Ranking Castlevanias. Extended discussion

[Tweed]

The only problem I had with SOTN is that it was too easy. Everything else about it was great, the levels, music, pixel art, etc. SOTN still beats the hell out of any of the SOTN-like portable games that came after it, IMO.

How bout like, just not use the Crissigrim.

 

[somerandomdude]

The only problem I had with SOTN is that it was too easy. Everything else about it was great, the levels, music, pixel art, etc. SOTN still beats the hell out of any of the SOTN-like portable games that came after it, IMO.

How bout like, just not use the Crissigrim.

Are you suggesting the game is challenging without using a 1 in 400 super rare drop item that you can't even get until you're better than 1/2 way done with the game?

 

[Tweed]

The only problem I had with SOTN is that it was too easy. Everything else about it was great, the levels, music, pixel art, etc. SOTN still beats the hell out of any of the SOTN-like portable games that came after it, IMO.

How bout like, just not use the Crissigrim.

Are you suggesting the game is challenging without using a 1 in 400 super rare drop item that you can't even get until you're better than 1/2 way done with the game?

https://castlevania.fandom.com/wiki/Red_Rust

 

[somerandomdude]

The only problem I had with SOTN is that it was too easy. Everything else about it was great, the levels, music, pixel art, etc. SOTN still beats the hell out of any of the SOTN-like portable games that came after it, IMO.

How bout like, just not use the Crissigrim.

Are you suggesting the game is challenging without using a 1 in 400 super rare drop item that you can't even get until you're better than 1/2 way done with the game?

https://castlevania.fandom.com/wiki/Red_Rust

WHAT!? A weapon!? R U Casul!? You didn't know that you could just use bare fists?

 

[kites]

I was a ps/gba kid so I have a soft spot for Aria of Sorrow and SOTN, but the “classic” games are on a level higher for me after digging more into them.. more compact, straightforward and satisfying to master, different strokes and all that..

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

 

[Bigg Boss]

Castlevania 64 and the expansion are worth checking out if you are hardcore and like the series enough to overlook some faults.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

never finished em but I had fun with them on emu.

 

[Matador]

I see 6 years later my OP and rating Rondo Of Blood as hard, when is one of the easiest.

Well, I´m happy to have a thread for Castlevania enthusiasts revived.

 

[Chanel Oberlin]

How bout like, just not use the Crissigrim.

Shield Rod + Alucard Shield is arguably as busted and not as painful to get.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

I like some of the background art in the amiga version but sounds are missing, music is off, shortened areas, stairs seem different, and more. Mobs are ugly.

 

[cvv]

The Anniversary Collection is free on Epic next week, however reading some Steam reviews it seems it's a low-effort port from Konami with tons of technical issues. I've only started playing metroidvanias since Hollow Knight, have zero nostalgia for the old NES titles, so these old games look more like museum exhibits to me but hey, it's free I'll give it a shot.

This is what's included btw:

Castlevania
Castlevania II Simon's Quest
Castlevania III Dracula's Curse
Super Castlevania IV
Castlevania The Adventure
Castlevania II Belmont's Revenge
Castlevania Bloodlines
Kid Dracula (never released in English before)
History of Castlevania - Book of the Crescent Moon

 

[Grauken]

The Anniversary Collection is free on Epic next week, however reading some Steam reviews it seems it's a low-effort port from Konami with tons of technical issues. I've only started playing metroidvanias since Hollow Knight, have zero nostalgia for the old NES titles, so these old games look more like museum exhibits to me but hey, it's free I'll give it a shot.

This is what's included btw:

Castlevania
Castlevania II Simon's Quest
Castlevania III Dracula's Curse
Super Castlevania IV
Castlevania The Adventure
Castlevania II Belmont's Revenge
Castlevania Bloodlines
Kid Dracula (never released in English before)
History of Castlevania - Book of the Crescent Moon

You get a superior experience from just using emulators + roms, these half-assed collections lack proper shaders, or any other improvements that most free emulators can provide

 

[TheHeroOfTime]

Well, it depends of the collection. The DS games collection has better 3d background models, for example. Is not just a higher native resolution, the assets of the games themselves is what got changed. Konami didn''t screw it this time and they actually kept the code of the game and the assets, so they could make proper ports.

The Rondo of Blood & Symphony of the night one is more subpar, since the voice acting of the games got changed.

