The Castlevania/Bloodstained Thread: Whip It Good

[AriesWarlock]

 

Blade Chimera, a new title from Team Ladybug and WSS Playground — the teams behind Touhou: Luna Nights and Needy Streamer Overload, respectively — and published by Playism,

 

 

Edited November 14, 2023 by AriesWarlock

[DoctaMario]

I'm a couple hours into Last Faith and really enjoying it so far. The art style and design is incredible; I always wanted a game like this to have this kind of vibe. The combat is well done and the character feels real snappy and responsive so moving around as well as fighting feels really good. There rpg elements, but thus far they're not overbearing, which I like.

 

 

 

[Hecatom]

 

[AriesWarlock]

 

Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page:

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About

Inside a dark and cold lab hidden deep under the surface of the infamous Megastructure, the mechanic Raz searches for his missing friend Doctor Shinji Fallon, but instead finds a ruined lab and a nearly-destroyed Denzel who awakens from a life-preserving slumber. Her name is Cherry.

 

Play as Cherry, an android fuzed to life by a combination of high technology and a mortal soul. She is punk rock as hell and pissed. Her creator and girlfriend–the love of her life, Doctor Shinji Fallon—has been kidnapped by a demented sicko and Cherry intends to make him-and anybody or anything who gets in her way-pay. Now, with a little help from Raz’s mechanical expertise, Cherry will upgrade from companion to killer.

 

A Metroidvania Like No Other

Designed for mature players–unabashedly bloody and irreverent, Cherry, a badass android on a love-driven quest to find Shinji, beats the ever-living crap out of anyone who hurt her.

 

Action-Packed World

Explore and retraverse a massive and gorgeous dystopian world, battle outrageous enemies and absolutely huge bosses as you form allies with a large cast of over-the-top characters. Experience a visually-stunning adventure filled with mad weapons, humor, and awesome gameplay presented in an accessible fashion, ensuring players of all capabilities can join in the fray.

 

Unique Combat System

Transform Cherry by unlocking a robust variety of new abilities and weapons like chainsaws, plasma cannons, guitar-slides, mecha fists, and motorcycles.

 

An All-Out Spectacle

From pulse-pounding combat in dynamic areas to a constant stream of weird enemies, immerse yourself in the ever-evolving gameplay mechanics as well as a trippy narrative featuring over-the-top characters, rich environments, and whacked-out dialogue. And the experience delivers all the depth, platforming, puzzle-solving, and combat that Metroidvania fans expect from the very best in the genre.

 

Cookie Cutter features hybrid fighting/ platforming traversal gameplay, with highly stylized environments and objectives serving as the backdrop for fast-paced combat. On the way to victory, the player tangles with environmental hazards, baddies, bosses, and an unfolding plotline told through successive areas, meant to be enjoyed over longer gaming sessions. Leverage Cherry’s considerable fighting skills to beat an outrageous cast of enemies to bloody pulps, unlock spectacular new abilities, gain access to new regions of the expansive world, interact with charismatic allies, battle epic bosses, and so much more as you experience the benchmark 2D Metroidvania inspired by Japanese manga, Quentin Tarantino films, and H.P. Lovecraft.

 

 

[AriesWarlock]

ULTROS launches February 13, 2024

 

 

 

 

Quote

 

About

You wake up stranded, after seemingly crashing your ship on The Sarcophagus—a giant, space-drifting, cosmic uterus holding an ancient demonic being known as ULTROS. Trapped in the eternal loop of a black hole, you will have to explore The Sarcophagus and meet its inhabitants to understand the part you play.

Are you the gruesome breaker of this cycle, or can you become a link from destruction to rebirth?

