21 replies to this topic

[Paralistalon]

All the game magazines are going crazy over the newest Castlevania game for the PS2 because it's going to be 3D and supposedly one of the best Castlevania games ever.

What most of them fail to mention is the FIRST 3D Castlevania was released years ago on the N64, and those that do mention the N64 game are quick to dismiss it as the crappiest game ever made.

I don't get it! I own Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness for the N64 and thought it was a very worthy title. It did an excellent job capturing the mood of the series, and it had challenging platforming. I remember the magazines giving it decent scores back then too, around 7/10.

Now they're quick to bash the N64 games in what looks like a hype-generating scheme, and continue to hail this new Castlevania as the "first true 3D Castlevania," because the N64 titles were so bad they don't count as Castlevania games.

Basically this topic is about:

How good do you think the N64 Castlevania was,

Are you excited about the new PS2 Castlevania,

or does Castlevania need to stay 2D?

[MegaManFan]

Actually even the creator of the new one has said in interviews that he wants people to forget there was ever a 3-D Castlevania on N64, and consider this one the +first TRUE 3-D Castlevania+.

Well, I can see why he'd say that. Now I'm a Castlevania nut, and everybody knows it by now (despite what the user handle might say) but out of all the games in the series, the N64 entry is my least favorite. I expect re-pop in any Castlevania game, but in this one it borders on ridiculous. The whip is incredibly hard to control, and the graphics look blocky at best. Not only that, the play objectives are totally ambiguous - I'd really need a player's guide to figure it out, and that's something I've never had to say about ANY other Castlevania game. As much as I love the series, the N64 is the sole entry that gets a from me.

[King Atari]

I've heard that the N64 game was decent, and was even thinking about getting a copy.

The Video Game Critic gave it a B:

http://www.videogamecritic.net/

[liveinabin]

give me 2d any day

[liquid_sky]

same for me.. give me bloodlines or the orig. ANY DAY.. man the music on the old nes one still brings back memories.

[Emehr]

I love the older 2D Castlevanias. I, III, IV, and Bloodlines are probably my favorites. It took me a while to get into Symphony of the Night (I was initially turned off by the horrible, over-the-top voice work) but I eventually warmed up to it.

Having said that, I think going 3D is worth another try (it worked for Metroid!). I'm personally growing weary of the latest CV entries and would like to see some variation. I bought and beat Harmony of Dissonance and that game did absolutely nothing for me. It felt like a rehash of Symphony only the music was horrible (IMO), the backtracking was tedious, and the level design was yawn-inspiring (all in MHO, YMMV). And the ending induced some serious deja-vu.

It'll be interesting to see how the 3D version plays out. I just wish they'd make a GameCube version!

Jason

[-^Cro§Bow^-]

I also prefer the 2D of Castlevania. But then, I never played the N64 version. Now that there is a PS2 version coming out...I will surely get it. As for the GBA Castlevanias...I really like Aria of Sorrow...weird story compared to most...but I am digging it so far.

[MegaManFan]

I picked up Aria of Sorrow last weekend (on sale for $20) but sadly I haven't even had time to get into it yet. And just to make a point I went ahead and got Harmony of Dissonance too, so I have all three. If any game deserves three entries on the GBA, I'd say Castlevania is it.

[Raijin Z]

Konami's Dracula May Cry?

[PuddWakkr]

Raijin Z said:

Konami's Dracula May Cry?

Exactly what I thought. DMC with a Belmont.

Looks like a pretty cool game. Call it Dracula Hunter and sell very few copies. Name it Castlevania and you have a hit. I think that there are very few good side scrollers left. Castlevania is perfect 2D scroller and should probably stay that way. BTW I thought the 3D N64 version sucked hard.

[z28in82]

While I own all the Castlevania games I have the fondest memories of SOTN followed by the GBA games.

I love the MIDI from the NES and from bloodlines. I'm leary about a 3-D castlevania but hey what the hell I've bought worse games.


