Castlevania Miscellanies

Anything from run & guns to modern RPGs, what else do you play?
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FinalBaton
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by FinalBaton »

BIL wrote:Yep, 110% i-frames :cool: I like to use it on the st4 boss's rushing attacks, you can go straight through him with impunity. EDIT: god that replay is trash, I've been meaning to do a better one for seven years now. :lol: (just looking at it I immediately remember, the POW whip is slightly "heavier"/slower and needs subtly different timing)
ah, I knew it gave you iframes. what I got from your zombie gif was that it caused damage. but maybe you hit right after or something?
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BIL
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by BIL »

Oh yeah no, it does kill stuff (as per Burinju's smooth move - never tried that one, haha). Just like Eric's pole vault.
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by cave hermit »

Well I finished bloodstained. Really damn good game presentation aside.

While I was still on this high I decided to give Order of Ecclesia a try.

I had high hopes for this given it was the last DS Castlevania and that it commends high prices online, but so far it seems weirdly linear and boring. Like now there's a stage structure to the game, and half the stages I've played so far were literal straight paths.
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BIL
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by BIL »

Without wanting to spoil too much, once you've completed the map things change a lot. I was fine with the game's earlier phases, enjoying Shanoa's surprisingly visceral attacks (that left-right-left rapier flurry gives me Einhander dual cannon feels), but even so - I was really impressed with how OOE developed. The hybrid of exploration and dangerous combat I'd always wanted from Nocturne's sub-series, balanced to kill the traditionally unstoppable endgame character, forcing the player to dodge and fight for their life with real urgency.
Last edited by BIL on Sat May 02, 2020 2:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Blinge
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by Blinge »

I like Ecclesia's grimdark atmopshere too.

that village is depressing as fuck.

Edit: Back in my 68k lab time.
Man the Tower of Dolls is actually making me laugh with just how EVIL it is!! I want a subweapon :cry: (oh there's an axe in the high candle right at the beginning LOL)
It wouldn't be nearly as bad if the enemies didn't respawn when you fall down..

any tips for getting that fucking meat without falling down too far, letting it despawn and then getting pegged en masse by dolls??
Did they REALLY have to give them a dodge!?

Editt: got it, you gotta hit the blocks then jump right, landing on a higher platform obscured by the screen
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by CyberAngel »

So, I've actually went beaten NES CV1 fairly. Yeah, I used to be too much of a scrub to handle the classics in the past, but I did have enough fun to finally accomplish that now. Lots of swearing and continues but I'd say it was still worth it. Maybe a bit too rough for my taste though. I do plan to look at CV3 though. How is it difficulty-wise compared to that?
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by BIL »

Blinge wrote:any tips for getting that fucking meat without falling down too far, letting it despawn and then getting pegged en masse by dolls??
Did they REALLY have to give them a dodge!?

Editt: got it, you gotta hit the blocks then jump right, landing on a higher platform obscured by the screen
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CyberAngel wrote:So, I've actually went beaten NES CV1 fairly. Yeah, I used to be too much of a scrub to handle the classics in the past, but I did have enough fun to finally accomplish that now. Lots of swearing and continues but I'd say it was still worth it. Maybe a bit too rough for my taste though. I do plan to look at CV3 though. How is it difficulty-wise compared to that?
Congrats! Despite its relative brevity and simplicity, CV1's still more than tough enough to call a milestone sidescroller clear. Dracula mk1's lethal volatility ensures nobody will bluff their way through, at least not without the devil's luck and a heaping helping of survivor's guilt. :mrgreen:

---

First thing to know about CVIII (NES) are its region differences. NES's first loop is significantly tougher than Akumajou Densetsu (FC)'s. Lots of little adjustments to stage designs and item placements, adding up to a meaner game. CVIII's second loop difficulty, meanwhile, absolutely obliterates Akumajou Densetsu's, and is one of toughest challenges in the entire traditional series.

Grant (acrobat pirate guy) is basically a different character in each revision. FC/Throwing Knife is a boring, pea-shooting sniper meant for safe distance takedowns. NES/RAMBO KNIFE Image is a high-risk, high-yield flurry stabber. It's not quite as simple as NES being "nerfed," as Stabber Grant is one helluva lot more dangerous in learned hands than his wimpy FC counterpart. Guess who I like more Image

Finally, the FC cart uses Konami's VRC6 mapper for enhanced sound. I wouldn't quite call it a clean sweep - I like some tracks better via the NES's simpler tone, but others rock hard on FC (Vampire Killer redux "Deja Vu" in particular - stomping, crisp sound). Also the final boss BGM "Big Battle" sounds kinda goofy on NES - but on FC, with VRC6 oomph?

HOREHHH SHEEEIT - TECHNICAL ECSTASY ACHIEVED Image

God fuckin damn, need a cig and I don't even smoke. Image

---

Comparing the game (either version) to CV1, its stages are generally much bigger, and there's a lot more of them. Design-wise, it's noticeably more dickish about attacking stair-bound players, but otherwise I'd say they're similar enough. CVIII is a super-sized CV1 that accordingly demands endurance. You may well prefer to finish it in a couple of sittings at first, via the password.