Key Features

• A Psychedelic Science-Fiction Journey – ULTROS is set in a multifaceted realm – a vast alien landscape teeming with life. Grounded in science fiction, ULTROS comes wrapped in an eccentric art style and a mystical soundtrack from the visionary El Huervo, renowned for his work on Hotline Miami. ULTROS explores meta-themes of mental health, life, death, and karmic cycles through deep lore and environmental storytelling.
• A World of Contrast – Experience brutal, intimate, close-quarter combat with cosmic lifeforms, driven by a sense of urgency—where precision is paramount and every cut of your blade counts. Yet this intense combat is juxtaposed with cultivating the greenery and tending to plant life in The Sarcophagus, providing precious moments of contemplation and peace. In turn, this grants deeper access to obscured paths.
• A Mysterious, Layered Loop – The rich world of ULTROS holds many secrets for those curious enough—and fearless enough—to seek them out. A unique loop-based mechanic will allow you to start over at key moments in the story, providing opportunities to unfold such secrets, unlock different areas of the world and new abilities on a branching skill tree. Experiment with and master your own specific fighting style as you explore the world of ULTROS. Each loop brings you closer to the truth…

 

 

[DoctaMario]

Still digging Last Faith. This might one of the best metroidvanias I've ever played and I like that whole there are Soulsborne elements to the game, they aren't the overwhelming aspects of it. It still feels very Castlevania/Sotn.

[Hawkingbird]

@Hecatom@AriesWarlock

 

You guys play Flipwitch? It's on the easy side but it's a decent game. I managed to finish it in 8 hours with a near 100%

[AriesWarlock]

Didn't know about it.  So I looked it up

 

 

[DoctaMario]

The intro to that vid 😂

[AriesWarlock]

 

[AriesWarlock]

 

[DoctaMario]

19 hours ago, AriesWarlock said:

 

Game looks interesting, but the animations on the player character are VERY Sotn Alucard

[AriesWarlock]

 

[DoctaMario]

On 12/14/2023 at 4:59 PM, AriesWarlock said:

 

Ive Had scarlet symphony on my radar for awhile, this sequel looks really good too. They really nail the Castlevania vibes

[AriesWarlock]

 

[AriesWarlock]

 

 

[AriesWarlock]

 

Edited December 28, 2023 by AriesWarlock

[AriesWarlock]

 

 

[DoctaMario]

That Prince Of Persia game looks pretty interesting. I played the OG PoP on the GameBoy when I was a kid and loved it, but wasn't as keen on the stylized rebooted games from the early aughts, but this looks like a happy medium.

[RSG3]

9 minutes ago, DoctaMario said:

That Prince Of Persia game looks pretty interesting. I played the OG PoP on the GameBoy when I was a kid and loved it, but wasn't as keen on the stylized rebooted games from the early aughts, but this looks like a happy medium.

Sands of Time was just fucking awesome and while I haven't played since back then, I bet you it holds up well today. Was such a solid interpretation of PoP in a new context. 

 

It's sequels are varying degrees of good tho, Warrior Within tried to focus more on combat and make the Prince a darker character, which doesn't work very well imo, PoP should be about environment navigation primarily with combat being the second less important (but still important!) Pillar of the game. WW got it reversed imo. Brooding Prince is also kinda eh imo.

 

Two Thrones tries to please both Sands fans and WW fans and ends up somewhere in the middle over all. The dynamic between Prince and Evil Prince is kinda interesting but thats about as far as it goes imo. 

 

I really liked the cell shaded reboot they did in like 09 or something. The world they created was awesome, navigation was a major focus point again, combat was fun but not over emphasized like the previous two sequels and the writing was really good, I loved the interplay between Prince and Elika in that game. It didn't do so well tho so all we got was a shoddy cliff hanger DLC and nothing else. Shame. 

 

Never played any after that tho. 

[DoctaMario]

On 1/12/2024 at 4:56 PM, RSG3 said:

Sands of Time was just fucking awesome and while I haven't played since back then, I bet you it holds up well today. Was such a solid interpretation of PoP in a new context. 

 

It's sequels are varying degrees of good tho, Warrior Within tried to focus more on combat and make the Prince a darker character, which doesn't work very well imo, PoP should be about environment navigation primarily with combat being the second less important (but still important!) Pillar of the game. WW got it reversed imo. Brooding Prince is also kinda eh imo.

 

Two Thrones tries to please both Sands fans and WW fans and ends up somewhere in the middle over all. The dynamic between Prince and Evil Prince is kinda interesting but thats about as far as it goes imo. 

