The Castlevania/Bloodstained Thread: Whip It Good

[JGreen]

2 hours ago, misterBee said:

Why would they call it Castlevania Advance Collection and then add Dracula X, which isn't even on GBA? 😩

At this point, I’m just glad Konami didn’t remake them into pachinko games. 

[AriesWarlock]

 

 

[DoctaMario]

12 hours ago, misterBee said:

Why would they call it Castlevania Advance Collection and then add Dracula X, which isn't even on GBA? 😩

Dracula X was in the 3DS store and they likely needed something to pad out this collection since charging $20 for 3 old ass games is highway robbery. 

[Camacho]

9 minutes ago, DoctaMario said:

Dracula X was in the 3DS store and they likely needed something to pad out this collection since charging $20 for 3 old ass games is highway robbery. 

Still cheaper than Nintendo's virtual console pricing.

[DoctaMario]

22 minutes ago, Camacho said:

Still cheaper than Nintendo's virtual console pricing.

How much were they on VC? I guess having played those games so many times already I'm like "meh" because while I think they're pretty good, I'm not gonna pony up to play them again, but I understand why someone would. 

[Camacho]

VC games were $8 a pop for SNES games, I think N64 games were $10 or more. Even nes games were $5.

[Hawkingbird]

What's the quality of this collection? Are the ports good? What are the available options? 

[RSG3]

4 hours ago, Hawkingbird said:

What's the quality of this collection? Are the ports good? What are the available options? 

The Emulation is by M2 and there is a high quality music option, which i believe means direct feed of the tunes and not through a GBA filter so they arent all scratchy and gained out.

[HD-Man]

What's the verdict on the Advance Collection? I'm probably buying tonight 

[Darc_Requiem]

20 hours ago, HD-Man said:

What's the verdict on the Advance Collection? I'm probably buying tonight 

I've only played a few minutes. Music sounds great. Everything seems legit thus far. As @RSG3said, M2 is behind it.  They have damn good track record.

Edited September 27, 2021 by Darc_Requiem

[AriesWarlock]

This is the Dawn of Sorrow: Definitive Edition +

 

https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/5610/

 

As well as removing the touch screen parts (which I think the game plays better without anyway , but I suppose makes the game easier to play on single screen systems ), it fixes the LUCK stat so that it actually works correctly and increases the chance of souls dropping (the vanilla games maths is a bit bugged and the original stat made very little difference to how they dropped) , it also tweaks some of the weapon stats a little to make things more balanced , adds some QOL stuff and offers a choice of changing some of the artwork ..hang on..from the site

Some of these changes include: starting off with the Tower Key in Julius Mode, restoring Alucard’s original jump kick animation for the straight-down variant, giving equipment and souls new stat boosts and attributes, better character animations, new movement options for Yoko and Alucard, etc.

Edited September 26, 2021 by AriesWarlock

[Camacho]

2 hours ago, HD-Man said:

What's the verdict on the Advance Collection? I'm probably buying tonight 

I bought it on Steam, haven't played it yet though. Been balls deep in Nioh for about the last month and am almost finished with it.

[DoctaMario]

2 hours ago, AriesWarlock said:

This is the Dawn of Sorrow: Definitive Edition +

 

https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/5610/

 

As well as removing the touch screen parts (which I think the game plays better without anyway , but I suppose makes the game easier to play on single screen systems ), it fixes the LUCK stat so that it actually works correctly and increases the chance of souls dropping (the vanilla games maths is a bit bugged and the original stat made very little difference to how they dropped) , it also tweaks some of the weapon stats a little to make things more balanced , adds some QOL stuff and offers a choice of changing some of the artwork ..hang on..from the site

Some of these changes include: starting off with the Tower Key in Julius Mode, restoring Alucard’s original jump kick animation for the straight-down variant, giving equipment and souls new stat boosts and attributes, better character animations, new movement options for Yoko and Alucard, etc.

Interesting. I didn't know all that about the Luck stat, it totally explains why that game has such shitty drop rates. 

