Games with a Castlevania-esque setting.

[Machocruz]

The only thing I like as much as a good RPG is a good action or action/adventure game, and LoS was completely satisfying.

It's one of those games where the first couple of hours don't sell it well, like Deus Ex or Divine Divinity, but by the end it truly deserves the word "epic" . Maybe the best game in its genre on current consoles. Only Ninja Gaiden 2 can beat it.

Some of the best art direction I've ever seen in a game, with the most exquisite color pallete, lighting, creature design, environmental design, and detail.

The only downsides are: the music isn't Castlevania, and you spend alot of time in Labyrinth territory before you get to Bram Stoker.

 

[Crooked Bee]

Uhm, Primal, maybe?

Do you, perchance, know where can a good and nice and pretty neko get a download link for Primal? I have been trying to get my greedy paws on that one for a long, long while, to no effect.

http://rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3675571
The site is in Russian and requires you to register before you can download stuff, but I think you'll cope with that.

A p. cool game, with a demonic female protagonist, I knew you'd be interested.

 

[Phelot]

Not at all "castlevania" like, but still an excellent horror setting is Hexen. Really, it stands apart from other games simply for its look. The horrid brown landscape, stained glass, awfully bleak swamps and forests. What an atmospheric game. Really, it makes you wonder what the point of fighting Korax is when everything is already destroyed. Man, I wish games would take some notes from it.

 

[Machocruz]

Not at all "castlevania" like, but still an excellent horror setting is Hexen. Really, it stands apart from other games simply for its look. The horrid brown landscape, stained glass, awfully bleak swamps and forests. What an atmospheric game. Really, it makes you wonder what the point of fighting Korax is when everything is already destroyed. Man, I wish games would take some notes from it.

I've only played a bit of Hexen and Hexen 2. Which one is better?

 

[DwarvenFood]

 

[Phelot]

Not at all "castlevania" like, but still an excellent horror setting is Hexen. Really, it stands apart from other games simply for its look. The horrid brown landscape, stained glass, awfully bleak swamps and forests. What an atmospheric game. Really, it makes you wonder what the point of fighting Korax is when everything is already destroyed. Man, I wish games would take some notes from it.

I've only played a bit of Hexen and Hexen 2. Which one is better?

Hexen 1 by a mile. Great gameplay and great atmosphere especially with those new engine mods or whatever they are zDoom and the like.

Hexen 2 is alright and it certainly can be fun, but there is also a lot of boring parts. The expansion for it greatly improves things.




I was going to mention Altered Beast, but I swear the PC always seemed so lame to me. Some cool enemies, though. Classic zombies ++

 

[Menckenstein]

Wise fwum yo gwave!

 

[Elzair]

The only one I know of are the games based on Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula film for the NES, Sega Genesis, SNES, and Sega CD, and Frankenstein: the Monster Returns for the NES. All of them were reviewed by the Angry Video Game Nerd.

 

[Kawaii Theurgist]

Wow, I somehow had forgotten two of my favorite games ever. Both Crescent Pale Mist and the awesomeness known asDeath Smiles have that style thingie, in case someone else is interested in games with such. And Death Smiles has some of the best videogame music ever, at least if you enjoy funny and light hearted horror like music.

Though it boggles the mind anyone can suck so much using Sakura as that guy in the video.

King of Demons (Majuu Ou)

That one looks pretty awesome. Thankies!

The setting seems to be pretty interesting, though. What's it? Kind of post apocalyptic with demons and stuffies? I love that kind of thing.

Will you call off that dreadful demon now?

Nu ¬¬ He's cute.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z6YdTdW_VA

This one??

Yeah, that one. God... I had forgotten how bothersome the little fanfarre was, each time you kill a monster.

Is it any good? I never got too far. I just remember being angry with a big room that had symbols or something on the floor, and you had to follow a certain path I never discovered through it, and every time you did step on the wrong tile you were teleported back to the begining and zapped, or maybe zapped and then teleported, all the while werewolves attacked you.

Sure.

A p. cool game, with a demonic female protagonist, I knew you'd be interested.

It's amazing the game is not better known, nor more available, when all I have ever heard about it is how very incredible it is and how ridiculously cool it is, and sutffies and thingies along those lines.

And the gargoyle looks hyper kawaii.

