Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (PSP)

jlued686 · 02/01/2007, 08:28 PM

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3156904

That's right...it's a...

REMAKE!

SignOfZeta · 02/01/2007, 08:34 PM

I hate the way this article is written so much that I want to smack the guy.

There were no 56k modems in 1993, you git.

jlued686 · 02/01/2007, 09:14 PM

Symphony of the Night was released in 1997. The article says:

Quote"Dracula X is but a sham! A pitiful shadow of a first-rate classic called Dracula X: Rondo of Blood, to which your new darling Symphony of the Night is the true sequel!" And there was much amazement in those days, and much sadness, for Rondo's excellence was matched only by its rarity and inaccessibility. Having been released as a CD-based game for the PC Engine Duo, Japan's version of the Turbo CD, it was both difficult to come by and nigh-impossible to download back in the days of 56K modems.

In other words, after people in the US played SotN (in 1997), they wanted to go back and play Rondo of Blood...in 1997 when 56k modems were well in existance.

Who's the "git" now?

Anyway, back on topic, it's been confirmed that the game will include the original Rondo of Blood, a remake of Rondo of Blood, and Symphony of the Night.

Could it be? Fans can play Rondo of Blood w/out having to pay outrageous eBay prices?!
www.gamevideos.com has a video fo the remake.

GUTS · 02/01/2007, 10:30 PM

Why are they still making games for that hunk of shit? Put that on PS2 where it will actually sell a few copies instead of languishing on the shelf for 6 months until it hits clearance because nobody likes the PSP anymore. I fucking hate the PSP now, awesome games like this and Ultimate Ghouls & Ghosts could have been on PS2 if it weren't for that shitty, slow-loading, no-battery life, hand-cramping system.

Keranu · 02/01/2007, 10:55 PM

Cool stuff. Not liking the remade graphics, but it's hard to please my 3d remake tastes

.

Joe Redifer · 02/01/2007, 11:12 PM

Why is this in this particular forum? Is this an amateur-made game? Looking at the video, it sure looks amateur-ish. Get your Donkey Kong Country out of my Castlevania! I hate the PSP even more now. I'm glad I nabbed the original version of this when it first came out and didn't have to spend outrageous $$$ on it.

The graphics of this remake are really harming my eyes. They remind me of... of... Golden Axe Remake for the PS2 or something incredibly bad. The music isn't even as good as the PCE original. I bet Konami themselves aren't even doing the programming... hell, nobody programs their own games anymore.

TR0N · 02/01/2007, 11:54 PM

Well this explains why konami never put dracula x in a collection.

They want to anal rape it's fans by putting it on a handheld

Any ways i'll stick to my original for my, Duo-r thank you very much.

Dark Fact · 02/02/2007, 12:03 AM

For the record, the PSP isn't a bad system. It's just that Sony really fudged up their promotion of it by trying to make it more of a multitasking multimedia and video player instead of focusing on its real meat: the games. With this and the PSP port of Final Fantasy Dawn of Souls, there may be hope for the PSP yet!

I hope this game is coming stateside by the end of this year of by the beginning of next year. If so, the long difficult struggle to have this game in the west would finally be over. Let's not forget that in addition to this remake, this release also contains the original PC-CD Rondo of Blood as well as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. So even the purists can be satisfied.

However, from watching that video, I didn't like that the Stage 1 music contained the "beginning" song from Castlevania III instead of "bloodlines" from the original Dracula X as it is supposed to. Bloodlines seemed more fitting in my opinion.

I'm also kind of glad that they refined Richter Belmont's design. He looks like a real 18th century noble now instead of the Karate Kid with a whip.

PCEngineFX · 02/02/2007, 02:37 AM

Jeez you guys, tell us how you really feel about the remake

Guess I'm on the other side of the fence - I love the 3D look and can't wait to get this for my PSP. I still play my PSP a lot (mostly for the classic collections from EA, Sega and such and my favorite PSP game Wipeout Pure) and am glad to at least get DracX again even if it is for the PSP (did you really expect them to bring back the original for any current console??)

Now if Hudson can get SCD working on the Wii............cough.....COUGH.

