Iga...vania?! Sword or Whip, Iga's New Project!

[Twewy]

EDIT: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is the official title! Fund it on Kickstarter if you want!

Seems Mr. Igarashi has a big project coming up, and it looks to be a spiritual successor to Castlevania.

http://swordorwhip.com/

How things work:

• Sword or whip. Pick! A vote for one is a vote less for the other. (There will be more.)
• Keep picking, soon you will be awarded a name and a title (For example, I'm Haures the Harmless.)
• Eventually, you're assigned a clan named after a weapon. (For example, I'm in Iron Flail.)
• There are small little "Campaigns" that occur for a while where clans compete by voting. (As of this post the whip clans are stomping the swords.)
• If you really want your fictional clan to win, you can Tweet or post on Facebook to spread the word. (Or keep voting yourself.)
• There will be a Kickstarter, as evidenced by runes behind the little not-Dracula/Iga and some poster floating around that was apparently handed out at some PAX. (They spell out "WHAT A HORRIBLE NIGHT TO HAVE A KICKSTARTER")

What we know so far:

• The game will be about alchemy, and crafting your weapons.
• You play a blood alchemist.
• The game will have a very Castlevania feel to it, if the Dracula/Igarashi fusion didn't give that away. Or, you know, THE WHIP.
• There will be more weapons...when he trusts us with them.
• May 11th, which is probably the date the Kickstarter comes up.

Also, some secrets:

• Put in the Konami code. You know you want to.
• ??? (Obviously Iga) throws some sick burns towards Konami ("You will remain when the dust settles, or you will be the dust.", "A new, vital heart, pulsing with the old blood.", etc.)

Discuss and speculate, or even talk about old Castlevanias if you want. Personally, I think it's going be a Metroidvania that'll take different ideas from the Metroidvania CSs. The poster mentioned crafting weapons from monsters, and that reminds me of Dawn of Sorrow's thing where you could craft monster souls and a weapon to make a stronger one.

 

[finalark]

Whip for life.

On topic, I'm super pumped for this especially since CV has been going downhill ever since Lords of Shadow. May 11th I will be kickstarting the hell out of this.

EDIT: Apparently, I'm Dantalion the Dank of the Bullwhip clan.

 

[Cyn]

Whip for life.

On topic, I'm super pumped for this especially since CV has been going downhill ever since Lords of Shadow.

Ever since it tried going 3D you mean?

 

[finalark]

Ever since it tried going 3D you mean?

I can't really say that, because I like some of the post-CV64 games. Mainly the GBA and DS games. The 3D CV games have always been pretty bad, but the fact that Konami is determined to stick with LoS, even incorporating it's game play into the handheld entries, is what what really hurts the series.

 

[Cyn]

It definitely has not worked thus far.

 

[Twewy]

Ever since it tried going 3D you mean?

I dunno if you're gonna like this Igavania thing then, seems like it's gonna take a bit from the GBA/DS/SoTN games.

Agreed on LoS though, it's alright for what it is but Konami's putting too much focus on it.

 

[Cyn]

I loved SotN though...

 

[Twewy]

I loved SotN though...

Sorry, I assumed you meant every game after Castlevania 64 was bad. I like the classic games, but I gotta say I love me a good Metroidvania. I'm actually looking for Order of Eclessia so I can have all of the DS games. Anyone know if it's any good?

 

[Cyn]

Sorry, I assumed you meant every game after Castlevania 64 was bad. I like the classic games, but I gotta say I love me a good Metroidvania. I'm actually looking for Order of Eclessia so I can have all of the DS games. Anyone know if it's any good?

I apologize, I wasn't clear. I meant any 3d installment has failed to live up to the Castlevania name imo.

 

[SomewhatMystia]

I enjoyed OoE well enough, but it's been so long since I last played that I forget a lot of the details. I can't think of anything that stood out as 'bad' about the game, though.

 

[finalark]

I'm actually looking for Order of Eclessia so I can have all of the DS games. Anyone know if it's any good?

Yes, it's good but it's also the hardest of the DS CVs. It also tries to do a lot of things differently, but most of the time the things they try end up working out.

 

[Twewy]

Yes, it's good but it's also the hardest of the DS CVs. It also tries to do a lot of things differently, but most of the time the things they try end up working out.

I just whined my way through Mega Man Zero (On Easy Scenario), I'm sure I can handle another ass kicking or two.

