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VariantX
151th Post

Regular Customer

"Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Thu 16 Jan 20:25

Konami always manages to put a spin on this series in some form to keep it interesting. This one lets you use enemy weapons. And its supposed to take place in 2035..... though if youre back in that musty old ever changin castle... it dosent really matter what year it is. Another strange thing..... All these shots are in full english...

http://www.gamers.com/game/101981/

Replies:

Hagen de Merak

285th Post

Copper Customer

"Re(1):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Thu 16 Jan 20:32

quote:
Konami always manages to put a spin on this series in some form to keep it interesting. This one lets you use enemy weapons. And its supposed to take place in 2035..... though if youre back in that musty old ever changin castle... it dosent really matter what year it is. Another strange thing..... All these shots are in full english...

http://www.gamers.com/game/101981/

damn you konami! i want to see a 2d castlevania on a home console! not another GBA one, they've done 2 already..........ah well, i guess i cant complain since there's a new castlevania coming out.

threesixtee
174th Post

Regular Customer

"Re(1):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Thu 16 Jan 20:34

I forget the whole story... do they use "castlevania" for all games in the series now, even in japan? or is it something to do with being a side story, not necessarily involving dracula...?

anyway, despite the year, the game looks pretty much the same, which isn't a bad thing.

CrazyMike

426th Post

Gold Customer

"Re(2):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Thu 16 Jan 21:05

While it is nice to see 2D Castlevania coming back, I wish Konami would stop spinning off so many little side story games and take time out to focus on a much larger, grander Castlevania with newer stuff and more intricate level designs etc. So far none of the GBA ones have surpasses Symphony of the Night, and I truly think if they try hard enough even with just the power of the GBA it could be done.

Another thing though I would like to see is another linear Castlevania akin to the original series and Dracula X for PC-Engine, the Metroid style ones are good but it would be fun to see the series return to its roots.

Of course even a mediocre Castlevania is still Castlevania and there are few titles in the series I do not like ^_^

Hagen de Merak

287th Post

Copper Customer

"Re(3):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Thu 16 Jan 21:13

quote:
While it is nice to see 2D Castlevania coming back, I wish Konami would stop spinning off so many little side story games and take time out to focus on a much larger, grander Castlevania with newer stuff and more intricate level designs etc. So far none of the GBA ones have surpasses Symphony of the Night, and I truly think if they try hard enough even with just the power of the GBA it could be done.

Another thing though I would like to see is another linear Castlevania akin to the original series and Dracula X for PC-Engine, the Metroid style ones are good but it would be fun to see the series return to its roots.

Of course even a mediocre Castlevania is still Castlevania and there are few titles in the series I do not like ^_^

your right, they still havent surpassed SOTN.

and that was released in 96, 97?

whitesword

1226th Post

Red Carpet Executive Member

"Re(2):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Thu 16 Jan 21:15

quote:
I forget the whole story... do they use "castlevania" for all games in the series now, even in japan? or is it something to do with being a side story, not necessarily involving dracula...?

Yep, I believe it's officially Castlevania in Japan since the last game in the series.

T-Link Sword!!!

sabo10

279th Post

Copper Customer

"Re(3):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Thu 16 Jan 21:30

quote:
I forget the whole story... do they use "castlevania" for all games in the series now, even in japan? or is it something to do with being a side story, not necessarily involving dracula...?

Yep, I believe it's officially Castlevania in Japan since the last game in the series.

I think Castlevania is one of the few name changes for North American release that sounds better than the original. Dracula is kind of a generic sounding name.

http://www.geocities.co.jp/WallStreet/7482 /

Dr Baghead

1909th Post

Gold Carpet V.I.P- Platinum Executive

"Re(2):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Thu 16 Jan 21:34

quote:
damn you konami! i want to see a 2d castlevania on a home console! not another GBA one, they've done 2 already..........ah well, i guess i cant complain since there's a new castlevania coming out.

Buy a GBPlayer and one of those bad-ass looking SNES controllers for the Gamecube. It'll be just like playing a new console Castlevania.

(off the record, I rather enjoy the GBA Castlevanias, I'll admit they're not as good as SotN but I think they're good fun for my commute at any rate)

Grave
66th Post

Occasional Customer

"Re(3):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Thu 16 Jan 21:37

quote:
While it is nice to see 2D Castlevania coming back, I wish Konami would stop spinning off so many little side story games and take time out to focus on a much larger, grander Castlevania with newer stuff and more intricate level designs etc. So far none of the GBA ones have surpasses Symphony of the Night, and I truly think if they try hard enough even with just the power of the GBA it could be done.

Another thing though I would like to see is another linear Castlevania akin to the original series and Dracula X for PC-Engine, the Metroid style ones are good but it would be fun to see the series return to its roots.

Of course even a mediocre Castlevania is still Castlevania and there are few titles in the series I do not like ^_^

I thought Circle of the Moon was an excellent game. Harmony of Dissonance improved graphics in a huge way, but the game's difficulty level is absolutely painfully low. The game's a good ten hours, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a chance to die more than once or twice, if even. The magic system ruins the game's lack of difficulty even further. There's always the no magic code, but... it seems like a lot of these free-roaming adventure-y CVs are designed to be accessable to everybody. I want a tough-as-nails linear platformer CV again. And not in 3D.

