When I heard that a new, exclusive Castlevania game was coming out for the Wii, I think I may have pushed down a random old lady in excitement. Once I heard that it would be a 3D fighting game, I think I found that same old lady and pushed her down again, this time in anger. “Castlevania is not supposed to be a fighting game!” I exclaimed as the poor elderly woman collapsed into a nearby mud puddle.
Sadly, these first official screens from Konami aren’t helping to change my mind. Sure, some of the weapons and magic effects look kind of cool (I especially love the 2D pumpkins!), but with gorgeous and perfectly controlled fighting games like Virtua Fighter and Soul Calibur out there, what makes Castlevania Judgment so special?
Maybe I am being too harsh. Maybe once I play the game next week at E3, I will be pleasantly surprised. If the game plays great, I will be the first to admit I was wrong. Graphics aren’t the only things that matter, right? Right?
Take a gander at all the screens in the below gallery and let us know what you think. Are you excited that the Castlevania series is trying something new, or should the old ladies of the world watch their backs?
[Via GoNintendo]
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21 comments + 95764 views
oh my rod
Old ladies should watch their backs.
Castlevania should stick to what it does best. Castle exploration and demon killing. I am horribly disappointed by the new 3d fighter. I get that they want to expand the brand of Castlevania, but this is not the way.
alright i knew they were going to start making games for the sega dreamcast again!
What Spitfire said. I'd like to punch their brand manager square in the nuts.
After looking at the pictures, the phrase "cel-shaded jack o'lanterns" pretty much sums up how I feel about this particular project. I'll start caring again when the DS version comes out...unless it's a fighter, too! NOOOOOOO!
But 99 hits guys! 99 HITS
Also Sephiroth is in Castlevania?
At least we'll undoubtedly get to see plenty of creative misspellings of the word "judgment" over the next couple months.
I'm with you, Chad. Aside from having cool characters from the past Castlevania games (will that even happen here?), there's really no reason to be excited about this. I'll just keep on waiting for Order of Ecclesia.
Not digging the character designs.
@Rockvillian,
Ha ha. I thought the exact same thing. I was trying to come up with a clever Kingdom Hearts joke, but couldn't think of one. :)
up next, castlevania perfume and charlotte comes out with her own clothes and purse lines!!!
I don't care what you guys say. Maria looks adorable.
That's the only compliment I can think of right now.
:(
Looks an awful lot like every other fighting game out there. Inside, I'm crying a little bit.
Hey, Konami? You know how we go nuts for the 2D games you release(d) for the GBA and DS? And how we were relatively "bleh" about your 3D excursions? Yeah, maybe show some 2D love for the consoles and scrap the 3D shit for now, especially a 3D fighting game.
Iga says he doesn't think Wii-mote whip controls would work well, but approved a fighting game.
Hey, maybe I'll be wrong about this experiment. I really hope I am. At least we're getting OoE in the fall.
Ok, first I was excited because any game with Alucard makes me thrilled... but... Why the HELL is Simon sexier than Alucard in this game?!
Dracula looks really old. "But enough talk, have at you!"
Yikes, the first thing that comes to mind is /facepalm. Why do they hate us so much.
wow she looks hawt!
Weird. Some of the screens look pretty good and then other ones look straight out of the Dreamcast era. It's the controls that are going to make or break it though (as usual).
Chad, don't lie. You couldn't push down a naughty thought without feeling guilty, much less an old lady. But....what a strange idea for a game. Looks..kinda pretty. Occasionally. Who knows, maybe they'll clean it up and turn it into a metroidvania before E3.
I dig everything but the character designs.
Simon looks like he wants to rape me at an S&M club.
I'll be able to form a more valid opinion after E3, I suppose.
-jd
Actually, these screens have me more excited than before. Well, relatively. I wouldn't say I"m excited, but I have a more positive opinion than earlier.
It's got a Soul Calibur feel.
I am not impressed
I like the art style... if it was only kept in hand drawn 2d animation.
@Joseph
I agree, I have a more positive opinion (as a hardcore fan of the series, mind you) than before. I'm more or less anticipating what will come next.
@Joseph
I agree, I have a more positive opinion (as a hardcore fan of the series, mind you) than before. I'm more or less anticipating what will come next.
Awww, my eyes. It burns. Kill it! Kill it NOW!
(makes me glad they never made a Castlevania anime)
The decision to make this game is baffling.
Suit 1:"Hey, we could make trillions of dollars by pumping out another Castlevania iteration for the Wii!"
Suit 2:"But the Wii is all about innovation! We're creative guys, let's reinvent the Castlevania series!"
Suit 1:"Great idea! We could make it a fighting game! Nobody has EVER put a solid franchise's characters into a fighting game!"
Suit 2:"Except of course Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi, which was a brilliant success!"
Suit 1:"Yes, this world could use another Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi! We will be the company to make it!"
Anyway, I am a lost sale on this one. I would have been perfectly happy with just another iteration on the same formula.
Looks rather poor. Is there only like 4 characters? Lame.
Fail. Call me when they relase a 2D 'metroidvania' style game on a console in HD.
I am much more interested in the 3D movement through the environment and object use. You know, like 'Power Stone.'
More games should be like 'Power Stone,' really.
@Gohan
Haha, ALL games should be like Power Stone!
Et Tu Chad? It's Soul CalibUr with an U! not Caliber! Why so many people commit this mistake?
Can't say I'm terribly excited about this game considering Konami's track record with fighting games (remember Martial Champion?).