Keranu · 02/02/2007, 02:42 AM

Hey if I had a PSP, I'd probably get it too.

jlued686 · 02/02/2007, 10:26 AM

Plus, I think many of you guys are missing a bigger point: the game is finally coming to the US. And though it would have been nice to see it on perhaps the Xbox Marketplace or Virtual Console, it's good that those gamers with a PSP will get to play the game AND SotN without having to pay ridiculous eBay fees anymore.

Gamers sure can be a bitter, jaded bunch.

Oh, and to answer:

QuoteWhy is this in this particular forum?

I posted it in this particular forum because the description for this forum reads:

QuoteConsole/Mobile Game Development
Talk about Turbo/PCE games that are being made for consoles such as the PS2/PS3, PSP, Xbox, DS and Mobile!

Seemed pretty logical to me.

Seldane · 02/02/2007, 11:04 AM

Hopefully this will end the VC talk about this game. It's not happening! (Even though it was pretty damn obvious it wasn't gonna happen even before this was announced.)

I'm happy they're finally making a non-Metroid-Castlevania game. Even though it isn't exactly new, but whatever.

How can the music be worse than the PCE music? If you hadn't noticed - the boss music is taken DIRECTLY from the PCE game and the first song is of much higher quality than the original music. No more ancient synth music.

More games for the perfect handheld - the PSP!

CrackTiger · 02/02/2007, 03:09 PM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 02/01/2007, 11:12 PMWhy is this in this particular forum? Is this an amateur-made game? Looking at the video, it sure looks amateur-ish. Get your Donkey Kong Country out of my Castlevania! I hate the PSP even more now. I'm glad I nabbed the original version of this when it first came out and didn't have to spend outrageous $$$ on it.

The graphics of this remake are really harming my eyes. They remind me of... of... Golden Axe Remake for the PS2 or something incredibly bad. The music isn't even as good as the PCE original. I bet Konami themselves aren't even doing the programming... hell, nobody programs their own games anymore.

What did you pay for the original when it came out? I bought mine back then too, but had to pay around what it can be had for on the secondary market today(when you work out inflation and everything).

I was also reminded of Golden Axe PS2 when watching the video.

Quote from: Seldane on 02/02/2007, 11:04 AMHopefully this will end the VC talk about this game. It's not happening! (Even though it was pretty damn obvious it wasn't gonna happen even before this was announced.)

I'm happy they're finally making a non-Metroid-Castlevania game. Even though it isn't exactly new, but whatever.

How can the music be worse than the PCE music? If you hadn't noticed - the boss music is taken DIRECTLY from the PCE game and the first song is of much higher quality than the original music. No more ancient synth music.

More games for the perfect handheld - the PSP!

Going from what the 1up.com article said, the boss theme is likely just placeholder music. Higher quality is subjective. Those cheezy guitar riffs are straight out of the Dune soundtrack, circa 1984. And they're two different songs, so it's a matter of personal taste.

What I don't get is all the negativity. How is something more a bad thing? Its not like Konami is triggering a secret self destruct mechanism in every PCE copy of the game. We're going from nothing, to finally getting an english version of the game, plus a 3D remix with a 'new' soundtrack, plus what can only be a new and improved 'localization' of SotN.

Rondo' getting all this publicity after all these years can only help the game get whatever treatment each person hating on this is really looking for.

Personally, I don't keep my Duo in storage, so I can still play the original on a big screen whenever I want. But now I'll have a great portable version to help justify my PSP.

Emerald Rocker · 02/02/2007, 03:38 PM

I love the PSP, because I can play it anywhere, and I never need to save. I can just shut the system off whenever I want and turn it back on... POOF! Right back to the exact pixel where I was before.

That's perfect for Drac X.

Keranu · 02/02/2007, 04:24 PM

Quote from: Seldane on 02/02/2007, 11:04 AMNo more ancient synth music.

Better watch what you say about the coolest way of making music ;) .

SignOfZeta · 02/02/2007, 06:01 PM

Quote from: guestIn other words, after people in the US played SotN (in 1997), they wanted to go back and play Rondo of Blood...in 1997 when 56k modems were well in existance.

