Castlevania Thread

[Tylorious]

I couldn't find one, maybe because no one likes this game series. But I personally am a life long fan and would love to spark some conversation with everyone here. Anyone else enjoy this game and have 100 percent completion on all titles? I am a huge fan of harmony of despair and have been playing it ever since it came out for the 360...if anyone here plays it and would like to join me, my gamer tag is "son of skeletor".

[KillianHawkeye]

This is a great series, one of the true classics. They always have a great soundtrack. I haven't played any of the newer ones because it looks like they became God of War wannabes at some point. The middle of the series (Symphony of the Night and the ones that tried to copy it) was the best IMO. I've been thinking of picking up the XBLA version of SotN just to see if adding achievements would make the game fun to play again, but if I really wanted to I can dust off my old Playstation any time I want so I've been waffling on it.

[MLai]

The games in general are basically just (good) platformers and then (good) platform-explorers.
But what is the mythology of the franchise? I haven't been keeping up. I have played C1, C2, C3, and SOTN... so that's all the mythos I know: the Belmont bloodline and Alucard. What's the story nowadays?

[KillianHawkeye]

The games in general are basically just (good) platformers and then (good) platform-explorers.
But what is the mythology of the franchise? I haven't been keeping up. I have played C1, C2, C3, and SOTN... so that's all the mythos I know: the Belmont bloodline and Alucard. What's the story nowadays?

Well I think the more recent titles have been featuring different Belmonts and/or taking place in different time periods, but I'm not really sure about the details.

[The Troubadour]

I'm a fan of the classics, myself. Rondo of Blood is the best one in my opinion, followed closely by Castlevania 3.
I hate Symphony of the Night with a passion, simply because it used a nonsensical plot (Shaft had already been killed twice in RoB, and since when can a Belmont be controlled so easily? Wouldn't Dracula have done it before if it was possible?) to basically undo Rondo and turn Richter into Shaft's pawn just so pretty-boy Alucard can be the hero. Blergh.
And as a game, it's too freaking easy.

[Tylorious]

The games in general are basically just (good) platformers and then (good) platform-explorers.
But what is the mythology of the franchise? I haven't been keeping up. I have played C1, C2, C3, and SOTN... so that's all the mythos I know: the Belmont bloodline and Alucard. What's the story nowadays?

Well, the Lords of Shadow series has basically been written with creative liberties, kind of like the new wizard of oz movie so the story is seperate from the other games...You start off as Gabriel Belmont who just lost his wife Marie to the forces of darkness that roam the lands. After losing her, he vows to destroy them and goes on a quest to do so. He kills the Lords of Darkness and, in doing so slowly corrupts his spirit. "If you continue to fight monsters, you will become one yourself." Eventually Gabriel Belmont becomes Dracula.

At the beginning of the second lords of shadow game, Mirror of Fate for the 3DS. You discover that Gabriel had a son with Marie that she gave birth to while Gabriel was out on a quest, this all took place before the first game. Baby's name was Trevor. Trevor was taken away from Marie by the Brotherhood of Light who raised him. Upon finding out that Marie died, Trevor set out on a quest of his own to kill the forces of evil, only by the time he reached his goal, the evil head honcho was none other than, you guessed it, Dracula. Dracula defeated Trevor, but then he discovered through the Mirror of Fate that Trevor was actually his son, so he tried to turn him before he died. Dracula buried Trevor in a tomb and inscribed the name Alucard on its lid.

Trevor also had a son named Simon, but I'm running out of time right now. Hope you enjoyed the read.

[Alejandro]

What a terrible night to have a curse.

[Tengu_temp]

2d Metroidvanias all the way. The exploration aspect is what makes the Castlevania games so good.

Order of Ecclesia might be my favorite - it's the most polished from the DS titles, and it lets me spam axes all the time as my main weapon. Because axes are awesome. If only some of the subquests weren't so grindy... I still have a subconscious negative reaction to the word "mandragora".

[Tylorious]

I still have a subconscious negative reaction to the word "mandragora".

