So why do people like Bloodlines so much?

SignOfZeta · 01/26/2011, 12:36 AM

I s-video modded my Genesis and have been playing this game on it. I have to say...its not very good, IMO. The action is really fast compared to Drac X and boss fights seem so much less precise/strategic and more sort of spazzy. Also, the graphics are pretty fucking sad, IMO, even for a Genesis game.

esteban · 01/26/2011, 01:16 AM

...because Genesis enthusiasts wanted to celebrate the Konami games that were released?

I think Bloodlines is pretty corny/goofy, but it is fun for a romp.

Joe Redifer · 01/26/2011, 01:41 AM

They also like Contra Hard Corpse more than pretty much any other Contra game.

Bloodlines isn't horrible, but it seems more like a weird Saturday morning spin-off than a true Castlevania game. It does have some good music, though.

bartre · 01/26/2011, 01:52 AM

I love Bloodlines, honestly, i like it more than either of the SNES ones.
On the mark of Contra, it's decidedly meh, Contra III is best.

IMO, the best genesis game was definitely Gunstar Heroes, closely followed by Robocop Vs. Terminator and Rocket Knight Adventures

nat · 01/26/2011, 02:46 AM

I haven't played much of Bloodlines, but I remember thinking the visuals were extremely grainy.

csgx1 · 01/26/2011, 03:35 AM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 01/26/2011, 01:41 AMThey also like Contra Hard Corpse more than pretty much any other Contra game.

Bloodlines isn't horrible, but it seems more like a weird Saturday morning spin-off than a true Castlevania game. It does have some good music, though.

I personally like Contra Hard Corps out of all the Contras and Gunstar Heroes.

As for Bloodlines, it has decent music and I like the fast pace. Also, I thought the graphics were decent(for a Genesis game) on certain levels. But overall, Bloodlines is definitely not the best Castlevania.

termis · 01/26/2011, 03:58 AM

Only played like the 5 minutes of it, but I can say it was as gripping as any other Castlevanias... (that's why I only played for 5 min!)

But to be fair, I didn't give it a good chance. It just... Didn't seem as cool as the other Castlevanias for whatever reason. And mind you, I LOVE the Genesis.

TheClash603 · 01/26/2011, 07:00 AM

If Bloodlines was too fast for you, you should play the 3 Castlevania games on the original Gameboy.

I thought Bloodlines was pretty good, beats the hell out of Simon's Quest.

Tatsujin · 01/26/2011, 07:02 AM

Yeah, vampire killer isn't a very nice looking game, and sometimes the palette dives deep under the on of a famicom. They also used kind of ugly color mixtures, mostly like green-grey-muddy-brown shit.
it still is an ok game, but can't in no ways compete with pce drac x or akumjou dracula (cast IV) on SFC.

they did a MUUUCH better job on contra the hardcore. Now that is a nice MD game.

SuperDeadite · 01/26/2011, 07:39 AM

Personally. Rondo>Vampire Killer> IV. Sure the graphics aren't the best, but it does cool stuff
with the MD's great parallax abilities. It's the fastest of the three, and in RGB looks fantastic,
I like all the boss fights and is probably the best of them in pure action.

IV has great atmosphere, but the gameplay is absolutely terrible, stupidly easy. And the lamest,
crappiest boss fights in the entire series. Just stand there and whip, bosses die before you do.

TheClash603 · 01/26/2011, 05:38 PM

Quote from: SuperDeadite on 01/26/2011, 07:39 AMPersonally. Rondo>Vampire Killer> IV. Sure the graphics aren't the best, but it does cool stuff
with the MD's great parallax abilities. It's the fastest of the three, and in RGB looks fantastic,
I like all the boss fights and is probably the best of them in pure action.

IV has great atmosphere, but the gameplay is absolutely terrible, stupidly easy. And the lamest,
crappiest boss fights in the entire series. Just stand there and whip, bosses die before you do.

I agree with you. IV is overrated, big time.

SignOfZeta · 01/26/2011, 06:47 PM

Yeah, I can't stand IV. My favorites are the original FC one, the X68K one, and Rondo.

