I really like Castlevania: Bloodlines

T.A.P.

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I started playing this again today. I'd forgotten how much fun it is. I like the super-gory graphics and the music.

I always pick the dude with the spear. I wish more games would have had something similar to how he plays.
 

fenikso

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Great game, though I haven't played it in years. Think I still have a copy floating around here somewhere... Might have to dig it up.

Never got to Dracula back in the day. (I suck at non-metroidvania Castlevanias)
 

Rade K

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Technically great: Amazing special effects. This is to MD as Super Castlevania IV was to the SNES; a really cool technical showcase. The segmented characters were really, really amazing back then.

Graphically, ugly: You have to be very careful with the MDs abysmal colour pallet. Also, the actual design was a little ugly. The sprites were all stubby poorly animated. The BGs looked incomplete and rushed. This probably kept a lot of retards from playing it.

Amazing FM synth music: Just great. Some of the best on the MD.

Sound effects: Some of the worst I've heard on the MD.

Gameplay. Fantastic. Which is what really makes this game a classic. Just as fun as any other classic Castlevania. Also a great challenge without being frustrating like the older CVs.
 
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BigTinz

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Technically great: Amazing special effects. This is to MD as Super Castlevania IV was to the SNES; a really cool technical showcase. The segmented characters were really, really amazing back then.

Graphically, ugly: You have to be very careful with the MDs abysmal colour pallet. Also, the actual design was a little ugly. The sprites were all stubby poorly animated. The BGs looked incomplete and rushed. This probably kept a lot of retards from playing it.

Amazing FM synth music: Just great. Some of the best on the MD.

Sound effects: Some of the worst I've heard on the MD.

Gameplay. Fantastic. Which is what really makes this game a classic. Just as fun as any other classic Castlevania. Also a great challenge without being frustrating like the older CVs.

You forgot to add "IMO"

Bloodlines has awesome graphics.
 

SNKNostalgia

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I think it looks great, S-vid mod your Gens and it will look nicer. This was the only cart I owned when I first got my system with a Sega CD. Played it many of times over the years. Now I must play it again. Hello Castlevania marathon. Yep, I go through binges with my series.
 

Comrade Porn King Mikhail

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Real memorable Genny game! Even though I like SCIV and Drac X better, I play Bloodlines more often because it just seems like it's easier to pick up and play though for a quick 30 minute session.

The only Konami "port" that irked me was TMNT Hyperstone Heist. That game had atrocious music and was a poor translation of the classic SNES brawler.
 

Rade K

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Real memorable Genny game! Even though I like SCIV and Drac X better, I play Bloodlines more often because it just seems like it's easier to pick up and play though for a quick 30 minute session.

The only Konami "port" that irked me was TMNT Hyperstone Heist. That game had atrocious music and was a poor translation of the classic SNES brawler.

Well, to be fair, the music in the MD games was closer to the arcade game than the SNES game.

Also TMNT was a total rush job (like Sunset Riders) to get games out in time for XMas 92.
 

Takumaji

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Together with the NES games, Bloodlines is my fave CV ever.

Then SOTN came and ruined CV for me.
 

Jedah Doma

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I think it looks great, S-vid mod your Gens and it will look nicer. This was the only cart I owned when I first got my system with a Sega CD. Played it many of times over the years. Now I must play it again. Hello Castlevania marathon. Yep, I go through binges with my series.

If I could suggest one thing for any Genesis owner it would be get an s-video mod ASAP. Ever since I got my model 3 modded years ago, there's no going back. I've even compared my s-video modded Genesis to the Virtual Console counterpart running through component, and while the VC does look a tad better, it's shocking how good a Genesis really can look.
 

ForeverSublime

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Graphically, ugly: You have to be very careful with the MDs abysmal colour pallet. Also, the actual design was a little ugly. The sprites were all stubby poorly animated.

Yes, the graphics were all over the place. A good example of what you describe is right in the first level:

cvbl-lv2.gif


I always saw that enemy as a horse's head with legs. (right arm is a snout with black nose and a white eye in the arm pit, left neckline/left shoulder is the horse's maine). It was a couple years before my brain interpreted the sprite for what it was supposed to be. There were some amazing sprites in the game, too.

The clothing style of one of your heroes always turned me off, though. I saw blue jeans and a leather motorcycle/cowboy vest - and reminded me very much of the silhouette of your character in Shatterhand.

shatterhand-3.png
 

T.A.P.

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For what it's worth, I thought it looked pretty damn good.
 

SNKNostalgia

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Just like Contra: HC it does use dark and somewhat pastel colors. Still they both look great to me for what style they went with. A lot of Konami games for the Genesis look that way the more I think about it.
 

LoneSage

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T.A.P., I've been feelin you a lot these past few days. I just want you to know that.

Bloodlines is the best Castlevania.

Dude with the spear (which was Alucard's personal spear, in the past) is Eric Lecarde, and yes he is a bad mofo. He was brought back in Portrait of Ruin, which I have yet to play.


Now you want to talk about unfinished looking backgrounds and a weird color pallette, that's all Castlevania III. Christ, what a mess. It adds to the charm, though.


I think I made a long post about Bloodlines one time, or maybe a thread. I'm just so happy Konami showed the Genesis some love late in its life.
 

LoneSage

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I will say, the part after beating Death in IV, is one of the coolest, most atmospheric moments I've ever experienced in any game. Walking down the corridor while the candles light up...you know exactly where you're going. Still get goosebumps to this day from that. Such a badass moment.


While I'm talking about IV, the invincibility potion is one of the stupidest game design choices. It serves absolutely no purpose in a Castlevania game and was clearly included 'just because'. Maybe the team thought since Sonic had one, Mario had one, etc that Simon should have an invinciblity item. But the thing is, in the locations they have it, it feels like such an afterthought -- there are really no enemies in the first level where you get it and they pose no threat. What's the point to it? How will this benefit me? There is none and it doesn't.

That's always bothered me since childhood. When I was younger, I got it because hey cool no skeletons gonna hurt me now, but then I grew up and realized the harsh truth, that it's a fucking stupid idea and a terrible design choice.
 

T.A.P.

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Is there any benefit to playing as the guy with the whip, or is he just supposed to be the equivalent of hard mode?

After playing around a little as him, it seems like his head is way too small for his body. Anyone else think that?
 

ki_atsushi

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Iron Blue Intentions is one of the best tracks for the game.

My favorite song is "The Sinking Old Sanctuary", level 2. It appears in a few CV games, and I love every version of it.

I prefer Circle of the Moon's version of it the most though.


Yes the graphics in Bloodlines are hit and miss, but it's still one of the more solid games in the series. Great game.
 
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Takumaji

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I like the graphics in Bloodlines, fits perfectly to the atmosphere.

A lot of people don't like the "gritty" look but that's right what I love. The level design of the later levels (specially the "air steps" part) is very cool.

And the Alucard Spear is the best CV weapon evarr. :)

EDIT:

Okay, let's start the controversy -

IMO, the best CVs are:

1 - Bloodlines
2 - CV
3 - CV3

The End.

:D
 
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