[DS] Castlevania: Symphony of the Tits

Originally Posted by Rotorblade

Has clearly never grinded for anything in a Castlevania.

Grinding isn't real gameplay.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Rotorblade

Think REALLY hard about what you just said. Please.

Okay, grinding is the dark side of gameplay. How much time you're willing to put into a game shouldn't be a challenge. I think that game length has become a large factor in the critique of a game that grinds (and pointless side quests, etc.) are used far too often because we actually ask for that shit.

I believe games have become less about the quality of the gameplay, and more the quantity. Too many can only justify the purchase if it wil satisfy them for X hours. This isn't speaking against sidequests and such, but please leave out elements that are ONLY there to deliberately lengthen the experience, not add to it. In movies, you don't see people going to a movie because it runs 20 minutes longer than the much better film running alongside it, but in games, people tend to put up with much more fat than I believe we should. "Over 40 hours of gameplay!" shouldn't be a selling point on every box I see now, the classics have come in all sizes.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I'm sorry if it sounded like I did. I was just trying to explain my earlier statement, not place accusations on anyone, aside from possibly the gamer community as a whole. Anyways, I'm sorry for derailing this thread somewhat, I'll be good.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Shuriken

As annoying as GRINDAN is,it's ultimately voluntary (rare drops aren't required to beat the game on any of the endings),so if you do it,you obviously do derive some masochistic OCD pleasure out of it. I certainly do on some level,so I don't mind it as much. I know I'll do it anyway.

Certainly, and that's why I considered my rant off-topic. Castleroids for the most part avoid the artificial game lengthening bullshit that other games try like fighting all the bosses over again for no reason, and side quests that don't add to the game at all. Yes, some voluntary grinding on side quests that aren't necessary for the full enjoyment of the game can be healthy, god knows I've grinded out rare items and overleveled shit just for the hell of it before.

Originally Posted by Syndrome

I really like the two DS vanias, and it's great to see some news about the sequel.
However. It reminds me even more that hell - we need a 2D Metroid for the DS.

Can I get an amen? I'm tired of desperately following rumors of new GBA, DS and WiiWare Metroids, either release a new one soon (not likely) or at least tell us not to expect one (even more full of unlikeliness). 2D metroid is a perfect example of a series of amazing games that don't pretend to be something more than they are.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Forsety

I'm not even sure Resident Evil 3 would be considered that, wouldn't that be RE4 technically considering, despite it's success, it was still, by your definition the red-headed stepchild of the series? It definitely did piss off a lot of hardcore fans with how drastically the formula changed anyway.

Anywho, I think most people just didn't like Fusion because of the "less talky more walky" mindset. It had a lot more un-skippable story elements which bogged it down as a "Metroid" title. I played through it once and loved it, but quickly realised it was not a good game to replay, which pretty much every other game had been up to that point and afterwards too. (Never played Prime 3 so I dunno about that one)

I don't think the dialogue killed Fusion for a lot of players. It was all too linear and hand-holding for a Metroid game. Prime 3 suffers from this too on a lesser scale, and is mostly a great game because of the grapple beam and fuck awesome controls. Prime 2, on the other hand, suffered from too much backtracking: it's just paced too slow. I still loved Fusion, but it didn't have a Metroid feel at times because of the wierdness, and instead, just felt like some great fan-service piece, especially with the twists at the end.

Prime 1 and 2 sprinkled the artificial game-lengthener into their product with the end game artifact hunts that NO ONE LIKED. There was another scavenger hunt in 3, but honestly, by the time the game told me to find the energy cells, I had all but one of them already just from playing the game, although this is sadly mostly due to one of Prime 3's largest flaws: a distinct lack of difficulty. Once you get used to the controls, and learn that corrupted mode is unstoppable and completely abusable, you'll blaze through.

I was speaking idiomatically.