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| karasu99
126th Post
 
Regular Customer
   
|  "Re(7):This is going to be a RandomThread tore" , posted Wed 6 May 00:29
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That's disappointing if Marvel's missing frames, though. I guess it's too much to ask for them to do a proper arcade port rather than a port of a port? Blah. Arcade-perfect (to most people) is why I love my PS2 copy of SFZero Generations so much.
Isn't what ktallguy was saying is that MvC2 was missing frames to start with (in the original, not specific to this release)? That was my understanding as well.
I'm happy to see it. The PS2 version had silly-ish load times, and for some reason my copy for the DC won't spin up (I think my elderly DC optical drive has trouble with it, but it's only for this game). Not my favorite ever, but, like countless other 2D fighters of its generation, it's very evocative of an era of games for me.
Speaking of which, I'm shocked that no one, NO ONE has mentioned the apparent remake of TMNT: Turtles in Time. Granted, TMNT isn't the most highbrow of topics, but surely someone here is at least a little bit interested in what is a pretty decent multiplayer beat-em-up, regardless of your opinion of the franchise?
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| nobinobita 519th Post
New Red Carpet Member
    
| "Re(7):This is going to be a RandomThread tore" , posted Wed 6 May 00:37
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I would buy 3s with online play in a heartbeat.
Bonus points if they REBALANCE THE GAME PLEASEEEEE
No! You shall enjoy always losing to Chun Li and Yang! Always! At least Chun Li is gorgeous enough in the game that it's okay. Or: they could make Sean the best character in the game. It'd play that.
That's disappointing if Marvel's missing frames, though. I guess it's too much to ask for them to do a proper arcade port rather than a port of a port? Blah. Arcade-perfect (to most people) is why I love my PS2 copy of SFZero Generations so much.
I've read from various places (though I haven't seen an actual reliable source) that the original backgrounds for MVC2 had higher res textures than the Dreamcast or Ps2 could output. If that's so, it seems like they went back to the arcade version for the port, which I would belive, because the textures look razor sharp in HD. Also, the animation is the same as the arcade version, that I know for sure. I've heard that frames were cut from the original arcade version, but it's hard for me to tell since the game is so fast and still looks great. Every time I play the cps2 games though, I do feel like the animation is much smoother than I remember, but that might just be because they run at a lower frame rate so I have more time to take in all the frames.
Also, SFIII would be an instant purchase for me. I hope they can add some fake scanlines to it too, that'd be the icing on the cake.
Also, didja know Akiman himself animated Chunli for Third Strike? I have a book with his rough drawings of the keyframes in it. They're awesome.
One (of many) reasons that Third Strike stands out so strong is that it just might be the last fully hand animated game. There's no indication that they used a cg base for the characters like most new 2d games. It feels so much livelier for it.
I'm still super excited for KOFXII and Blazblue, they're beautiful looking, but for pure animation SFIII will always be tops.
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| karasu99
128th Post
Regular Customer
| "Re(8):This is going to be a RandomThread tore" , posted Wed 6 May 01:10
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Also, didja know Akiman himself animated Chunli for Third Strike? I have a book with his rough drawings of the keyframes in it. They're awesome.
Would that be the incredibly hard to find (at normal human prices) Gamest mook repro that they packaged with the PS2 limited edition? I suppose I would be rude if I were to ask you to scan those pages, wouldn't I? 
quote:
Then again, Third Strike characters have probably about 10 frames of animation more for their walking animation than most Marvel characters do in their entirety, so I'm not sure.
That's one of the reasons I prefer 3S-- it concentrates on fighting games tactics more than speed, which suits my playing style much better.
I can see the rationale for releasing 3S on PSN or XBLA being that they want to cash in on SFIV's current popularity, but I can also see the opposite-- that they decline to port it because it would draw sales away from their Big Hit. Especially when all of the new SFIV fans see how much better 3S plays-- OH!
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I did actually half-notice that Turtles remake...though we all grew out of Ninja Turtles, that game is probably still pretty fun today. I'm actually not sure that I'd want to see that new "3D art" remake when the original's animation is so delightful and comic book-ish, though...
Hum, yeah, it stinks that they went the 3D route, but I don't think that for essentially budget releases like XBLA games we're going to see much hand-drawn 2D anymore, except in the most rudimentary manner and for the simplest of games.
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| karasu99
133th Post
Regular Customer
| "Re(10):This is going to be a RandomThread tor" , posted Thu 7 May 05:07
So, I downloaded the MvC2 demo last night, and took it for a test drive.
Graphically it it looks about as good as I expected it to look based on what everyone had said here and considering its age, but I did notice one thing that I hope they'll fix in the final release-- the screen width. Rather than-- not really sure of how to describe this, but here goes-- 'reverse letterboxing' it to fit on newer displays by adding in border art on either side they just made the playfield wider. But now you can't walk right up to the edge of the screen. This wouldn't be an issue, but characters like Chun Li who have a triangle kick, and (even worse) Strider, who can cling to the edge of the screen, do so to the invisible edge of the screen.