CVIII's partners can also take a chunk out of the difficulty if you know how to use them. Sypha's destructive spells, Grant's section-skipping wallclimb... I don't recommend Alucard for newbies, he's less obviously useful, though you can do some nice damage with skilled use of his upgraded attack.

Also, Alucard is only accessible via the lower route, which is the harder (sometimes outright more annoying) of the two. I recommend newbies take the upper paths at every junction - the Clock Tower is optional, but it'll net you the very useful Grant.
Last edited by BIL on Sat May 02, 2020 5:01 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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FinalBaton
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by FinalBaton »

CV III is harder for me than CV I. for sure.

yeah, take the upper route, that's your safest bet. I'd also 100% recommend this to new players
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CyberAngel
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by CyberAngel »

Okay, got it, thanks for all the tips. The game does look interesting enough for me to try out all the routes, so let's hope that'll be so!
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by copy-paster »

One thing that bothers me a bit about CVIII/AD is Trevor's controls are more tank and slower this time. Compared to how Simon moves in CV1 is really night and day to me.
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BIL
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by BIL »

Yeah, removing the ability to turn while crouching is a bizarre annoyance (you're already thoroughly locked down while crouching in CV1, unable to move and with no subweapons... no need for extra limitations), and there's an odd "hitch" when jumping forward - Ralph stops walking, causing the scrolling to stop for a frame or two before taking off. More felt than seen, but I notice it every time. Although harmless, it slightly dings the icy precision of CV1's jumps.
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by it290 »

That vertical falling block section is the fun killer for me on CV3's lower route. Shame too as I like using Alucard. Anyone know of romhacks (preferably for the FC version) that otherwise leave the game unchanged but swap up the ally placement or allow you to use any ally anywhere?

Personally, unless you just want to play as Grant, I'd avoid the two clocktower stages as a newcomer since they just add to the overall length. Great track on those stages too. I do agree with BIL that NES Grant is prob a bit more fun to play, and can slaughter bosses almost as well as Sypha—even more effectively than her on certain tough bosses—but I just can't bring myself to play the NES cart when I have that goddamned beautiful VRC6 FC cart sitting right there.

In my mind one of the biggest wrinkles with the companions is remembering which subweapon maps to which candle for which character, especially given the substantially increased length of the game compared to CV1. As a primarily Trevor/Sypha player, it's really important to get (and keep) her boss-killing spells (lightning or fire), but there are certain sections where ice is really useful and worth switching to, whereas the stopwatch is generally not worth your time (badoom-ching!). Managing all of these though requires spending a decent chunk of time with Sypha in the stage, meaning leveling up the subweapon (and even at times the whip) for your main platforming d00d Trevor becomes more challenging since resources are split between the two. Grant faces similar if slightly less Faustian choices. All of this makes the game a lot of fun but does deprive it somewhat of CV1's simple elegance.

CV1 is for me a 'fire it up whenever game' — you can have fun and do a full playthrough in 20 minutes or so, with each moment past stage 2 having some suspense. CVIII on the other hand I prefer to play in spurts, getting as far as I can on a single credit and using the password for my next go, until I complete the game at which point I'm ready to start over with a new run. With the password system, I don't think the game was honestly designed to be cleared in one session.
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by carlbarx »

I just completed SotN 200.6 % for the very first time. I took my time (ie ran around listening to the fantastic music) and didn't rush anything so ended up playing for about 15 hours. Only looked things up on the net for the last 10 % or so. What a fantastic gaming experience! :D Will definitely do a Richter play too but maybe not right now.
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It's available on Xbox One too.
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by CyberAngel »

Okay, I throw in the towel at stage 7 (Sypha route). I was ready to put in the time to learn the stages, but after stage 5 the level design becomes straight up devious and I keep failing even when I know what I'm doing. Fuck the axe armors especially. Seriously, why can't you duck under high axes?! HOW DID THEY SCREW THAT UP?!

From what little I've seen, the checkpoint recovery is much better here compared to the first game (where dying on boss meant you might as well use a continue right away), so maybe I could beat it with the "HELP ME" name cheat. But I did want to experience how the game feels fair and square, and I'm not quite into it in the end. Oh well.
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by BIL »

Grant can duck high axes ;3 IIRC (been a while) his dagger hits high and low, too.