 

[Minato]

Looking forward to it since it's been hinted at for so long but put on hold. Curious on how he approaches this. Might No. 9's kickstarter was clever. Basically concentrated on the hate fans gave Capcom and had Mega Man nostalgia (gameplay doesn't seem as MM as I'd like though).

This is assuming that it's going to be kickstarted.

 

[Twewy]

Looking forward to it since it's been hinted at for so long but put on hold. Curious on how he approaches this. Might No. 9's kickstarter was clever. Basically concentrated on the hate fans gave Capcom and had Mega Man nostalgia (gameplay doesn't seem as MM as I'd like though).

This is assuming that it's going to be kickstarted.

It is, if you find that pic of the the flyer from PAX, the runes spell out something like "WHAT A HORRIBLE/WONDERFUL(one of the two idk) NIGHT FOR A KICKSTARTER".

 

[finalark]

I just whined my way through Mega Man Zero (On Easy Scenario), I'm sure I can handle another *** kicking or two.

Okay, so now that I'm not using a keyboard that's total garbage I'm going to expand on my thoughts on OoE.

As I mentioned, it's hard. Out of all of the RPGs I'm convinced that it's the most challenging in the series. The camera is zoomed way in (to be fair, this is because the areas are very small), Shanoa can't take a hit and in order to power up you have to stand absolutely still for a few seconds to absorb enemy glyphs. Plus Shanoa is a spellcaster, much like Charlotte in PoR. However, unlike PoR she doesn't have a tanky sword dude to back her up, and if you're used to the other CV games where your primarily offence is swinging around weapons then OoE's combat will take a lot of getting used to.

In terms of general game play, OoE feels like an updated version of Simon's Quest. You have one central town that you return to for shopping and other necessities and different areas you travel to in order to progress through the game (thankfully, you just choose where to go on a map instead of walking there). Each of these areas is basically a bit-sized Metroidvania style map with it's own end boss. With a town and dungeons, OoE is certainly the most RPG-like of the RPGs.

IMO OoE is certainly worth playing, despite (or even because of) it's departures from previous games in the series. If you've played the other DS games, I'd say that it's better than Dawn of Sorrow (who's gimmicky touch screen controls have not aged well) and is on par of Portrait of Ruin.

 

[Twewy]

It's better than Dawn? That's awesome, Dawn's my favorite out of the two DS ones I own. I'll keep an eye out for it, then.

 

[Minato]

I'm glad OoE went back to a better art style. I have no idea what they were thinking with the first DS game.

I actually liked Dawn more than Portrait though, but that's me. Soul system was so good but PoR didn't change things up enough for me. Series started feeling even more stagnated at that point.

 

[finalark]

I'm glad OoE went back to a better art style. I have no idea what they were thinking with the first DS game.

Apparently, the switch to anime style art was to try and draw in a wider audience. Given how popular anime was in the west during the 2000s it makes sense in theory, but in practice Konami got the same result as every series that drastically changed for the sake of expanding the fanbase: people who weren't interested in the first place still weren't interested and preexisting fans were upset.

I actually liked Dawn more than Portrait though, but that's me. Soul system was so good but PoR didn't change things up enough for me. Series started feeling even more stagnated at that point.

To be fair, I'm hugely bias towards PoR because it was my first CV game. After playing it I went back and played SotN and the GBA games. While Circle of the Moon was kinda mediocre and Harmony of Dissonance tried way too hard to recapture SotN I thought that Aria of Sorrow was absolutely fantastic. After finishing it I went straight to DoS, and felt kinda underwhelmed. For being the most praised and universally liked of the DS trilogy I was expecting more than some tweaks to AoS and dated touch screen controls.

I think I should go back and revisit it sometime with lower expectations.

 

[Deleted member]

I was given the name "Raum the Raunchy" and placed into the "Iron Flail" clan after consistently picking the whip. As for the game itself, I'm intrigued by the few details so far.

At this point, I can't say I'm expecting a brand new official Castlevania game from Konami after Lords of Shadow 2 underperformed in the sales department, so a spiritual successor will do.

 

[finalark]

At this point, I can't say I'm expecting a brand new official Castlevania game from Konami after Lords of Shadow 2 underperformed in the sales department, so a spiritual successor will do.

At this point I don't even think I want an official new Castlevania game from Konami.

 

[Minato]

Apparently, the switch to anime style art was to try and draw in a wider audience. Given how popular anime was in the west during the 2000s it makes sense in theory, but in practice Konami got the same result as every series that drastically changed for the sake of expanding the fanbase: people who weren't interested in the first place still weren't interested and preexisting fans were upset.