Super Ghouls N Ghosts

That game is hard as fuck.

Love the style, though.

I think Castlevania 1,3, and 4 had the best style out of all of them. 2 was kind of bland. SotN was fun and all and certainly had some of the same vibes, but Alucard is pretty Wapanese.

And hot. And cool.

He can bite me whenever he wants, without even asking and stuffies.

But the first games I mentioned really nailed the whole "alone" feel down. Like the whole world was already dead. It also had that fun Halloween look to it. Not TOO grimdark, but more theme park grimdark. Laughing skulls, fake looking blood, dead trees, skeletons languishing behind iron bars, etc etc.

Yes, the sillyness and over-the-topness are definitely part of the feel. We have gotten into slight arguments with my ex about whether the style should be called castlevania-esque or Halloweenish.

Another modern title, Demons Souls, also has a similar gothic style to the Castlevania series.

Ah, that's true. I guess my mind forgot about it given the lack of incredibly hot guys and incredibly hot gals dressed in incredibly cool clothes.

And by mentioning it you just made me remember the totally incredible Hungry Ghosts. Though, just like Demon's Souls, it goes a bit too much into grimdark.

I thought Lord of Shadows was really good, personally. Diverse setting and enemies to fight and a sense of "hero progression" as you move through the story. Also it has an ending that blew my mind. Based on your description of a good Castlevania setting I think you would like it. It's actually much like a 3D Castlevania IV.

Some of the best art direction I've ever seen in a game, with the most exquisite color pallete, lighting, creature design, environmental design, and detail.

The only downsides are: the music isn't Castlevania, and you spend alot of time in Labyrinth territory before you get to Bram Stoker.

You two just sold a Lords of Shadows to a certain argentine neko. Time to try my new version of the Irresistible Puppy Eyes spell on either dad or bro, or both.

However, what do you mean by Labyrinth territory? Like, fey creatures and all that? I love all things fey. Even redcaps. So kawaii. T_T

The only one I know of are the games based on Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula film for the NES, Sega Genesis, SNES, and Sega CD, and Frankenstein: the Monster Returns for the NES.

Is Frankestein: The Monster Returns any good? I like the style, but most comments I did find seems to be about the game being somewhat awful.

Altered Beast

Is the remake any good, or do the japanese suck as much as the western world when it comes to reviving old franchises?

Also you never mentioned the music, which I consider a vital part of the castlevania atmosphere.

. . .

I was mostly refering to the ridiculously exagerated gothic architecture, the ridiculously exentric and pimped out dresses and clothes, the fact every single monster and villain and antihero out from gothic horror and similar genres makes an apparition, the foggy east european valleys with creepy forests and vaguely romanian towns full of nervous people as written by someone who never saw an east european valley with creepy forests and vaguely romanian towns full of nervous people, the incredible hotness of everyone who looks at least vaguely human, the inseparable sillyness and awesomeness and over-the-topness, the incredibly misinterpreted occult themes and references, and the gothic horror stylings and trappings that are completely out of place in a story about killing thousands of evil things with little whip but nonetheless are totally awesome. Oh, and the awesome music.

* Foot tap *



In any case, thank you all for the help and recommendations. Keep them comming, too!

And since we are at it, did someone play those NWN2 mods set in Ravenloft? Are they cool? Do they keep the, uhm, halloweenish style or not at all?



Edit:

I just found out about, uhm, this kind of weird thingie. Kind of like an FPS and roguelike hybrid or something. Does someone knows of it? Is it any good?

 

[Phelot]

I recall Nosferatu getting mediocre reviews, but the scares were pretty much universally applauded. Just looking at the yt link you posted, it looks a lot like Undying, art wise. I like how the vampires rise out of the coffin.

Speaking of Undying, that game was pretty cool visual wise even if it did start to fall apart in Eternal Autumn. In some ways, I wish they left the Cthulhu vibes out and got more into the ghosts and curses. Had one of the coolest manors in a video game that has an actual map that makes sense:

http://archive.kontek.net/undying.3dactionplanet.gamespy.com/fanart/undying_manor_lower.gif

Granted, it wasn't really Halloween like, but it had its moments, I mean, a creepy old mansion is as Halloween as it gets, but the other wordly squid creatures sort of ruin that. The whole Lizbeth portion minus the past monastery was pretty good though.