Understandably so, but I think my least favorite was the white, if I'm remembering correctly. Having to kill all those ghouls just to get one to appear was by far the worst thing ever. But Harmony of Despair is SO fun. I mean what is the only thing Castlevania has ever been missing? Multiplayer! And now it has it and the combo is amazing.

[SiuiS]

HoD is the bee's knees! Charlotte is crazy fun. All those games where te guys with sonic boots blitz past? Never again when you're a free source of HP!

A lot of the grinding is blegh, but with friends it is crazy fun.

[Tengu_temp]

I never played HoD and probably never will. A plot-less multiplayer Castlevania that focuses on grinding rather than progression through the castle doesn't sound like something I'd like.

[Tylorious]

HoD is the bee's knees! Charlotte is crazy fun. All those games where te guys with sonic boots blitz past? Never again when you're a free source of HP!

A lot of the grinding is blegh, but with friends it is crazy fun.

hey, do you have it on the 360 and want to play?

[DigoDragon]

SotN was the last one I played in the series and my favorite. Haven't had the chance to keep going since, but I'm sure there was one for the DS somewhere.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

I played 2 & 3 when I was young. Never did beat 3. It was rare enough if I could get past Death in that one. However 2 wasn't to hard because I learned how to stun lock enemies.

SotN was fun, but got easy to break if you learned the OP weapons or abilities.

I loved Portrait of Ruin. All 3 modes of play were fun. Sisters mode was rather easy though but interesting.

I hated Dawn of Sorrow. The glyphs you had to draw were too annoying and easy to fail resulting in hopeless boss fights if you couldn't get the stupid glyph in a couple of tries.

[Gnoman]

SotN was fun, but got easy to break if you learned the OP weapons or abilities.


Grinding for the rarest and most powerful weapons was hardly necessary. Even without them, the game was a cakewalk. When I played through the PSX version, it took longer for most bosses to display their death animation than actually killing them did, and I did *not* have the best gear.

[MLai]

If I didn't read about it in a game mag, I would have never found 50% of the game of SOTN. You know of what I speak.
The game itself offered little to no hints that there was such a major secret to itself. But it was a way cool secret.
I don't remember whether it was easy or not, though. Exploration platformers are never too hard, just time consuming with all the backtracking.

[Gnoman]

I was already conditioned to attack every wall, which helped enormously in finding the secrets. I was merely commenting on the anemic difficulty level.

[KillianHawkeye]

I was already conditioned to attack every wall, which helped enormously in finding the secrets. I was merely commenting on the anemic difficulty level.

Maaaaaan I remember there was a switch that opened the way to the lower caves of the castle, and no matter what I did I couldn't hit it. I came back that way much later and it turns out you just needed to have the right familiar equipped and they'd go and hit the switch for you! That pissed me off so much. :smallannoyed::smallamused:

[Thrawn4]

Clock Tower!

Now go and despair.

[Jenfrag]

Well I think the more recent titles have been featuring different Belmonts and/or taking place in different time periods, but I'm not really sure about the details.

It would be helpful if someone can share the full details on this one. I would say,I find this game interesting to a degree of 3 out of 5.

[Tylorious]

It would be helpful if someone can share the full details on this one. I would say,I find this game interesting to a degree of 3 out of 5.

check out my comment further up with the spoiler, i explained it pretty in depth, it is comment #6

[KillianHawkeye]

It would be helpful if someone can share the full details on this one. I would say,I find this game interesting to a degree of 3 out of 5.

check out my comment further up with the spoiler, i explained it pretty in depth, it is comment #6

In addition, the games that came out right after Symphony of the Night started introducing new characters, many of whom only had the one game. Castlevania 64 had some dude who wasn't even a Belmont (although he was supposed to be a relative of them). Then there were the Gameboy Advance games which each had unique protagonist characters that I don't remember anything about, although I know one of them was a different Belmont. Then I think there were a couple Castlevania games on the Playstation 2, with yet other characters.