GohanX · 01/26/2011, 07:13 PM

Bloodlines is awesome. The graphics weird, they look good in RGB (reminds me of a comic book) but NES-like through a regular connection.

The problem, on this forum, is that it's going to get compared to Dracula X, which is THE BEST DAMN GAME EVER MADE. Everything sucks compared to it.

SuperDeadite · 01/26/2011, 07:41 PM

Quote from: SignOfZeta on 01/26/2011, 06:47 PMYeah, I can't stand IV. My favorites are the original FC one, the X68K one, and Rondo.

These days, it's easy to compare VK to the likes of Rondo, x68k, etc. But back in the
day, I and probably 95% of USA kids had no idea about the JP only games. So for 16-bit
days it was IV, Bloodlines, or SNES X. If your stuck with those 3, Bloodlines is easily the
best.

I also really like the MSX version. It's a very well designed game, that gets bashed by
people who don't know how to play it. You have to know what the items do and use
them correctly.

Tatsujin · 01/26/2011, 07:49 PM

I was like the opposite. I didn't had VK when I was le young, but rondo and IV. Sure rondo kicked every arse to moon and beyond of it.
But I've played IV way before rondo, so it still keeps a nice niche in my heart, especially regarding the great BGM.

SignOfZeta · 01/26/2011, 09:22 PM

I'm not sure I played any CVs between CV1 on NES and Rondo, both right around the time of release. Maybe I played II. After Rondo I went looking at the other ones. I didn't play the X68K one until emulators got good sometime in the 90s.

Aside from the gameplay just not being "right", the graphics in Bloodlines are really lame. You see huge swaths of mono color backgrounds that would be ultra detailed in a game like Rondo, even if done with repeating tiles. I almost wonder if they were going for "animated" cel-ish look. If so...they failed. There is also very little digitized sound effects.

The music is, at times, kind of nice. That's about all the nice I can give it.

EDIT: Fixing HUGE FUCK UP.

Tatsujin · 01/26/2011, 09:26 PM

Quote from: SignOfZeta on 01/26/2011, 09:22 PMAside from the gameplay just not being "right", the graphics in Rondo are really lame.

Tatsujin · 01/26/2011, 09:34 PM

Quote from: JKM on 01/26/2011, 07:13 PMThe problem, on this forum, is that it's going to get compared to Dracula X, which is THE BEST DAMN GAME EVER MADE. Everything sucks compared to it.

Nothing more true could be said

Arkhan Asylum · 01/26/2011, 10:24 PM

Bloodlines is kinda derpy. I like it though.

As for Hard Corps...

I love the gritty cyberpunk vibe, but Contra 3 on SNES plays better still.

If Hard Corps played like Contra 3, I'd totally like it the most. The setting rules.

Tatsujin · 01/26/2011, 10:28 PM

Quote from: guest on 01/26/2011, 10:24 PMIf Hard Corps played like Contra 3, I'd totally like it the most. The setting rules.

Then get Contra Hard Spirits on GBA, it's literally a 50-50 mix of both games

Altough for me, that mix didn't work out very well.

DragonmasterDan · 01/27/2011, 11:51 AM

I literally just picked up Bloodlines and played it for the first time on Monday. It's decent, I've only made it to level 3. Some nice music, classic castlevania gameplay.

There aren't a lot of secrets, the game doesn't look as nice as other 16-bit era CV games, nor does it play as well. But it's not a bad game overall. I'm pleased with the game.

Joe Redifer · 01/27/2011, 01:10 PM

One thing that bothers me about Bloodlines is the way he walks up and down the stairs. It almost looks as if his feet are under the stairs by the way they place the sprite. It looks pretty sloppy. Also, the animation of the main character walking is indeed pretty "derpy".

esteban · 01/27/2011, 03:25 PM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 01/27/2011, 01:10 PMOne thing that bothers me about Bloodlines is the way he walks up and down the stairs. It almost looks as if his feet are under the stairs by the way they place the sprite. It looks pretty sloppy. Also, the animation of the main character walking is indeed pretty "derpy".

Hahahahahaha. Konami, I felt, should have taken extra time to polish Bloodlines. It should have been a better game (don't get me wrong, I like Bloodlines).

No one has really mentioned them, but I actually really enjoy the NES installments...