I was starting to think companies gave up on making good challenges. And then Contra: Shattered Soldier and Shinobi came out for PS2.

But yeah, I agree with Hagen. SotN has yet to be surpassed, but I think that's because they haven't taken on a project of that size again. The GBA CV games are good, but nowhere near the same magnitude as SotN. The N64 CVs were miserable, in my opinion. I'm just curious why they continue to make GBA CV after GBA CV instead of another game like SotN, or a new old-style CV.

Maybe sales are really good, heh?

kaepora
90th Post

Occasional Customer

"Re(3):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Thu 16 Jan 21:48

quote:
Buy [...] one of those bad-ass looking SNES controllers for the Gamecube.

Could you elaborate? All the GameCube controllers I've ever seen resemble the official layout that Nintendo's pads use.

(Side note: I would never have believed I would yearn for the days that third-party controllers did not make "normal design" controllers. Where are all the funky button-layout controller designs now?)

Hagen de Merak

288th Post

Copper Customer

"Re(3):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Thu 16 Jan 21:48

quote:

Buy a GBPlayer and one of those bad-ass looking SNES controllers for the Gamecube. It'll be just like playing a new console Castlevania.

yes, that is what i am going to do............SNES controllers for the GC? that sounds interesting, i havent heard of those.

RugalBernstein

3284th Post

Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master

"Re(4):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Thu 16 Jan 21:49

Boy, she looks a lot like Alucard in those screen shots. -_-

There will probably be at least one robot enemy or something, otherwise they wouldn't have bothered setting it in 2003. Maybe Death has gone technological.

Dr Baghead

1910th Post

Gold Carpet V.I.P- Platinum Executive

"Re(4):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Thu 16 Jan 22:18

quote:
Could you elaborate? All the GameCube controllers I've ever seen resemble the official layout that Nintendo's pads use.

(Side note: I would never have believed I would yearn for the days that third-party controllers did not make "normal design" controllers. Where are all the funky button-layout controller designs now?)

http://pocket.ign.com/articles/382/382653p1.html

Hori is apparently making a 'digital controller'(which means it has little use except the GBP, since all the analog functions are gone) for the Gamecube, as you can see in the pictures it's shaped like a SNES controller but with a GCN lay-out (which shouldn't be too bad)

It comes out February 21st in Japan (no US release date yet, if any)

Dr Orochi

442th Post

Gold Customer

"Re(5):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Thu 16 Jan 22:54

quote:
Maybe Death has gone technological.

Now that's an idea that I like. Perhaps they can return his strength. His last few incarnations (since SOTN) have been pathetic.

Megane
101th Post

Regular Customer

"Re(5):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Thu 16 Jan 23:28

quote:
There will probably be at least one robot enemy or something, otherwise they wouldn't have bothered setting it in 2003. Maybe Death has gone technological.

Hopefully he wouldn't appear like those floating Sigma Viruses in Megaman X5.

Grave
69th Post

Occasional Customer

"Re(6):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Fri 17 Jan 06:42

quote:
Now that's an idea that I like. Perhaps they can return his strength. His last few incarnations (since SOTN) have been pathetic.

Yeah, I remember being terrified of Death as a kid when I played CV1, because not only of how hard it was to get to him, but how hard it was to get past him! And now... he's almost harmless. I can beat boss rush mode in Harmony of Dissonance without getting hit as Maxim, and as Juste and Simon I hardly get touched as it is, including Death. Not good.

But I think of all the ways this CV could go wrong and it upsets me... Cyber Dracula? Death with a laser scythe?! My imagination is making this sound terrible, but the screenshots look pretty good...

Ishmael

431th Post

Gold Customer

"Ninja Five-O" , posted Fri 17 Jan 10:09

Funny how the slightly androgynous looking Soma is the least interesting looking thing in the screenshots, although that blue duster she's wearing is pretty spiffy looking.

But Ninja Five-O? The hell? Instead of being able to play a ninja game starring control freak Jack Lord as the name would suggest it looks like an action platformer with levels ripped straight out of Elevator Action Returns. Very strange.

NARUTO

1290th Post

Red Carpet Executive Member

"Stupid handeld port........" , posted Fri 17 Jan 11:01

I'm with Hagen de Merak on this one...
When did they understand that 2D games have their place on home Console!?!?!?!?

I've nothing against the GBA but everywhere fan are asking for a home port so, what are they doing.........

rid_hershel

4429th Post

Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master

"Non Stupid handeld port........" , posted Fri 17 Jan 11:07

They don't want 2D Castlevanias released in home systems because Symphony of the Night was a commercial failure and the GBA ones sold well. That's why.

NARUTO

1293th Post

Red Carpet Executive Member

"Re(1):Non Stupid handeld port........" , posted Fri 17 Jan 11:23

quote:
They don't want 2D Castlevanias released in home systems because Symphony of the Night was a commercial failure and the GBA ones sold well. That's why.