Also, The Sims

EDIT: Man this thread is getting me excited for Halloween, one of my favorite times of the year! I just wish I didn't live in hot as fuck Arkansas were we have 70 or so degree weather in late October. I want mah crisp, cool autumn days!

 

[lightbane]

You two just sold a Lords of Shadows to a certain argentine neko. Time to try my new version of the Irresistible Puppy Eyes spell on either dad or bro, or both.

However, what do you mean by Labyrinth territory? Like, fey creatures and all that? I love all things fey.

I think he said that because the first enemies you encounter are extracted from european myths, such as werewolves, huargs (aka giant wolves, sometimes with werewolves riding these, as stupid as it sounds), evil fairies, goblins (that are actually cunning enough to use explosives) and so on.

If you're not convinced, give it a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5GyP2bv ... re=related

Also, talking about Castlevania: Screw Soma Cruz, that guy is a giant pussy, a complete tool that everyone is aware of. Meanwhile, Shanoa is one of the few human beings that were able to fight Dracula without any silly magical whip thing and success (in other words, Order of Ecclessia is awesome).

 

[Machocruz]

However, what do you mean by Labyrinth territory? Like, fey creatures and all that? I love all things fey. Even redcaps. So kawaii. T_T

The color palette, the style of the environments, level of textural detail, some of the creatures.

You can think of the whole game as a catalog of 80s fantasy film in general, like the other games were a catalog of Hammer Horror and Universal Studios monsters. Comparisons can be made to Neverending Story, Dark Crystal, Legend, Return to Oz.

EDIT: Also what Lightbane said.

 

[Elzair]

s Frankestein: The Monster Returns any good? I like the style, but most comments I did find seems to be about the game being somewhat awful.

Well, to be honest, I've never played the game itself. You can watch AVGN's review and make up your own mind.

 

[Satori (original)]

The Splatterhouse games are similar, only more gory.

 

[oscar]

Crescent Pale Mist

How does combat work?

 

[villain of the story]

And hot. And cool.

He can bite me whenever he wants, without even asking and stuffies.

What is the world coming to? Effeminate faggots wearing women's clothing is now hot. Fucking hell, that's what. The world is going to hell. I dread we will actually start seeing this style making into mainstream in everyday life.

I love D, though. And Alucard. I certainly get their appeal and they aren't feminine the least. The former is too nondescript and mysterious child fantasy, though. Alucard is a more probable character, being a cruel sadist pervert. Like a man should be. Do you like Alucard, Black Cat?

 

[Roguey]

What is the world coming to? Effeminate faggots wearing women's clothing is now hot. Fucking hell, that's what. The world is going to hell. I dread we will actually start seeing this style making into mainstream in everyday life.

That design's from 1997, I'm sure it would have happened already if it was going to.

I love D, though. And Alucard. I certainly get their appeal and they aren't feminine the least.

Not feminine in the least? That's Boy George's Japanese twin.

Alucard is a more probable character, being a cruel sadist pervert. Like a man should be.

That's how your "man" chose to look during WW2.

 

[Ermm]

And hot. And cool.

He can bite me whenever he wants, without even asking and stuffies.

What is the world coming to? Effeminate faggots wearing women's clothing is now hot. Fucking hell, that's what. The world is going to hell. I dread we will actually start seeing this style making into mainstream in everyday life.

I love D, though. And Alucard. I certainly get their appeal and they aren't feminine the least. The former is too nondescript and mysterious child fantasy, though. Alucard is a more probable character, being a cruel sadist pervert. Like a man should be. Do you like Alucard, Black Cat?

Apparently, judging by Castelvania 1 credits, this is Christopher Lee, ups I mean, Christopher Bee

 

[Ermm]

I love D, though. And Alucard. I certainly get their appeal and they aren't feminine the least.

Not feminine in the least? That's Boy George's Japanese twin.

What is the name of the nice looking lady on the cover?

 

[Kawaii Theurgist]

How does combat work?

It's... Weird.