 

[Grauken]

Well, it depends of the collection. The DS games collection has better 3d background models, for example. Is not just a higher native resolution, the assets of the games themselves is what got changed. Konami didn''t screw it this time and they actually kept the code of the game and the assets, so they could make proper ports.

First time I hear about this, interesting
You have a proper source for this or is it just hearsay?

 

[Damned Registrations]

SotN is criminally underrated in this thread. All the handheld games lose 3 points right off the top for tiny screens, shitty sound, and other hardware limitations. No, emulating the game doesn't fix the fact that the screen is zoomed in x5 so you can't see 5 feet ahead. All the DS ones lose another point for stupid touchscreen gimmicks and the crappy split screen behaviour in general. A bunch of them are totally linear too, which is super lame. I was starving for these games and played them all when they came out, and was disapointed with every single one. Thank god hollow knight came along, though even that is missing the fun variety of equipment SotN had.

The only thing they arguably have going for the handheld titles is difficulty, but bumping the difficulty up 10% from a 4 to a 4.4 out of 10 doesn't mean shit. They're all still insanely easy unless you hold yourself back by never using spells or any decent weapons.

SotN's got the full package, the art, the exploration, and the gameplay. Castlevania 3 and Rondo would be next, and I can't be bothered to rate the rest.

 

[Nutmeg]

For me it's

Vampire Killer (Mega Drive)
Akumajou Dracula X (PC Engine)
Akumajou Dracula (X68000)

In no particular order

 

[H. P. Lovecraft's Cat]

SotN is criminally underrated in this thread. All the handheld games lose 3 points right off the top for tiny screens, shitty sound, and other hardware limitations. No, emulating the game doesn't fix the fact that the screen is zoomed in x5 so you can't see 5 feet ahead. All the DS ones lose another point for stupid touchscreen gimmicks and the crappy split screen behaviour in general. A bunch of them are totally linear too, which is super lame. I was starving for these games and played them all when they came out, and was disapointed with every single one. Thank god hollow knight came along, though even that is missing the fun variety of equipment SotN had.

The only thing they arguably have going for the handheld titles is difficulty, but bumping the difficulty up 10% from a 4 to a 4.4 out of 10 doesn't mean shit. They're all still insanely easy unless you hold yourself back by never using spells or any decent weapons.

SotN's got the full package, the art, the exploration, and the gameplay. Castlevania 3 and Rondo would be next, and I can't be bothered to rate the rest.

Codex is filled with edgy retard fatass basement dwelling faggots who want to die and the only thing that makes them feel okay is hating on good culturally significant things. SotN is indeed one of the greatest games ever made and don't let any flabby slob here tell you otherwise. Game is amazing.

 

[TheHeroOfTime]

Well, it depends of the collection. The DS games collection has better 3d background models, for example. Is not just a higher native resolution, the assets of the games themselves is what got changed. Konami didn''t screw it this time and they actually kept the code of the game and the assets, so they could make proper ports.

First time I hear about this, interesting
You have a proper source for this or is it just hearsay?

When the game was released some months ago a bunch of people started to check the game's files from the Steam version. They discovered that the games run in emulators at higher native resolution, but also that the ROMs of the games themselves were modified. It also included new data folders within each ROM.

 

[Grauken]

When the game was released some months ago a bunch of people started to check the game's files from the Steam version. They discovered that the games run in emulators at higher native resolution, but also that the ROMs of the games themselves were modified. It also included new data folders within each ROM.

Thanks, really appreciate the info

 

[NorwegianWolf]

Castlevania Anniversary Collection is available right now for free in Epic Store (add to account for free, keep "forever").

 

[anvi]

Castlevania Anniversary Collection is available right now for free in Epic Store (add to account for free, keep "forever").

What are some of your favourite games of all time?

 

[NorwegianWolf]

Castlevania Anniversary Collection is available right now for free in Epic Store (add to account for free, keep "forever").

What are some of your favourite games of all time?

Castlevania? Never played any. Other? Factorio, BG1+2, Oblivion.

 

[pOcHa]

but none in that collection are metroidvanias?

 

[Beans00]

How many people here had sotn on the ps1 back in the day?


Absolute worst loading times on the ps1(at least among games I had lol). When you died it took like 10 minutes to get back into the game.