To be fair, I'm hugely bias towards PoR because it was my first CV game. After playing it I went back and played SotN and the GBA games. While Circle of the Moon was kinda mediocre and Harmony of Dissonance tried way too hard to recapture SotN I thought that Aria of Sorrow was absolutely fantastic. After finishing it I went straight to DoS, and felt kinda underwhelmed. For being the most praised and universally liked of the DS trilogy I was expecting more than some tweaks to AoS and dated touch screen controls.

I think I should go back and revisit it sometime with lower expectations.

Yeah, Aria of Sorrow was probably my favorite out of the handheld Castlevania games. DoS was more of the same, but that was the problem. AoS changed and made things interesting. DoS just brought gimmicky touch controls into the mix and that was it. I felt like AoS was what the series needed to change things up slightly. OoE was great because it was a bit more refreshing after the other two DS titles.

 

[Twewy]

So Dracula says some new things now. They're pretty unnerving for the guy offering you a drink...

 

[Deleted member]

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

The Kickstarter is up and some intriguing information has been revealed:

• The title is Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night.
• It appears to be a Metroidvania-style game.
• Igarashi is collaborating with Inti Creates (Mega Man 9 & 10, Mighty No. 9, Azure Striker Gunvolt) to develop this game.
• The game will be available for PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac, and Linux. No word on Wii U or any other platforms.
• Castlevania series verteran Michiru Yamane along with Ippo Yamanda will be composing the music.
• David "Solid Snake" Hayter will voice the Gebel character. Other voice actors will be revealed over time.
• Depending on how much money they invest, backers will receive either Iga's "immortal gratitude," a digital copy, or a physical copy with exclusive content among other rewards.

Full details can be found on the webpage. I'm very excited for this and I hope the Kickstarter will be successful.

 

[Twewy]

Actually, there was word on Wii U: it's not coming to it. The game's made in Unreal Engine 4, and to release a Wii U version would to remake the game in another engine.

 

[Deleted member]

Actually, there was word on Wii U: it's not coming to it. The game's made in Unreal Engine 4, and to release a Wii U version would to remake the game in another engine.

I didn't read that part until you pointed it out. I respect their decision for excluding it if that truly means a better experience overall. I probably would buy the PS4 version (that is when I get a PS4) regardless.

 

[finalark]

If I had the money, I would drop $850,000 on this right now.

 

[Deleted member]

It's been successfully funded!

In celebration, I'm listening to the Castlevania: Rondo of Blood soundtrack, still one of my favorites in the entire series.

 

[SomewhatMystia]

I haven't backed a KS in ages, but man I am absolutely sold on this thing already. That concept art is absolutely beautiful.

 

[Twewy]

I really hope this doesn't go down the road of Mighty No. 9, because I do love me some Metroidvanias...

 

[finalark]

We're almost at David Hayter, I'm really pumped for this.

 

[Twewy]

We're almost at David Hayter, I'm really pumped for this.

David Hayter?...

 

[finalark]

David Hayter?...

At $850,000 they're going to get David Hayter, Snake's voice actor, in on the game.

And it looks like that hit that goal. HOORAY!

 

[Twewy]

At $850,000 they're going to get David Hayter, Snake's voice actor, in on the game.

And it looks like that hit that goal. HOORAY!

Voice actor?... $850,000?.... Hooray?....

 

[Cyn]

Yes. Yes. Not really.

 

[Twewy]

Yes. Yes. Not really.

Metal Gear jokes in a not-Castlevania thread?...

 

[Cyn]

Metal Gear jokes in a not-Castlevania thread?...

Maybe...

 

[Twewy]

Maybe...

Maybe?... Are you kidding me?!

On a more serious note, I like the idea behind not-Shanoa's curse, but from the concept art it looks...well, it could look more like glass on flesh.

 

[finalark]

I have no idea what's transpired. I like David Hayter, one of their stretch goals was to get him on board once $850,000 has been donated, and they hit the goal. My hooray was genuine.

 

[Twewy]

I have no idea what's transpired. I like David Hayter, one of their stretch goals was to get him on board once $850,000 has been donated, and they hit the goal. My hooray was genuine.

You like David Hayter but can't remember his character's debatable iconic way of repeating information back to him (information back to him?...)? For shame!

I'm glad this game's getting a crapload of money though. Here's hoping it don't go down the path of Mighty No.9, though...Inti Creates, I like your work with Mega Man, make me proud with your (not)Castlevania!

 

[finalark]

Guys, the kickstarter hit $1,000,000.