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Post by exile on Oct 11, 2017 14:45:12 GMT -6
I agree with the sentiments some have expressed already. I think a proper leveling up/gearing system would be awesome. I don't think it's at all necessary to give them extra stories or bosses, but hey, if that can somehow be managed in this already overly-ambitious title without causing the dev team to jump off a cliff, then by all means, go for it!
Oh, and I know it's been said, but I'd like to reiterate how utterly badass Zangetsu looks. I hope he's playable.
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Post by exile on Oct 5, 2017 1:02:37 GMT -6
My friend was enamored with "Symphony of the Night." He wouldn't shut up about it. He was captivated, and praised it as one of the greatest games he'd ever played. As he was (and remains) on of the most serious gamers I know, I was naturally intrigued. Then I saw him play it. Cool enough, but nothing great. A silver-haired protagonist slashing at enemy after enemy in 2-D corridors. Okay. I went home.
That night, something about the game stuck with me. I don't know what exactly. SoTN still seemed rather basic, rather straightforward, but I kept thinking about it. I mulled it over long enough to keep me up for an extra hour. The next day, I went out and bought a copy. I rushed home and popped it into the PS, not really knowing what I was so excited about. After all, this game had failed to impress me, hadn't it?
From the minute Alucard jumped into the courtyard, I felt an odd sensation. I felt like I was setting foot into a place I'd not been before (I'd never played a Castlevania title prior). I felt like an outsider, breaching the sanctity of a darker world - one which lies just beyond the edges of the daylight. I felt like I was setting foot where sanity shudders to venture.
As I cut my way through the dark, dispatching every twisted, grotesque abomination that blocked my path, I grew in power and understanding. I discovered firsthand what had been apparent to so many others before and after me. Symphony of the Night was a work of genius. It was a master class in understatement and a flourish of creativity at the same time. The design WAS, as I had initially gauged, straightforward enough, but it was brilliant for the same reason. Every extra stretch of hallway, every power-up, drew you deeper into a forbidden world where, despite minimal dialogue, you were allowed to stand as the one ray of hope when the possibility of redemption seemed abandoned. Dracula's legacy was your legacy, and you resigned yourself to atone for the sins of the father by ending his life. You fought the darkness because you could, and because no one else would dare.
By the time the end credits rolled to the masterful "I Am the Wind," all I could do was sit in silence. I couldn't believe the journey was over. I had played the game until the enemies damn near stopped giving me experience. Dracula was something like a 5-hit kill, if memory serves. Rarely have I been so entranced and moved by a game. I felt, at the end, I WAS Alucard. I felt his bittersweet moment of triumph and lamented his decision to remove himself from the world he'd just saved.
I can only hope that Bloodstained will be even a fraction of the journey that SoTN was. I anticipate falling uniquely in love with its characters for their impenetrable wickedness or their unlikely altruism. I'm giddy at the prospect of encountering a menagerie of dark creatures. I shake my head with the foreknowledge that I'll likely comb over every inch of long-abandoned catacombs to find every last weapon, trinket, and power-up.
I can't wait.
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Post by exile on Oct 2, 2017 20:05:33 GMT -6
I can't overstate how badass Mana's art is. No disrespect at all to Natsume, whose art is also splendid. Still, Mana's I would frame and hang in my room. In fact, please consider pestering her to sign a poster and mail it to me because, you know, my paltry +1 forum vote totally merits that kind of individualized attention.
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Post by exile on Aug 30, 2017 23:37:55 GMT -6
I truly don't understand why some modest movement isn't possible. Just look at the "Bloodless" boss. Her hair is going all kinds of crazy. Why can't they apply 1/10 of that to Miriam? After closer inspection, I actually take away my statement. There is a possibility. A wise man on Discord once told us, "Many features are WIP (work in progress)". Another wise woman said, "Miriam's moveset aren't done animated yet" a while back. Stuff are possible now, cross fingers. Sorry to poke at your thought. My mistake. Some hair movement would be great. No need to apologize, you're not wrong that the resources are probably better spent elsewhere. I'm just a huge nit-picker for character animation. Unlike some people, I actually really enjoy the way the Miriam moves. I just think it looks so much more dramatic if you get some hair flowing. I miss my Alucard.