You all may know that I'm approaching this and any other game based on how it looks, even before the game play, but in this case, isn't this something that affects game play as well?
Now that I think of it, didn't the preview screens show it with the side art? Maybe it's a setting or something that missed, but still-- this is the default.
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| Pollyanna 2668th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
    
    
   
| "Re(2):Sega does what Nintendon't" , posted Thu 14 May 08:03
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Akumajou Dracula X!!
that are also cheap?
Uh-oh.
Akumajou Dracula X
I hear that you could play the glorious PCE edition of YsI&II? Cosmic Phantasy II always looked delightful, as well.
Hahah! That really made my day.
(Derail! Derail!)
I went through Dracula X again recently (it's a kind of...yearly or every other year ritual for me) and it made me hungry for more Castlevania. I had actually never gone through Castlevania 4, so I was excited to try it...but it's so...bleaghhhh. So sluggish with so many annoying deaths! It was recommended to me by some friends, but I guess I should've known better since they DIDN'T like Dracula X.
I don't know if Cosmic Fantasy 2 holds up in the gameplay department, but it certainly has some plot elements that I still like
Spoiler (Highlight to view) -
(the sudden, surprise incorporation of the characters from the first game and the bittersweet ending)
End of Spoiler
.
I bought Cosmic Fantasy 3 and 4, but never even played them. I also can't manage to make it through the Tengai Makyou games. I start them, I enjoy them for their quirks, then I give them up for their annoyances.
As for recommendations, I would say "Lords of Thunder", but the nagging notion that the Mega CD one has the better soundtrack is making me hold back.
青春謳歌 弱肉強食
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| Nekros
183th Post
Regular Customer
| "Re(5):Sega does what Nintendon't" , posted Fri 15 May 06:34:
Thanks to you all, I like PCE so much (is really 8-bit technology? It's amazing!!! And the controls are smooth and perfect even on games that on other systems are sluggish). I'm thinking to get Dracula X ANYWAY, it's really a very good game and a great use of the cd format at the age. I don't think I'll get into Sapphire, its cost is far away from my immagination would ever spend for a game (and I just got the infamous US Panzer Dragoon Saga!).
Polly: Lords/Winds Of Thunder is amazing, i like the PCE version most because of the graphics. It's more solid, the colors are vibrant more than on MCD.
About Dracula/Castlevania try Dracula XX on Snes, is the sequel of the PCE one and shares a similar graphic engine.
Speaking about rumors and possbilities, Climax is working on a new Rocket Knight game (source: http://www.maniac.de/node/88804).
PS: today I got lots of japanese retro games from a friend and game collector: like Valis on MD/Snes, Rockman & Forte, Sin & Punishment, etc. I need more retro-fetish gaming!
[this message was edited by Nekros on Fri 15 May 06:36] |
| Maese Spt 481th Post
Gold Customer
| "have at you!" , posted Sat 16 May 18:59
Woah, Polly and me really can't seem to agree on anything.
quote:
I had actually never gone through Castlevania 4, so I was excited to try it...but it's so...bleaghhhh. So sluggish with so many annoying deaths!
How can you NOT like Castlevania IV? It's a pure delight to play! Probably one of the best SNES games ever and, for me, only second to Dracula X on the Castlevania series.
Anyway, somebody suggested to play Vampire's Kiss (the later Dracula X remake for SNES), but if you loved Dracula X, it's not a good idea. Yeah, it's an OK game overall, but so inferior in every aspect to its predecessor (IV) and its leit motiv (X) that you'll kept wondering "why, Konami, WHY?" the whole playthrought. And maybe shed some tears of despair as well. I did. Twice.
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| Pollyanna 2669th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
| "Re(1):have at you!" , posted Sat 16 May 20:24
quote:
How can you NOT like Castlevania IV? It's a pure delight to play! Probably one of the best SNES games ever and, for me, only second to Dracula X on the Castlevania series.
It just feels sluggish and "cheap" to me. You're kind of like a walking fortress with the flipping the whip around, and it's an interesting addition, but I can't say I enjoy it. Also, for me at least, the game went back and forth from being "so easy that it's not even engaging" to "filled with frustrating, unexpected deaths". I expect to die here and there, but I was surprised at how many times I threw my arms up saying "what the hell was that!?"
But then again, if they don't surprise you with sudden deaths, you can just keep the pocket watch and use it almost endlessly, since they give you an abnormally large number of hearts. Of course, you can't use it on the bosses, but they're usually so easy that it isn't an issue anyway.
Don't get me wrong, there are good things about the game, but those are the things that did not sit well with me and soured the experience as a whole.
