Castlevania Lament of Innocence

[goodman]

Howdy, just thought id check around and see who picked up Castlevania Lament of Innocence today. It was released here in the U.S. today and should be a very good game. Im somewhat putting it off in anticipation of the buy 2 get 1 free offer from Toysrus/Amazon which should be out for the ps2 and xbox next week, its already on for the GameCube. Any input would be appreciated, this should be one of the top games of the year for the ps2...

[XXAVIERR]

Been looking forward to this game myself. I didn't know it was being released today though. Thanks for the heads-up on that. Nobody here in town has it yet. The earliest anyone is going to be stocking it is tomorrow morning. Just have to wait one more day.

[goodman]

Now that you mention it, X, the actual release is probably tomorrow for most stores. I will look forward to any input you and anyone else who gets it has to say!

[Redpyramidhead]

It's out?!?!???!?!???? How could I have missed that???!?!??? I'm getting it this morning before work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

_RED_ stuff

[Infernal Mass]

i've read that the levels are repetitive,

[goodman]

IGN gave it a 9.0, so im sure its playable, unfortunately repetiveness is all too common in games nowadays so i can believe it being somewhat repetitive...

[Zone]

I have to wait two more weeks for my paycheck until I can get myself a copy. This is an especially painful wait since LoI is the title I'm currently most excited about. :(

[ssjtrunks13]

As for me, I don't see why I wouldn't be able to buy it. I've been looking forward to it, looks like it's going to be better than the other Castlevania's. I wouldn't care if it does get repetitive because the moves and stuff would probably make up for it.

[Redpyramidhead]

I just bought it this morning. I got 20% of onthe strategy guide, but i dont really plan on using it that much as i likme the challenge most of the time. But, anyways...my dumb ass hasn'nt had achance to play it yet but i should by tommorrow. I don't really care if it's not as good as Symphony of the Night or not because that game is just plain a masterpiece. I'm usre that any game that can get a 9.0 on ign.com is worth my while, but maybe I'll writ my own review on it...heh.

_RED_ stuff

[XXAVIERR]

Went out and bought this game this weekend, and from what I can tell so far, it was worth the money spent. I haven't had too much time to play it yet, so I haven't seen many of the things that this game has to offer. I like that you have two different strengths of attacks with the whips. It also has a combo system which levels up as you defeat monstera. Combining orbs with alternate weapon looks like it will be interesting with all the different weaons and orbs that are available, just haven't gotten that far yet. The graphics, music, and sound effects are excellent. The game play is good. The only problem that I have with this game is that the camera angles will mess you up sometimes. I'll agree with the 9.0 rating it was given.

[Infernal Mass]

i was going to buy it, but i got crimson skies instead

[Redpyramidhead]

First of all, he must have used a strategy guide. And second of all I wouldn't be surprised at all if he cheated. If a game were to get a score of atleast 9 after having the burden of being compared to such incredible preceeding games in the series such as Symphony of the Night and Harmony in Dissonance there has to be some kind of substantial amount of gameplay and replay value. Otherwise, I for one wouldn't understand that rating at all.

_RED_ stuff

[goodman]

The game hasnt gotten real high notes in forums yet, so i believe him. I personally didnt feel Symphony of the Night was all that good a game, it was a very easy game to me and not worthy of paying full price. CLOI is made by the same guy so im gonna rent and let ya all know sometime...

[XXAVIERR]

Having a chance to play this game a little bit, it looks like it's a fairly short game. I played if for a few hours last night and I'm already a quarter of the way through the game according to the percentage completed.

[Redpyramidhead]

Originally posted by goodman

The game hasnt gotten real high notes in forums yet, so i believe him. I personally didnt feel Symphony of the Night was all that good a game, it was a very easy game to me and not worthy of paying full price. CLOI is made by the same guy so im gonna rent and let ya all know sometime...


Man, do I strongly disagree of your opinion of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Just sharing my opinion, too. That's all.

_RED_ stuff

[goodman]

Hmmm so far i must say im impressed with the gameplay. The graphics and some of the moves are similar to DMC, but with the Castlevania style and sound you probably wont be disappointed with at least a rental. Ive got it till next Tuesday so will mention more along the way... Have a good all Hallows eve muahahaha......

[ssjtrunks13]

I thought this game was going to sound better than this. I'll still get it anyway, I have only really completed 2 castlevania games before.

[XXAVIERR]

I thought that this was a good game. I've already beat it once, and I'm working on going back through it again with a different character that I unlocked. I only completed about 93 % of the game the first time through.

[goodman]

I like it myself, X, ive only got one more day to enjoy it on rental so im gonna buy it sometime when its cheap, which wont be long, and finish it. Good game, though...