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Post by exile on Aug 30, 2017 0:42:57 GMT -6
Although I would exchange all of that for hair that actually moves... Yep, I'm still on about that. Wont happen I truly don't understand why some modest movement isn't possible. Just look at the "Bloodless" boss. Her hair is going all kinds of crazy. Why can't they apply 1/10 of that to Miriam?
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Post by exile on Aug 25, 2017 13:54:06 GMT -6
Elf have a more exotic skin-tone, and Plague Mask + Hat have a dead skin-tone. The colors on "same outfit" changes. But I do not know if she ends up with totally different outfits, I doubt it. Unless modding becomes a thing, which is what I am a bit worried about. And I can totally see glasses laying around in the castle. "Improves reading ability". Although I would exchange all of that for hair that actually moves... Yep, I'm still on about that.
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Post by exile on Aug 23, 2017 14:24:17 GMT -6
Maybe they'll let us change hair color, maybe even hair STYLE?! Now, Dan, now we're into INSAAAAAAANE territory! Heck, maybe I'll turn it up to an 11 and suggest they allow us to add various stained-glass details. A crystal eye that sparkles menacingly? A crystalized hand? The possibilities...
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Post by exile on Aug 21, 2017 16:10:37 GMT -6
Do you guys think we can change costumes in the menu? Or do we need a wardrobe in the saveroom for her to change the outfit? Either would be fine by me. I just hope there are a few cosmetic options. I know this stuff doesn't matter to many gamers, but I absolutely adore small aesthetic details. You have no idea how stupidy giddy I got seeing the colors/effects of Alucard's cape change back in SotN.
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Post by exile on Aug 21, 2017 16:07:20 GMT -6
Forging is in the game and will probably be a end-game feature. Materials are from enemies, perhaps from rooms too in bonus batches. But how things will work? Well, that is a system we do not know anything about. Things you have early on will seem like a kidstoy until you and your weapon(s) level up. How you do that (in detail) will be revealed in due time. Now that I like the sound of. I hope it's as you say. I do enjoy hunting drops and if there's a significant upgrade and it's endgame, I have no problem with a grind. I just hope it's an evolution, as the early art suggested between "Form 1," "Form 2," "Form 3," etc., instead of the Nioh style (don't get me wrong, I love that game) of rerolling individual stats on top of hunting for the best version of that stat. That becomes very tedious.
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Post by exile on Aug 18, 2017 15:24:42 GMT -6
I'm not going to go crazy speculating until more is revealed. Assuming forging makes it into the game, I'll only say this: I'm reaaaallllly tired of games that make it an incredibly convoluted chore to participate meaningfully in forging. Don't misunderstand me, I don't expect to have endgame gear handed to me. I hate that, too. I just don't want to spend my in-game time breaking down thousands of weapons/armor and attempting to roll stats from now until eternity. I'd much prefer rare drops that just "work" to forge an upgrade when acquired. Obviously, it's an optional feature so it doesn't matter too much how they go about it, but it seems like every modern game to feature crafting just makes it this completely burdensome timesink that offers negligible rewards unless you pump a thousand hours into it. Really not my cup of tea (not since I was 16, anyway). Nowadays, I have to balance work and life with gaming.
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Post by exile on Aug 10, 2017 15:51:41 GMT -6
I'm opposed to censorship, always, unless we're talking self-censorship. I especially hate it in games. Hopefully, Iga does whatever he wants, because that's what I want as a fan. I want to play HIS vision, not some moron SJW's version of what they think his game should be.
I salute Dead or Alive and Dragon's Crown. The first was a pretty respectable fighter for the time, breast physics notwithstanding. Not a Tekken or Virtua Fighter by any stretch, but I feel like that's exactly what convinced them to go with a more sexualized/over-the-top style. It gave the game its own identity, and I thought it was fun. Dragon's Crown I like even more. Vanillaware can do no wrong in my eyes. Their games are artistic, unique, and gorgeous. Oh no, the sorceress had big boobs! Whatever. The gameplay was a love letter to the 2-D sidescrollers of the late '80s and early '90s, and it was a blast. One of my favorite games to come out in the past decade. Oncemore, the outlandish style made the game distinct. Sure, it was a bit much, but at least it was consistent. All of the characters featured preposterous proportions. Hell, the knight looked like those cartoon musclemen with 90% of his bulk coming from his chest/arms. Also, I was all about that Amazon. A source of unmitigated joy for me was obnoxiously screaming "Dat axe!" while laying waste to surges of reptilian baddies.