After Dracula X, I think my favorite is Bloodlines, if that means anything. I liked the PS remake of the original, too. It might be a in my DNA to dislike CV4 and like Dracula X. Like...my CV4-loving friends think Dracula X is "cheap and mean" and I just don't get it.
I think Dracula XX gets a bad rap, but it's still a good game in its own way. I just wouldn't recommend it to someone who just finished Dracula X.
青春謳歌 弱肉強食
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| Maou 1656th Post
Tailored Carpet V.I.P- Platinum Member
| "Ode to CV 4" , posted Sun 17 May 08:35:
quote:
It just feels sluggish and "cheap" to me. You're kind of like a walking fortress with the flipping the whip around, and it's an interesting addition, but I can't say I enjoy it. Also, for me at least, the game went back and forth from being "so easy that it's not even engaging" to "filled with frustrating, unexpected deaths". I expect to die here and there, but I was surprised at how many times I threw my arms up saying "what the hell was that!?"
But then again, if they don't surprise you with sudden deaths, you can just keep the pocket watch and use it almost endlessly, since they give you an abnormally large number of hearts. Of course, you can't use it on the bosses, but they're usually so easy that it isn't an issue anyway.
Don't get me wrong, there are good things about the game, but those are the things that did not sit well with me and soured the experience as a whole.
After Dracula X, I think my favorite is Bloodlines, if that means anything. I liked the PS remake of the original, too. It might be a in my DNA to dislike CV4 and like Dracula X. Like...my CV4-loving friends think Dracula X is "cheap and mean" and I just don't get it.
I think Dracula XX gets a bad rap, but it's still a good game in its own way. I just wouldn't recommend it to someone who just finished Dracula X.
Polly, I think that I love the SFC Dracula ("IV") not because it's the most well-designed, deep, or cohesive game in the series (that'd be PCE Dracula X), but just for its atmosphere and dynamism. I fully agree that it doesn't have the even polish of X, but I think that it's best to look at it for what it was: a powerhouse first-gen SFC game that plays almost like a high-end Dracula variety show.
Even if some of the stages are drab (the Money Pit), I love how experimental the game is in its design...you can see Konami just going CRAZY with all the 16-bit potential to see what could work best with the series. The rotating castle level, the most nimble Belmont the series has ever seen outside of the hyped-up Richter in the final battle/prologue of Dracula X~Nocturne (I think that Simon's multidirectional whip and walking-while-crouching makes him a lot more fun to move than Richter), and the variety and volume of levels really strike me. They strike me enough, in fact, that I can generally overlook the drab enemy artwork and lack of multiple routes/endings of the 8-bit masterpiece Akumajou Densetsu/"III" and Dracula X.
But again, what really does it for me is that this game oozes atmosphere through its music and settings, which are really the reasons I keep killing Dracula with these clunky vampire hunters across so many different games. The sublime opening story music that also plays when you fight Dracula epitomizes what's good about this game and about the series in general. I'm crazy for "Simon's Theme" and the organ mix of "Bloody Tears" in the (admittedly agravating) clock tower, too. Dracula X perfects the visual and musical atmosphere this series thrives on, but I think this is just such an impressive and atmospheric first-gen outing, for all its flaws.
人間はいつも私を驚かせてくれる。不思議なものだな、人間という存在は．．．
[this message was edited by Maou on Sun 17 May 09:24] |
| nobinobita 528th Post
New Red Carpet Member
| "Re(1):Ode to SFC Dracula" , posted Sun 17 May 09:34
quote:
But again, what really does it for me is that this game oozes atmosphere through its music and settings, which is really why I keep killing Dracula with these clunky vampire hunters across so many different games. The sublime opening story music that also plays when you fight Dracula epitomizes what's good about this game and about the series in general. I'm crazy for the organ mix of "Bloody Tears" in the (admittedly agravating) clock tower, too. Dracula X perfects the visual and musical atmosphere this series thrives on, but I think this is just such an impressive first-gen outing, for all its flaws.
I agree with you 100% on this. More than the gameplay or the graphics, it's the mood of that game that endures. The opening really is sublime and the game maintains a pitch perfect atmosphere that combines a sense of danger, adventure and horror in a very specific way. It's hard to describe in words and yet I feel it so clearly when I see the game.
This reminds me of this time one of my friends sat down with another and tried to explain why the opening for Castlevania IV had the best mood ever for a horror story exceeding anything he'd seen in other games, movies or shows. Everything came together so perfectly right down to the exact colors of the pixels and the exact pitch and timber of the sounds. Of course, after a lengthy explanation, my other friend just sort of stared back and blinked mutely, not at all aware of how Castlevania was any different from other SNES titles.
That's what I love about alot of older titles though. They have such bizarre, but coherent moods to them that can't really be relayed with words. You just have to play them.
