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Post by MRSKELETON on Jul 9, 2006 18:04:53 GMT -5
Since well, there isn't exactly a suitable discussion going on for any of these. Put any conversations related to Castlevania in here. I suppose this could apply to Kurts other website too because it lacks a forum to my knowledge.
So, to hit this off: Was anyone dissapointed by the soundtrack in Curse of Darkness?
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Post by Discoalucard on Jul 9, 2006 18:24:36 GMT -5
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Post by MRSKELETON on Jul 9, 2006 18:27:44 GMT -5
It kinda irked me actually. I didn't really like it because nothing was very memorable, Lament of innocence had a far better soundtrack because it really sounded klike it was meant for castlevania. I just felt like curse of darkness soundtrack was something they could just tack on any action game.
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Post by Scylla on Jul 9, 2006 18:41:25 GMT -5
Heh, the Castlevania Dungeon forum is huge and has existed in some form or another for, what, around 6 years now? :P I think I've exhausted just about everything I could say about the series at this point, short of getting caught up in the hype of each new release but they just don't interest me.
Actually, I'd say the music is probably the best thing about the more recent releases. Yamane is still good, even though I'm rather tired of the SotN style being used endlessly. I think it's more frustrating as a fan of Yamane independent of Castlevania because I know she's capable of SO MUCH MORE. I want more upbeat Yamane music, dammit, like from TwinBee and Rocket Knight Adventures. Not that it would be fitting for a Castlevania game, but I'm not even aware if she's doing anything like that these days, and I wouldn't be surprised if Castlevania is what has pigeon-holed her.
At this rate, I wonder if I'll reach a point where I'll get absolutely sick of her SotN style. I know that just a few years ago I was in love with Ayami Kojima's artwork and regarded her as one of my favorite artists, now I practically wish she would drop dead. :P
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Post by MRSKELETON on Jul 9, 2006 18:51:52 GMT -5
Whoah whoah whoah. Don't diss ayame kojima man. I love her style of artwork.
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Post by Weasel on Jul 9, 2006 18:51:57 GMT -5
I wish Ayami Kojima still did artwork for the Castlevania games. I know she just did Curse of Darkness, but it's downright wrong to see the dumb old anime style for the DS games.
If they wanted anime styled artwork, they could at least get somebody good - somebody like Range Murata.
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Post by Scylla on Jul 9, 2006 20:23:44 GMT -5
Ayami Kojima is a one-trick pony, and while she was great for SotN, it's gotten tiresome to see her reuse the exact same style time and time again to the point where I can barely tell some characters apart since she seems practically incapable of drawing a young man as anything but a girly bishounen. She's a very talented woman, but goodness is she lacking creativity, which is pretty much crippling to an artist as far as I'm concerned.
I whole heartedly agree that the new generic anime artwork is no improvement either. In fact, it's even worse because, even though she's stuck in her style, at least Ayami Kojima's work is unique from other artists. Maybe I'm the only one, but I thought the anime art of Rondo of Blood was pretty bad too. The intro with Richter was pretty nice, but all the scenes after that were laughably bad. Frickin' GIGANTIC foreheads on all the women, and I could barely stand to look at Dracula and his body-consuming shoulders (and the two-frame mouth didn't help either). I freakin' hate bad anime.
Now Dracula XX, THAT had some badass art. It was gothic without being all "OMG vampires are sexay" like Kojima's stuff. It was such an interesting style and it fit Castlevania so well. I like the old Conan-ish art too, but this style seemed even more fitting. The women were just lovely too. It's a shame that the US packaging got rid of most of the cool art, but at least we have the in-game stuff, like the cool ending pictures.
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Post by sainttweeter on Jul 9, 2006 20:44:44 GMT -5
I love the CoD OST. Trevor's music is badass and awesome. The rest of it is good too. I can't fucking stand Kojima. I've never ever EVER liked her art. I'm happy the about the switch to cartoony garbage art in the DS games (gets pelted withe eggs).... although seeing Range Murata's godly beautiful art in Castlevania games would make have multiple orgams and die.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2006 21:56:39 GMT -5
I belong to those people who doesn't like Ayami Kojima's art. I like her art over Akira Toriyama's, though.