Compare that to the early games in the Castlevania series. Simon Belmont was the star of 3 out of the first 4 games in the series. Castevania 3's main character was Trevor Belmont (Simon's grandfather I think?), but IIRC the plot of that game was that Dracula went back in time to kill Simon's ancestor so that Simon would never be born and kill Dracula, so it was still about Simon even though he was not present.

The point is that I don't think any character has been in as many games in the series as Simon Belmont was. After Simon, the hero of the series became <insert name> Belmont, or occaisionally someone completely unrelated to the Belmont clan, and the series stopped having a coherent storyline that connected the games together.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

In addition, the games that came out right after Symphony of the Night started introducing new characters, many of whom only had the one game. Castlevania 64 had some dude who wasn't even a Belmont (although he was supposed to be a relative of them). Then there were the Gameboy Advance games which each had unique protagonist characters that I don't remember anything about, although I know one of them was a different Belmont. Then I think there were a couple Castlevania games on the Playstation 2, with yet other characters.

Compare that to the early games in the Castlevania series. Simon Belmont was the star of 3 out of the first 4 games in the series. Castevania 3's main character was Trevor Belmont (Simon's grandfather I think?), but IIRC the plot of that game was that Dracula went back in time to kill Simon's ancestor so that Simon would never be born and kill Dracula, so it was still about Simon even though he was not present.

The point is that I don't think any character has been in as many games in the series as Simon Belmont was. After Simon, the hero of the series became <insert name> Belmont, or occaisionally someone completely unrelated to the Belmont clan, and the series stopped having a coherent storyline that connected the games together.

You are forgetting the 2 game boy installments that featured different Belmont protagonists. Also Super Castlevania was a remake of Castlevania 1. So Simon was only the protagonist of 2/5 games. Furthermore Castlevania 3 does not feature time travel in any of the plot.

[Tengu_temp]

I hated Dawn of Sorrow. The glyphs you had to draw were too annoying and easy to fail resulting in hopeless boss fights if you couldn't get the stupid glyph in a couple of tries.

Holy crap, those glyphs. A gimmick thrown in only to showcase the DS's touch pad, drawing some of the later ones was incredibly frustrating and forced me to repeat some boss battles way, way too many times. At least the rest of the game was pretty cool, but those glyphs were just inexcusable.

[KillianHawkeye]

You are forgetting the 2 game boy installments that featured different Belmont protagonists. Also Super Castlevania was a remake of Castlevania 1. So Simon was only the protagonist of 2/5 games. Furthermore Castlevania 3 does not feature time travel in any of the plot.

Oh yeah, one of them was a girl Belmont, right? Looks like my memory is not what it used to be. :smallsigh:

[MLai]

For me the main protags the Castlevania series has always been Simon Belmont (or someone who is a Belmont and looks/plays very similar, such as Trevor) and Alucard. I know Alucard is in quite a few games, right?
I know there are lots of other characters off and on, but I've lost track.
And is even Dracula a series regular, or has he been replaced by other villains?

I don't like the implication that Dracula is just a title (yes I know it's a title, but I mean I feel there's only one person worthy of it), and that he's not the original (exaggerated myth of) Vlad III as we know him. So that new storyline (as detailed in Comment #6) sounds stupid to me.

[The Troubadour]

The point is that I don't think any character has been in as many games in the series as Simon Belmont was. After Simon, the hero of the series became <insert name> Belmont, or occaisionally someone completely unrelated to the Belmont clan, and the series stopped having a coherent storyline that connected the games together.

Sort of. Simon is the protagonist of Castlevania 1 and 2; other games that have him as the main character (like Super Castlevania IV) are actually a remake of 1.
And no, there was not time travel in 3. It really was just a prequel to the original game.


I know Alucard is in quite a few games, right?

As the protagonist? Only in Symphony of the Night, although he was one of the secondary characters in 3 (which was also his first appearance), an NPC in Aria of Sorrow and its sequel, and a boss in Castlevania... Legends, I think? The one with Sonia Belmont as the protagonist.

[SiuiS]

I never played HoD and probably never will. A plot-less multiplayer Castlevania that focuses on grinding rather than progression through the castle doesn't sound like something I'd like.