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| Maese Spt 482th Post
Gold Customer
| "Re(1):Ode to CV 4" , posted Sun 17 May 10:51
I agree with every word of Maou's last post. He's explained so well what's great about Castlevania IV that it feels unnecessary to elaborate any further.
Anyway, one can not emphasize enough this:
quote:
Dracula X perfects the visual and musical atmosphere this series thrives on, but I think this is just such an impressive and atmospheric first-gen outing, for all its flaws.
Castlevania IV, a first-gen title, is actually way better (and prettier) than its successor on SNES, which appeared 4 years later. That really says something about its sheer awesomeness. It's a classic that never grows old. For the record, one of my Halloween rites every year (aside from gettin dead drunk on any goth-like tabernacle I can find) is playing Castlevania IV and feel the bliss.
And for Polly:
quote:
"filled with frustrating, unexpected deaths". I expect to die here and there, but I was surprised at how many times I threw my arms up saying "what the hell was that!?"
But, but... that's Castlevania for you! That's the playable essence of the series, isn't it? I don't see how is it any different from (most of) other classic Castlevanias, and from Dracula X for what's worth. Plus, I remember you saying something along the lines of "if there are not a few platform stages filled with Medusa heads pestering when you're trying to jump, is not Castlevania", so... where's the beef?
But, in any case, reading your posts one might think that liking castlevania IV and Dracula X are mutually excluding things, but I think that's not the case. I, for one, love both of them with a passion.
In fact, I think the reason I love Dracula X so much (and utterly despise Vampire's Kiss for being such a poor, tasteless remake) is precisely because I had played and loved Castlevania IV before. Save for the genetically recessive Richter, who moves like a tetraplegic if compared with his nimble ancestor, Dracula X takes every theme and element of Castlevania IV (which were already superb) to a whole new level. Probably you can't fully appreciate how awesome Dracula X is if you have not played Castlevania IV thoroughly.
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| Pollyanna 2670th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
| "Re(2):Ode to CV 4" , posted Sun 17 May 12:44
Speaking of atmosphere and blood suckers, I also went through Nosferatu recently. I recommend the game to anyone who hasn't checked it out (and doesn't hate Prince of Persia).
I guess I'll give IV another shot, at least to finish it up. Maybe I just played it too soon after Dracula X and was stuck on comparing the two. Actually, for the sake of this conversation, I still am...
quote:
And for Polly:
"filled with frustrating, unexpected deaths". I expect to die here and there, but I was surprised at how many times I threw my arms up saying "what the hell was that!?"
But, but... that's Castlevania for you! That's the playable essence of the series, isn't it? I don't see how is it any different from (most of) other classic Castlevanias, and from Dracula X for what's worth. Plus, I remember you saying something along the lines of "if there are not a few platform stages filled with Medusa heads pestering when you're trying to jump, is not Castlevania", so... where's the beef?
I like reasonably hard games. I like games that make you die frequently and that throw situations at you that make you say "there's no way in hell I can do this"...then you do it. But I like to feel in CONTROL of that, and that's where I think CV4 differs from Dracula X.
In the numerous times I've played through Dracula X, I don't think I've called "foul" more than maybe...once or twice on deaths. With CV4, I did numerous levels like...almost without getting hit, then found myself in situations where I was dying without really knowing why. Or...well, I knew why (I fell off the screen or whatever), but it was like I didn't understand the situation or how to deal with it...like the creators weren't "communicating" with me properly.
But that might be me, not the game. Or rather, me and the game just don't get along on some level. Also, this is an extremely common problem with many games...I was just expecting a lot when I went into CV4 and I was let down a bit. When I play older games, one of the big things I appreciate is "precision" in level design and I don't feel like the design in CV4 was meticulous enough.
青春謳歌 弱肉強食
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| Maou 1657th Post
Tailored Carpet V.I.P- Platinum Member
| "Grander Ode to CV 4" , posted Sun 17 May 13:26:
quote:
it's the mood of that game that endures. The opening really is sublime and the game maintains a pitch perfect atmosphere that combines a sense of danger, adventure and horror in a very specific way. It's hard to describe in words and yet I feel it so clearly when I see the game.
Nobi, I think that a look at the very start and very end will do the trick! Polly, I think that the value of "IV" as a game lies here, in the sophistication of the transition from the sombre "Prologue" in an empty and foreboding countryside to "Simon's Theme," and of course with the haunting atmosphere created once Death is defeated and the candlelit corridor to Dracula's chamber opens. These thoughtful sets give "IV" the ability to hold a candle (ha!) to the high quality of Rondo even today, I think. Moving from Rondo down to "IV" would be difficult in light of the beauty of the evolution the PCE game showcases, but given proper consideration for its place in time, "IV" is really impressive.
Maese:quote:
"filled with frustrating, unexpected deaths".
