Castlevania Series

[Z]

http://www.consolesengames.nl/images/Castlevania_the_dracula_x_chronicles_PSP.jpg

I've been thinking for a while about whether or not to get Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles.

Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles is a compilation of sorts, featuring a completely remastered version of a previously unreleased Castlevania game: Rondo of Blood. It also includes the original Rondo of Blood, as well as (here it comes) the original Symphony of the Night, an incredible fan-favorite. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Castlevania series, you're dealing with a side-scrolling action platformer that pits you against a host of demons, ghouls and vampires in an attempt to slay Dracula and his dark minions. Anyone uncomfortable with extremely intense, old-school platforming may want to look elsewhere for their gothic fix - the remastered Rondo of Blood is really hard, and often times it's just downright frustrating. Casual gamers beware: it'll suck your blood.

I have never played a Castlevania game and the fact that everyone is saying that Rondo is extremely difficult isn't really an attractive feature to me (I play games more for fun than for the challenge) but still, Castlevania seems to be a legendary series so I may have to just check it out via DXC.

Anyone else play? What do you think? If you could reference another series that if very similar in gameplay (to give me an idea of what to expect) which game would you feel is most similar?

[SpaceProg]

I don't have a PSP (yet). If I did, I'd just get it for Symphony of the Night, that game is so kickass.

I'm not much into the classic style of Castlevania, though they were okay. The turning point was probably Castlevania 64. Yeah, I actually liked that one. Then the side scrolling ones came along with SotN, and I was hooked.

[deathofcheese]

Although it might not be the best one to start out with either chronologically, release-wise or game play-wise, Symphony of the Night is, by far, the best Castlevania in the entire series. It's a "fan-favorite" for a reason.

If you'd like, I can hook you up with emulators and images for the first four Castlevania games, the first three for the NES and the canon one released for the SNES. Castlevania 1, 3, and 4 were all more-or-less the traditional platformer-style games, although 3 had characters you could switch out as that each had different play styles. Castlevania 2 was more of an action RPG like Symphony of the Night, but isn't as popular as the rest. I'm not very knowledgable about the other PSX, PS2, and other platform games. I've played a couple of the PS2 games as well as the GBA games, but they were largely unimpressive.

[Z]

I've still got my N64 but not all the coords. I could go to Game Over and buy the right stuff, though.

What would be the best game to start on (I'm assuming the series' story has continuity)

Badass, deathofcheese. I may have to look into that (the emulators/roms)

[SpaceProg]

Well... The best place to start would be at the beginning. Castlevania 1. It's what I started with... though it was also the only one out at the time....

[Z]

I only ask because technically Metal Gear started out with Metal Gear 1 on the NES but people could easily start into Metal Gear Solid on the PSX without missing too much of the storyline (as it all gets repeated and reiterated in the Solid series) and I wasn't sure if Castlevania was the same way; where there is a point at which people new to the series can start rather than starting at the very, very beginning.

But, ya, more and more it's looking like the best action would be to start from the beginning and work my way up just to make sure I like the feel of the game.

[SpaceProg]

Just know that the style of the games changed quite a bit from CV's 1-Rondo and Bloodlines, and the side-scroller SoTN type games. Don't judge one bunch by the others.

[deathofcheese]

I wouldn't worry too much about missing out on the story. Aside from the Castlevania that takes place in the 1100s (more or less the 'birth' of Dracula), there's not much story that carries over from one to the next. Castlevania pretty much had no story aside from "oh noes, Dracula is here and bad and he needs to be stopped by (insert name here) Belmont, as the Belmont clan are the ones that fight Dracula". Castlevania 2 featured the same guy from the first one, who supposedly got cursed and needs to fix himself (I never played it). Castlevania 3 introduces new characters, but the only important one is Alucard, Dracula's half-vampire half-human son, and also the hero of Symphony of the Night. Castlevania 4 also features the same guy from 1 and 2, except it's a re-telling of Castlevania 1, so not much new is added. Symphony of the Night opens with (and features) several people from Rondo of Blood (which was only unreleased outside of Japan and was also known as Dracula X or 10).

But yeah, don't worry about the story. Not much carries over that's important other than the Dracula legend (several entries attempt to reinvent this story but it's pretty much the same) and some of the characters, their relations to other characters and their deeds from previous games.

[SpaceProg]

It was released, Rondo was. Somewhat, anyway. It was a slimmed down port to the SNES. I've only played it via ROM though. It's okay, but not nearly complete as the original, and the last boss' final form was changed completely. The play control is a little bit slow compared to Super Castlevania. It was called (I think) Castlevania: Vampire's Kiss. Or something of that nature.

