• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

I am still very afraid for Castlevania: CoD

Johnas

Member
I just watched the E3 trailer for the first time, and ended up with a sinking feeling in my stomach. I have kept guarded optimism about this game ever since it was revealed, and kept hoping that when I finally watched the game in motion, I would be much more impressed, but it hasn't happened. I did think the part where you
ride the wyvern
looked pretty cool. At least we pretty much know Dawn of Sorrow will rock.

Anybody have any hands-on impressions from E3 that I may have overlooked? I still have hope for this game, but not a lot.
 
It's fun. If you like SOTN, you will enjoy it, don't worry. The "seal" part of boss battles where you have to use the stylus seems a little gimmicky, but otherwise it felt like a high quality Metroidvania. And though it's in 2D, the power of the DS shows in the amount of parallax and details animating in the background.

EDIT: Oh, you're talking about the new PS2 game. Didn't play that.
 
all signs point to SHIT

looks like it's on xbox too because they know it won't be able to sell much on ps2
 
Teddman said:
It's fun. If you like SOTN, you will enjoy it, don't worry. The "seal" part of boss battles where you have to use the stylus seems a little gimmicky, but otherwise it felt like a high quality Metroidvania. And though it's in 2D, the power of the DS shows in the amount of parallax and details animating in the background.

EDIT: Oh, you're talking about the new PS2 game. Didn't play that.
:lol Sorry I just found that kinda funny.
 
Teddman said:
It's fun. If you like SOTN, you will enjoy it, don't worry. The "seal" part of boss battles where you have to use the stylus seems a little gimmicky, but otherwise it felt like a high quality Metroidvania. And though it's in 2D, the power of the DS shows in the amount of parallax and details animating in the background.

EDIT: Oh, you're talking about the new PS2 game. Didn't play that.

If that was intentional, it was brilliant :lol
 
Wario64 said:
all signs point to SHIT

looks like it's on xbox too because they know it won't be able to sell much on ps2

It sounds like this thread is talking about the DS game, not the PS2/XBox one.

EDIT: Okay, now I'm confused. :) What is each game called again?
 
Lyte Edge said:
It sounds like this thread is talking about the DS game, not the PS2/XBox one.

EDIT: Okay, now I'm confused. :) What is each game called again?

Everyone in this thread is confused. Ancestor was talking about the PS2 game, but Teddman thought he was talking about the NDS game at first (which was funny)
 
OK...I'm a big Castlevania fan...but I'll be honest here and say it looked bad at E3, possibly worse than Lament of Innocence. The camera had a tendency to show you really crappy angles at times (just like in LoI), and I can't recall being able to adjust it either. The environments were really drab and uninspired, almost like they're dropping the atmosphere bit entirely and spending their resources on gameplay and battles. Well, I hope they're spending it on something worthwhile...maybe on the music, which seemed great from the little I heard.

I guess the demon system could be interesting, but to me it seems like it might as well end up as a mere replacement for the different stones you found in LoI (for various magic attacks). Although you had to use the demons to clear some "puzzles" in the game.
 
Wario64 said:
CoD is the console CV's fools

DoS is the DS version

But wait...COD is a method of payment, and DOS used to be on PCs. I AM COMPLETELY BAFFLED NOW.
 
Kiriku said:
OK...I'm a big Castlevania fan...but I'll be honest here and say it looked bad at E3, possibly worse than Lament of Innocence. The camera had a tendency to show you really crappy angles at times (just like in LoI), and I can't recall being able to adjust it either.

That's interesting, because in the trailer, it looked like you had complete freedom with the camera. Maybe it was just the game doing it for you, but to me it looked like it was being moved manually. It did showcase some odd, unnecessary angles at times though.

I agree about the atmosphere and environments, they just looked uninspired and flat. Still holding out a little hope...
 
Ancestor_of_Erdrick said:
That's interesting, because in the trailer, it looked like you had complete freedom with the camera. Maybe it was just the game doing it for you, but to me it looked like it was being moved manually. It did showcase some odd, unnecessary angles at times though.

I agree about the atmosphere and environments, they just looked uninspired and flat. Still holding out a little hope...

Hmm, maybe I just didn't find the right button, I didn't spend that much time with it. In games like this I instinctively try to move the right analog stick for the camera, but I don't think anything happened when I did that (just like the countless number of times I tried to do the same in LoI, EVEN during the last boss battle :lol).

Anyway, just like in LoI I ended up in corridors where the camera would position itself in a corner, so in order to explore the entire corridor I had to run against and behind the camera since it wouldn't move.
But wait a minute...I also remember having the camera straight behind me when going through a different corridor with enemies...seems like my memory is fuzzy, maybe someone else can enlighten us. :)

From the IGN E3 impressions of the game:

What we didn't like about the game was the camera angles. For the demo that we played today, the camera seemed way too close to the ground to be effective at all. It was also zoomed in a little bit, giving you a small field of vision. Hopefully small details like this will be fixed in the final version, because we can totally see this ruining the game if it's not fixed quickly.

From the 1up E3 impressions:

but the camera -- which has moved from fixed to free-roaming -- is still a little awkward, though we were told that it's being worked on.

OK, so it seems like you can move the camera...or maybe it's fixed in some (non-combat) rooms? Anyway, doesn't sound like a promising camera right now anyway. :/
 
It's kinda funny, because the Castlevania Dungeon forumites are all eagerly awaiting CoD but are unimpressed (for the most part) with DoS. A couple people think CoD will be the next Symphony. Weird that who you think would be the most ardent supporters of 2D Castlevania are wanting the 3D one more.
 