[Camacho]

Started playing Circle of the Moon on the Advance collection last night- feels good to me. Switching to pixel perfect made it look a bit better IMO, and the bitrate improvement on the sound is definitely nice. They added a bunch of artwork, sound library modes, in game encyclopedias, and with CotM there's an option for the game to notify you when an enemy has a DSS card (and whether or not you've collected that one), which is super nice. The rewind is also excellent for removing some of the tedium in farming (at least among enemies that take more than a couple seconds to loop kills on), which is a huge plus. Haven't tried any of the other games yet, I'd be shocked if anything is out of whack. Haven't seen any complaints in the reviews either.

[Camacho]

Ok, so further play reminds me that even with the rewind, grinding for DSS cards sucks ass. Tried to get thunderbird from the panther enemies, killed at least 200 with no card drop. Good reminder of why I just usually used the magic glitch cheat when I wanted to use a specific combo the game didn't feel like dropping. 

[RegH81]

Been forever since I played Circle of the Moon but I don't think I collected near enough DSS cards and I was woefully unprepared for the last boss fight. I haven't started playing Castlevania Advance Collection yet but I wanna play them in the order they were released, so I'll be leading with COTM and make sure I get enough DSS cards and healing items to be prepared this time around.

[HD-Man]

Fuck, I actually gotta collect them damn cards to fully complete the game? Well, this is gonna take longer than I expected 😂

[AriesWarlock]

New RoTN update

 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iga/bloodstained-ritual-of-the-night/posts/3316173

 

[In addition to the content update from the team, we on the Kickstarter side have a quick update about physical PC games. 505 will be producing the games as soon as Bloodstained's additional content is complete, at which point we'll be able to ship them out to backers. All your physical rewards except for the PC game should have already shipped to you back during reward fulfillment, and your PC download code was made available on your backer survey—if you're a PC physical backer and still missing any of those other rewards, please contact us from your backer survey. - Fangamer]

 

Full text of the update from the Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Team:

 

We've had a longer than expected gap since the release of Classic Mode and the Kingdom: Two Crowns crossover in January, so we wanted to give a brief update on the current state of the game. 

 

Despite the lack of news, development on new content for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has been ongoing. However, due to major technical issues that occurred in the beginning of the year, our progress has been greatly delayed. We currently are working on creating new content along with resolving these issues and are finally getting close to announcing the next content. 

 

The next update is coming soon. More details on this update and its features will be revealed in October. Once that update has been released, Chaos Mode with Co-Op and Vs Mode with multiplayer will be next. Both of these modes are already well into development.  We are excited to bring this new content and more to you as soon as they are ready. We will share more information with everyone as we get closer to release. 

 

Thank you for your patience as we continue to add to and improve Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night!  The Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Team

Edited September 30, 2021 by AriesWarlock

[AriesWarlock]

Konami is back?

 

 

[DoctaMario]

Glad to see Bloodstained is still getting updates; they've done a really great job with that game. I need to finish Classic mode tho. I got to the last boss and stopped playing for whatever reason. 

[Hawkingbird]

9 hours ago, DoctaMario said:

Glad to see Bloodstained is still getting updates; they've done a really great job with that game. I need to finish Classic mode tho. I got to the last boss and stopped playing for whatever reason. 

They still need to get through the stretch goals of the kickstarter. They should continue to update until those commitments are met. 

[DoctaMario]

24 minutes ago, Hawkingbird said:

They still need to get through the stretch goals of the kickstarter. They should continue to update until those commitments are met. 

They're almost done with those though, aren't they? I didn't really pay attention to the map. I'm wondering who the next playable character will be, if it'll be OD. That would definitely give the game that SotN vibe so I'm leaning towards that being it. 

[Camacho]

Quick note on using rewind to farm drops in the Advance Collection- you need to rewind before the button press that kills the enemy for the "redraw" of the drop chance. Would have saved myself a bunch of time had I known that.

[AriesWarlock]

 

 

https://awesometees.xyz/castlevanianin?page=2

 

 

[AriesWarlock]

2D pixel art Metroidvania game Souldiers launches in spring 2022 for Switch, PC

 

 

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

About

 

While out fighting for the glory of your kingdom, you and your fellow soldiers are whisked away to Terragaya, a mystical land on the fringes of the afterlife. Your task is to locate the Guardian and move on to the next world. The hitch? You and your compatriots never actually died.

