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[F0rneus]

It's difficult for me to take seriously any publication that gave Castlevania Judgment a better review.

I suspect I'll say the same about ones that gave better reviews to Curse of Darkness given the complete lack of level design, variety, or anything other than a decent OST and combat.

For it's flat level design, Curse of Darkness had perhaps the best soundtrack in the franchise, fun monster making/levelling mechanics, metric tons of weapon types to use, and the combat engine was solid as all hell. I think it's a far better game than any Castlevania, Mercury Steam ever put out.

 

[kunonabi]

It's difficult for me to take seriously any publication that gave Castlevania Judgment a better review.

I suspect I'll say the same about ones that gave better reviews to Curse of Darkness given the complete lack of level design, variety, or anything other than a decent OST and combat.

despite the visual style, Judgment actually had pretty solid mechanics, right at the top of the 3d arena fighter genre to be honest, characters had very distinct playstyles and the netcode was good. Mercury Steam may make great looking games but their sense of gameplay design has been piss poor from the start. It isn't a stretch at all to believe that Judgment plays better.

 

[Shmuely Bully]

Those games came out years ago. Would the reviewers even be the same? And haven't standards gone up for this kind of action game?

The point is more that unless a lot of things are fundamentally broken games that are acknowledged as being severely broken in ways shouldn't be getting better scores. That remains the case regardless of the era we're talking about.

 

[TGO]

How about bringing back the good old Castlevania back to it's source now Konami ?

I would love to agree but I haven't been interested in CV since the PSX era, LOS got me back into CV and after this if they don't continue with this series and go back to the old style the series will be dead to me again.
I expect a cheap digital release in the style of MOF before the series is finally retired.

 

[FrostuTheNinja]

Couple of questions for those who have played. Does the game have a traditional leveling system similar to Symphony of the Night or is it just collectibles like Metroid? Also, is there a wealth of enemy types?

 

[Foffy]

How about bringing back the good old Castlevania back to it's source now Konami ?

This came from a supposed leaker, but Konami is either planning another Lords of Shadow game as a prequel, or they will go back to old Castlevania. So it seems something is in the pipeline. I would hope that in the possibility that Lords of Shadow 2 fails it doesn't kill the series. Making AAA franchises make it or break it on one release is an absurd model.

Oh, and releasing MoF on PC...

 

[Alcoholikaust]

REDBOX CONFIRMED

haha

 

[swazzyswess]

Also, is there a wealth of enemy types?

According to several reviews, you'll find both invincible RPG-wielding guards and dudes with machine guns. You know, the classic CV stuff.

 

[Space Runaway]

Positive reviews seem to agree that the game is front loaded with a few hours of terrible bullshit and that all the stealth sections are shit. Assuming they're right, what I play of it today is really going to suck. =/

 

[andymcc]

Looks like an early past-gen, or late ps2 game to me.

this rat section lmao

 

[swazzyswess]

Just watched the rat part on the GB quick look... wtf were they thinking? It reminds me of that part in the fade in Dragon Age: Origins (probably the worst part of that game).

 

[JinjoUnchained]

You can practically see the LTTPs for this game already:

"Heard bad things about it, but it was $5 on Steam/Free on PSN and I liked the first game, so why not? It's not that bad!"

"Yeah it is, they ruined Castlevania"

"Hey, I liked it it too, the reviewers and GAF just didn't understand it"

"What's there to understand? It has nothing to do with Castlevania, it's just a generic open world/stealth game with Castlevania on the box"

"Well I thought it was fun. There were problems, but the combat was good"

 

[jett]

The rat thing is inexplicable. The level design of this game based on that quicklook seems like hot garbage.

 

[TheFLYINGManga_Ka]

I can understand the criticism, but reviews can be inaccurate (I know, they're opinions). I just have a tough time believing or accepting that a game like this is as bad (or worse) than all the other 4-5 scored games out there that really are bad.

Same argument, another game.

 

[Camp Lo]

Steam sale it is.

Yeah, looks like that.

 

[swazzyswess]

I can understand the criticism, but reviews can be inaccurate (I know, they're opinions). I just have a tough time believing or accepting that a game like this is as bad (or worse) than all the other 4-5 scored games out there that really are bad.

Same argument, another game.

I'd say the most relevant comparison would be to scores of Lords of Shadow 1.

 

[scitek]

I feel like, just like with the first game, this one will be massively better on PC at 60fps. The scores seem like they're bitching about things just to bitch, honestly. I really don't give a shit if enemies are using machine guns, IGN.

 

[Camp Lo]

The first was better than either of the PS3 GoW games.

Haven't played Ascension but it damn sure wasn't better than 3.

 

[RK9039]

What are enemies in the modern era supposed to use? spoons?