Who's the "git" now?

Um...I thought the point was that after playing Dracula XX on SNES/SFC (not SotN) they wanted to go back and play Rondo of Blood. I certainly remember that being the case. I mean, people who were so amazingly late to the Castlevania party that they were weaned on SotN aren't going to enjoy some crusty old thing like Rondo. Regardless, the nuevos hardcore, those twits that aren't interested in a title until its $150 on eBay, can jump in a fucking lake as far as I'm concerned, and either way it doesn't change the fact that the guy that wrote this article wears a fanny pack and collects swords.

The really puzzling thing to me is this: we all know that the PSP is the greatest re-make/port machine ever made, but in all seriousness this should have been done on DS. The DS has two great CV games, and plays GBA games, the system with three other great CV games. The GBA and DS are what has been keeping CV alive for years now. Why spread this out to the PSP? I'm certainly not going to buy it.

Seldane · 02/02/2007, 07:00 PM

'Cause the Nintendo fanboys are sick and tired of Castlevania after they've released one identical game every year now. I sure as hell am.

PCEngineFX · 02/02/2007, 07:16 PM

Plus if Konami was set on doing a 3D remake of the game, the DS version would be ugly as sin...so the PSP would be the obvious choice for anything 3D.

Additionally, I heard a rumor that the original PCE version would also be included....if so, well.....there you go

Joe Redifer · 02/02/2007, 08:25 PM

When I made my first post, I had no idea that the original game + Symphony of da Night would be included. That's definitely a good thing. Obviously they'll need to make the screen wider by revealing more of the areas of both games unless they pillarbox them. And CrackTiger, I paid about $70 I think from DIE HARD GAME CLUB when it first came out. I hear it goes for over $100 these days. But mine was brand new, mint condition still shrinkwrapped!!!11!! It even has the highly-coveted SPINE CARD which, as you know, is super-mega important. Enjoying a game without the spine card is simply impossible.

Anyway since I have learned more about this game, here are my updated opinions:

-If I had a PSP, I'd definitely get this.
-I don't have a PSP, and I won't be getting one.
-The new Richter looks really bad. I don't care if it is more authentic, he looks worse.
-It would be worth playing through just to see the changes, kind of like the Space Harrier remake for the PS2.
-The English voice is really bad. I hope that's placeholder.
-Many of the 3D graphics are pretty bad. They have that patterned, tiled look to the textures.
-It looks awful when he throws the axe.
-Everything in 3D seems so stiff.
-The first stage music isn't quite as good as the original stuff. I don't care if it is synth or not.
-The animation is BAD.
-The final boss doesn't look as cool. Instead it looks kind of goofy, like the Space Harrier remake bosses.
-but it is Castlevania and would be worth owning... if I had a PSP. Currently there is no reason besides this to own a PSP.

termis · 02/02/2007, 08:38 PM

It does look pretty nice. But I also wish this was done on a home console instead.

If I had to nitpick, the walking animation of Richter looks strange.

ParanoiaDragon · 02/02/2007, 10:04 PM

All the music & probably the sound effects are placeholder for now. Begining was just thrown in there to show an early version of the game. It's not on the DS, partly because there will probably be another Castlevania this year for DS, which is supposedly the "Battle of 1999" game. I gotta admit, as much as I personally hated the way Richter was drawn in SotN, this version isn't so bad. I don't hate it, it's interesting, but I still prefer the original artwork. Either way, I think this could end up being really cool.

SignOfZeta · 02/02/2007, 10:07 PM

Quote from: Pcenginefx on 02/02/2007, 07:16 PMPlus if Konami was set on doing a 3D remake of the game, the DS version would be ugly as sin...so the PSP would be the obvious choice for anything 3D.

Well there's a simple solution to that problem: avoid 3D. The 2D CV games on DS/GBA are gorgeous.

A great way enhance Rondo would be like how the PS1 ver of the X68k game looks. Another example would be how Richter's sprite looks in SotN. Just...make the whole game like that.

Have you seen Jump Ultimate Stars? A Rondo remake with that level of quality 2D would be fantastic.