Battle your way to the heart of the mystery: Outwit cunning enemies, solve nefarious puzzles, upgrade your character and explore every corner of a dazzling, intricate 16-bit world. Souldiers is a handcrafted retro epic for the ages.

Key Features

• Gripping Melee Combat – Slash, parry and dodge your way through an ever-evolving roster of enemies, upgrading your skills and equipment to find a combat style that’s perfect for you.
• An Interconnected World – Discover a sprawling handcrafted landscape filled with treasures, tough-as-nails bosses and secret pathways.
• 16-Bit Sensation – Terragaya comes to life with vibrant world-class pixel art packed to the brim with details.
• Smart Moves – Solve environmental puzzles and leap from place to place using an ever-expanding moveset.

 

 

 

It's time for the PlayStation Halloween Sale! Give yourself a treat and get Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night for 60% off or IGA's Back Pack for 40% off through Nov 3rd.

https://505.games/BSROTNSonyHalloween21

 

 

Edited October 20, 2021 by AriesWarlock

[Camacho]

Well, it's almost Halloween- have any of you played/finished Curse of the Moon 2 or RotN's classic mode yet?

[DoctaMario]

14 hours ago, Camacho said:

Well, it's almost Halloween- have any of you played/finished Curse of the Moon 2 or RotN's classic mode yet?

I got to the last fight on classic mode and stopped playing for whatever reason. I need to run through it again though, it was pretty good. Think I'm also due for a Haunted Castle run as well

Edited October 25, 2021 by DoctaMario

[HD-Man]

So glad I held off on Bloodstained, just finished Dread last week too, this will scratch that Metroid Ania itch. Definitely buying when I get off work

[DoctaMario]

On 10/25/2021 at 9:22 AM, HD-Man said:

So glad I held off on Bloodstained, just finished Dread last week too, this will scratch that Metroid Ania itch. Definitely buying when I get off work

Bloodstained is really good, arguably the best thing IGA's done after Dracula X Chronicles and SotN. You'll have to let us know how it's going. 

 

Btw has there been any word on any more of the dlc modes?

 

Edited October 26, 2021 by DoctaMario

[DoctaMario]

Playing thru Classic mode in Bloodstained again, and man, I forgot how much of a bitch that last part of level 3 is. I think other than that upward jaunt in level 6, it might be the toughest part of the game for me. 

[Camacho]

At least there's stellar music to help those losses go down easier.

[AriesWarlock]

Production News – October 2021

 

Hello, Army of the Night!

 

We mentioned in our last announcement that we are tackling some technical issues that have slowed down our production timetable. We regret the long delay between updates and continue to ask for your patience as we make progress.

 

Due to these issues, we do not have a release timeframe for you yet, but we would like to share some information on what we have in the works.
Our next update will introduce a new playable character to the game. This is a change from our previously released roadmap.

 

We can confirm that this new character is NOT from the world of Bloodstained. We have been working closely with a well-known partner to bring their character (and a friend) into the game.

 

As with previous characters, you will be able to explore the entire map, though certain abilities will need to be acquired before some areas and bosses can be accessed. Along the way you will be able to increase the rank and class of the character’s special ability to grow in power.

 

We are excited to bring this update to you and will have a full announcement when it is closer to launch.

 

As previously mentioned, after the playable character is live, we expect the next update to include Chaos Mode with co-op and Vs Mode with multiplayer.

 

Once again, that you for your understanding and thank you for being fans of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night!

 

– The Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Team

 

https://playbloodstained.com/production-update-october-2021/

[DoctaMario]

"New character (and a friend)"

 

Wonder what that means. Either way, sounds like we're getting an extra character and I'm still wondering who the next playable character from the Bloodstained world is going to be. Looking forward to Vs mode tho, I wonder what that'll end up being.  

[RSG3]

3 hours ago, DoctaMario said:

"New character (and a friend)"

 

Wonder what that means.

You thought it was someone else but IT WAS ME AUSTIN! IT WAS ME ALLLLLLL ALONG!!!