And the best part of it all is that it is coming out right around my B-day so I'll most likly get it as a gift so I won't have to put out anything for it.

On my second go thru of AOS 93.8% of souls captured, he he just like 7 more to go

[ultravi0let]

just so happens that Castlevania 64 landed on my doormat this morning;

i've never played 3rd person adentures before but i'm quite liking this

[Swifty]

The N64 games were somewhat enjoyable -- the atmosphere was decidedly CastleVania-like and there was some pretty good level design here and there. However, the game engine was HORRIBLE; blurry, undetailed graphics, stilted animation and tons of slowdown. Even for the time it was quite bad, especially in comparison to all the other N64 platformers (Jet Force Gemini, Donkey Kong 64, Rayman 2).

I think CastleVania has a chance of getting 3D "right" this time around, akin to Maximo.

[Zloch]

I'm currently playin Harmony of Dissonance (just bought my GBA) and all I can say is WOW!

This game rocks. I still like 2D games. I though that the new Contra for PS2 was awesome. I can't wait for Gradius. I'm taking a wait and see approach with the new Castlevania for PS2. I won't be rushing out to buy it.

Sean

[shaggy]

Keep it 2D!!! I'm sick of these stupid game companies making everything frickin' 3D and ruining the original game. Quit making everything 3D!!!

[xredmenacex]

I've been playing the original NES Castlevania lately, and man is that game a hard mother.... I can not get past Death. He's frustrating me big time!

Love 2d games but I'll probably give the PS2 game a chance.

[Raijin Z]

shaggy said:

Keep it 2D!!! I'm sick of these stupid game companies making everything frickin' 3D and ruining the original game. Quit making everything 3D!!!

Don't be a hater, man. If they can do a good job, more power to them. If they fail again, ah well, at least you expected it. There's always GBA for 2D vampire-squishin' fun.

[Mikau]

I think Konami can pull off a 3d Castlevania if they try hard enough. It's nice to see classic games stay 2d, but it's also nice to see classic 2d games become great in 3d (Metroid Prime.) If Konami takes its time with this, and not make it like Devil May Cry, it could be great. Otherwise we could be looking at another dumb Gauntlet-3d style crap-fest.

[sdstuff64]

So farso good.I hope they pull it off.

[Frostbite Z]

MegaManFan said:

I picked up Aria of Sorrow last weekend (on sale for $20) but sadly I haven't even had time to get into it yet.  And just to make a point I went ahead and got Harmony of Dissonance too, so I have all three.  If any game deserves three entries on the GBA, I'd say Castlevania is it.

Aria of Sorrow is quite a good game, even if the graphics are pretty stock, a la Symphony or Harmony. That said, the soul capture aspect adds new life to what might be another rehash, and the "good" ending is quite cool and a unique twist. Nuff said!

[Frostbite Z]

As to the 3D entry, I have to confess that I was at first disappointed by the announcement, but the screenshots look promising. I can gaurantee that I will buy the game when it is released.

I only bought Legacy of Darkness this year from Ebay, and while it is not a bad game, it also did not feel like Castlevania. That is my main concern with the PS2 version.

[Mark Wolfe]

I've got to agree with the original poster of this thread and say that I thoroughly enjoyed both N64 Castlevania games. They drew me in and kept me there until the end [with no hints or walkthoughs thankyouverymuch].

Now, to answer the other part of the question, I played the new Castlevania at E3 this past June and let me just say that it was a terrific, amazing and utterly stupendous game...

WHEN IT WAS CALLED DEVIL MAY CRY!!!!

For fucks sake this game is a god damned doppleganger of DMC. A more fitting title would have been Devil May Cry Three.

Thanks but no thanks.

E3 showed me first hand that this has truly been the year of the sequel, remake and HACK.

I'm happy sticking with my Turbo Duo import of Dracula X [Rondo of Blood] which is by far and away the best 2d Castlevania and I'm most happy with my n64 3d versions that I still pull up on the old emulator every now and again.