TNL Old Folks GOTM May 2016: Rondos, Symphonies, and a Pretender

[Chux]

I enjoyed it a lot, having only played the SNES as a rental when it was current.
I'm sure those of us who played it before SotN got a kick out of seeing the enemies return, the damage to the castle, and the beginning with Bloodlines(wtf).
I'm going to try to jump into SotN in earnest this weekend. Bought it when it came out on 360 and never finished it so there are achievements to get.

[Darmonde]

I beat the SNES Dracula X. Worst fucking game.

The first half of the game is okay. It plays a bit slow, it does everything the same as Rondo but for some reason it's never really fun. At first I chalked it up to everything being noticeably worse- controls, graphics, sound.

As I got farther in the game I realized that it just sucks. Richter has slightly less invincibility when hit, so he often will get comboed, sometimes by the same enemy. The hit detection is bad. In a game with precise attacks and movement, it needs to be exact, and this game is not. Trying to jump over bats and medusas will often get you hit when it shouldn't. The whip hitbox is a bit too good- it hits a tiny bit higher and lower than it should, but that means mashing attack is the answer to most situations. Enemy placement in the levels is crap, and it feels like things were just added randomly, so it's not really satisfying to figure out a way to beat an area. The bosses feel the same. They're programmed to do things with no regard to the player. The bosses also need way more hits to kill, which feels wrong. The entire game feels like it was programmed to emulate Rondo, and so the creators figured all of the game design was already done and so they didn't have to do that.

Finch, I have no idea how you think death was worse than the last boss. Drac is bad not because it's difficult, its because Blockbuster Video had a mole on the team. The entire point of the fight is to knock you into a pit, and frustrate you into making a mistake so you fall into a pit. Just shit design. I started writing a huge paragraph here, but I'll just ask, what was your strategy on this fight?

[Finch]

You stand on a certain platform, i think it's the second from the right, it's kind of low. You just stand on it and throw axes, whip when he's close enough. You just have to be patient and you can get by with only a hit or two, or none if you're lucky. The 2nd form was easier, just spam axes.

[Darmonde]

Yeah, that sounds like it would work. Shit design, check.

I assume the fight took forever since you spent most of the time standing still while he teleported to 5/7 platforms you couldn't reach?

[Finch]

He's close enough to hit most of the time unless you get an unlucky run.

[alan_fatima]

I prefer X's version of Opus 13 to Rondo's. So funky. Really like Chronicles version too, though.

[No One]

The Duo version of Opus 13 sounds like a Sonic CD tune. It really does stick out like a sore thumb.

[bVork]

[Chux]

May is coming to a close. Any suggestions for June?
I was thinking SaGa 3 or some variation of Final Fantasy Tactics.

[GohanX]

I'm getting started REALLY late but I got in some good play time over the weekend. I've got 96% completion in Rondo, just need to get through stage 5' and I should be at 100%. Started playing SOTN, and it's great and all, but I'm not sure I should have played it back to back with Rondo. I have SNES Drac X a shot. I love the music, and this could have been a great game if it didn't control like putrid shit. I made it to stage 2 and said "enough."