Topic: Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia *** NO SPOILERS

[Alexc2808]

I agree about the psp.  DXC was just such a better experience than any of the DS titles.  Playing it with headphones makes it even better.

[jimmay17]

By the by, PORTRAITofRUIN  is back at uh, that site she sometimes posts at (I never know exactly whether I can mention another site on a message board or not). She hasn't said anything revealing, just that she has a copy, it's still kind of rough--i.e. missing background music in some stages--and that the first playable version for the public should be at comicon.

As for the new(er) videos, which I've yet to comment on, all I can say is just 'meh.' I'm really not going to bitch anymore about it. I'm going to preorder the damn thing regardless. I just wish it stood out a little more from the previous two. Oh well.

[Gimph]

I don't understand why they didn't show a good boss fight like those giant fused skulls with the tentacles. That would have been much more exciting, as well as a different level we haven't already seen.

[ChibiMaddiChan]

In Reply To #1023
I dunno.  I don't mind seeing the skull tongue thing but I'd much rather experience that fight first rather than see it.  Seeing the first fight doesn't bother me because it is slightly disinteresting and leaves the better, more exciting and fun fights left to be experienced first hand. 

Seeing glimpse of later fights isn't so bad but I don't want a video seeing the entire thing. I love spoilers but I gotta leave something to be experienced. 

[Gimph]

In Reply To #1024

Yeah, I know, but those videos were just so...disappointing. I was hoping for something more exciting.

[Kamirine]

I personally think the stage has something to do with it having that 'underwhelming' feeling.  With both Dawn, the first place was a Winter Wonderland Abandoned Town and with Portrait, it was yet another city but unlike any other we've really been to in Castlevania.

With this particular stage, since the background arguably is a rehash of PoR's chapel (and/or first portrait), it just felt 'underwhelming'.  We weren't really experiencing anything new and it gave an overall 'been there, done that' sort of feel.

Which sucks, cause it kinda makes you ignore the new enemies and overall fun looking gameplay the video does offer.  I'm almost willing to bet money that had the video been of a different stage, like say the ocean stage, there would be a lot less 'disappointment'.

As for the boss, let's face it, some of disappointment there has to do with the person playing the game as well.  With PoR's firt boss, it seemed more awesome because the person playing well, sucked. His fight in the video was just as simplistic (I don't think he had as many fighting patterns as he did in the actual game.) and it's not like we haven't faced that boss before, but people acted like it was practically an 'epic' battle when we first saw it.

Whomever is playing this video seemed to know what they were doing quite well, so I'm not surprised that a good player could defeat the boss so well.

And I doubt the stage is that sort, since this a demo of the game and PoR's was the same way: you got to go to some of the first stage then met the boss nowhere near where you actually fought him, so the stage is probably longer.

The videos might feel underwhelming, but personally, I liked  a lot of the gameplay I saw in them.  And combined with the pictures and IGN's preview, I feel better with my assumption that the entire "OMG, this game has more rehashed sprites than POR," was in fact, a complete over-exaggeration.

The pictures were nice and I personally can't wait to play this game.  Though I'm afraid the intro video might have given a bit away, since the Narrator is more than likely Albus, which makes me wonder a few things:

A.) Is he telling the story and we're just playing through it? Does this mean he's narrating the beginning after the fact or right before everything that transpires in the game? (Or before he steals the ultimate weapon?)

B.) Why is he the one narrating in the first place, depending on what part of the story (as in right before or after) he's narrating from?  Why not the main character or Barlowe?

If it wasn't Albus, then who was it, since the person says they're from the Order?

As for the music, I'm in the middle.  I'm not "I just have to get this soundtrack now!!" in love with it like I was with certain other games or tracks but I don't hate it either.  I'm not getting distress though: there are usually a few songs I just don't care about or like but not as much in most Castlevania games so I'll just assume I'm hearing them early. 

[Gimph]

As for the music, I'm in the middle.

[Dark Nemesis]

I also have notice this!!

That means, that Sanoa can also transform. Also about the PSP, if it didn't have that blurring effect on screen, at 2D games, it would be OK. Playing Symphony and having that yellow blur it was hurting my eyes. Now you can say that you don't have to play it on PSP's screen, but connect it on TV and play it. Then i'll tell you, that if i want it to play a Castlevania game on TV, then it should be on a home console and not on a handheld console.

[Algernon]

Also, we've only actually heard one song (unless I missed something ) and it was the backround theme to a rather unexciting level. There's always the chance it may improve as the game progresses.

Well, if you count them, we got a VERY brief preview of the titlescreen music (which sounds unusually synthesized for a  castlevania game) and the intro cinematic. I'm sure there'll be one or two tracks to adore, but it will be varied. Hopefully we'll get some greats on par with Victorian Fear from PoR.

[erimocard]

Seems there are some shapeshifting-glyphs. The screens look great. I am very curious about OoE.

Blah.

I wonder how they work. Maybe you use R to change, and the monster, you change into, has it's own attacks for the two glyph-buttons. Then R again to change back. Man, would that be cool to become a werewolf, run about and kill monsters with quick slashes and kicks.

[Gimph]

In Reply To #1030

Maybe, if you kill enough of one type of enemy, they have a chance of dropping a glyph, kind of like Aria of Sorrow's soul system. Maybe some of the glyphs increase stats, allow different attacks, and maybe some of them allow you to transform into the creature that dropped it. That would be amazing!

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

Based on those pictures, I'd say that Shanoa has a number of transformation powers, one of which makes her look like BitchWolf (Castlevania: Akumajo Dracula X68000/Chronicles reference).

That's what she looks like in the screenshot with the dinosaur skeleton.

By the way, anyone who says the DS can't pull off high quality music... please play Final Fantasy Tactics A2.  I was amazed at the sound quality.  Some of the tunes rival FFXII and FFT1.  This is in the middle of gameplay too, not some FMV or anything.

It's all about how the composers and the sound engineers take advantage of the DS's capabilities.  Sure there are limitations, but when you really push the system you can get some pretty awesome results.

[Gimph]

By the way, anyone who says the DS can't pull off high quality music... please play Final Fantasy Tactics A2.

[Dark Nemesis]

Based on those pictures, I'd say that Shanoa has a number of transformation powers, one of which makes her look like BitchWolf (Castlevania: Akumajo Dracula X68000/Chronicles reference).

That's what she looks like in the screenshot with the dinosaur skeleton.

By the way, anyone who says the DS can't pull off high quality music... please play Final Fantasy Tactics A2.

[Gimph]

I don't like the boss fight door. I think it just really doesn't fit in well with the backround colors.