I think the real boon of videogames in general is they're one of the last remaining mediums where creativity and vision are prioritized over hypothetically offending some no-lifer. Even this is changing, as games become more mainstream and corporate. The day games become what Hollywood movies have devolved into is the day I probably find a new hobby.
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Post by exile on Aug 5, 2017 18:05:08 GMT -6
And don't you worry about "hoping" if it's gonna be a hit...it will be... no matter what. (*starts drafting plans to knock on every single person's door in the USA*) *knock knock knock* "Hello there, Miss, I'd like to take a minute to talk to you about "Bloodstained." "Are you another one of those religious folks? I already go to church." "No, Miss, this isn't about that, it's a metroidvania-style side-scrolling platforming game by the maker of the cult classic, "Symphony of the Night," which is set to release in the near future!" "Are you on drugs?!" "Not currently, they don't allow it during business hours, but thanks for asking. Now about "Bloodstained," I --" "Look, you have ten seconds to leave or I'm calling the police. The only things I'm interested in receiving at my door are my prescription medications for my heart." "Well it's funny you mention those, because I've made certain you won't get another shipment until you purchase a copy of our game." "You're insane, you can't do that! That's illegal!" "Yeah, that's what our attorneys keep telling me, but I wouldn't be much of a promoter if I let a few legal technicalities and an elderly woman's life-threatening medical condition stop me from doing my job, would I?"
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Post by exile on Aug 3, 2017 21:15:07 GMT -6
Good to have you, Angel. Your own experiences and the impact gaming and the associated artistry/storytelling has had upon your life reminds me of my own love of the hobby (or lifestyle, if you prefer ). My humble suggestion would only be as follows: Please remember to communicate the unique flavor of this game in whatever mediums you use for presentation. The one shortcoming I've seen in too many advertising campaigns is that they try to make the product everything to everyone, and consequently it comes across as bland, unfocused, and inevitably forgettable. As I'm sure you'll acknowledge (you've said as much already), Iga-san's games are, I believe above all else, atmospheric. It's the mystique and the allure of venturing forth into the dark and depraved which entices most fans. I consider Castlevania, at least stylistically, as the great-grandfather of games like Dark Souls. On some level, it beckoned us all to pry open the crypt and travel onward, waiting to see what the next room held in store. If this intangible aspect can somehow be showcased in a trailer or banner, I think you'll stand the best chance of generating some intrigue. I strongly encourage you to take a look at the following trailer by the competition. It's for the game "Sundered," which recently released and I posted about on this forum. It's also something of a Metroidvania game with a very distinct style. While I'd consider the game above average and certainly gorgeous as far as art direction, the gameplay is a little flawed. Nevertheless, of all the people I've spoken to, we ALL agree that they absolutely killed it with the trailer. Many of us purchased the game without hesitation based simply on this trailer, and I think it stands as one of the best I've seen to date. It shows enough to command attention while reserving enough to whet one's curiosity. Well worth your minute and a half, I promise.
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Post by exile on Aug 1, 2017 15:04:02 GMT -6
I will unequip all weapons and attempt to spare all monsters, because I'm opposed to violence. I will try to have a meaningful dialogue with them instead, and see if I can't persuade them to voluntarily yield their shards in exchange for a nice home-cooked meal and a fireside chat. I think that kindness and humili--
Oh, SCREW THAT! I will slaughter everything that runs, jumps, crawls, and flies until I eradicate their very DNA and they lose the ability to spawn.
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Post by exile on Jul 30, 2017 15:44:22 GMT -6
Curious to know the community's take on it. I'm quite enjoying it so far. The difficulty and moveset seemed prohibitive at first, but once you start to fill out your skill tree and snatch a few abilities, it really comes alive. I also think the art direction is refreshing and absolutely gorgeous. The hand-drawn art reminds me of certain '80s styles, particularly the animated cult classic, "Heavy Metal." Some of the procedurally-generated backgrounds get a little bland after a while, but I don't find them to detract too much.
How about you guys? Anyone get into this game yet? Are you enjoying it?
Seemed to scratch the itch for me while waiting on "Bloodstained."
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Post by exile on Jul 22, 2017 17:11:35 GMT -6
Not interested. I love 2-D gameplay for titles like this. Sure, there's the odd exception (I actually really loved the original "Darksiders"), but I much prefer 2-D for Metroidvania-style games. Ditto for fighting games.
