I, for one, am uncharacteristically excited about the new Castlevania game which was announced at Konami's E3 press conference. I have yet to really enjoy a 3D game in the franchise but I'm strangely hopeful that this one is going to be good because the trailer just looks so damn exciting.
Yeah, there's a very good chance that it'll be an awful clone of games like God of War and Devil May Cry, but it's been so long since we had a really good Castlevania title on a home console that I can't help but pray that this one will break a long-running trend. Check out the above trailer and then venture into the gallery for some screenshots.
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I'm crossing my fingers, hoping against hope. I hope they nail the atmosphere, get the same composer on the soundtrack, show more than ruin and ruble.
If it was going to be similar in play to either GoW or DMC, I would rather it be more GoW.
I've waited long for a non-portable Castlevania game. Secretly (okay, publically) I've always hoped for a HD sprite based game, or even a 2D-in-3D game like Shadow Complex, but I know industry bean counters would shy from those ideas.
Don't muck it up guys, bring us some classic Castlevania.
It could actually be good! My only concern from this trailer is the music. It was a generic orchestral score, rather than the amazing music that generally accompanies a Castlevania. Hopefully Kojima and Mercury Steam will be able to make a truly great game, though.
That was motherfuckin epic. I didn't think I would ever be excited for another 3D Castlevania game. A lot of trailers take the "epic" angle, but are kind of like, "whatevs". Some how the music, the visuals and the action all seemed amazing, and gave me that truly epic vibe. Maybe it's just my interest in the Castlevania franchise. That music especially blew my mind though. It sounded truly epic, not hokey or derivative like a lot of epic film scores tend to. But again, that might just be because it's Castlevania, which always gives me a giant erection...
Well, if it's half as good as the trailer I'm buying it, but seriously, how is this a Castlevania game?
It's like they were developing the game as Lords of Shadow and then someone higher up said, "Hey, this is kind of like a vampire-y game right? Slap the Castlevania name on it and it'll sell 10 times more!"
The only part of this trailer that at all enticed me was Patrick Stewart. Throw in some Sir Ian McKellen in there and that's another step in the right direction. They work well together.
That said, that trailer looked boring. If I wanted that kind of action, I'd just go get me some God of War III. Which I will be. Multiple times. This just looks derivative. It's like new Dante's Inferno set in the Van Helsing universe. Whatever.
What would have been awesome is if I could have watched the beginning without having to listen to the friggin' pimple ad off to the side of the site. Christ, no way to turn it off? I had to wait for the stupid thing to stop before I could watch the trailer.
Oh, and look: it's on every page. Fantastic.
Anyway...I'm not going to let myself get too excited just yet. I love me some Castlevania, but as it has been already said, this could easily turn into a crap-GoW clone.
Good call, Konami. This is just what the Castlevania series needed. A reboot from fresh eyes. Yeah, I liked the trialer and will nvest in a copy of it.
Comparisons to God of War and Devil May Cry are kind of unfair, while I understand such views. Castlevania was always an action game, long before those series, but becuase japanese game design suffered from the 2d to 3d transition, it took a long while for Konami to get Castlevania in 3d right. Hell, Konami tried twice on N64, and still didn't get it right, which is why the series languished in 2d for the most part.
Its positive to see Konami going with more outsourcing, and I hope that they'll get round to making my Ring of Red sequel sometime.
Yeah, love the positive use of the whip again, no matter how God of War like it might look. I'll look forward to it in Space year 2010. Well done, Konami and Mercury.
Vampire hunters have been swingin chains a lot longer than Kratos, but GoWIII will rock too! Bring on the Epic action in 2010! That one giant in the trailer reminded me so much of Shadows of the Colosus. Got goosebumps. Looks like the production team is drawing influence from many awesome game mechanics.
I would rather see a 2D game with new pixel art, but this I can swallow. I really did enjoy the two 3D games on the PS2. The N64 game never happened as far as I'm concerned.
I love Castlevania, and I was so hyped when I heard about the game, but this trailer kills it for me. Does anyone really want Castlevania to be reinvented? Or do they want everything that made the Castlevania series great to be transitioned into 3D properly? I personally choose the latter.
@Gimic300 - Transferring "everything that made the Castlevania series great" to a 3D experience sounds exactly like a "reinvention".
Considering that there are clips of so many power-ups already shown in this trailer, I really get the feeling that this game will feature the same kind of adventure experience found in CV:SotN. The bosses, however, look like they will trump all of the others in the series... wow. Watching Gabriel climb that giant ice-golem reminded me so much of Shadows of the Colossus!
God of war clone? Devil may cry clone? It's fucking Castlevania! That looks amazing, and we all know that anything Kojima touches, or even merely breathes on is pure gold. I can't wait for this.
Oh, and Patrick Stewart FTMFW! Best narrator ever.
It looks really cool. They have to make the combat really fun and make the game actually as epic as the trailer was, or else this will be a mediocre game.