Most of the time it's your run of the mill plataformer like thingie, though very fun and quite challenging: You run around a castle or an underground complex or whatever it is, jumping around and switching layers (the maps are made up of several layers you can switch in certain places) and exploring. When you find monsters, which happens about every couple of seconds, you hit them with your basic attack to generate mist. If you leave it be you automatically absorv it and it goes to your mana metter. More important, however, is that by pressing another button you turn all the mist into those huge homing blades and that you have yet another button to free mist from your mana metter. So, for example, a basic combo would be to rush an enemy, hit him several times with your sword and then turn all the mist it has given up to homing blades. While he is staggering back by the attack you free some of your own mist and, again, turn all the mist into homing blades.

That aside, you also have several other toys. You can throw daggers, which aren't that useful really, or use an spell that creates a constant flow of daggers between you and the target the dagger did hit, so no matter where you move or how much you evade the flow of daggers always goes from you to the tagged enemy. And you can also throw a special dagger that makes you and the enemy it hits switch places or something like that, which is quite useful every now and then, and also needed to solve some puzzles. Then you have Endurance, which is a kind of shield that makes you suffer much less damage but move much slower. And a bunch other spell like abilities.

The most significant skill the heroine has, however, is that she can fly while on areas with a high, uhm, magical saturation or whatever it was. Most of those areas, naturally, are the areas in which boss fights take place, so while you go around walking and killing and solving jumping puzzles during most of the stages the boss fights and, at times, one or two other areas have you flying around freely and engaging in Suguri like duels with both human bosses that, like you, can fly around or huge monsters around which you must fly like a kawaii and slightly bothersome little birdie while evading their attacks and trying to hit their weak points.

What is the world coming to? Effeminate faggots wearing women's clothing is now hot. Fucking hell, that's what. The world is going to hell. I dread we will actually start seeing this style making into mainstream in everyday life.

I love D, though. And Alucard. I certainly get their appeal and they aren't feminine the least. The former is too nondescript and mysterious child fantasy, though. Alucard is a more probable character, being a cruel sadist pervert. Like a man should be. Do you like Alucard, Black Cat?

It depends. If you were talking about Castlevania's Alucard the answer would be yes, sure, I totally love me some noble and tortured (and hot!) vampires who kick demonic tail and look fabulous doing so. Meanwhile, if you are talking about BlazBlue's one I really, really want her dress. But if you, as I suspect, are actually talking about Hellsing's one, not really. I do not really aprove of the glorification of vulgar and unrefined behaviour most media targeted at adolescent males and young adult males seems to be proud of.

Speaking of Undying, that game was pretty cool visual wise even if it did start to fall apart in Eternal Autumn.

Leaving aside the gloriously hectic boss battle Eternal Autum was pretty much fail, yes, and I don't really understand what went through their minds as they designed it. Though at least the ranged attack from the big brutes went right through the frontal shield and hit you, which actually created the risk I may actually die once or twice while in there given the last chapter wasn't exactly the time to start learning to use weapons other than the Scythe.

It's quite a shame all the games Clive Barker does either not sell at all or get cancelled.

Also, talking about Castlevania: Screw Soma Cruz, that guy is a giant pussy, a complete tool that everyone is aware of. Meanwhile, Shanoa is one of the few human beings that were able to fight Dracula without any silly magical whip thing and success (in other words, Order of Ecclessia is awesome).

And she has some very good taste on clothes and quite the presence, being one of the few Castlevania girls who doesn't make you go, like, what were you thinking?!

At least until that guy who drew Death Note got to redesign the characters for a single game...



Burn the heretic.

The Splatterhouse games are similar, only more gory.

That franchise got a reset just now. Is the new one any good? Though it looks pretty gory and, you know, metal.

 

[oscar]

Well it certainly looked like alot of fun, in a spastic anime epileptic sense :D

 

[Sad He-Man]

...and then there's this little thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G_-AsaxujI

 

[Phelot]

Leaving aside the gloriously hectic boss battle Eternal Autum was pretty much fail, yes, and I don't really understand what went through their minds as they designed it.

Certainly got the feeling that the last bit of the game was rushed as is so common.

The Splatterhouse games are similar, only more gory.

I was going to mention them, but thought they were more Halloween like rather than Castlevania life. Plus, xenos and all. WHat a weird game though. You've got some magic hockey mask that makes some chronic dead guy return to kill aliens with 2x4's and machetes.

 

[Kawaii Theurgist]

Bloodrayne Betrayal.

That looks awesome.