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GAF: Your favorite Castlevania game
- Thread starter riskVSreward
- Start date
I don't understand the Ecclesia love. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely not a bad game, but I think it's just a generic portable Castlevania title with a slightly improved combat system. It doesn't bring anything new to the table, and it doesn't excel at anything in comparison with previous titles, either. The level design in particular was really bland and boring, in my opinion. It tried so hard to be both an old school Castlevania and a Castleroid, but in the end, it lacked both the action oriented gameplay of one style and the exploration/depth of the other.
The bosses were awesome, though.
The bosses were awesome, though.
DanDeschain
Member
Dracs curse.
My favorite is Dawn of Sorrow, followed by Symphony of the Night, Ecclesia, Portrait of Ruin and Dracula X C.
I discovered the series with Castlevania 64 from a friend but i didn't finish it so i didn't include it in the list.
I then bought Circle of the Moon for the GBA but didn't like it.
Then i fell in love with the series, which is now one of my favorite in videogames, thanks to DoS.
Most importantly, since i'm still a "new" fan these are the Castlevania game i'd like to play:
# Super Castlevania IV (SNES)
# Kid Dracula (FAMICOM/GB)
# Castlevania / Legacy of Darkness (N64)
# Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (PS2)
# Castlevania: Curse of Darkness (PS2/XBOX)
# Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (GBA)
I look forward to read comments on these games.
edit. And i should mention that i don't like how IGA retconned Legends; after reading up a little bit on that game... it seems solid.
and Judgement at the bottom, but i still liked it enough to mention it and not just ignore it; it's not a Castlevania game at all, though...
I discovered the series with Castlevania 64 from a friend but i didn't finish it so i didn't include it in the list.
I then bought Circle of the Moon for the GBA but didn't like it.
Then i fell in love with the series, which is now one of my favorite in videogames, thanks to DoS.
Most importantly, since i'm still a "new" fan these are the Castlevania game i'd like to play:
# Super Castlevania IV (SNES)
# Kid Dracula (FAMICOM/GB)
# Castlevania / Legacy of Darkness (N64)
# Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (PS2)
# Castlevania: Curse of Darkness (PS2/XBOX)
# Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (GBA)
I look forward to read comments on these games.
edit. And i should mention that i don't like how IGA retconned Legends; after reading up a little bit on that game... it seems solid.
riskVSreward
Member
Fixed, because those are what you should be most interested in.Wizpig said:
Well, I only played the 3 DS ones.
I'd say Dawn of Sorrow is my favorite. I enjoyed exploring the castle, the RPG/soul elements, and it had some pretty nifty boss fights. Julius mode was great. I guess it's also a favorite because it was my first real experience and thus felt the freshest.
My second favorite would be Order of Ecclesia. Good combat and great bosses, but some of the levels were too overtly copy-paste.
I quite liked Portrait of Ruin as well. The later copy-paste levels were too bad, but didn't ruin the game for me. I enjoyed the dual-character mechanics and switched between them often. Also had some nice bosses (except for that cauldron thing, which didn't seem to actually DO anything). A lvl 1 Richter run was extremely challenging, and I'm still in the middle of it (though maybe not actively).
I'd say Dawn of Sorrow is my favorite. I enjoyed exploring the castle, the RPG/soul elements, and it had some pretty nifty boss fights. Julius mode was great. I guess it's also a favorite because it was my first real experience and thus felt the freshest.
My second favorite would be Order of Ecclesia. Good combat and great bosses, but some of the levels were too overtly copy-paste.
I quite liked Portrait of Ruin as well. The later copy-paste levels were too bad, but didn't ruin the game for me. I enjoyed the dual-character mechanics and switched between them often. Also had some nice bosses (except for that cauldron thing, which didn't seem to actually DO anything). A lvl 1 Richter run was extremely challenging, and I'm still in the middle of it (though maybe not actively).
Ganondorfo
Junior Member
Damn castlevania curse of darkness doesn't get love here, it gots everything a castlevania fan wants for his franchise
-Final battle against dracula in 2 forms
-Previous boss is Death
-Catchy amazing music
-Fight against a legendary belmont
-Final battle against dracula in 2 forms
-Previous boss is Death
-Catchy amazing music
-Fight against a legendary belmont
Julius Mode is great, back when i played DoS i didn't even knowLlyranor said:
Alucard
Unfortunately some SNES games on the VC don't run on my LCD TV... i don't know how to play Castlevania IV :\riskVSreward said:Fixed, because those are what you should be most interested in.
edit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xxxw_7hW1E&fmt=18
Hell yeah
A Black Falcon
Member
D.Lo said:
I said that based on this article, which says that they are not entirely the same, even if they do share many gameplay elements and some levels.
http://castlevania.classicgaming.gamespy.com/Games/kiddrac.html
Skeletons with motorcycles, in the 1820s or 1830s... yeah, the plot in this game had some issues.
(Seriously, sure, Reinhardt's story is good, but Cornell's isn't that bad... not as good sure, and pretty cliche, but it works well enough. And there are Rienhardt and Carrie modes in LoD, for versions of those stories...As for the graphics, there are some changes beyond the obvious High Res Mode. There are better special effects and improved character models, for instance. I know that even in low res, the game definitely looks nicer than the original one... it's not exactly identical. Still, yes, high res mode is the biggest change, and it makes it look just spectacular. The visual jump from low to high res is huge, and makes a big difference... if you don't mind the framerate (and as I said I don't -- the framerate is nowhere near that bad and is solid (not jumping up and down or something; now THAT can be bad... but this isn't like that.), so it plays just fine), it's great in high res. It really does make a game with otherwise just decent at best graphics look great, and I always play the game in high-res mode. It makes going back to the original game hard, the game looks so much worse...