In fact, I'm not really scared this game will suck, I'm scared it will be mediocre.
welkstar: Damn Straight. I'm glad they got their FF character design out of my Castlevania.
As for the God of War/Devil May Cry comparisons, I'm not sure there is any other way they could have done it. I just hope it's more Devil May Cry than God of War.
The reality of the situation is, that this is what 3d action games look like now. While the N64 versions were rather dump, they were also valuable learning lesson for Konami. The PS2 games were moving in the right direction, but were still lacking something 3d games need.
With a western studio helping them, Konami I think will now begin a real phoenix like comeback. I'll support this game, because I love the series and they need to break the MGS cycle. Konami should be about more than a few game IPs. Start diggin through those forgotten IP like Lucky and Wild, Sunset Riders and give them some 3d loving.
Oh yeah, Konami. Learn from Capcom, and try to converse with your fans, so you know what they want via websites.
Patrick Stewart?! Oh lawd. The trailer looked cool, but I liked it better when the vampire hunter was just a human with a whip. Not some steroid engine of destruction.
I'm curious to see if this will approach the complexity and depth of SotN. Then, there is a chance. Even a good DMC\GoW clone can't do the Castlevania series justice.
If they nail the combat, this could be good. They MUST get Michiru Yamane and other castlevania composers like Yuzo Koshiro in to do the soundtrack. MUST!!!!
Still, a gorgeous, HD, 2D sprite game would still be better in my opinion. Oh, if only.....
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Contest:
1:40 AM on 06.04.2009
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If it was going to be similar in play to either GoW or DMC, I would rather it be more GoW.
I've waited long for a non-portable Castlevania game. Secretly (okay, publically) I've always hoped for a HD sprite based game, or even a 2D-in-3D game like Shadow Complex, but I know industry bean counters would shy from those ideas.
Don't muck it up guys, bring us some classic Castlevania.
That was so incredibly epic, OH MY GOD and MOTHERFUCKING PATRICK STEWART.
This is a must buy for me, that trailer alone sold me, just epic from start to finish.
It's like they were developing the game as Lords of Shadow and then someone higher up said, "Hey, this is kind of like a vampire-y game right? Slap the Castlevania name on it and it'll sell 10 times more!"
2010 is going to be a fantastic year.
I will play it for I am a big Robert carlye fan
That said, that trailer looked boring. If I wanted that kind of action, I'd just go get me some God of War III. Which I will be. Multiple times. This just looks derivative. It's like new Dante's Inferno set in the Van Helsing universe. Whatever.
Oh, and look: it's on every page. Fantastic.
Anyway...I'm not going to let myself get too excited just yet. I love me some Castlevania, but as it has been already said, this could easily turn into a crap-GoW clone.
Comparisons to God of War and Devil May Cry are kind of unfair, while I understand such views. Castlevania was always an action game, long before those series, but becuase japanese game design suffered from the 2d to 3d transition, it took a long while for Konami to get Castlevania in 3d right. Hell, Konami tried twice on N64, and still didn't get it right, which is why the series languished in 2d for the most part.
Its positive to see Konami going with more outsourcing, and I hope that they'll get round to making my Ring of Red sequel sometime.
Yeah, love the positive use of the whip again, no matter how God of War like it might look. I'll look forward to it in Space year 2010. Well done, Konami and Mercury.
I love Castlevania, and I was so hyped when I heard about the game, but this trailer kills it for me. Does anyone really want Castlevania to be reinvented? Or do they want everything that made the Castlevania series great to be transitioned into 3D properly? I personally choose the latter.
However, this project combines Castlevania, Hideo Kojima, and Patrick Fucking Stewart. This one is out of my hands, I HAVE to play it.
Considering that there are clips of so many power-ups already shown in this trailer, I really get the feeling that this game will feature the same kind of adventure experience found in CV:SotN. The bosses, however, look like they will trump all of the others in the series... wow. Watching Gabriel climb that giant ice-golem reminded me so much of Shadows of the Colossus!
Oh, and Patrick Stewart FTMFW! Best narrator ever.
I'm blown away by the names they've got behind this. And it's about time they returned to a manly main character.
In fact, I'm not really scared this game will suck, I'm scared it will be mediocre.
As for the God of War/Devil May Cry comparisons, I'm not sure there is any other way they could have done it. I just hope it's more Devil May Cry than God of War.
With a western studio helping them, Konami I think will now begin a real phoenix like comeback. I'll support this game, because I love the series and they need to break the MGS cycle. Konami should be about more than a few game IPs. Start diggin through those forgotten IP like Lucky and Wild, Sunset Riders and give them some 3d loving.
Oh yeah, Konami. Learn from Capcom, and try to converse with your fans, so you know what they want via websites.
But man... I want my HD 2D ARPG.
hope they don't Fuck it up
but its headed by the man so its okay
This trailer rubs me the right way. :O)
Still, a gorgeous, HD, 2D sprite game would still be better in my opinion. Oh, if only.....