[Killer_Man_]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castlevania To be honest, you can pick up any castlevania and still get it all. All that happens is usually OH NO DRACULA HAS COME BACK!?!! WE MUST GO VANQUISH HIM BEFORE HE GETS FULL POWER! OH NOS HE HAS FULL POWER DEMON FORM! If you want to start from the 'begining' I would suggest get Lament of the Innocent and the one after that. Because that's when it explains more of how it all began. How Dracula got his power and all. I would share more if you like but I don't want to ruin Lament of the Innocent for you. Oh and I would note that I played them all save for the DS one(If there is one,) SoTN and the second one on the PS2. Other than that, I played most to all.

[Gio Takahashi]

Sadly as much as i wanted to play that, I've yet to touch any of it.

[llama_egg]

But yet, no one mentioned the newest one in production? How about a super awesome amazingly good Wii Castlevania fighting game.

...

I wish I wasn't serious.

[SpaceProg]

I own both Lament of Innocence and Curse of Darkness for the PS2. I enjoyed them both, but thought that Curse of Darkness was more involving as far as gameplay goes. I like raising up all the little crystal critters.

KM's right though. So far Lament of Innocence is the first when it comes to chronological setting. I think it's during or right after the Crusades if I'm not mistaken.

[Killer_Man_]

I think it's after, it is the first one and I doubt it'd be any other before Lament. Why?

Spoil in the hidden text.

Because Lament is how they came to possess the Vampire Killer whip and he vows that his family will hunt the night forever when he had to kill his woman.

[Bodomi]

One thing about the Castlevania series is that pretty much all of those games have awesome music.

Symphony of The Night is easily the best of them, followed by Aria of Sorrow.

[Seegtease]

Oh yes, I tend to enjoy all the SotN music. I've heard some killer remixes of the NES songs (the originals are good too if you like NES music).

[SpaceProg]

Some of my fave songs come originally from the NES versions. Vampire Killer, Bloodlines, Stalker, Wicked Child, Heart of Fire... good stuff.

[Killer_Man_]

You know, Castlevania is the only series that I don't mind them remixing Vampire Killer over and over. Not to mention the sheer fact it sounds fresh and good.

That and it lets you know you are about to face Dracula.

[Seegtease]

Every time I listen to Vampire Killer remixes I'm about to face Dracula?!

[SpaceProg]

Oh, that reminds me. I think I like just about every remix of Dance of Illusion (the song that plays when you fight Dracula) that's been on the games, but the one for Castlevania 64 is still my favorite. I've got the OST for Castlevania 64 and it's my fave track on there.

[Seegtease]

I need to try that game. Is Castlevania 64 any good?

[SpaceProg]

In my opinion it is. There's another version of the game also called Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness about a werewolf named Cornell that has his own storyline along with Carrie Fernandez and Rienhardt Stiener.

I'd recommend both, really, but they're set in the same place, just the different characters take different routes.

Lots of people didn't like it but I thought it was fun. The music was great too, and there's this part where you have to carry around a bomb and if you so much as jump or get hit by an enemy... boom! That was fun. :D I thought it has some nice originality to it. If you can handle some anachronisms, like skeletons riding motorbikes (which I thought was both funny and kickass), it's worth a try. I think you can download it on the Wii. I've not seen cartridges for either game for a while, so It may be hard to find for N64 (For those of us who never throw a system away...)

[Seegtease]

I'm more curious about the gameplay. I'm sure the story is nice, but a lot of N64 games are hit or miss. Some have clunky controls, or it becomes very difficult to do some things, or some are just too difficult (in an irritating way).

[deathofcheese]

I think Legacy of Darkness was a pseudo remake of Castlevania 64 which included all the content that had been left out for time purposes and probably bug fixes.

I liked Castlevania 64 when I played it but I thought they could've done a smoother job of the 3D transition as well as make it a little more Castlevania-y. But I think it's good and worthy of play.

[SpaceProg]

The only problem I had with C:64 as far as gameplay went, was you have to be extra careful in the areas where you have to do a lot of jumping from platform to platform. Some camera adjusting would probably be necessary. With practice though I didn't notice much of a problem.

[Z]

I think all this discussion has sold me on Dracula X Chronicles (if only for Symphony of the Night, if nothing else) and it that works out, I may have to check out the others.

[SpaceProg]

I think you'll like em. :)

[Z]

Well, I went ahead about bought Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles. Right now, however, instead of being able to select a game, it automatically started me up on Rondo so I'm not sure if it's one of those things where you have to play through a game to unlock the others or not. I hope I just missed an option or something.

The FMVs are cool, the 2d with a 3d look isn't as weird as I thought it would be, and I'm enjoying it overall. Right now I'm stuck on a werewolf boss, though. He's GAME OVER'd me twice now, lol.