Also, I definitely like the additional levels. That first new level for instance, on those ships and docks, is awesome for instance... and Cornell goes through every single level, so you see them all in one game. That's great and doesn't force you to play it twice to see all the stages, as the original does. That's always very nice.
Also, not having to deal with the time element (that in the original or Carrie/Rienhard's modes in LoD you have a time limit to get the good ending) in Cornell's mode is great. Timed games are annoying.
Also, Cornell is just so powerful... he makes the combat, and bosses, easy. With powerful ranged attacks, wolf mode with its very high-power damage, and more, he's really strong... which lets you focus on the best things about the game, the platforming, puzzle solving, and adventure elements. The combat's okay, but it's everything else that makes the game great... I think it works pretty well with a main character who makes the combat somewhat easy. Of course, then there are the other modes if you want a greater combat challenge.
As for the music it might not be quite as good at times, but is still fantastic stuff that sounds great. The other advantages more than make up for any minor loss here.
As for the Carrie/Rienhard modes in LoD, they're pretty much bonus modes, available after you've beaten the main game (Cornell's mode) and the second Henry's mode, and are pretty complete, even if they aren't exactly the same as the original game, no.
Well, we agree on something for sure... Igurashi's 3d Castlevanias are nowhere near as good as either of the N64 games, no question.
riskVSreward
Member
I like the GBA games, but there's just too strong a legacy to justify any of them being my favorite.
DeaconKnowledge
Member
If I had to pick one now it would probably be Dawn of Sorrow, and then 3 (which was my first Castlevania game.)
Anyone try (and fail) to turn into a bat with alucard and fly over the level?
Anyone try (and fail) to turn into a bat with alucard and fly over the level?
dsmoke1986
Member
SOTN
Count Dookkake
Member
Castlevania
Zombie James
Banned
I'm partial to Super Castlevania IV myself... most likely because of the rose-tinted glasses and all, but you have to admit that the boss gauntlet with this little guy was pretty damn epic, especially on the second quest where he could kill you in what, 3 or 4 hits?
*CLICKY*->
<-*CLICKY*
*CLICKY*->
<-*CLICKY*cartman414
Member
riskVSreward said:
Aria of Sorrow is a worthy candidate as best Metroidvania of the series.
theultimo said:
Let's not forget the more balanced enemy damage structure.
Bootaaay said:
You're doing it wrong. Calling all of the post-SotN Metroidvanias rehashed and putting them under not only SotN, which a few of them improved on, but also the mucked up Haunted Castle, is one thing, but putting top of the heap entries Rondo of Blood and Dracula's Curse in the middle, and middling Simon's Quest near the top, is messed up IMO.
D.Lo
Member
I've got any played through both, and they are 90% the same game. The only real differences are those to make it work on the smaller screen, such as re-designed level layouts and changed minigames. But the level designs, music, sprites, even title, are the same.A Black Falcon said:
People often say this - but we're talking about a game series that regularly features Dracula, Medusa, Frankenstein's monster and Egyptian Mummies in one time period, when their individual sources are set hundreds of years apart (thousands for Medusa and Mummies). We're also talking about a game with FLYING MEDUA HEADS as enemies. It's accepted that Castlevania's universe is 1930's schlock horror with no temporal consistency (or at least accepted that there's a bit of machina with Dracula able to pull minions from any time in history), so I never saw an issue with the nazi motorbikes and chainsaw.A Black Falcon said:Skeletons with motorcycles, in the 1820s or 1830s... yeah, the plot in this game had some issues.
If really getting into it, Castlevania is a pretty broken concept. The original was based on the series of Universal Studios movies from the 1930s, which collected every horror element up to that time (the most recent being Frankenstein, which was written in the 1890s and made popular in the early 20th century with a stage version then films). Castlevania 1 was made in 1986, but didn't add in any newer horror elements at that time (such as, say, Norman Bates, Nazis, Gremlins, Jason etc).
When the series started to have it's own continuity, with sons, granfathers, whips passed on etc, that worked okay as well. But when it started to take itself too seriously (SoTN, LoI), added some versions of real history back in (WW1 in Bloodlines, the ridiculous origin stuff in LoI) and worst of all, added the completely incompatible and much more serious Bram Stoker version of Dracula back in (Bloodlines), that's when it got totally stupid.
The story was always silly, but by trying to be smart it made itself dumb. As such, I find a little bit of silliness quite acceptable!
cmonmanreally
Member
is there any other answer? symphony of the night.
CIV, SotN and AoS are probably my favourites.
D.Lo: good points, I never really thought about it like that. Makes me wonder if it would be a good thing to completely start over with the series from a story perspective. Movies can do it (Star Trek comes to mind) - why not videogames? From a story perspective Castlevania could benefit from it. Konami tries to build on fundaments that were laid down when story wasn't exactly considered important.
D.Lo: good points, I never really thought about it like that. Makes me wonder if it would be a good thing to completely start over with the series from a story perspective. Movies can do it (Star Trek comes to mind) - why not videogames? From a story perspective Castlevania could benefit from it. Konami tries to build on fundaments that were laid down when story wasn't exactly considered important.