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Castlevania - Innocence Lamented, 3D Debated

Posted by simoniker on from the banstead-and-epsom-downs dept.

Thanks to GameSpot for their review of Castlevania:Lament Of Innocence for PlayStation 2, released today in the U.S., as they pronounce this "new 3D installment" to be "a fun, though fairly short and simple, game that marks a promising new beginning for this beloved series." GameSpy also have an interview with the creator, Konami producer Koji Igarashi, but end up judging the title a "very playable but somewhat dull game", and 1UP try a different tack by nominating the Top 10 Belmonts, discussing the "Belmont family of vampire hunters", before ruling similarly to the other reviews, albeit with a more upbeat edge: "Taken on its own terms, Lament of Innocence is a resounding success, and one of the best 3D action games on PS2." Would you prefer the Castlevania series stuck to 2D, or is 3D the only way to truly evolve it?

4 of 34 comments (clear)

  1. 2D is preferred but 3D is worth a try by sknja · · Score: 5, Interesting

    As a big Castlevania fan, I had always hoped for a ps2 version. It would be nice to have something like Contra - Shattered Soldiers, a 2D side scroll with 3D like characters and environments.

    When I heard it was going to be 3D I too had my doubts (and still will until I pick it up this morning). But I am willing to give it a try. Considering Konami producer Koji Igarash had his hand in it.

    I think it will live up to one of the best 3D action games on the ps2, but it will be a bit tougher to live up to the Castlevania name, especially with the new GBA versions. Hell it already has Japanese voices which is a good first step in my book. Then again I think all Japanese originated games should have the original Japanese audio.

    ato ni ji can gurai lament o kaemasu!

  2. And now the 3d advocate... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Ok, dont get me wrong, I love 2d games actually I think SOTN is probably the best game ever for the PSX, but all games staying 2d forever? thats just wrong. There are a great number of experiences that just cant be experienced in 2d: first person view, hiding and stalking in any direction, side stepping, multi tiered buildings, multi layered fights (fighting in 360 degrees) heck not even Diablo, Starcraft and RE would have been possible without 3d perspectives.

    Its true: Platform games are HARDER to play in 3d than in their 2d perspective. But that doesnt mean we should scrap the idea entirely just because of it. With a lot of work in a good camera system, things can turn out to be pretty enjoyable, There are a good number of platform/adventure games out there and I see no one complaining because they are 3d. (Zelda: Ocarina of time, wind waker, Jak I,II, the Soulreaver series just to mention a few) 2d games should not dissapear, but that doesnt mean the whole genere should never evolve either.

  3. So they missed the moon..... by August_zero · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I think the biggest thing this game has against it, is the astounding level of quality that Symphony of the Night possesed, and the fact that the 3 post SOTN gameboy castlevanias have all more or less followed it's apporoach (metroidesque) almost to the point of remake.

    Now I would not say that Lament is "the bestest castlevania ever!" nor would I so far even consider it one of the top five installments of the series, but I am thus far very happy with it. It feels like a castlevania game, it looks good, the controls are solid, the bosses and enemy design are well done, and while I miss the more open ended style exploration of the latest installments, its still by all standards a really good game. I may also the only person that says this, but i still miss some of the jumping and instant death of the old school chapters.

    What fills me with the greatest hope, is that there will be some sequels, and hopefully they will incorporate some of the refinement and artistry of the later 2d castlevanias. For a first go in 3d since the ummmm lets just skip the N64 sequels, its a solid effort and a worthwhile pick up for any fan.

    --
    On Wall Street they say "buy low, sell high" On the pad we say, "buy high, sell high" Isn't that somehow better?
  4. Re:Who said 3D could side-scroll... by Metsys · · Score: 2, Interesting

    If the game was focused on story moreso than gameplay and using camera angles and lighting to set moods and create drama, then there is a good reason to implement a free-roaming environment.

    ... if storyline and plot aren't incredibly key to your game's entertainment factor, you may want to consider making the game into a side-scroller, whether it be in 3D or 2D.

    I have to call fallacy on that one.

    Just because a game is focused on story doesn't mean that it has to be 3D, or even top-down 2D for that matter. You can have an equally in-depth story in any genre of gaming. What you do in between is a different story. That's when you consider the view. Is the player going to be a commander of a small squad of followers? Is he a space pilot roaming the galaxy? Is she a prisoner trying to escape? Is he a street brawler?

    Once you understand what your character is going to be doing most of the time that will be fun for the player, that's when you consider the view.

    When developers want to make a 2D game 3D just for the sake of it being 3D, that's when you can start getting into problems. If that's the case with Lament of Innocence, I don't know. But I am convinced that some developers genuinely try to experiment in, say, the Castlevania series, because they have a gameplay idea that would work in a 3D environment, and still be true to the Castlevania experience. Take Metroid Prime for example.

    Also, story might have little to do with the game and you just want to shoot thousands and thousands of mofos, go ahead and make a FPS like Serious Sam.