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Post by bioniccommando83 on Jul 10, 2006 3:07:17 GMT -5
I've yet to get through all of CoD (Beat Garibaldi Temple about four months ago, then got sidetracked), but what I've heard insofar has not dissapointed. I'm not sure if it's as good as SotN or LoI (and for which of those is the better of the two... I think I lean towards LoI, but only just), but it fits with the game, though there's a kind of repetitive feel with in the various tracks that grates on you as you're trying to make it through the long, winding cooridors. I didn't realize she did Rocket Knight's music, which once more boost my already very high opinion of the game (right behind Bionic Commando on my top ten list).
For Kojima's artwork, it was something I associated with Castlevania as the kind of definitive style for the series. It definitely fit with SotN (and the original cover is rather nice- glad they put it on the inside of the CD case), and so on. The anme style is different and not the route I'd have gone, but it's something new and ergo refreshing, though I think Kojima's stuff would have still pleased me none the less (as it is unique compared to the other anime/art stylings out there).
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ed
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Post by ed on Jul 10, 2006 5:06:53 GMT -5
art schmart Oh, and while Range Murata is indeed a compelling artist, what would that art add to the series? Would the whole game be set in the Tower of Dolls? Loli vampires? Addition: I haven't played CoD (or ANY PS2 games, sadly), but the soundtrack seems to be a marked change of pace. I do agree with Kurt that Yamane is capable of quite a bit more, but given the constraints placed on her by the current direction of the series, it seems natural.
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Post by sainttweeter on Jul 10, 2006 6:54:48 GMT -5
Loli vampires indeed! The series needs more actual vampires anyways, imo. : )
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2006 7:42:40 GMT -5
I thought that CoD was rather damn good when I played it. I favored it more than Lament of Innocence, which I also believed to be underrated. Granted, the graphics were somewhat lax for a latter-generation 3D title, but that didn't bother me too much. It may have been a bit slow-moving and a slight tad redundant in a few areas, but I didn't mind that too much, s'long as I got to slash some undead ass.
Of course, I am such a rabid Castlevania fan that I even find enjoyment in the Castlevania Adventure. So disregard my opinion if necessary. ;D
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Post by Neo Rasa on Jul 10, 2006 9:02:28 GMT -5
I'm a huge fan of Ayame Kojima's artwork in general, though I'm not a big fan at all of her work on the Castlevania games to be honest. I used to have scans from a bunch of her artbooks, great stuff. Sadly, just as her art started getting more interesting for the series with the last two GBA titles they had her do Curse of Darkness (which looks great) and opted for the dumb anime style for Dawn of Sorrow. Feh. It's a shame the art direction is all bishounen this and bishounen that and has become even less ambitious since Dawn of Sorrow. What's seen here is more in synch with her artwork in general. I really hated that they didn't use a crop from this as the front cover for the game, as that dumb picture of hers they chose to go with is pretty silly. His head is so damn small in it! Curse of Darkness is pretty good, I'd love it except for two things: 1) It moves SOOOOOO SLOOOOOW. Holy crap. Everything in the game should move twice as fast and it would be so much better. 2) So much of the game takes place in doors and yet there's still a draw distance of what, twenty feet? Castlevania: Dinosaur Hunter? Great soundtrack though and I love the outdoor areas. Some of the songs are a little generic but it has a great feel overall.
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Post by Scylla on Jul 10, 2006 12:28:35 GMT -5
Of course, I am such a rabid Castlevania fan that I even find enjoyment in the Castlevania Adventure. So disregard my opinion if necessary. ;D Castlevania Adventure is a great game. It's just extremely old school. Most fans just can't get past its high difficulty and slow pace, especially those who didn't get into the series until SotN or such. I actually prefer Adventure over the more recent Castlevania games. I don't even have nostalgia for it either since I played it for the first time only a couple years ago.
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