 

[HD-Man]

Obviously it's Mega Man or Dante 🥴

[DoctaMario]

2 hours ago, RSG3 said:

You thought it was someone else but IT WAS ME AUSTIN! IT WAS ME ALLLLLLL ALONG!!!

 

God I hope not LOL! Remember Axe Armor mode in SotN? 

 

Miriam feels like absolute shit in classic mode. Her whip is too slow, her jumps go too far, she doesn't have any item crashes, her height is odd so you end up being able to low profile things you wouldn't think you'd be able to, and the timing on the backflip is far too lenient. I'm hoping 1986 mode is a little more like classic Belmont, because half the obstacle for me to finishing this is her.  

Edited October 29, 2021 by DoctaMario

[HD-Man]

Serious guess, the guest character probably the dude from Blasphemous since Miriam crossed over into that game. Having trouble finding out who the "friend" might be tho

 

And yea, going from the usual Castlevania to controlling Miriam feels a bit off, can't quite put my finger on it, minor jank I guess but nothing that kills the game for me (just beat the first boss btw) 

[DoctaMario]

3 minutes ago, HD-Man said:

Serious guess, the guest character probably the dude from Blasphemous since Miriam crossed over into that game. Having trouble finding out who the "friend" might be tho

 

And yea, going from the usual Castlevania to controlling Miriam feels a bit off, can't quite put my finger on it, minor jank I guess but nothing that kills the game for me (just beat the first boss btw) 

I thought about the Blasphemous guy too, which would be a pretty cool addition. 

 

Are you playing the normal game or classic mode? She feels pretty good in the regular game, especially if you get the shard thy speeds her up a bit, then she feels about perfect. 

[HD-Man]

6 minutes ago, DoctaMario said:

I thought about the Blasphemous guy too, which would be a pretty cool addition. 

 

Are you playing the normal game or classic mode? She feels pretty good in the regular game, especially if you get the shard thy speeds her up a bit, then she feels about perfect. 

Ah, see I haven't gotten the speed shard yet, so that may fix whatever minor issue I have, she's definitely kinda slow without it. 

 

And I think I picked normal mode since I'm new to this series, I'll play as intended the 1st playthrough then try the other stuff next go round 

[DoctaMario]

Finished up classic mode today; they did a really great job with that overall. I started another run using 1986 mode and it definitely feels better to me as I don't really like it when characters in platformers have twitchy handling. But overall I loved it. The final battle is pretty cool as well. 

 

The only thing I think I would want them to do is make something of a fighting game where you can pick all the different playable characters and bosses and go through all of them. Fighting as a boss vs another boss would be interesting. 

[Camacho]

Glad to hear you finished it and had a good time. I gave it another quick run through myself the other day, I love the soundtrack and the pacing of it, it scratches the same itch CV1 does for me.

[DoctaMario]

11 hours ago, Camacho said:

Glad to hear you finished it and had a good time. I gave it another quick run through myself the other day, I love the soundtrack and the pacing of it, it scratches the same itch CV1 does for me.

Nothing quite scratches my CV1 itch like the game itself, but I'd love to see more 2.5D action platformers like this being made. I'd also love to see Dracula X Chronicles rereleased as I'd love to play that on Switch especially. 

[AriesWarlock]

Hand-drawn 2D Metroidvania Afterimage announced for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC

Due out in late 2022.

 

 

 

“The world of Engardin is full of magic and mystery,” said Aurogon Shanghai executive producer Michael Yang in a press release. “We are thrilled to reveal Afterimage today and look forward to sharing more about the game as we prepare to bring it to PC and consoles in late 2022!”

 

 

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

Explore Mystic Engardin

One of the supreme deities created this vast world called Engardin, upon which natural wonders lie everywhere: gigantic volcanoes, steep canyons, deep seas, and a tower that soars into the clouds…

Encounter fantastic creatures during your journey: giant beasts wandering in fire, and spirits lurking in the depth of complicated labyrinths… Learn about your new friends, get to know their pasts and the agendas they hold.

Engardin is alive with unknown secrets. Venture forth and feel free to explore wherever you like as a brave adventurer. Find out the stories that link each area, discover a concealed history and the truth of the world.