Every few years Konami tries to make a CV 3D and it sucks shit every single time. Of course this time if they keep the play 2D, and just use polygons for the graphics, it should at least play well. What exactly is the point of that though? 2D just looks way way better.

For some reason I just had a vision of Street Fighter 3 remade in ploygons...bleaghcth...

CrackTiger · 02/02/2007, 10:16 PM

I remember reading rumours, probably all just Quarterman, about the upcoming-at-the-time Dreamcast Castlevania being a side scroller like SotN but all in 3D. I guess it would've looked kinda like this.

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 02/02/2007, 08:25 PMAnd Black_Tiger, I paid about $70 I think from DIE HARD GAME CLUB when it first came out. I hear it goes for over $100 these days. But mine was brand new, mint condition still shrinkwrapped!!!11!! It even has the highly-coveted SPINE CARD which, as you know, is super-mega important. Enjoying a game without the spine card is simply impossible.

You didn't save a whole lot, but at least you got it new. Of course, so did I and like most of my other PCE games from back then, the case and manual are nice and worn now and the spine is long gone.

Quote from: guest on 02/02/2007, 10:26 AM
QuoteWhy is this in this particular forum?
I posted it in this particular forum because the description for this forum reads:

QuoteConsole/Mobile Game Development
Talk about Turbo/PCE games that are being made for consoles such as the PS2/PS3, PSP, Xbox, DS and Mobile!
Seemed pretty logical to me.

Take a look one step before 'Console/Mobile Game Development', it's under 'NEC Homebrew Development'.

jlued686 · 02/02/2007, 10:30 PM

QuoteTake a look one step before 'Console/Mobile Game Development', it's under 'NEC Homebrew Development'.

That's gotta be a f**k up. Seriously...who the hell is making homebrew games for the PS3 and cell phones?

QuoteUm...I thought the point was that after playing Dracula XX on SNES/SFC (not SotN) they wanted to go back and play Rondo of Blood. I certainly remember that being the case. I mean, people who were so amazingly late to the Castlevania party that they were weaned on SotN aren't going to enjoy some crusty old thing like Rondo. Regardless, the nuevos hardcore, those twits that aren't interested in a title until its $150 on eBay, can jump in a fucking lake as far as I'm concerned, and either way it doesn't change the fact that the guy that wrote this article wears a fanny pack and collects swords.

Read the article again. He clearly says after they played SotN. Nevertheless, you're right: that article was shit. But hey, that's Jeremy Parish for ya.

Joe Redifer · 02/02/2007, 10:45 PM

This game is clearly homebrew (just look at the graphics) so it is in the right forum.

_Paul · 02/03/2007, 05:17 AM

elnino · 02/03/2007, 10:01 AM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 02/02/2007, 10:45 PMThis game is clearly homebrew (just look at the graphics) so it is in the right forum.

Seldane · 02/03/2007, 10:39 AM

Quote from: guest on 02/02/2007, 10:30 PM
QuoteTake a look one step before 'Console/Mobile Game Development', it's under 'NEC Homebrew Development'.
That's gotta be a f**k up. Seriously...who the hell is making homebrew games for the PS3 and cell phones?

Probably a lot. There's tons of Symbian (cellphone OS) homebrew. It is also easy to program PS3 games since you can use Linux on it.

Also: this thread needs to be removed, and why not remove this entire forum while at it? The only topics in here are misplaced. Ys V for PS2 is not homebrew either, and it ISN'T a PC Engine game either.

Keranu · 02/03/2007, 03:01 PM

Lets take a vote for where we should move it. I vote Console Chat.

Seldane · 02/03/2007, 03:13 PM

Console Chat.

CrackTiger · 02/03/2007, 04:06 PM

Quote from: Keranu on 02/03/2007, 03:01 PMLets take a vote for where we should move it. I vote Console Chat.

Console Chat was where I first looked to see if there was already a Drac X PSP thread.

I think I saw a comment or two about how this should be on DS. Wouldn't it take up 2 or 3 DS carts?

Joe Redifer · 02/03/2007, 11:51 PM

Yeah, console chat.

How large is the largest DS cart so far, and what is it? How much can PSP discs hold? I'm sure they will compress the hell out of the audio to shrink it as much as possible.