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Post by exile on Jul 9, 2017 21:00:15 GMT -6
Truthfully, no, I don't want a second castle. I think this team has enough on its plate already with all of these goals. I'd rather they make one castle, make it fantastic, make the rooms detailed and well-designed, and if they have some extra time (doubtful), polish up some neat "little touches" like destructibles, innovative consumables, vanity items (extra outfits, hairstyles, etc.)
The current-gen of videogames always seem to place entirely too much emphasis on making everything BIG. Well, that's all well and good, but a big, crappy space doesn't do much for me. I'd rather have a focused, masterfully-executed playground. Now if you can accomplish both, of course I'll take it, but that's almost never the case.
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Post by exile on Jul 6, 2017 23:39:11 GMT -6
Well, the double jump is still considered "unfinished" so I would assume they're going to improve something . I certainly didn't expect the team to add anything; it was more like wishful thinking, but that would certainly be cool. You guys are obviously putting a lot of thought into this. Love it.
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Post by exile on Jul 4, 2017 14:34:39 GMT -6
But again not an original idea...hmmm.... here is an original one (kinda)... what if crystal skulls were "summoned" when she did the double jump instead of flowers lol... those skulls can make a pained look before shattering lol... or it can be both. anyone remember when Alucard would turn into a large gargoyle once in a while when he jumped and turned to stone?... what if it was a random thing for a skull to appear every-so-often when she double jumps? I think it should be so rare that people have to take a second look at it to make sure they saw it. Anyway, there is my 2 cents Creative, but I'd prefer something a little less conspicuous. Something as commonplace as a double-jump, which will be used hundreds of times per playthrough, could get tiresome quickly if the visuals were too gimmicky. I think something both stylish and subtle would be my preference. A neat flip, a special animation for her legs, something along those lines. For those who proposed a faint outline of a crystal platform, that seems to fit the bill - neat, but not too distracting.
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Post by exile on Jun 22, 2017 15:15:34 GMT -6
Dan, I think you're correct that a lot of it stems from the 2.5D highlighting graphical oddities that are far less apparent in traditional 2D. Clipping was mentioned, which has always been an issue for me, since 3-D became a thing. I don't mind if graphics aren't the best, but nothing breaks my immersion faster than seeing half a sword poking through somebody's head/back when it shouldn't, or hair sticking THROUGH a hood or helmet.
I also think some of it is more subjective. Having started with the genre in 2D, back in the 8-16 bit era when things were a lot more rough, we're simply more accustomed to making allowances in that medium.
Another factor is I think that people are (not maliciously) a little clueless about what certain processes entail and they just come out of left field with all of these comparisons and demands that don't really make much sense. Bloodstained won't (and probably shouldn't) have the speed of a fighting game. It won't have platforming like Uncharted. Unless it's a very small castle (which people obviously don't want), every piece can't be meticulously hand-crafted unless they either significantly reduce the graphics/quality, add more team members ($$), or further delay the game ($$). I personally adore Rayman Legends. I think it's the best platformer to come out in the past 10 years, easily. Gorgeous and vibrant, fantastic music, really unified overall design, tons of fun, difficulty that's whatever you want it to be - easy to complete, very challenging to play at the highest level. The thing is, Rayman uses a cartoonish art style, that while fantastically well-done, is much more forgiving than a realistic style like Bloodstained is using. The game is also a collection of fairly short levels, which allows them to be very painstakingly crafted, but I don't think that type of structure would work as well for Bloodstained if you want a seamless and unified castle.
My point is only this - I believe Bloodstained, while not perfect, looks pretty darn fantastic for the type of game it is and the budget the team is working with. I'm actually quite impressed that they are (seemingly, so far) pulling so much off. I have no problem with someone who disagrees and says, "I don't think the game looks good." What bothers me is unfair criticism that says, "The game looks like crap! It should have graphics like a fighting game that has only 12 characters and 10 stages!" or "It should be 300 hours long like Skyrim!" Stuff like that just strikes me as absurd and makes me question whether the speaker regularly walks into McDonald's and demands to be seated in a private banquet room and served champagne and caviar. Forgive the crude comparison, Bloodstained is nothing like that vomit-inducing restaurant, but you gather my meaning.
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