 

I really liked the cell shaded reboot they did in like 09 or something. The world they created was awesome, navigation was a major focus point again, combat was fun but not over emphasized like the previous two sequels and the writing was really good, I loved the interplay between Prince and Elika in that game. It didn't do so well tho so all we got was a shoddy cliff hanger DLC and nothing else. Shame. 

 

Never played any after that tho. 

Warrior Within was the one I think I played (got it the same time I got my first PSP.) It was cool but I guess I was expecting something else and never wound up finishing it. Maybe I'll have to give it another shot.

 

I missed the 2008 PoP game. This new one looks pretty huge though, I'm definitely going to keep tabs on it.

 

I also need to play Super Metroid to completion. I have a buddy who's into speedrunning it and I've never even finished it so it's on my short list of games.

[JGreen]

I don't preorder games for the most part, but I'm so excited for the new Prince of Persia game I actually preordered so I get to play it a few days early. It's gotten pretty good reviews from some people I follow. 

 

Speaking of the prior ones, Sands of Time is still one of my favorite games. It felt like a great mix of platforming, action and story. For some reason, the sequels never interested me enough to buy them. I did enjoy the cell shaded one, but overall I found it sadly forgettable compared to Sands of Time outside of the visuals.

[DoctaMario]

I just downloaded the demo of PoP Lost Crown so looking forward to checking out a little bit of it. Might be a good thing to do today since we're all but snowed in.

Edited January 15 by DoctaMario

[RSG3]

It's been getting glowing reviews from the sources I trust like FightinCowboy and shit. I think he might be exaggerating little calling it a masterpiece but I also haven't played so who the fuck am I to say. He really liked it tho and got me more interested in checking it out. 

[JGreen]

2 hours ago, RSG3 said:

It's been getting glowing reviews from the sources I trust like FightinCowboy and shit. I think he might be exaggerating little calling it a masterpiece but I also haven't played so who the fuck am I to say. He really liked it tho and got me more interested in checking it out. 

Saw the same review and it’s what got me to buy it. Going to start it later today. 

[JGreen]

I don't normally double post, but I thought I'd post some initial thoughts on PoP. So far, I think it lives up to the hype I've seen. The platforming is fun and even this early I can see how you can quickly get a good rhythm and speed through the platforming. It kind of reminds me of Sonic's platforming in that regard. In terms of combat, it's definitely combo heavy and satisfying, though lacking in impact for your attacks. You also need to rely on parrying attacks. I personally prefer this style of combat compared to Hollow Knight. The downside I've found is that I will sometimes have a tough time seeing attacks coming when multiple enemies overlap on each other. Lastly, I do appreciate the more colorful art style as I feel like a good number of games in a similar style all tend towards a darker color palate. Overall, during my brief time, I think this game is worth considering if you love this genre. 
 

Edit: Yeah I’m definitely enjoying the game. Kept doing the one more thing until I realized it’s 3:30 am. 
 

edit 2: Alright I think I’m pretty far now. Some more random thoughts. The enemy overlap hasn’t really happened anymore now that I’m better at the game. The tutorial is optional but helpful and you get money from completing it. Also, now that I have a lot more time with the game, the main annoyance I have is with the frequent load times between “rooms”. It’s only for a few seconds yet it is frustrating to see them so often. I guess I got spoiled on games with minimal loading screens. Additionally, there has been some patches of slowdown here and there. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still loving the game thus far. 

Edited January 17 by JGreen

[AriesWarlock]

 

[DoctaMario]

7 hours ago, AriesWarlock said:

 

Looks like a mix of Sotn and Shinobi somehow lol

[DoctaMario]

Apparently some Castlevania speedrunners have their eye on PoP

 

 

 

Edit: Started playing the demo and this game is really fun and looks great. Kinda wish it wasn't an Ubisoft title, but I'm definitely copping this when it goes on sale

Edited January 19 by DoctaMario

[AriesWarlock]

Parry-based hand-drawn Metroidvania game DEVIATOR announced for PC

Demo launches Februarys 1.