[Redpyramidhead]

I have completed about 25% of the game and so far it is one of the best Castlevania experiences to date. I am in love with this game. The funny thing is it didnt happen instantly. The first time I put it in and played it was mediocre for me because I wasn't sure what to expect, but the second time I played it I felt drawn in like i was under the very spell of the alchemy used for magical spells in the game....ummm...errr... something like that :cool:

_RED_ stuff

[goodman]

Im over halfway done so i decided to extend my rental till Sunday and be out a grand total of $7, which makes the experience well worth it. This game is like many ive played nowadays, fun for the time being but certainly once its over it will be over, nothing further to delve into... And that includes anything they add. But its rare to replay a ps2 game for me...

[XXAVIERR]

Once I beat the game once, I started going back through it again with an unlocked character. I tried going back through it again last night with Leon, to see if I could find the rest of the items and rooms that I had missed. I've gone back through two of the levels completely, but still could not figure out how to get certain keys needed and how to unlock parts of the stage. Still holding at about a 94% completed rate.

[ssjtrunks13]

I'm 12 hours into the game and I've more or less just got to the final area. I think the story is great and they really seemed to have got me excited for the showdown with Walter.

[Redpyramidhead]

Here's a neat trick for added replay value. Once you've completed the game once, you can enter "@CRAZY" as your name when starting a new game. IN this mode you'll be Leon again and the difficulty is supposedly greatly increased. There will be more monsters attacking you at once and they won't take as much damage with each attack. Found this in the back of my strategy guide:cool:

_RED_ stuff

[XXAVIERR]

Once you have beat the game, you can also put in "@JOACHIM" and play with this character. There are other codes, but you must first beat the game using the original codes given.

[Redpyramidhead]

Yeah apparently if you beat the game with Joachim there's yet another character named Pumpkin. Pumpkin? Huh?:confused: It doesnt even show a picture of this character in the strategy guide so as for now he is shrouded in total mystery. Apparently, you will have an extra subweapon with this character, which is an actual pumpkin you can throw at your enemies. I hope you don't just roll and bounce around the castle as a big giant pumpkin:laugh:

_RED_ stuff

[XXAVIERR]

You don't actually play as a pumpkin, Joachim has a pumpkin as a sub-weapon, or at least that's what I read. I haven't gotten far enough with Joachim to find this out.

[goodman]

Since i dont own the game i wouldnt recommend using this cheat, but there is a in game cheat that you can use to get the full amount of items in your inventory. Like if you have a heal you can use this cheat and have nine. Ive used it to help me make it through the game faster so i will be done by Sunday, im seventy percent through the game...

[ssjtrunks13]

I beat Joachim's game a few days ago and you do play a guy with a pumpkin head and the subweapon's a pumpkin. I like to picture the scarecrow with a pumpkin head and a candy wrapper and barrel for hands, I think that's what his hands are made of.

Crazy mode is not exactly what it says, I think it's ludicrous. I don't see how I'm supposed to beat that mode, in the last room of the training thing there are a Red Ogre and Cyclopse along with the Gold Knight.

[XXAVIERR]

Is it worth going through the game again to unlock this "Pumpkin" character? I don't know if I have the patience to go all the way through this game again.

[goodman]

The game was fun, but like most, its all up to you about replaying it, any surprises will be small... but i enjoyed the game...

[XXAVIERR]

I was actually trying to find out from SSJ a little bit more about this pumpkin character. If he's fun to play with, I'll work my way through the game again.

[goodman]

There is always Gamefaqs, the most reliable source for walkthroughs on the internet, and the reason why i havent bought a players guide in years...

[XXAVIERR]

I'm not a real big fan of walk-throughs or cheat codes. I'd rather get throught the game without any help. About the only time I'll use codes is once I have already completed the game and want to play it again.

[ssjtrunks13]

Sorry for the delay in an answer, but this is the first chance I've got to answer you. Here goes...

It's interesting to hear the kinda funny noises and that he starts off with the Vampire Killer. Other than that he plays exactly like Leon, starts off with all the skills too. There are just a few things that might not be so great.

First, he starts off with 50% of the HP and MP of Leon. Second, he starts off with 130 hearts which is just for a sub-weapon that only costs 2 hearts without an orb, but we'll just have to see how much it'll cost with an orb equipped. In addition to the half HP and MP he starts off with 2x the amount of attack power and 10 defense, making it a max of 40 with the best armor in the game. There is a downside to the high attack power though, his attacks are considerably slower.

That's about it, I say just go for completing Joachim mode and see for yourself if it is.

[XXAVIERR]

Thanks for the response SSJ, it sounds like it will be worth it. Might just have to sit down sometime tonight and see how much I can complete with Joachim.

