvstad]

Bloodletting wouldn't make sense to pick up as what little was actually completed of the game was quickly folded into Symphony of the Night, effectively making THAT game the real Bloodletting.

Finally making Resurrection's not a bad idea though.

The Lords of Shadow saga proved (again) that a 3D Castlevania needn't be horrible, and actually generated plenty of market goodwill.

The soundtrack to Resurrection was okay, and gave a good idea of where things would be headed tonally, and what little footage from the game that leaked (the opening FMV and about 30 seconds of Sonia running around a dining room) showed they'd be going for a more traditional Gothic art style with an anime twist.

It might not be all that hard to pitch the idea to a studio already interested in adding to the Castlevania legacy -- Ninja Theory for instance.

It wouldn't be what we were originally promised, but it'd probably be good.

[X]

and what little footage from the game that leaked (the opening FMV and about 30 seconds of Sonia running around a dining room) showed they'd be going for a more traditional Gothic art style with an anime twist.

From what I saw of the vid and screen captures there was no anime to be had. The art was more realistic in style and is western influenced rather then Japanese (of course it was the US branch of Konami that was developing the game). But given how the CG cut scenes looked I think going with an anime look rather then what we saw would have been the better bet. Especially since Legends' artstyle was anime to begin with.

[son_the_vampire]

That's a good point, but I mean literally play LOI and whip once with Leon, it takes about 3.5 seconds, it's too slow. His whipping needs to be sped up slightly, that's all. Also single whips in the air, or make it more like Trevor's in COD where it doesn't interrupt the jump action, otherwise we end up with another floaty ass MoF on our hands.

Highlighted the good points:

Why does a 2D game need to be Sonic the Hedgehog speed? I think slow(er) whipping with a basic combo system would keep it fresh; so long as they stay away from the Lift Up strikes that turn you into a sky fairy with a whip.
The point you made about Trevor's Whip would mesh well as you can set up some good opportunities to speed up your whip game with some well timed jump cancels. You want fast? gotta earn that shit!

[zangetsu468]

SubstituteBelmont, FUCK YES! Count me in to that idea.

If Simon's Quest was 3d and the game was open world it would be fan-fucking-tastic.

Highlighted the good points:

Why does a 2D game need to be Sonic the Hedgehog speed? I think slow(er) whipping with a basic combo system would keep it fresh; so long as they stay away from the Lift Up strikes that turn you into a sky fairy with a whip.
The point you made about Trevor's Whip would mesh well as you can set up some good opportunities to speed up your whip game with some well timed jump cancels. You want fast? gotta earn that shit!

Haha well I like Sonic, I grew up playing the series

I'm just saying the shipping speed of a normal Belmont in 2d games is about 1-1.3 seconds, there's no need to make it slower.

Earnin' and burnin' snappin' necks and cashin' cheques!

[Jazz Paladin Productions]

In terms of a next generation game that retains the classic feel, I loved Hard Corp: Uprising.  Although it's technically Contra, they had a lot of levels that paid tribute to old classic games like Gradius, Metal Gear, and Level 3 was essentially Castlevania with a gun.

I loved the fact that it was 2.5D that retained the use of sprites for characters, but 3D for the background art.

[Belmontoya]

In terms of a next generation game that retains the classic feel, I loved Hard Corp: Uprising.  Although it's technically Contra, they had a lot of levels that paid tribute to old classic games like Gradius, Metal Gear, and Level 3 was essentially Castlevania with a gun.

I loved the fact that it was 2.5D that retained the use of sprites for characters, but 3D for the background art.

Ditto.