 

 

Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page:

 

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About

 

DEVIATOR is a Metroidvania game centered around parry, featuring exquisite 2D hand-drawn visuals. explore unknown wilderness and mysterious cities, delving into enigmatic realms of consciousness and encountering peculiar creatures. uncover the truth behind this chaotic world.

Key Features

• Just Parry It! – Don’t ask, just parry it! parry is the core combat mechanic in DEVIATOR allowing you to turn the enemy’s fierce attacks into nothingness with precise timing. Practice diligently, my friends; if you’re too slow, you’ll face defeat. You wouldn’t want to take a hit from an enemy, after all.
• Power Up! – Every battle is a tense and thrilling game of wits. When attacks and parry succeed, the character will continuously build up momentum. Once it surpasses the threshold, you can enter a powerful enhanced state. In this state, the character gains multiple benefits, with improved damage and game feel. While getting beaten up by monsters may look pitiful, the enhanced state truly looks cool.
• All Hand-Drawn, All Good – This fantastical world is constructed with vivid 2D hand-drawn artistry. From enemies to buildings, and the diverse styles of different regions, everything leaves a deep impression. The lush green forests, the shadowy mechanical city, the treacherous and icy canyons… But don’t get too lost in the scenery, danger lurks around every corner.
• “Very Easy, But I’m Dying” – Watch your step! Danger lurks everywhere in this world. The game thoughtfully provides numerous challenging levels for you to showcase your skills. Of course, experiencing failure can be just as exhilarating. Get ready to “suffer.”

 

 

 

 

Edited January 19 by AriesWarlock

[DoctaMario]

I finished my first run of Last Faith this morning. Definitely one of the best metroidvanias I've ever played and I still highly recommend it. Think I'm going to go for another run with a different build now.

[AriesWarlock]

 

[DoctaMario]

4 hours ago, AriesWarlock said:

 

 Wow, so it's definitely not a Konami thing but I'm wondering how this has been greenlit. Looks amazing though I'm looking forward to it already!

[RSG3]

Did I see Spore Spawn? Lol

[AriesWarlock]

Bloodstained Free Shantae-Inspired Cosmetic DLC

 

https://playbloodstained.com/free-shantae-inspired-cosmetic-dlc/

 

[RSG3]

7 minutes ago, AriesWarlock said:

Bloodstained Free Shantae-Inspired Cosmetic DLC

 

https://playbloodstained.com/free-shantae-inspired-cosmetic-dlc/

 

That's cool...and random...

[DoctaMario]

18 hours ago, AriesWarlock said:

Bloodstained Free Shantae-Inspired Cosmetic DLC

 

https://playbloodstained.com/free-shantae-inspired-cosmetic-dlc/

 

Huh! Interesting. I wonder when that VS mode they were working on is  coming. I also heard they were going to do another Classic mode game but this time it would be paid dlc.

[AriesWarlock]

 

Edited February 14 by AriesWarlock

[AriesWarlock]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AriesWarlock]

 

Quote

 

Requital: Gates of Blood is a 2D side-scrolling action platformer inspired by Egyptian mythology set in the mystical underworld of Duat. Players assume the role of Zahrah, traversing the afterlife to defeat the mighty guardians of the Gates of Duat. Through a series of intense boss-rush-like encounters, players confront powerful gods, demons, and beasts.

 

Embark on your journey of retribution from the celestial Nile, delving into the dark and twisted realms of the Duat. Engage in the immersive interactions with entirely hand-drawn characters and environments as you unravel the lore that permeates this enigmatic underworld.

 

Traverse the Gates of Duat and forge a path through the afterlife.

 

 

No video yet, but it's sounds interesting.

Edited March 5 by AriesWarlock

[AriesWarlock]

 

Here is an overview of the game, via Electronic Arts:

 

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About

The debut title from Surgent Studios led by BAFTA-nominated actor Abubakar Salim, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a heartfelt single-player action–adventure platformer about the love between a father and son and the transformative power of loss. In this heartfelt metroidvania-style adventure, you play as Zau—a grieving hero determined to bring his father back from the dead. With Kalunga, the God of Death as your guide, you’ll journey through mystical 2.5D realms full of color and depth to harness the cosmic powers of the warrior shaman. Tales of Kenzera: ZAU invites you to embark on Zau’s journey of spiritual healing, where the hardest moments unmask who you can truly become.