[goodman]

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PUMPKIN AND LEON
Truth be told, Pumpkin plays almost exactly like Leon. Same whip action, same
abundance of healing items to get you through boss fights, same same same...I
mean, even Rinaldo is back, selling you stuff left and right!! So basically,
except for a few key differences which I shall catalogue in excruciating detail
below, just imagine you're going through the game with Leon (again).

- Unlike Leon, Pumpkin starts the game with only 100 HP (upgradeable to 200).
The only thing this means is that you can take fewer hits, which, earlier on in
the game, may or may not mean something. On the other hand, healing potions
restore a much greater percentage of your HP, which means that so long as you
don't get careless you should romp through the game with Leon's
Devil-may-care-if-I-get-hit attitude.

- Also unlike Leon, Pumpkin starts the game with 110 MP, 130 Hearts, a natural
Defense of 10 (before putting on any armour - so with Solar Plate your Defense
goes to 40), and - drum roll, please - Vampire Killer. Which, combined with his
natural prowess, gives Pumpkin an attack stat of 40 right from the get-go.

This is probably the biggest gameplay change of all (and what makes Pumpkin so
easy to play - perhaps contrary to the game designers' intent!). With an attack
stat that high (and with Vampire Killer) you don't need any strategy at all.
Just move forward, mash Triangle and on occasion jump/dash away (or just block)
if you feel like you need some exercise. I mean, really, there are only a few
enemies in the entire game that required anything but button-mashing, and even
then not terribly much. [Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit after playing through
with Joachim - but Ye Gods can Pumpkin dish out loads of damage with
contemptuous ease...]

- Pumpkin starts with all whip combos unlocked. Not like he needs any...

- This is just a curiosity, actually - whenever Pumpkin pulls himself up on a
ledge, he doesn't actually touch the ledge. I suspect it's because the game
uses Leon's motion model for that (and Leon's graphical representation is big
enough for the hands to actually be touching the ledge - while Pumpkin's is
not). But it's just a curious thing to watch, I think.

- Pumpkin gets no FMVs. Not even at the end of the game (he does get a few
interesting background illustrations during the credits, but nothing beyond
that). I suppose we shall never know his true identity or motivations...

- Pumpkin is sooooooo much better looking than Leon. I mean, just look at that
homicidal grin...

- Pumpkin cannot use any special weapons (e.g. axe, cross) except the one that
he comes "naturally" with. Which is, unsurprisingly, a pumpkin. This weapon can
be upgraded with Orbs as normal, so there is some variety to his special
attacks. I mean, not that he needs any special weapons (due to his natural
damage potential), but one wonders how Pumpkin became so proficient with the
whip yet can't handle a simple dagger/stone/etc. Oh well...in any case, for the
sake of completeness here is a somewhat-detailed description of his Specials
(to avoid confusion - Pumpkin with a capital "P" refers to the character,
pumpkin with a small "p" refers to the weapon):

1. Default (no orb) - Pumpkin throws out a normal-sized pumpkin that either
explodes on contact or slowly bounces around a few times before exploding.
Costs 2 Hearts.

2. Shock Pumpkin (Blue Orb) - a huge pumpkin drops down somewhat in front of
Pumpkin, doing damage to anything it lands on and then exploding (the ratio of
drop to explosion damage is something like 5/1 by the way). Costs 8 Hearts.

3. Large Pumpkin (Red Orb) - same as his default attack (tosses a pumpkin bomb
forward) except that it's a bigger...pumpkin. Costs 3 Hearts.

4. Pumpkin Missile (Purple Orb) - summons a bunch of small (fist-sized, in game
terms) pumpkins that hover around for a second then launch themselves at nearby
enemies. Has potential, but still can't compete with the Triangle x3
combo...Costs 8 Hearts.

5. Grand Pumpkin (Yellow Orb) - Pumpkin hovers in mid-air and summons 4 giant
pumpkins that spiral upwards around him (kinda like that Cross Special). Costs
12 Hearts.

6. Rampage Pumpkin (Green Orb) - Pumpkin turns into a giant...yes, pumpkin, and
blazes directly forward smashing anything in his way. Costs 5 Hearts.

7. Spread Pumpkin (White Orb) - launches a projectile directly forward that
proceeds to explode. Costs 6 Hearts.

8. Pumpkin Serpent (Black Orb) - launches a giant floating serpent made
of...you guessed it...pumpkins. Said serpent then floats around the room for
some seconds smashing into multiple enemies. There ya go, X!

[XXAVIERR]

Damn Goodman, I think you just about covered it. If there was anything that I wanted to know about Pumpkin that I missed, all I need to do is read over your post again. Thanks for the info.