Fight Fierce Enemies

Engardin is not only filled with sublime beauty but also plagued by crises. The corrupted are waiting for their prey and ancient deadly traps are ready to kill the careless. Grab your weapon and be prepared for battle!

Each area features entirely different enemies and gameplay mechanics. Also, there are many unique bosses challenging your skills across the land. Opportunity lies in risks with hundreds of chests and numerous abilities ready to be unlocked to aid your adventure.

Develop your very own combat style! A diverse selection of weapons with special attacks and various upgrade paths on the talent tree will help you improve yourself in this fast-paced action RPG. You will be the greatest warrior of the land!

Experience a Gorgeous Hand-Drawn World

Every backdrop of Afterimage is handcrafted by our passionate artists. A traditional Metroidvania world offers you exquisite hand-drawn designs and amazing visual effects.

 

 

[DoctaMario]

On 6/5/2021 at 10:13 AM, AriesWarlock said:

Touhou Project action game Koumajou Remilia: Scarlet Symphony coming to Switch, Steam in 2021

Remastered and with bonus content.

 

Here is an overview of the game, via CFK:

Developed by Frontier Aja, Koumajou Remilia Scarlet Symphony is a 2009 side-scrolling action game based on the famous Touhou Project. The game comes back this year with HD remastered graphics and a number of bonus content.

Koumajou Remilia Scarlet Symphony features a collaboration of classic gothic horror action and the world of Touhou Project. As Reimu Hakurei, players will battle their way to the Scarlet Devil Castle to find out the cause of the disturbance that is spreading in Gensokyo.

The legendary action game Koumajou Remilia Scarlet Symphony will be released on Nintendo Switch and Steam this year, with upgrades.

 

 

So this never came out this year. Kind of a bummer. 

 

Anyone remember the name of that metroidvania being developed that had a very SotN style? I want to say it was a Kickstarter game. 

[Camacho]

Aren't there 755 games that fit that description?

[RSG3]

3 hours ago, Camacho said:

Aren't there 755 games that fit that description?

Indeed. 

 

I would bet money that @DoctaMario is talking about Deedlit in Wonder Labrynth. It's the one everyone's comparisons to Symphony right now. 

 

Only similarities I see, personally is the 2D Open World and Deedlit animated similar to Alucard. Bout it. It's made by the same devs who made Touhou Luna Nights. 

 

If he means something else then I dunno cuz any 2D game that lets you go left instead of right gets labled a Metroidvania these days. 

[DoctaMario]

On 1/19/2022 at 2:38 PM, RSG3 said:

Indeed. 

 

I would bet money that @DoctaMario is talking about Deedlit in Wonder Labrynth. It's the one everyone's comparisons to Symphony right now. 

 

Only similarities I see, personally is the 2D Open World and Deedlit animated similar to Alucard. Bout it. It's made by the same devs who made Touhou Luna Nights. 

 

If he means something else then I dunno cuz any 2D game that lets you go left instead of right gets labled a Metroidvania these days. 

Nah it's not that one. I can't remember, I've seen a few clips of it in the game thread but it was awhile ago and I bought Vigil The Longest Night thinking it was that game but it wasn't.

 

I did find another interesting game while looking though

 

 

Edited January 24, 2022 by DoctaMario

[AriesWarlock]

PLAYISM to publish Momodora: Moonlit Farewell

Sequel to Momodora III in development for PC.

 

 

Here is an overview of the game, via PLAYISM:

About

Momodora: Moonlit Farewell is the latest installment in the Momodora series and takes place five years after the events of Momodora III. Join Momo, High Priestess of the village of Koho, as she embarks on a divine mission to save her people from imminent destruction at the hands of the demon hordes summoned by a malevolent bellringer.

 

 

[hanzohattori12]

16 hours ago, DoctaMario said:

Nah it's not that one. I can't remember, I've seen a few clips of it in the game thread but it was awhile ago and I bought Vigil The Longest Night thinking it was that game but it wasn't.

 

I did find another interesting game while looking though

 

 

The Last Faith.

 

 

Edited January 24, 2022 by hanzohattori12

[DoctaMario]

1 hour ago, hanzohattori12 said:

The Last Faith.

 

 

MY MAN!! that's the one! Game looks badass