Castlevania has never been about the story for me. I started playing when I was 2, so it always been platforming and ambience.


hey, do you have it on the 360 and want to play?

Sure, but I'm on sporadically.
Starry Notions on XBL.


In addition, the games that came out right after Symphony of the Night started introducing new characters, many of whom only had the one game. Castlevania 64 had some dude who wasn't even a Belmont (although he was supposed to be a relative of them). Then there were the Gameboy Advance games which each had unique protagonist characters that I don't remember anything about, although I know one of them was a different Belmont. Then I think there were a couple Castlevania games on the Playstation 2, with yet other characters.

Compare that to the early games in the Castlevania series. Simon Belmont was the star of 3 out of the first 4 games in the series. Castevania 3's main character was Trevor Belmont (Simon's grandfather I think?), but IIRC the plot of that game was that Dracula went back in time to kill Simon's ancestor so that Simon would never be born and kill Dracula, so it was still about Simon even though he was not present.

The point is that I don't think any character has been in as many games in the series as Simon Belmont was. After Simon, the hero of the series became <insert name> Belmont, or occaisionally someone completely unrelated to the Belmont clan, and the series stopped having a coherent storyline that connected the games together.

yeah. Let's see.

Castlevania 3: dracula's curse was the big one as far as story goes. We get Alucard, a Dracula fight fake-out. We get Sypha Belnades, a witch/sorcerer who is also tasked with destroying Dracula. Alucard shows up several times after that, and the Belnades clan resurfaces in one way or another as an excuse for female protagonists with magic – Yoko Belnades, for one, and Maria Renard, there being conjecture that 'Renard' and 'Belnades' were supposed to be the same or account for lingual drift. It shaped the flow of the rest of the series and is where the first bits of canon/lore really creep in.

Man, I miss old Nintendo games. The days when reason the back of a game box was fun...

Harmony of Despair has several of these.

Soma: Dracula reincarnated, claims the souls of his enemies and uses them for power.
Alucard: son of Dracula, gets dracula powers like soul steal and his signature 'fireballs from my cape' attack.
Shanoa: from order of ecclesia, absorb enemy magics into her tramp-stamp to learn them, gets stronger through use.
Charlotte: absorb enemy spells trough a magic circle, returns them. Dresses nice.
Jonathan: no clue. Same game as Charlotte, but uses hunter weapons – knives, axe, holy water, boomerang/cross, etc. – and gets Stronger from use.

Game also includes Simon, Julius and Richter Belmont as DLC, as well as Maria Renard, Yoko Belnades and Fuma (from an unrelated series inspired by Castlevania).

The story from some of these is ridiculous though. Dracula reincarnated as a pretty boy who gathers souls in the year 1999 to prevent his own resurrection as the demon lord Dracula instead of as a pale human with ungodly power. Because that makes sense as anything but an attempt at justifying platforming.

[Tylorious]

The story from some of these is ridiculous though. Dracula reincarnated as a pretty boy who gathers souls in the year 1999 to prevent his own resurrection as the demon lord Dracula instead of as a pale human with ungodly power. Because that makes sense as anything but an attempt at justifying platforming.

That is the truest thing i've heard in a while. though i absolutely love the game play of aos and dos, the story is the most ridiculous plot i have ever heard. But I don't even use Soma in HoD because he is a little bit over-powered and I prefer enjoying my game over beasting it, so I use Alucard and Charlotte. But I will add you some time this week and just send you an invite when I see you on.

[Tylorious]

I do have one question though about the game that I need clarification on. I know what all the stats do in the game, but I don't know what stats are required to raise the damage of whip-users sub-weapons. Anybody know what stat i need to increase?

[Callos_DeTerran]

That would be intelligence, like all magical skills.

[Tylorious]

That would be intelligence, like all magical skills.

Are you certain?

[Callos_DeTerran]

Yep! Sub-weapons are increased by Int just like Charlotte's/Yoko's/Shanoa's/Maria's/Alucard's/Soma's various spells/souls/etc. That's why the Retro Cloak boosts sub-weapon damage.

[Tylorious]

Thank you very much, that is awesome!