perhaps a hot take but i don't think so; just play what interests you. outside of the IGA games a lot of the "canon" is improvised.
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LTTP: Castlevania - the 15 canonical games
- Thread starter StarPhlox
- Start date
perhaps a hot take but i don't think so; just play what interests you. outside of the IGA games a lot of the "canon" is improvised.
Haruka
Member
CotM was intended to be an alternate universe story by the original developers. Most Western fans don't seem to know this, though.
Mr. Poolman
Member
Another Order of Ecclesia convert!
That game is so good, gameplay is really creative and satisfying.
I loved that the game was not about "equip the most damaging weapon/spell" but instead needed the player to understand what was going on regarding damage types and enemies, otherwise, the game would turn so insanely hard.
That game is so good, gameplay is really creative and satisfying.
I loved that the game was not about "equip the most damaging weapon/spell" but instead needed the player to understand what was going on regarding damage types and enemies, otherwise, the game would turn so insanely hard.
The best way to progress is to admit it is not an igavania like the others.Once you get enemies have a rock paper and siccors sort of weakness system, and focus on learning patterns, it goes better. The Dark Souls of Igavanias in a way.
Sir_Crocodile
Member
If anyone cares here is my top 10
1. Order of Ecclesia
2. Rondo of Blood
3. Aria of Sorrow
4. Symphony of the Night
5. Dawn of Sorrow
6. III: Dracula's Curse
7. Castlevania
8. Bloodlines
9. Super Castlevania IV
10. Simon's Quest
Good top 8
It probably is not best to play through the series in chronological order (in terms of timeline)! In fact, if you play it in that order it may end up being both jarring and uneven for you.
In an ideal world, I would recommend a newcomer (who can handle a challenge) check out Dracula X Chronicles on PSP or Vita. This game has a remake of Rondo of Blood and an unlockable original Rondo of Blood and unlockable Symphony of the Night.
If you love Rondo and not Symphony, then there is a clear path forward for you. If you love Symphony but not Rondo, then there's also another 6 games in that exact style that are all good to amazing. If you love both then congratulations you are in for a big treat!
Depending on which consoles you have there are always good entry points, but I would not say this is a series that should be played in either order of release or order of timeline.
I'd say the best way to experience the series is starting with Castlevania 64, Lords of Shadow 2, then the gameboy games, because then it's all uphill from there
LiveFromKyoto
Member
So despite being a numbered entry, Super IV is non-canonical? It just counts as a re-telling over for first game? That's a downer, I love it, diagonal whip and all.
I would strongly urge anyone with a Vita to check out the PSP Dracula X Chronicles, it's available on PSN. It includes Symphony of the Night and the original Rondo of Blood, but the centrepiece, the remake of Rondo, blows the original away on that OLED screen. Richter's movement is so fluid, well-paced and amazing it just feels cool to walk, and the cinematics are way better. I think it's the best OG-Vania available.
I agree on Adventure II, I finished that game a billion times back in the day, I could practically do it without getting hit.
I wish the DS trilogy had come out on the Wii U VC. It's basically the only place it could ever have been authentically re-released.
I would strongly urge anyone with a Vita to check out the PSP Dracula X Chronicles, it's available on PSN. It includes Symphony of the Night and the original Rondo of Blood, but the centrepiece, the remake of Rondo, blows the original away on that OLED screen. Richter's movement is so fluid, well-paced and amazing it just feels cool to walk, and the cinematics are way better. I think it's the best OG-Vania available.
I agree on Adventure II, I finished that game a billion times back in the day, I could practically do it without getting hit.
I wish the DS trilogy had come out on the Wii U VC. It's basically the only place it could ever have been authentically re-released.
QisTopTier
XisBannedTier
Curse of Darkness is amazing just for it's ost. Also the spear moveset is awesome
Seriously the OST is amazing
Seriously the OST is amazing
WrenchNinja
Member
I really love Portrait of Ruin. Though I'm not surprised you don't have a strong opinion on it, it seems like a forgettable game for a lot of Castlevania fans. But hey, I still have really fond memories of it. The fight to awaken the Vampire Killer's true power and the battle against Deathcula were great.
Agreed.
CV 64 gets way too much hate. Tech issues aside, it has the most staggering variety and interesting level concepts of all the 3D games(Lords 1 excepted maybe).
Handily rank it well above dull nonsense like the PS2 games. Best title screen in the series too.
I'll give you that I actually kind of like Legacy of Darkness. But the control scheme for those games is quite clunky.
Weltall Zero
Member
Underrated? It's one of the most beloved Castlevania games ever (and deservedly so).
Great OP, I agree with most of your assessments. If you haven't yet, please play Yoko / Julius / Arikado mode in Dawn of Sorrow, to me it's even better than the base game!
Thanks for the tip! I haven't tried different character modes in either DoS or OoE so I'll be sure to check them out as soon as I can
Weltall Zero
Member
That's the best way to give up early on the series.
Thanks for the tip! I haven't tried different character modes in either DoS or OoE so I'll be sure to check them out as soon as I can
You're welcome! Hopefully you'll like it as much as I did.
i don't think its non canonical per se. they just decided 'hey, go kill dracula' was good enough backstory
i wouldn't mind if every classic style CV game did this. not that they make them anymore anyway
It's good to see how well Order of Ecclesia has held up over time.