What SOTN a comercial failure!!!!!!!!!!
Are you sure about that we can(t find a copy of it in france now!!!

VariantX
152th Post

Regular Customer

"Re(5):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Fri 17 Jan 11:24

quote:
Boy, she looks a lot like Alucard in those screen shots. -_-

There will probably be at least one robot enemy or something, otherwise they wouldn't have bothered setting it in 2003. Maybe Death has gone technological.

Actually Soma is male. You can tell because of his voice in the game.

RugalBernstein

3286th Post

Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master

"Re(1):Non Stupid handeld port........" , posted Fri 17 Jan 11:42

quote:
....Symphony of the Night was a commercial failure.....

Umm... sorry, Rid, but it was actually one of Konami's best-selling games ever. ^_^

rid hershel

4431th Post

Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master

"Re(2):Non Stupid handeld port........" , posted Fri 17 Jan 11:49

quote:
Umm... sorry, Rid, but it was actually one of Konami's best-selling games ever. ^_^

Blame EGM, they had a column about Konami making the 3D Castlevania for N64 because SotN didn't sold as well as they planned. I know, I shouldn't trust them.

Fygee

524th Post

New Red Carpet Member

"Re(5):Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow" , posted Fri 17 Jan 12:43

quote:
Could you elaborate? All the GameCube controllers I've ever seen resemble the official layout that Nintendo's pads use.

(Side note: I would never have believed I would yearn for the days that third-party controllers did not make "normal design" controllers. Where are all the funky button-layout controller designs now?)

http://pocket.ign.com/articles/382/382653p1.html

Hori is apparently making a 'digital controller'(which means it has little use except the GBP, since all the analog functions are gone) for the Gamecube, as you can see in the pictures it's shaped like a SNES controller but with a GCN lay-out (which shouldn't be too bad)

It comes out February 21st in Japan (no US release date yet, if any)

Looks very nice, but the lack of the analog and C sticks will make it useless for many GC games, such as Metroid Prime that depend on it.

Dr Orochi

445th Post

Gold Customer

"Re(1):Non Stupid handeld port........" , posted Fri 17 Jan 13:13

quote:
They don't want 2D Castlevanias released in home systems because Symphony of the Night was a commercial failure and the GBA ones sold well. That's why.

It's mostly the fact that Castlevania isn't nearly as popular in Japan as it is elsewhere.

Radish

783th Post

Red Carpet Regular Member+

"Re(3):Non Stupid handeld port........" , posted Fri 17 Jan 13:40

quote:
Umm... sorry, Rid, but it was actually one of Konami's best-selling games ever. ^_^
Blame EGM, they had a column about Konami making the 3D Castlevania for N64 because SotN didn't sold as well as they planned. I know, I shouldn't trust them.

I think I remember it selling rather poorly in Japan, but well over here. Konami generally doesn't care how well a series in America does (with a few exceptions like the XBOX version of MGS2) so they aren't about to risk another poor selling Japanese Castlevania I guess.

Mosquiton

641th Post

Red Carpet Regular Member

"Hori Digital controller" , posted Fri 17 Jan 14:07

quote:

Looks very nice, but the lack of the analog and C sticks will make it useless for many GC games, such as Metroid Prime that depend on it.

From MagicBox: "The Hori Digital Controller is designed for games which requires digital input such as Nintendo Puzzle Collection and playing GameBoy games with the GameCube GameBoy Player."

Obviously not for playing most GCN games with. A lot of GC games disable digital control even if analog isn't exactly crucial to the game.

But, I'd never buy one. Why not just go all the way and totally replicate the SNES pad layout?

Oh yeah, and I assumed Soma was a guy when I first saw the picture. It's just that woman's art style, yo.

/ / /

Adon

853th Post

Red Carpet Regular Member++

"Re(1):Hori Digital controller" , posted Fri 17 Jan 20:40

Well it is nice to know there is some sort of 2D goodness coming this year. Considering I don't have much faith in Capcom at the moment for any new 2D intallments. Hopefully I will be proved wrong on that one.

Mosquiton

645th Post

Red Carpet Regular Member

"Capcom 2D - still strong, yo." , posted Sat 18 Jan 10:01:

quote:
Well it is nice to know there is some sort of 2D goodness coming this year. Considering I don't have much faith in Capcom at the moment for any new 2D intallments. Hopefully I will be proved wrong on that one.

Mega Man Battle Network 3 is 2D in graphic format, although it's not a sidescroller.

Onimusha Tactics is 2D in graphic format, although it is an isometric strategy game.

Now, if you're talking about gameplay you have Viewtiful Joe. It looks to me that Gradius V will feature 3D enemies, so it seems they're about even here.

Granted, Konami has Aria of Sorrow and Ninja Five-0, but Capcom has plenty of 2D graphics and a promising 2D gameplay title on the way this year.

/ / /

[this message was edited by Mosquiton on Sat 18 Jan 10:03]