I am kinda unsure of the character designs. The character designer is Takeshi Obata who is the artist for Death Note and Hikaru no Go. I love his art, but not sure what he was thinking with these designs.
My feeling: wait and see.
wait and see here also. Though I'm glad someone else is trying to add something new to the fighter genre.
Rockvillain beat me to the Sephiroth joke.
Simon looks okay, Alucard looks like goddamn Sephiroth, MAria looks 12 again.
Dracula, however, looks awesome. He looks like if Dracula were resurrected in the year 2200 rather than his pre-1999 dealings, but his outfit looks really cool in a techno way. Unfortunately he's so out of place.
I'll play the game, or at least read someone's writeup, but I'm really wary. Good thing I still have Order of Ecclesia to look forward to.
Buckles, buckles everywhere, but not a drop to drink.
looking kinda Misa-Misa there Maria
I don't know this emotion that I'm feeling right now. It's like intrigue plus nausea. I will call it "Curiobarf."
Once again, and out of no favouritism, I'm still keeping my mind open on this game. I'm so surprised by the amount of negativity for a game you've never played. What's also interesting, is that some also seem to want normal games on Wii, but when Konami attempts to provide such with Castlevania Judgement, they still get it in the neck. Sorry guys, but that's bullshit.
Some of you say ''Castlevania is supposed to be this 2d side scroller''. WRONG!! Castlevania is Konami's IP, and whatever they deem it to be. Did you same people say this same genre shit against Sonic or Mario becoming RPGs or sports games? And how many did Mario and Sonic at the Olympics sell again? I use Mario and Sonic as examples, because they are known as platform characters, but still adjusted well to other genre.
Stepping out of a comfort zone can be a good thing. Experimentation is not something Konami haven't done much of lately, the last time being Metal Gear Acid games on PSP and the MGS Visual Novels. Even these are vital steps in changing to attract new custom.
And you know what's really insulting here, is that you same fuckers are gonna run out and buy Square Enix's Dissidia on PSP, and Capcom's SFIV (great games I'm also gonna buy), possibly because you favour them more, even though while Capcom's fighter experience is well known, Square's isn't so great but avarage). All I'm saying is try to keep an open mind until we know better, and don't count Konami out just because this Castlevania game is breaking a new genre.
Come to think of it, you should approach all game with this same open mind, but I can obviously only speak for myself. With regards to Castlevania 2d games, they aren't as popular on home consoles to push a new version. This is why Symphony of the Night hit Xbox Live and not an official hard copy release, beyond PSP. It would not sell enough to break even for Konami on home consoles.
The screens look good baring in mind they are on Wii. I do think Konami are suffering from the technical 3d limitations running through a lot of japanese games. Invest in a new graphic engine, Konami.
Paul Morel, you claim no solid license has ever succeeded in a beat em up. That's true, but don't you think there's a possibilty for secret characters from other Konami games in here. It would be great if this Castlevania game had some secret MGS characters in it.
Now there's an idea, Konami. An MGS beat em up.
If 8ing is behind this, which I have heard as being possible, then it should at least be good for some multiplayer shits and giggles...8ing's Naruto games are dumb button mashy fun.
SOUL CALIBUR
I can't believe most people still mispell the title. Dammit.
I wish you were an old lady so I could push you, too.
Yeah, this looks like Obata's handiwork alright. I can't say I'm too displeased. Simon's design seems a lot like the Cast;evania Chronicles version and looks fucking rad. Maria looks like Misa Amane. If it controls well I may just favor this over SCIV
<sarcasm>
Wow, looks like Virtua Fighter: Castlevania is coming out soon for the PSP?
</sarcasm>
Meh. Still want an HD version of side scrolling castle goodness. Hell, I'm such a tool for that stuff if they re-released SotN in HD, I'd pre-order something for once.
@rio - 2nded
however, at first i facepalmed at this... but after seeing these screens it looks like it could be pretty sweet.
id prefer another SotN game, but honestly any game with alucard is awesome, cause hes a pimp.
simon does kinda look like a diva though, they need to stop with that. and drac looks a little stiff with the cloak, i hope he moves at least, or has other forms.
this has potential.
Boo~
Is this the look of the brand new generic way of making character designs? Everyones a damn bishonen nowadays. More badass. Less pretty.
BAD KONAMI! VERY BAD!
Now go to your room and think about what you did.
Simon looks like Light Yagami's long lost, bondage loving half brother.
I like dracula tho.
What the fuck. Those are the worst character designs I have ever seen. How could they do this to Castlevania? These vomit inducing designs have killed all the excitement I had for the game.
@Cowboy TTop
Once again, and out of no favouritism, I'm still keeping my mind open on this game. I'm so surprised by the amount of negativity for a game you've never played.
I agree with this. I also feel the same way about Mortal Kombat vs DC. Both of these games have been declared basically dead on arrival almost immediately after they were announced, let alone before any real news about them started to come out. I intend to give both of them a fair shot when they're released, and if they suck, so be it, but if they don't, nuts to all the haters.
And lately these aren't the only games to have been deemed "epic fail" as soon as they were announced either. This increasing trend toward preconceived negativity, in general, is something I've seen more and more of lately, and it's rather depressing. I'm not saying be fanboys about everything, god no, but don't be anti-fanboys about everything either.
99 hit combo's give me hope that this will be better than that shit filled button mashing soul calibur game. I'm not seeing much 3-d movement in the stills, so here's hoping they adopt an awesome combo system, So I can bust some fools for reals.
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