But, but... that's Castlevania for you!
That's a tough one. I feel that "IV," like Rondo, is generally quite fair. What sets it apart from trash like Dracula XX is that the brutally unfair Medusa-over-a-pit gimmicks are appropriately sparse and really test your mettle when they do show up. Dracula XX, being a hideous Frankenstein's Monster-like reconstruction of the pieces of Rondo's cadaver, subsists almost entirely on the trick of having a monster appear out of thin air over pits, catapulting Richter backwards to his doom every single time. My theory is that Dracula XX's core essence can be found in the difference between the last battle in Dracula X and Dracula XX. The bosses are identical, except that the battle with Dracula's demon form in Dracula XX inexplicably takes on a series of narrow pillars above a bottomless pit, guaranteeing that even one hit from Dracula will in all likelihood send you flying to your death.
quote:
For the record, one of my Halloween rites every year (aside from gettin dead drunk on any goth-like tabernacle I can find) is playing Castlevania IV and feel the bliss.
Well done! On years when Halloween doesn't fall on a weekend night for parties, I will turn out all the lights and play Dracula X~Nocturne in the Moonlight or "IV." Like to do my part on Halloween to kill the undead/spook myself. When you get down to the furthest, Hell-like depths of the castle in Nocturne on the PS and the winds are blowing outside in real life at night, it's something terrifying.
人間はいつも私を驚かせてくれる。不思議なものだな、人間という存在は．．．
[this message was edited by Maou on Sun 17 May 14:26] |
| Maese Spt 486th Post
Gold Customer
| "Re(3):Ode to CV 4" , posted Sun 17 May 19:08:
quote:
found myself in situations where I was dying without really knowing why. Or...well, I knew why (I fell off the screen or whatever), but it was like I didn't understand the situation or how to deal with it...like the creators weren't "communicating" with me properly.
ドジっ子
No, seriously, I think you should give IV another chance. I can't conceive how someone who genuinely likes the Castlevania series would not enjoy Super Castlevania IV. I dunno, why don't you let it rest for a while, play another stuff, and go back to it when you feel like having some classic platformer action?
Oh, and can I totally identify myself with those "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" moments Spoon talked about. My favourite one is reaching some random stairs right after an excruciating set of platforms and then falling into oblivion just because I messed up with the controls and, clumsy me, pressed "down+jump" by accident. Oh, the bliss of the good ol' Castlevanias! This little jingle when you lose a life has become sort of a meme for me and some friends.
EDIT: Maou nailed it again regarding that horrible, horrible Dracula XX. Get out of my mind, will you?
[this message was edited by Maese Spt on Sun 17 May 19:12] |
| karasu99
140th Post
Regular Customer
| "Re(2):Re:It's AMERICAN Tatsunoko Baybee!" , posted Mon 18 May 00:49
quote:
Confirmed by this month's Nintendo Power...
Ah, well that's unexpected news! But good news nevertheless! I'm curious to hear how long this will take to be released! Hopefully since it's not by SNK it won't drag on for years as semi-vaporware. OH! That's right, I said it.
Seriously though, constantly updating firmware makes playing imports on the Wii a real pain, so I've never even bothered to try. It's great that for once Capcom (presumably) responded to an overwhelming amount of popular demand for a game tough-to-sort-out licensing.
quote:
Castlevania stuff
Why is it I always feel like chiming in on Castlevania discussions? I'm a big fan of both SNES CV games-- and I owned both back then as well. CV4 is one of those games that I got for Virtual Console only to find that to my delight I could beat the game with one set of lives after all this time. I think the reason I like it is that it expanded well on all of the best aspects of the first Castlevania but with nicer graphics and music. Plus (and I suspect I'm hardly alone among mmcafe-ers here) I was-- and am to this day-- a shameless Mode 7 aficionado. As for Dracula XX, back at its release I am pretty sure I was familiar with Rondo, but knew it was out of my reach (imported games being a much more difficult prospect then), so for me, it was a way to play some aspects of an otherwise unobtainable game. I don't recall thinking it was especially horrible, but then I didn't have Rondo to compare it with, and honestly I probably haven't played it since then, which is to say the mid-90's. I'd love it if they would release it for VC or otherwise, despite its crappy reputation, which I'm sure is at least somewhat undeserved.
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| Maou 1658th Post
Tailored Carpet V.I.P- Platinum Member
| "Dracula XX burns at the stake" , posted Mon 18 May 04:29:
Maese: quote:
EDIT: Maou nailed it again regarding that horrible, horrible Dracula XX. Get out of my mind, will you?
Hohoho, get out of your head with terrible memories like this monstrosity of a final fight? Yeah, this guy doesn't die and it thus appears to be okay, but note ye well: he did it with a barrage of axes he'd had to hoard. God help you if you die...this boss can only be beaten by the platform equivalent of level-grinding for hearts, and that's not the kind of challenge that the Dracula games are good for.