 

[hey_it's_that_dog]

The blood sucking animations are so goddamn long. Even with QTEs off they still manage to ruin the flow completely.

 

[Drake]

Man, just make an Igavania with modern graphics. I would buy the shit out of that.

 

[Xerotwo]

despite the visual style, Judgment actually had pretty solid mechanics, right at the top of the 3d arena fighter genre to be honest, characters had very distinct playstyles and the netcode was good. Mercury Steam may make great looking games but their sense of gameplay design has been piss poor from the start. It isn't a stretch at all to believe that Judgment plays better.

I guess that it's the same flaw that Ninja Theory has: great visuals but lacking in the gameplay department.

 

[TheFLYINGManga_Ka]

Man, just make an Igavania with modern graphics. I would buy the shit out of that.

Is buy it! For Vita as well!

Spoiler

But no one else will buy it.

 

[Valnen]

I don't trust these reviews. The combat looks too good to be reviewing this low. And it feels incredible in the demo.

Starting to feel like reviews are useless for my tastes in general though. I mean, I feel like GTA IV was a shit game and it has a ridiculously high metacritic.

 

[TheFLYINGManga_Ka]

I don't trust these reviews. The combat looks too good to be reviewing this low. And it feels incredible in the demo.

Some reviews can be harsher to bigger releases. I guess standards are higher or something else kicks in.

Games like RE Racoon city or Legendary getting 4s or 5s is understandable or Inversion and Dark Void getting low 6 scores. But it's a little questionable when Lords of Shadow 2, Thief gets 4s or 5s and even freakin' Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze gets 6 scores!

 

[bryanee]

Haven't played Ascension but it damn sure wasn't better than 3.

It really was.

 

[ys45]

I would love to agree but I haven't been interested in CV since the PSX era, LOS got me back into CV and after this if they don't continue with this series and go back to the old style the series will be dead to me again.
I expect a cheap digital release in the style of MOF before the series is finally retired.

Well I'm one of those who want to series to go back to traditional platforming or Metroidvania style .

This came from a supposed leaker, but Konami is either planning another Lords of Shadow game as a prequel, or they will go back to old Castlevania. So it seems something is in the pipeline. I would hope that in the possibility that Lords of Shadow 2 fails it doesn't kill the series. Making AAA franchises make it or break it on one release is an absurd model.

Oh, and releasing MoF on PC...

Let's hope they do something similar to Strider, game is not perfect but at least it's good and fun to play and felt like playing a Strider game

 

[Raptomex]

Not surprised. I didn't much care for the first LoS. Maybe because I played that right after beating SoTN for the first time.

 

[Mr. Poolman]

Some reviews can be harsher to bigger releases. I guess standards are higher or something else kicks in.

Games like RE Racoon city or Legendary getting 4s or 5s is understandable or Inversion and Dark Void getting low 6 scores. But it's a little questionable when Lords of Shadow 2, Thief gets 4s or 5s and even freakin' Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze gets 6 scores!

It may be wishful thinking on my side (need to see the March releases) but it would seem the industry is finally using the 1-10 scale instead of 7-10.

 

[TnK]

For it's flat level design, Curse of Darkness had perhaps the best soundtrack in the franchise, fun monster making/levelling mechanics, metric tons of weapon types to use, and the combat engine was solid as all hell. I think it's a far better game than any Castlevania, Mercury Steam ever put out.

Curse of Darkness was one of the most boring CVs I have played until maybe the 20 hour mark, which then it suddenly became really really fun. Really odd game. I have to say though, LoS2 is more fun compared to Curse of Darkness atm. Did not finish LoS2 yet, so I am not sure. I have to agree though, the soundtrack is excellent along with Lament of Innocence. I see that both of those games have the best OST in the series.

I would love to play a 3D CV game with the production values of LoS, but having the same composer as the older games. Add more exploration as well. LoS2 is said to be a metroidvania game, so we shall see how that turns out.

 

[Overboost]

Hype levels dampened a bit, but still can't wait to play it. Paid $48 for the PS3 version and I can just blow through it and sell it for $35 if I don't feel the need to wait around on DLC. Not too bad.

Could just trade it toward Thief when I'm done and be disappointed twice in one week! :|

 

[FrostuTheNinja]

Could just trade it toward Thief when I'm done and be disappointed twice in one week! :|

I laughed, then I was sad. What a double whammy. :/

 

[BPoole]

What is this game, but a miserable pile of reviews

 

[Fdkn]

This is... sad

Hobby Consolas 95/100

Hobby Consolas has always been considered likesome sort of a spanish IGN, they always give retardedly high scores to the famous titles even if they are not that good, but this time they just crossed the line. The whole review has been turned into some patriotism thing and is full of comments about how wrong are foreigner reviews about things like the stealth section or the mixture of elements taken from other games, or even the load times.

