Whats so good about Castlevania: SotN?

[Ash]

SoTN > OoE > CoTM >= PoR > Sorrow Duo > HoD.

 

[skacky]

I don't really know why some of you say that CoTM shows low production values. To me it's part of the holy trinity with OoE and SoTN and it's far better than the rest of the other handheld titles.

 

[Ash]

The jumping physics in CoTM are really odd, and levels are a bit under-detailed (compare it to the last GBA CV), but it's probably low production values as much as it is dev inexperience with developing for a damn gameboy.

But who gives a shit, it's the best GBA CV regardless.

 

[RuySan]

The jumping physics are odd and the main character has maybe 2 frames of walking animation. It just doesn't look or feels right. It's still a fun game, but there's no way I would rate it above aria of sorrow.

 

[Drog Black Tooth]

The correct answer is:

OoE > AoS >= DoS > SotN > PoR > CotM > HoD

And if you count Rondo of Blood, I'd place it after SotN.

 

[Great Deceiver]

Mechanically AoS might be the better game than SotN but these games are pretty brainless and if you're going to play them, might as well play them for great sprites and awesome music - and AoS does not compare in that department at all.

 

[Silva]

Yep, when I started looking at it less as a modern, you know super serious game and more of a Super Nintendo game (all about sprites, music and coolness), it clicked. Think of it as a glorified Demons Crest, Ghouls & Ghosts or Altered Beast and you're set.

 

[Ash]

So what you're both saying is modern games usually have more intelligent/involved gameplay than Igavanias?

The only one that comes close to being "brainless" is SoTN, because of how easy it can be, yet it's still a lot harder than most modern AAA singleplayer games.

 

[e-mailio estevez]

OoE is easily my favorite but that crab at the start can get fucked.

I played a little bit into Aria of Sorrow but I think I'm going to need to download a savegame or cheat to enable hard mode from the start. It's just too damn easy. I doubt hard mode will make it a decent challenge, but I'd imagine it's better than nothing.

 

[Great Deceiver]

So what you're both saying is modern games usually have more intelligent/involved gameplay than Igavanias?

The only one that comes close to being "brainless" is SoTN, because of how easy it can be, yet it's still a lot harder than most modern AAA singleplayer games.

That's a non-sequitur. In fact I think the older and linear platforming games are miles more intelligent and feature much more involving gameplay than the mostly boring endless corridors of Igavanias.

 

[Ash]

That's a non-sequitur.

In response to your case, perhaps. But not in Silva's.

In fact I think the older and linear platforming games are miles more intelligent and feature much more involving gameplay than the mostly boring endless corridors of Igavanias

You're exaggerating wildly. Take Sandy Grave or Nation of Fools in PoR for instance. Or many locations in OoE. Or CotM. Or the Royal Chapel, Underground Lake and a number of other locations in SoTN. Not to mention the diverse array of enemies and bosses in each are just as engaging to fight as any other CV, with the exception of the dominance of some overpowered player attacks in some.

 

[Silva]

So what you're both saying is modern games usually have more intelligent/involved gameplay than Igavanias?

Sorry, I may have expressed badly. I don't think that's a case of modern vs old, but more of the kind of game SotN is, aka, a casual, fun powertrip with cool sprites and music. There is no problem with that, we always got lots of great games in this vein (classic Castlevanias, Contras, Shinobis, Final Fights, etc). They just feel different to me than, say, Zelda a Link to the Past, which I feel more involving and engrossing. But I don't think it's a matter of which game is better or worst. Apples and oranges.

*Edit: Ok, SotN is inferior to Zeldas or most games cited here. But that's not necessarily true of other more casual games like Contras, Shinobis, Final Fights, etc.

 

[Ash]

I'd rate Igavanias as having better gameplay than all of the above, perhaps. Better everything than Link to the Past, even, except less interesting story, characters and world, but it's not like a freaking Zelda game is leagues above in that regard, it's just slightly more interesting. Also it is me/nostalgia or is Link's Awakening better than LttP?

...Well, it's difficult to say it's overall better in gameplay. Those two Zelda games have really solid exploration and puzzle design, and are consistently challenging. But Igavania combat is way more involved and interesting, and I like the game's more extensive systems.