There is one thing you can say about Bloodlines: it has a sense of fun (or irreverence, depending on your viewpoint) that makes it stand out from the other titles in the series.

Bloodlines is, as they say, the bastard child of the Castlevania series (and yes, I'm including Kid Dracula!)

SignOfZeta · 01/27/2011, 05:46 PM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 01/27/2011, 01:10 PMOne thing that bothers me about Bloodlines is the way he walks up and down the stairs. It almost looks as if his feet are under the stairs by the way they place the sprite. It looks pretty sloppy. Also, the animation of the main character walking is indeed pretty "derpy".

Yeah, I noticed the stairs thing. WTF?

IMO, Richtor looks pretty damned derpy too though, all the OG CV characters do. I never understood why they drew them so...uncomfortably.

DragonmasterDan · 01/27/2011, 09:06 PM

Quote from: esteban on 01/27/2011, 03:25 PMBloodlines is, as they say, the bastard child of the Castlevania series (and yes, I'm including Kid Dracula!)

Have you ever played the abomination that is Castlevania Adventure?

Let alone newer games like Judgement.

Bloodlines is way way better than those.

Arkhan Asylum · 01/27/2011, 09:08 PM

CASTLEVANIA: DERPLINES.

SuperDeadite · 01/27/2011, 09:57 PM

Quote from: DragonmasterDan on 01/27/2011, 09:06 PM
Quote from: esteban on 01/27/2011, 03:25 PMBloodlines is, as they say, the bastard child of the Castlevania series (and yes, I'm including Kid Dracula!)
Have you ever played the abomination that is Castlevania Adventure?

Let alone newer games like Judgement.

Bloodlines is way way better than those.

The Castlevania Adventure hasn't aged well. But for a very early Gameboy game, it's a decent effort.
Sure, Christopher is slow, but it's fully playable. Stage 3 is one of the best stages in the entire series
in my opinion. Chased by spikes from every direction, it's fantastic. Yes the game is flawed, and it's
sequel is far better. But Adventure II > Adventure I > Legends I'd say.

TheClash603 · 01/27/2011, 11:21 PM

Castlevania Adventure sure is slow... but it is awesome too! I played and beat both I and II when I was younger. I didn't even know Legends existed until a year ago, and at $20 it was a pretty expensive Gameboy game. Though, it was alright...

However, why does anyone want to play as a chick? Fighting Dracula? I try to play video games for fantasy, but that is just too far out there.

DragonmasterDan · 01/28/2011, 07:09 AM

Quote from: TheClash603 on 01/27/2011, 11:21 PMCastlevania Adventure sure is slow... but it is awesome too! I played and beat both I and II when I was younger. I didn't even know Legends existed until a year ago, and at $20 it was a pretty expensive Gameboy game. Though, it was alright...

However, why does anyone want to play as a chick? Fighting Dracula? I try to play video games for fantasy, but that is just too far out there.

Yeah, that would be like if you could play as Maria or something in Rondo... oh wait..

Anyway, I think Adventure is still worse than Legends. But Adventure II is better than both of them. If I were to make a list of classic style CV games (non-Metroid style or 3D). It would go

1. Rondo of Blood
2. Castlevania III
3. Super Castlevania IV
4. Castlevania Rebirth
5. Bloodlines
6. Castlevania Chronicles/ X68000 Dracula X
7. Castlevania
8. Castlevania Adventure II
9. Castlevania II
10. Castlevania Legends
11. Castlevania Adventure

I'm leaving out the MSX game and Haunted Castle as I've only played those on an emulator and never for an extended period of time.

Anyway, that's my take on the games and Bloodlines is around the middle.

Tatsujin · 01/28/2011, 08:19 AM

a nice order dan. #1 is for certain!

what about the drac xx on sfc?

DragonmasterDan · 01/28/2011, 09:02 AM

Quote from: Tatsujin on 01/28/2011, 08:19 AMa nice order dan. #1 is for certain!

what about the drac xx on sfc?

Ahh, I have that around 8 or 9. I totally forgot about that one.

SuperDeadite · 01/28/2011, 09:41 AM

Drac XX doesn't exist. It's a figment of the world's nightmares.