On release I remember it getting some criticism for its linear early sections alongside praise for its fantastic crunchy bosses and swift combat. It quickly entered my series top 3 but after a recent replay, I think it's probably my favourite one too. The glyphs work really well and it just feels like the culmination of SOTN/the DS/3DS games to me. Pixel art still looks gorgeous to me even when playing on a 3DS.
On release I remember it getting some criticism for its linear early sections alongside praise for its fantastic crunchy bosses and swift combat. It quickly entered my series top 3 but after a recent replay, I think it's probably my favourite one too. The glyphs work really well and it just feels like the culmination of SOTN/the DS/3DS games to me. Pixel art still looks gorgeous to me even when playing on a 3DS.
Astral Dog
Member
If anything Portrait is unddrrated 🖼 amazing soundtrack presentation and mechanics
Starsunder
Member
Replaying Order of Ecclesia now, and it really is GOAT tier. What an amazing game
Portrait is the weakest of the DS vanias to me, and it's soundtrack, outside of a couple songs, is poor, which pains me to say for a castlevania game
Portrait is the weakest of the DS vanias to me, and it's soundtrack, outside of a couple songs, is poor, which pains me to say for a castlevania game
Paltheos
Member
Ecclesia really is the best. Even at the time people really liked it, but there was allot of debate about the Sorrow games being better. Now I think the scales have tipped toward the majority believing Ecclesia is the best of the handheld games and maybe it being better than SotN but... man, I don't know. Some elements of SotN are not that polished. It's fantastic of course, but Ecclesia though...!
Curse of Darkness can be a lot of fun if you like/don't mind grinding for crafting materials to build cool and wacky weapons. The stealing system adds a neat layer to each combat encounter. The innocent devil system is neat too.
Unfortunately, the environments and their traversal are really monotonous. Even the great soundtrack can't save it in that regard. You'll probably find yourself dodging and backspringing down corridors just to make it a little less boring.
Unfortunately, the environments and their traversal are really monotonous. Even the great soundtrack can't save it in that regard. You'll probably find yourself dodging and backspringing down corridors just to make it a little less boring.
clay_ghost
Member
Play Rob then Sotn then AOS , will be good if you played any of the old Castlevania before hand
for maximum impact for the story event in AOS.
Most Castlevania games does not have too much focus on the story although the metriodvania games have more of that.
It's the only game I really want from Konami now =(
D.Lo
Member
I wish Igarashi had been shot out of a cannon.
Castlevania 64 is still the best 3D entry.
Dracula X: Chi no Rondo is the best 2D, followed by CV3, Belmonts Revenge and Castlevania 4.
Only Circle of the Moon, Aria of Sorrow and OOE are truly well designed games of the Metroid clones. A couple are outright dogs, design wise (HoD and PoR). Symphony is beautiful but poorly designed.
Castlevania 64 is still the best 3D entry.
Dracula X: Chi no Rondo is the best 2D, followed by CV3, Belmonts Revenge and Castlevania 4.
Only Circle of the Moon, Aria of Sorrow and OOE are truly well designed games of the Metroid clones. A couple are outright dogs, design wise (HoD and PoR). Symphony is beautiful but poorly designed.
The hell is up with this game case. Lol
Alex_Mexico
Member
No! The only way to legally play Bloodlines is to own the original cartridge and a Genesis which is ridiculous. This game needs a port more than any other in the franchise.
Dawn is a direct sequel, so if you want more, go into it next.
TurboKiller
Neo Member
That 1999 A.D game is never gonna happen is it?
Okay great. I am actually really digging these games on Visualboyadvance emu. The game looks solid with xBRZ and bilinear. I know some people like it natural, but I'm still blown away at how nice an old game can look on a big screen.
Konami...
the Netflix series is the last of castlevania you can reasonably hope for. Maybe a compilation of some kind. maaaybe
cartman414
Member
Iga was the one who made it into a Metroidvania when he came on board, setting the main pattern for the rest of the series.
I liked it, but feel they went overboard on the rock-paper-scissors element by applying it to almost every single enemy. Hurt the pace of the game with the swapping. Sure, there were 4 configs you could swap between, but you'd have to update equips on those as well whenever you picked up something new or else gear inertia would set in.
cartman414
Member
Iga was the one who made it into a Metroidvania when he came on board, setting the main pattern for the rest of the series.
I liked it, but feel they went overboard on the rock-paper-scissors element by applying it to almost every single enemy. Hurt the pace of the game with the swapping. Sure, there were 4 configs you could swap between, but you'd have to update equips on those as well whenever you picked up something new or else gear inertia would set in.
D.Lo
Member
Source?
http://www.pushsquare.com/news/2012/09/feature_the_making_of_castlevania_symphony_of_the_night
"Taking inspiration from Nintendos SNES classic Super Metroid, the team decided to shy away from the stage by stage concept of previous titles"
Could it be an issue for them to get Sega's permission since the game was made for Genesis?
Conrad Link
Member
I was genuinely surprised the other day when I realised the Mega Drive one hadn't been released on Wii VC back in the day, we ended up with so much goodness on that service I just assumed something major like that would have happened.
I wonder why not?
I wonder why not?