Karasu: quote:
As for Dracula XX, ...I'd love it if they would release it for VC or otherwise, despite its crappy reputation, which I'm sure is at least somewhat undeserved.
Dracula XX is known by many things, such as Castlevania Dracula X and Vampire's Kiss, but seldom as "a good Dracula game." At least for me, heh. The charitable take is that it suffers by comparison to its godly pregenitor and that it should be evaluated as its own game. I'm already skeptical about this idea, since it borrows too many pieces (misusing them horribly) of Rondo to be considered an independent game in its own right. It's not a new symphony but an old one played incompentently by a drunken, retarded mad scientist of a conductor.
This comparison may seem unkind to the poor idiot child that is Dracula XX. Luckily, it can also be dismissed on its own meager merits. Ignore its Rondo connection and look at it as just another Dracula game, and you find: a sloppy, clunky Belmont to control compared with Simon in "IV," fewer levels than "IV" and less exploration than "III," coupled with awful level design of the pit-trap variety we've been talking about, and crummy music programming quality compared with "III" or "IV," suprisingly enough (edit: oh, I just noticed that Richter has NO recovery time when hit. WHAT?). I think that a VC release would only underline what a weak game it is, Rondo comparison or not, especially given that non-Japanese no longer have the 1994 social context of "Rondo won't come out, but at least we can get a small taste of it here this way." All this vitrol of mine is actually born of my own experience: back in the day, I played Dracula XX first, with no comparison with Rondo in mind. My immediate and lasting response: "Yuck."
We should have a random Dracula series ranting thread sometime in the semi-near future once our lines of thought have had a chance to regenerate. OR MAYBE the thread will be revived "once every 100 years when Christ's power is the weakest and scheming humans pray to the dark lord," as the instruction books say!
Also: Mode 7 rules. I too am oddly thrilled by it, maybe because it operates amidst 2D to do wonderful things. Final Fantasy VI still has my favorite world map of all games old or new, oddly enough.
人間はいつも私を驚かせてくれる。不思議なものだな、人間という存在は．．．
[this message was edited by Maou on Mon 18 May 04:43] |
| Maou 1659th Post
Tailored Carpet V.I.P- Platinum Member
| "Re(3):Dracula XX burns at the stake" , posted Mon 18 May 09:56:
quote:
Chronicles
And Maou, for some reason you were the one I suspected would love Mode 7 much in the way that I do! Not that I'm sure there is any shortage of such fans here.
The Mode 7 rotating cylinder level of "IV" makes me sick to my stomach, but I love it. As for putting Vampire Killer/Bloodlines on Chronicles, they should! It started as such an odd and ill-fated label---if their goal was to bring obscure games to light rather than sell big, they did well to choose Akumajou X68000 instead of Rondo, but...huh? But if obscurity is the name of the game, Vampire Killer is the next in line! I liked the X68000 game, of course, though beating it in original mode was probably the single hardest platforming feat of my life, which all previous platforming training since a young age had been build towards (and that includes winning the original Super Mario Bros. 2/Lost Levels).
Anyway, Vampire Killer/Bloodlines is really interesting. While its graphics and sound quality are poor, I really respect how daring a Dracula game it is (so daring, in fact, that they divorced it from the main brand and didn't have Akumajou in the title, which I always thought was weird). I haven't ever felt the draw to replay it like other games in the series, but it's just as daring as "IV" in many ways with the variety of level design. Managing to feel like you were climbing the Tower of Piza on a lowly Mega Drive game was REALLY impressive.
人間はいつも私を驚かせてくれる。不思議なものだな、人間という存在は．．．
[this message was edited by Maou on Mon 18 May 09:58] |
| Maou 1662th Post
Tailored Carpet V.I.P- Platinum Member
| "Re(6):Dracula XX burns at the stake" , posted Tue 19 May 02:55:
quote:
Say, I'd like to discuss DracXX further, but why don't we take it to a new topic, rather than continuing to highjack the random thread?
Hohohohoho! Karasu, that is exactly what random threads are most delightful for. It's an epic jostling of wills akin to Great Power politics of the 1900's as disparate random topics vie for attention in the random thread. My all-encompassing hatred for Dracula XX will surely usher in a new era of prosperity.
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Iggy + whips, hmm
Iggy, I'm glad you reminded me of the directional whipping in midair. Most people remember the whip in "IV" as being movable while standing still, but that in fact was never that useful given that it did about 50% damage that way (outside of the excellent get-up move that Spoon describes so well)...but whipping in the air was where it was at.
Weirder memory: Akumajou Dracula X68000 (Chronicles), of all things, is the only other old-style Dracula game I know where you can whip downward while in the air.