Akumajou Dracula Arcade (Haunted Castle), is an amazing game,
unfinished and rough around the edges, but sill a fantastic game.
Unfairly hated by so many just because they suck at it. I think
the real reason everyone loves IV so much is because it's so
easy. IV= "My first Castlevania game", should have been a Pico
game.

DragonmasterDan · 01/28/2011, 10:25 AM

Quote from: SuperDeadite on 01/28/2011, 09:41 AMDrac XX doesn't exist. It's a figment of the world's nightmares.

Akumajou Dracula Arcade (Haunted Castle), is an amazing game,
unfinished and rough around the edges, but sill a fantastic game.
Unfairly hated by so many just because they suck at it. I think
the real reason everyone loves IV so much is because it's so
easy. IV= "My first Castlevania game", should have been a Pico
game.

I like IV because of nice graphics, good music, a great tone and visual style and fun gameplay. Yes it's easy but it's fun.

Tatsujin · 01/28/2011, 10:29 AM

Quote from: DragonmasterDan on 01/28/2011, 09:02 AMI totally forgot about that one.

Yeah, it's nothing bad about totally forgot that one

Raizen1984 · 01/28/2011, 11:34 AM

I had no idea everyone hated IV so much. I thought it was a blast; it's a tad on the easy side, yes, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. After the NES installments, I appreciated the breezier pace. Also, while I'm probably alone on this one, I like how it's completely linear, with no branching paths or extra playable characters. I prefer straightforward when it comes to Castlevania.

I only played Bloodlines on an emulator. Seemed alright. Nothing special, but nothing to get overly critical about either.

SignOfZeta · 01/28/2011, 01:11 PM

IV has one big problem for me, the color. The colors are so fruity it looks like a fucking Lucky Charms ad.

Don't get me wrong, I love colorful games. Star Parodia and Hanatakadaka and Yoshi's Island and all that, but CV games are based on horror movies and demons and other satanic bullshit. Drac X on PC manages to be dark but still have loads of depth and detail (something Bloodlines SUCKS at) which is really hard if you don't understand color design on these old game systems. CV IV though...I think its that fruity colored because they couldn't pull off "gloomy" properly. They probably tried, screwed up, and though "damn, that looks like a bunch of brown and black bullshit, better crank it up a notch" and then totally overcompensated. That's my theory anyway.

Drac XX is the one I don't get. Its so hated just because Drac X exists and is so great. I think if XX was the only X then people would be much kinder to it.

JoshTurboTrollX · 01/28/2011, 05:22 PM

As far as the three real 16-bit Castlevania titles go I would rate them Best- SCIV, Second Best- DracX, and then Bloodlines.

Bloodlines, has great graphics and boss battles are really good too. Love the soundtrack! I think I'm such a old school Castlevania fan that I was just happy to see a new Castlevania game at the time.

Drac X on SNES doesn't count for anything, while the music and graphics are pretty good, even at some spots a little cleaner than our beloved Rondo, it's a crippled down 6 level teaser trailer in comparison.

phooey on drac xx, bloodlines is great!

blueraven · 01/28/2011, 05:29 PM

#1 - Drac X
#2 - Simons Quest

Although I think they're both on equal footing, having completed both games. I put X first because of the sheer amount of content but the game was far too easy.

Let the battle begin.

SignOfZeta · 01/28/2011, 09:44 PM

Quote from: JoshTurboTrollX-16 on 01/28/2011, 05:22 PMBloodlines, has great graphics...

...what?

esteban · 01/28/2011, 10:51 PM

I will not succumb to the Drac XX hate. It isn't so bad, goddammit.

Quick, someone link to the old thread that compared DracXX and DracX via 2,000 screenshots...

DracXX still isn't a horrible game.

Also, although I've only played via emulation, I really got into the arcade (Haunted Castle). BUT THERE IS THIS GODDAMN PART WITH MATERIALIZING & FLYING BRICKS that totally kicked my ass. Sometimes I'd pass it with minimal damage, other times I'd be utterly destroyed, and I couldn't figure out the rhyme or the reason to the bricks. I choked. Never devised a good strategy.