In the paper version of the issue they even mention a trend of britanic outlets trashing spanish games since the spectrum days, and in the comment sections the author is just trashing reviews to other games from those foreigner outlets to defend his point.

The gaming press is usually called a joke, but the spanish press is not even funny, just shameful.

 

[Minion101]

I guess I'll just replay God of War 3 again and have a better time.

 

[Jomjom]

Im going with the GT review for no other reason than the fact that their Castlevania retrospective was awesome.

 

[Mr. Poolman]

This is... sad

Hobby Consolas 95/100

Hobby Consolas has always been considered likesome sort of a spanish IGN, they always give retardedly high scores to the famous titles even if they are not that good, but this time they just crossed the line. The whole review has been turned into some patriotism thing and is full of comments about how wrong are foreigner reviews about things like the stealth section or the mixture of elements taken from other games, or even the load times.

In the paper version of the issue they even mention a trend of britanic outlets trashing spanish games since the spectrum days, and in the comment sections the author is just trashing reviews to other games from those foreigner outlets to defend his point.

The gaming press is usually called a joke, but the spanish press is not even funny, just shameful.

Hobby Consolas is a joke.
When I lived on Spain I always thought that Hobby Consolas was an amateur publication really biased and with a lot of opinions presented as facts.

 

[Zeth]

The PC Gamer review in particular is terrible. It barely reads like a review, more of a spiteful blurb. It mentions combat mechanics in one paragraph. The stealth section(s) suck, but they don't ruin the whole game. Opinions and everything of course. It's just crazy how the metacritic average tends to dictate the discussion. I just don't see the game being significantly worse than the original from what I've played - but I might be wrong.

 

[Parmenide]

Where is Koji when we need him?

 

[Camp Lo]

It really was.

Not even close.

 

[Petrae]

The common message that I'm reading about the stealth sections-- as short as they may be-- seal my decision to skip this game... especially the pass/fail "stealth boss" mission that's been mentioned a few times before. It gives me Shadow of Rome flashbacks.

For me, stealth in games has become a dealbreaker. I no longer buy games at launch that have it, and I'll often avoid them entirely as I did for Dishonored and The Last of Us. It's great if others like it; it's just not for me.

 

[andymcc]

Where is Koji when we need him?

probably cleaning the belt of a treadmill over at a Konami Fitness in Saitama!

 

[-tetsuo-]

Not even close.

Yea LoS is a lot better.

 

[TheFLYINGManga_Ka]

Iga should form his own studio, do a Kickstarter and make a brand new MetroVania IP all to himself and release it on all
Platforms.

With HD sprites!

 

[Space Runaway]

The PC Gamer review in particular is terrible. It barely reads like a review, more of a spiteful blurb. It mentions combat mechanics in one paragraph. The stealth section(s) suck, but they don't ruin the whole game. Opinions and everything of course. It's just crazy how the metacritic average tends to dictate the discussion. I just don't see the game being significantly worse than the original from what I've played - but I might be wrong.

Yeah. Even if the game is total trash that wouldn't change just how awful of a review that is. Somewhat therapeutic to see it torn to shreds in the comments section.

 

[Camp Lo]

Yea LoS is a lot better.

Iga should form his own studio, do a Kickstarter and make a brand new MetroVania IP all to himself and release it on all
Platforms.

With HD sprites!

Or make Harmony of Despair 2 with 20+ maps

 

[Necromanti]

It's interesting that the smaller gamer publications and websites--mainly listed in the LoS 2 OT--seem to be reviewing the game a lot more favorably than the well-known ones. I would usually tend to think of the latter as being more prone to inflating their scores.

I'm surprised it's so divisive.

 

[Shmuely Bully]

probably cleaning the belt of a treadmill over at a Konami Fitness in Saitama!

Pipe down you two! Don't distract him from his work, he has a lot of toilets left to clean before morning.

I just can't trust any of these reviews when they're all over the place. I'm loving the original, so maybe I'll enjoy this one as well. Castlevania is one of my favorite series, all the way back to Simon's Quest. That one gets a lot of flack, but I enjoyed it tremendously.

The game currently has a 50 point spread with about as many 90s as 40s. It's insane.

 

[Miguel81]

I just can't trust any of these reviews when they're all over the place. I'm loving the original, so maybe I'll enjoy this one as well. Castlevania is one of my favorite series, all the way back to Simon's Quest. That one gets a lot of flack, but I enjoyed it tremendously.

 

[andymcc]

With HD sprites!

let's be real: they'd probably look like the Morrigan sprite in Marvel Vs. Capcom 2.