Story

As a grieving boy reads a Bantu tale written by his late father, you enter the beautiful and treacherous lands of Kenzera as Zau – a young Nganga who bargains with the God of Death to bring his Baba back from death. Once bursting with life, Kenzera is now rife with lost ancestral spirits. As Zau advances toward his goal, three mighty beings lie in wait, fearsome in their strength yet somehow strangely familiar. It will be up to you to embrace the dance of the shaman.

Key Features

• Become the Warrior Shaman – Embark on a poignant single-player story shaped by Abubakar Salim’s own experience with grief, discovering how to best navigate a new world following the devastating loss of your father. As Zau, you must face your own emotions to become a worthy Nganga: a spiritual healer. Own your journey alongside mythical characters and formidable foes inspired by Bantu lore, each on their own unique path and personal story.
•  
• The Dance of the Sun and Moon Masks – Wield cosmic powers from the Sun and the Moon to defeat restless spirits in rhythmic combat, from ordinary warriors to the mighty Impundulu or GaGorib. You’ll prove your skill as you manipulate time and crystallize enemies using the power of the Moon mask or launch fiery spears with the Sun Mask, all in meticulously hand-crafted animations. Master leap, glide, pulse and more as you expand the masks’ cosmic power along your journey in this Metroidvania-style adventure. As you come upon ability statues, a fantastical myth from Kenzeran culture accompanies each newly unlocked mask ability.
•  
• Set Foot in a Mystical Realm – Discover a universe inspired by Bantu tales, rich with untold lore of chaos and order, memories of ancient shamans, sacred spirits and fascinating creatures. Journey through mystical 2.5D realms set to multi-award-winning composer Nainita Desai’s enchanting original score. Zau’s quest will take you across several unique environments like Ikakaramban Highlands, Kivulian Forests and Itshokan Deadlands, each full of color, as well as two hubs. Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a tribute to those we have loved and lost, with an immersive setting, rich art and a heartfelt journey that shows love is never lost and that facing your pain takes its own type of strength.

 

3D Metroidvania game ABYSS X ZERO announced for PC

Explore an expansive world in low poly visuals.

 

 

Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page:

 

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ABYSS X ZERO is a stylish 3D Metroidvania, with expressive low poly visuals made by the two person indie team Studio Pixel Punk, that also brought you the award-winning indie hit UNSIGHTED.

Explore an expansive world with enormous dungeons and stylish combat. Take control of two different characters, fated to battle each other: Codename A and Codename Z, both legendary heroes with unique abilities that change how you fight and interact with the environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reminds me a bit of Mega Man Legends.

Edited March 7 by AriesWarlock

[AriesWarlock]

 

Edited April 5 by AriesWarlock

[AriesWarlock]

 

Edited April 9 by AriesWarlock

[DoctaMario]

That's bonkers. I love Castlevania more than the next guy but paying $90k for a sealed copy is absolutely ridiculous and makes me wonder if they're doing this to try to drive up the price like they were with that SMB cart.

[RSG3]

Yes it reeks of another scam run at the collectors market. 

[DoctaMario]

18 hours ago, RSG3 said:

Yes it reeks of another scam run at the collectors market. 

It's been awhile since I've unwrapped a new NES cart, but couldn't that kind of thing be faked?

 

I went and checked eBay and as of Wednesday there was another one up there going for $10k and had a bunch of people watching it. Non-esit-edit: now it's up to $15k

 

And someone's selling the BOX ONLY to Simon's Quest for $100. Who tf are these degenerates?

[AriesWarlock]

 

[RSG3]

I've heard good things about that game. 

[AriesWarlock]

Previews looked good, so I really want to play it.

[JGreen]

Huh. I never would have thought it would be a good game. I might need to look into it.