RE4 vs. SH4 said:
It's kinda funny, because the Castlevania Dungeon forumites are all eagerly awaiting CoD but are unimpressed (for the most part) with DoS. A couple people think CoD will be the next Symphony. Weird that who you think would be the most ardent supporters of 2D Castlevania are wanting the 3D one more.

You don't know the rules? Forum-goers of specific game forums are always insane. Every single one. Some are insane in a good way, like SoaH City, but others are just plain unreadable (GameFaqs anyone?)

on topic, never cared for CoD or the previous 3D installments. It's too early to declare judgment on this one, but Castlevania, like Sonic, is a series that the developers really need to focus on making 2D games out of.
 
I wrote up impressions of it during E3, a cliff notes version:

--Game is ugly and the camera sucks; stupid people who hate castlevania in 3d will bitch about these things.
--Gameplay is REALLY GOOD. Very fun battle system with a good amount of depth do to familiars, and better/more enemies. Everyone who watched me play through the demo kept walking by commenting "wow, that looks pretty cool". Personally I enjoyed LoI but it was weak for a Castlevania title, this game is like LoI mixed with the 3rd GBA one where you could use weapons.

It was the biggest surprise of the show IMO in that it was actually damn fun and I can't wait to buy it. Don't judge the game by its looks.
 
jman2050 said:
You don't know the rules? Forum-goers of specific game forums are always insane. Every single one. Some are insane in a good way, like SoaH City, but others are just plain unreadable (GameFaqs anyone?)

on topic, never cared for CoD or the previous 3D installments. It's too early to declare judgment on this one, but Castlevania, like Sonic, is a series that the developers really need to focus on making 2D games out of.
Actually, I bet it has a lot more to do with what system each one is on. If the platforms were switched... well, you know.
 
RE4 vs. SH4 said:
It's kinda funny, because the Castlevania Dungeon forumites are all eagerly awaiting CoD but are unimpressed (for the most part) with DoS. A couple people think CoD will be the next Symphony. Weird that who you think would be the most ardent supporters of 2D Castlevania are wanting the 3D one more.

is that the forum where it's like 1 post a month?
 
RE4 vs. SH4 said:
It's kinda funny, because the Castlevania Dungeon forumites are all eagerly awaiting CoD but are unimpressed (for the most part) with DoS. A couple people think CoD will be the next Symphony. Weird that who you think would be the most ardent supporters of 2D Castlevania are wanting the 3D one more.

Is that site still updated? I had the distinct impression it had been in limbo for the past three years. I'll have to go check it out again.
 
The gameplay looks better than LOI. Camera is free now (thank God).
I still fear for it's wierd angle and i'm about to rent it before buying just in case the level design is mediocre like LOI.
 
RE4 vs. SH4 said:
It's kinda funny, because the Castlevania Dungeon forumites are all eagerly awaiting CoD but are unimpressed (for the most part) with DoS. A couple people think CoD will be the next Symphony. Weird that who you think would be the most ardent supporters of 2D Castlevania are wanting the 3D one more.

They just realise that the next big step for the series is going to have to come from it being in 3D. The series isn't meant to stay in 2D as much as some would want that to happen. It might take awhile for them to get it right, but CoD atleast seems like a step in the right direction.
 
I get the feeling CoD is more focused on deep gameplay than a deep experience compared to recent "adventure-vanias". Problem is, I like Castlevania BOTH for gameplay and atmosphere. Perhaps the music will provide the latter to some extent, but I'm worried it won't be enough.
 
Both games look bad IMO.

The DS one looks to me exactly like AOS...And despite buying at launch I still have it pretty recent on my mind.
The PS2 one looks and seems crap.

Igarashi has proven that he is no way better than KCEK and their N64 series. And giving poor excuses for not a decent 2D title for PS2/PSP doesn't redeem him, just the opposite.
 
ourumov said:
And giving poor excuses for not a decent 2D title for PS2/PSP doesn't redeem him, just the opposite.
"Won't make money" is a poor excuse?

And just give up on DoS looking like a GBA game. It *really* doesn't. Keep repeating that and sooner or later Dragona and her sprites will get you...
 
ourumov said:
Both games look bad IMO.

The DS one looks to me exactly like AOS

I have yet to read a preview after E3 that state it looks like AoS. It definitley looks better.
 
ourumov said:
Both games look bad IMO.

The DS one looks to me exactly like AOS...And despite buying at launch I still have it pretty recent on my mind.
The PS2 one looks and seems crap.

Igarashi has proven that he is no way better than KCEK and their N64 series. And giving poor excuses for not a decent 2D title for PS2/PSP doesn't redeem him, just the opposite.


Heres a tip then.....don't buy either of them. That'll show them good.
 
Scalemail Ted said:
Heres a tip then.....don't buy either of them. That'll show them good.
No...here's a better tip: buy 7 copies of the DS game and only 3 copies of the PS2 one...that'll learn em
 
<shrug> I'm looking forward to both. I thought LoI was a much better game than I was led to believe. This is one of those cases where not having a ton emotionally invested in a franchise and it's foibles is a good thing.
 
jarrod said:
And just give up on DoS looking like a GBA game. It *really* doesn't. Keep repeating that and sooner or later Dragona and her sprites will get you...
:lol I'm surprised he didn't get maimed for it. It's been said in just about every DoS thread and usually someone goes berserk about it.

I watched the trailer again today for the hell of it, well mostly to test Quicktime 7, but I would really like to know how people think this. The detail in the graphics, the animations, the voice acting, the FMV, the music, the sounds, the soul effects, ugh even the backgrounds, especially outdoors, were beautiful and somewhat impressive. Yep, totally a GBA game.
 
Top Bottom