Weirder-er memory: For some reason, you could only whip down-left or down-right, and not straight down or upward. This of course made the move almost as useless as Richter's double jump since given the bloodlust of the X68000 programmers, you couldn't possibly risk an extra hit of Simon's negligable health for a flashy down-forward whip that would probably miss.
人間はいつも私を驚かせてくれる。不思議なものだな、人間という存在は．．．
[this message was edited by Maou on Tue 19 May 03:14] |
| karasu99
144th Post
Regular Customer
| "Re(7):Dracula XX burns at the stake" , posted Tue 19 May 03:17
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Hohohohoho! Karasu, that is exactly what random threads are most delightful for. It's an epic jostling of wills akin to Great Power politics of the 1900's as disparate random topics vie for attention in the random thread. My all-encompassing hatred for Dracula XX will surely usher in a new era of prosperity.
Indeed, I should bow to my board elders on this count. From here on, I'll start being part of the problem,rather than part of the solution. Incidentally, I should note that I don't disagree with you on the negative aspects of DracXX, I just want to try for myself and experience the burn.
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Weirder memory: Akumajou Dracula X68000 (Chronicles) is the only other old-style Dracula game I know where you can whip downward while in the air.
Hum, I had never noticed that somehow, I guess because of its adherence otherwise to the Famicom-CV model. [tries][/tries] Hey, you're right!
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| Maou 1662th Post
Tailored Carpet V.I.P- Platinum Member
| "Re(8):Dracula XX burns at the stake" , posted Tue 19 May 03:28
quote:
From here on, I'll start being part of the problem,rather than part of the solution.
Haw, excellent! That's what we're all about around here.
Feel free to help poor XX weather the storm---I'd actually be interested to see if there is anything good about it that I've forgotten in my sea of sorrows. I come to bury Dracula XX, not to praise him.
...come to think of it, I guess that at least the remixed music of the first level isn't as bad as the rest of the remixes. Sometimes, I almost -like- the twangy guitar start and synth insanity. Then I punch myself, snap out of it, and listen to the original, but still, it does happen.
人間はいつも私を驚かせてくれる。不思議なものだな、人間という存在は．．．
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| karasu99
145th Post
Regular Customer
| "Re(9):Dracula XX burns at the stake" , posted Tue 19 May 08:53
quote:
Feel free to help poor XX weather the storm---I'd actually be interested to see if there is anything good about it that I've forgotten in my sea of sorrows. I come to bury Dracula XX, not to praise him.
Okay, this is extremely preliminary, but can I just say that the first level REALLY made me recall the mid-90's? Wow.
I didn't get very far though, because I'm on a deadline, but I'm going to play through as much more tonight as I can stomach/enjoy.
I will say, however, that it was nowhere near as bad as I expected. There's something aesthetically about SNES games vs. Genesis or TurboGrafx games-- I don't know, maybe the size of the color palette? The first stage music is also great, I agree. So, yeah. So far, so good, but we'll see.
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| emagius
0th Post
New Customer
| "Re(10):Dracula XX burns at the stake" , posted Wed 20 May 02:42
quote:
Okay, this is extremely preliminary, but can I just say that the first level REALLY made me recall the mid-90's? Wow.
Stage 1 of Dracula XX is very much like stage 1 of Dracula X, only with better graphics and without the secret second path. The games diverge substantially after that stage.
I'll readily admit I like XX. I did play XX before X, however (and IV before either) and was comfortable with XX's level of difficulty. X is easy mode (and as Maria, it's a joke). As Maou mentioned above, the final boss battle against Dracula illustrates the difference between the two games well -- X's Dracula is a cakewalk (even the casual-game-loving IGA had to ramp him up with a third form for Chronicles), whereas XX's puts up an epic fight.
That said, I don't disagree with the assertion that X is a better game than XX, in much the same way that Super Mario Bros. 1 is a better game than its various hacked challenge modes floating around the web (or even The Lost Levels/SMB2j). XX is a cut-down mish-mash of X, and apart from the difficulty (which I'm biased about), lack of ugly anime, and stage 1 flame effects, is better in every way.
As for IV, it's best to think of it as a remake/reprise of Castlevania 1 instead of a "sequel". In that light, it's magnificent. IV wasn't meant to take the series down the X road, but to return the series to its roots/give classic Castlevania one last harrah! in a big and bold fashion, which it did beautifully.
Now, Bloodlines was the real clunker IMO. The look and feel of the game is more akin to a Castlevania knock-off than a Castlevania proper. Given that Bloodlines comes in the release chronology just after Dracula X and just before Symphony of the Night (ignoring Dracula XX), it also feels terribly out of place. Had it been released between III and IV, I suppose I would have been more receptive to it.
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| Maou 1664th Post
Tailored Carpet V.I.P- Platinum Member
| "Re(2):Re(10):Dracula XX burns at the stake" , posted Wed 20 May 11:51:
quote:
The games diverge substantially after that stage.
