Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (PC, PS3, 360)

[MechDeus]

The ultimate point is that LoS has many areas purely for exploration, unlockable and upgradeable attacks, an experience points system, locked areas that require obtaining items and then backtracking to previous levels to open them up, and occasional puzzles that fits it firmly into the same Action-RPG/Action-Adventure/whatever selection that Metroid and SOTN fall into. To call LoS purely an action game and SOTN not is be purposefully blind for no reason other than to be difficult.

[alan_fatima]

Eh? Everyone was ill-equipped to categorize Metroid, because it was basically a genre of one.

I'm glad we can agree hearkening back to EGM was pointless, then. Waste less words next time.

[Yoshi]

The ultimate point is that LoS has many areas purely for exploration, unlockable and upgradeable attacks, an experience points system, locked areas that require obtaining items and then backtracking to previous levels to open them up, and occasional puzzles that fits it firmly into the same Action-RPG/Action-Adventure/whatever selection that Metroid and SOTN fall into. To call LoS purely an action game and SOTN not is be purposefully blind for no reason other than to be difficult.

LoS is almost exactly the same structure as Rondo and very similar to Dracula's Curse. The most glaring difference between those and Simon's Quest and the Metroidvanias is that they are distinct levels. Many of the real Castlevanias had alternate paths and hidden items. And all of them have weapon upgrades, both in the form of whip upgrades and special weapons.

[Yoshi]

I'm glad we can agree hearkening back to EGM was pointless, then. Waste less words next time.

If the discussion was about Metroid, you'd have a point. But you do provide me an opportunity to waste less words, so I'll take you up on that from here on out.

[alan_fatima]

So now you're going to argue Metroidvanias doesn't include Super Metroid? Really?

[A Robot Bit Me]

LoS is almost exactly the same structure as Rondo and very similar to Dracula's Curse. The most glaring difference between those and Simon's Quest and the Metroidvanias is that they are distinct levels. Many of the real Castlevanias had alternate paths and hidden items. And all of them have weapon upgrades, both in the form of whip upgrades and special weapons.

All the Metroidvanias have those things, too. And plenty of platformers have upgradeable weapons. Adventure Island comes to mind. Also, these are really weird generic criteria!

[Shin Johnpv]

It boils down to this, the Castlevania games Yoshi likes are closer to the original games than the one's Yoshi doesn't like.

[Yoshi]

All the Metroidvanias have those things, too. And plenty of platformers have upgradeable weapons. Adventure Island comes to mind. Also, these are really weird generic criteria!

The Metroidvanias have levels? How about grinding and power leveling. Where is that in LoS or the real Castlevanias?

[Yoshi]

It boils down to this, the Castlevania games Yoshi likes are closer to the original games than the one's Yoshi doesn't like.

You're close but have it backwards. Castlevania games that are closer to the original games I like more than the ones that aren't.

[FirstBlood]

It boils down to this, the Castlevania games Yoshi likes are closer to the original games than the one's Yoshi doesn't like.

No it really boils down to whether you think a God of War clone is closer to the original games than Metroidvanias.

I think it's absurd to argue so vehemently that a goddamn 3D action game where all you do is combos & QTEs is somehow the TRUE SUCCESSOR to the 2D classics. It also helps that my opinion isn't clouded by hatred like Yoshi's, because I liked LoS, whereas he is unable to think clearly when it comes to Metroidvanias.