Which stage is that? I always forget, with the game's convoluted numbering. I'm guessing it's the CV1 entryway redux? If it's the one afterward (starts in a garden with harpies), that's the game's toughest mandatory stage (the final three stages are always the same, no matter your previous route). Get past that one, and it's just the noticeably brief finale and Dracula.
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

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Right before mandatory ones. It has vertically moving platforms at the start and three bosses at the end. But frankly, it's the previous level that just bled my dry, the one with water currents in the middle and two dragons at the end. And it were THOSE DAMNED AXE ARMORS that I had to grind through on first and third stage segments that got to me so much. Also stairs in the most inconvenient spots. "You wanna duck/use subweapon here? That's cute."
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by BIL »

Ah, that one. Still, pretty good making it that far. :smile:

There's a very minor workaround in CVIII re subweapons and stairs - you specifically have to press [up] to climb onto a staircase. Diagonals won't work, but they'll still let you fire subweapons. Should've been the other way around, imo, but it's worth keeping in mind. You're still SOL with ducking near stairs though! Again they should've made the command diagonal-only.
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by FinalBaton »

I don't find axe armours too bad. Since you can destroy their axes both highs and lows with your whip. To play axe armours safe : keep a bit more than whip distance, wait for an axe, destroy it and immediately move in just in reach, whip and move back in time for the next axe to be thrown. Rinse and repeat x6. With practice you'll even be able to do it without backing off (they move back as you advance, the pussies!) and even within whip range after awhile. The key is : don't dictate the pace (i know this is counter-intuitive but that's how yougotta play it here). Let him decide the pace and work along his, call-and-response style. He throws an axe, you smash it to smithereens and in a second swing you land your morning star on his poor skull. Show him he's a little bitch, by easily negating each and every single one of his feeble attempts at attacks! :twisted:

It's definitely worth it to learn how to fight them effectively since there's a bunch of them across the whole map.
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by Blinge »

There is a knack to countering their high-low thing, definitely.
Oddly enough for me it was just playing the game until it became second nature- my reaction speed vs them increased as I got more used to the fights.
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by BIL »

Axe Armours are the #1 argument for NES Grant. :mrgreen: Run up on 'em and stab stab stab, dead in a jiffy. Image Standing knife punches straight through axes of either height, and is super-quick. Unless you drop the controller or something, they don't have much of an answer at short range.

For Trevor, given the whip's longer reach but correspondingly slower startup time, I like to keep back slightly and launch a bit early, so it "drops onto" their axe-throwing animation, snuffing the projectile while racking up hits. Not all that different than CV1 axe armours, tbh, except you don't have the luxury of ignoring their high/low mixup (in CV1 you can not only duck high axes, you can also hit low ones while standing).
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by CyberAngel »

Sypha's whack spam can get rid of them nicely too (and she doesn't need to duck for low ones either), but spacing is very tricky and they ended up just spawning inside of her way more frequently that I'd like to.
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on the whip of my thong

Post by NYN »

Hey, say when some are infatuated with the Simon theme, you can't really go wrong with Vs Vania, now can you?
I hear it's a tougher love with less time and more damage, but isn't that the rub anyway? :twisted:
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by BIL »

VS Castlevania is the same game with slightly meaner time & player damage parameters in the first loop, and MUCH meaner damage parameters in the second. TBH, if you're used to 1LCing the first loop, you might not even notice, but Loop 2 is effectively Makaimura - dead in two hits. Except Simon's already in his pants obv. Definitely recommendable to fiends!

I like it as an X-TREEM Dorakyura Must Die challenge, and the ACA release (only official home one, to date) is most definitely worth the seven quid or so. Nice n' sharp, controls be tight yo! :shock:

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^ AN UNSAFE METHOD (■`W´■)

Overall I prefer the NES/FC carts' slightly kinder loop. I like being able to take a bump (strategically or not :wink:) without being plunged into RED ALART status. VS is more of a Painful Master Challenge. Watch this space for a 2-ALL nomiss at some point, and take this, it's dangerous. Image
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by it290 »

Did a Castlevania 1st loop 2LC today. Barely scraped by without losing my second life... in grand BIL tradition, here's a GIF showing a near miss that should have killed me flat dead:

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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by it290 »

I have a Rondo question since I'm going to try and capture a clear of that game next and this info is not easily found for whatever reason. Is it possible to do a 100% clear of the game (all ladies found) on a single playthrough? I dont' believe it is but I haven't spent the time researching to be sure.
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by Blinge »

Hm..
I think it is? If they're all on one route, the 'harder' route which isn't all that harder.
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by BIL »

Hm, don't think I've ever tried. I'm curious too. From a glance at Sir VG's 100% notes at SDA, he mentions resetting to save time, but not specifically to get all the maidens. It'd be really cool if you could get them all in a single run, the game's approach to nonlinearity is already sublime as-is (I wish Metal Slug 3 had gone with unique bosses, too).
it290 wrote:in grand BIL tradition, here's a GIF showing a near miss that should have killed me flat dead:
Nice. :mrgreen: Can't recall seeing such a close shave documented before!
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by Blinge »

it290 wrote:Image
WAT
Image
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BIL
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by BIL »

I've seen a few near-misses like that, Simon's jumping hitbox is some crazy shit. Unlike his shitbird walking hitbox! Giant Bats blow your feets off in st6-1! Image
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Re: Castlevania Miscellanies

Post by BrianC »

Blinge wrote:
it290 wrote:Image
WAT
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