...into darkness! Or at least, into questionable design and an awful awful awful rendition of Vampire Killer.
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X's Dracula is a cakewalk (even the casual-game-loving IGA had to ramp him up with a third form for Chronicles), whereas XX's puts up an epic fight.
I'd still call XX's Dracula a wretched excuse for a last boss, more cheap tricks than an actual test of your mettle. If he can kill you in four hits, it's a good test (see Chronicles), but if he can kill you in one just because pits literally suck Richter into them after he rebounds helplessly with no recovery time after just one stray hit, I call that poor game design.
But I love your idea of XX as Super Mario Bros. 2 to Rondo's 1! Though in my book maybe it's like a special Brazilian Sega Master System port of a 4-bit retelling of Super Mario Bros. 2 to Rondo's 1, played in an emulator in Windows Milennium Edition. Give or take.
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As for IV, it's best to think of it as a remake/reprise of Castlevania 1 instead of a "sequel".
Right you are! After all, it's the truth---while I still find it hilarious that Konami slapped the foreign version of the remake simply titled Akumajou Dracula with not only a IV but a SUPER. I wish it were Super Castlevania IV Hyper Fighting, though.
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Bloodlines beatdown
Emagius, I'm sorta surprised at the dislike for Vampire Killer/Bloodlines, even though I could totally get how it might not appeal. I mean, the graphics and music programming quality (not the music---Yamane is great!) are really poor and unusual, making it feel like the gaiden that it is. On the other hand, I can't help but be impressed by the cleverness of the level design (aforementioned Tower of Pisa, for instance) despite the weak Mega Drive hardware. Maybe it's a case of limited system resources forcing the creators to be better designers in a fundamental level, divorced of glitz. Or maybe it would have been even more amazing on SFC, I'm not sure. I just really dig the variety afforded by the open countryside and riffs on Bram Stoker's story, plus the whole real-life Count Barthory villainess.
Red Falcon:
quote:
< Homeowner now.
Now Zoidberg is a homeowner!
人間はいつも私を驚かせてくれる。不思議なものだな、人間という存在は．．．
[this message was edited by Maou on Wed 20 May 11:55] |
| karasu99
148th Post
Regular Customer
| "Re(3):Re(10):Dracula XX burns at the stake" , posted Thu 21 May 11:27
quote:
I still find it hilarious that Konami slapped the foreign version of the remake simply titled Akumajou Dracula with not only a IV but a SUPER. I wish it were Super Castlevania IV Hyper Fighting, though.
Remember, though, that the SNES-era 'hook' was that is was SUPER, much like many of the first round of DS games names took the format <GAMENAME:D-WORD S-WORD> which I found to be just as dumb. I think that in general, the slightly more discerning (or obsessive) Japanese fan is more apt to perceive that a game for a new system, 6 or 7 years after the original was released, is a new game rather than the same old game for the older system.
Oh, incidentally, I've reached a conclusion regarding DracXX, having played through both games in the last few days. Both are decent graphically. The XX edges Rondo in some respects-- the overall look of XX is more colorful, brighter, and more solid, probably due to the differences in graphics processing between the two platforms. But overall the sprites in Rondo appear larger, the animation is smoother, and the darker palette suits the game more. Soundwise, I know that Rondo features higher quality sound, but somehow I prefer XX's music-- that's probably just personal preference though.
Now for the big one-- gameplay. I really wanted to prefer XX for some reason, but... I just can't. Richter's movements are wooden, he seems slower in relation to the enemies, he's slow to react to button presses, and worst of all, he has no hit invulnerability whatsoever after an initial hit-- meaning that in very early stages I would get hit during a jump by a medusa head on its downward arc, and then hit again by the same head on its upward arc. Often this would lead to my losing a third of my life bar if it didn't send me into a bottomless pit. This to me seems like either an extremely harsh adjustment of difficulty in response to a perception that Rondo was too easy, poor programming, or... maybe it's just that Richters kindof floats down from where he was hit, so that he can essentially be juggled, whereas Simon, in the earlier games, falls very fast (hence the infamous plunge-to-doom into bottomless pits in the first CV). The original Castlevania was tough and unforgiving, but the juggled-by-enemies thing is just too much. It doesn't make the game challenging, it makes it not fun. I have no idea why I didn't recall this from years ago, but in general I have improved as a player over the years, so maybe it's just selective recall or something.
One last note-- little touches, like the stage intro graphics, the quest aspect, the drama created by the opening duel on the coach-- they go a long ways toward making Rondo a great game. And, you'll note, they're all completely absent in XX.
So yes, Maou, I concede: you are right, Rondo is the better game, on all the counts that matter to me.
WHEW.
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"Re(1):This is going to be a RandomThread tore" , posted Wed 22 Apr 03:31
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