DragonmasterDan · 01/29/2011, 10:29 PM

I can update my earlier statement. I have now played Haunted Castle on an actual haunted castle machine!

esteban · 01/30/2011, 12:40 AM

Quote from: DragonmasterDan on 01/29/2011, 10:29 PMI can update my earlier statement. I have now played Haunted Castle on an actual haunted castle machine!

Where, pray tell?! Lucky bastard.

SignOfZeta · 01/30/2011, 03:06 AM

I know a guy who has had the PCB sitting in a box for at least 10 years.

DragonmasterDan · 01/30/2011, 11:43 AM

Quote from: esteban on 01/30/2011, 12:40 AMWhere, pray tell?! Lucky bastard.

At http://www.gallopingghostarcade.com/ Galloping Ghost Arcade. It's not in their list of games, but it's there as of yesterday when I went and had the opportunity of playing it for the first time.

SignOfZeta · 01/30/2011, 06:51 PM

That looks like a really nice arcade, apart from the seemingly complete lack of pinball.

DragonmasterDan · 01/30/2011, 07:37 PM

Quote from: SignOfZeta on 01/30/2011, 06:51 PMThat looks like a really nice arcade, apart from the seemingly complete lack of pinball.

There's some non-functional pinball machines in their repair rooms. I'm going to guess they'll be put out to be used eventually.

TheClash603 · 01/30/2011, 09:04 PM

That arcade looks awesome. That would be a weekly visit if it were in the Buffalo area.

What kind of crowds do they get there?

DragonmasterDan · 01/30/2011, 09:52 PM

Quote from: TheClash603 on 01/30/2011, 09:04 PMThat arcade looks awesome. That would be a weekly visit if it were in the Buffalo area.

What kind of crowds do they get there?

It's been busier the past few times I've gone there.

It's 15.00 to get in, you can stay all day if you want. There was maybe 40 people there last night.

With that said it's in an old suburban downtown with limited parking and they've only been open around 6 months. It's not quite as busy on non-weekends. I hope they can keep the business going.

I went with Chany60126 back in November as well, perhaps he'd like to provide further descriptions of GGA.

chany60126 · 01/30/2011, 11:03 PM

Galloping Ghosts is an awesome arcade, in fact, I'd even go as far as saying that it's the best arcade I have ever been to in my life. Each time I go the place gets better and better as the folks manage to fix machines. They have an excellent assortment of retro games, and not just the standard Donkey Kong or Pacman cabinets, but some pretty obscure ones. They have Splatterhouse, Tempest, Hyper Neo-Geo 64 cabinet and Street Fighter 1 (Fighting Street) which are really hard to find.

The fifteen dollar fee is totally worth it. I usually go on a Saturday and stay for about 7 or 8 hours. Lots of affordable places for food around the area as well.

Like Dan mentioned above, this place has been opened for about 6 months. It's hard to say how successful a place like this will be since arcades are more of a niche activity nowadays instead of being mainstream, but we'll see. Everytime I have gone, there have been more people attending. It worries me a bit that the place remains open during the weekdays since most people are busy during the week and cost of electricity of keeping the cabinets turned on must be really high. If you are within the vicinity of the Chicagoland area, do yourself a favor and check this place out. I will be hosting Turbo Fest once again on July 16th. It would be awesome for people to visit the arcade afterwards since it is not far from there for those who do come, among other places as well.

The arcade has garnered some attention from the local TV stations, check out these cool newscasts.

http://www.wgntv.com/videobeta/14c17d90-9805-47b2-9a81-b70328a6ed03/News/Old-school-gaming-at-Galloping-Ghost-Arcade

http://kotaku.com/5701087/americas-second-largest-arcade-pushes-gamers-buttons

SignOfZeta · 01/31/2011, 12:02 AM

Man, that place sounds awesome. I'm lucky to live 15 minutes from Pinball Pete's in Ann Arbor, which is one of the few "major" arcades still around (30 years running) but even I'm impressed. Its great to hear that the dudes running this understand the simple concept of keeping the machines maintained. This seems to be lost on %90 of all operators.

What it needs is a bunch of pinball. Here in Michigan we have Pete's for that, and also this:

http://www.tilttown.com/

I want a place like Tilttown just for fighting games...