Seldane · 02/04/2007, 05:37 AM

UMD discs can hold 1,8 GB of data. There's no need to compress anything.

DS cartridges can hold no more than 128 MB of data.

Joe Redifer · 02/04/2007, 05:55 PM

There's gonna be a need for compression if you fit a full CD's worth of Symphony of the Night as well as a full CD's worth of Rhondo on the disc IN ADDITION to the homebrew 2.5D game they'll put on there. My guess is that they'll compress the audio to MP3 or something similar (actually probably ATRAC) and that will make the audio files 5 times smaller.

Seldane · 02/04/2007, 06:06 PM

Exactly. There's no need to keep CDDA on the UMD, since it is unnecessarily big. Especially for a portable console with crap speakers.

CrackTiger · 02/04/2007, 10:11 PM

Tengai Makyou II DS's former CD tracks sound like low quality mp3's or the PCM tracks for dialogue in most PCE games. Drac X has at least as much redbook audio.

Even if Konami put a lone straight port of Rondo' it'd have tinny music.

I'd be happy with anything, but I don't think that The Dracula X Chronicles should obviously only be on DS.

Tatsujin · 02/05/2007, 12:38 AM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 02/04/2007, 05:55 PMand that will make the audio files 5 times smaller.

but not 5 times worse(r) ;)

Joe Redifer · 02/05/2007, 01:19 AM

True, ATRAC is a damn good compression scheme. I just hope they don't use the version that they use to REALLY pack the music onto MiniDiscs (for the LP mode and whatnot) but rather a refined version of the regular MiniDisc ATRAC scheme.

SignOfZeta · 02/05/2007, 02:34 AM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 02/03/2007, 11:51 PMYeah, console chat.

How large is the largest DS cart so far, and what is it? How much can PSP discs hold? I'm sure they will compress the hell out of the audio to shrink it as much as possible.

I don't know what the biggest DS game is, but I'm pretty sure Akachan wa Dokokara Kuruno?/Rub Rabbits is 128MB. Also Ouendan is probably huge since it has quite a few full length pop songs on it in decent quality.

Seldane · 02/05/2007, 09:36 AM

I believe the PSP uses an updated ATRAC format. Ys 6 PSP has excellent music quality (I usually play it with headphones) and that audio is in ATRAC format.

Joe Redifer · 02/05/2007, 07:44 PM

Even regular ATRAC can be damn good. Old MiniDiscs sound great compared to their CD counterparts. Sony Dynamic Digital Sound (SDDS) that used to be widely used in movie theaters (but failed and is now being phased out) used ATRAC compression and could do up to 8 channels.

XtraN · 02/05/2007, 09:26 PM

Check it out,
Koji Igarashi: The Dracula X Chronicles interview
http://pspupdates.qj.net/Koji-Igarashi-The-Dracula-X-Chronicles-interview/pg/49/aid/81804

CrackTiger · 02/05/2007, 10:57 PM

Quote from: XtraN on 02/05/2007, 09:26 PMCheck it out,
Koji Igarashi: The Dracula X Chronicles interview
http://pspupdates.qj.net/Koji-Igarashi-The-Dracula-X-Chronicles-interview/pg/49/aid/81804

Wow, the dork doing the interview thought that the branching paths were part of the upgrade.

Did Koji Igarashi basically say that he hopes Drac X PCE does't get released for Wii VC too soon, lest it steal some of Dracula X Chronicles thunder?

Kind of ironic that the DS Castlevanias had to switch from the Ayami Kojima artwork to the ugly anime cut scenes/character art to be more commericially viable, but with the Drac X Chronicles Rondo's anime art is getting switched from anime to to new Ayami Kojima art.

I guess DS is just for kids and the PSP is for real growned ups.

Anyone else see 1up.com's recent lame Retronauts episode in which a couple uber snerds use Drac X Saturn to show how crappy the Saturn always was and how totally awesome the PSX always will be. Cause "obviously" the Saturn can't handle 10 polygons at a time.

Keranu · 02/05/2007, 11:33 PM

Quote from: XtraN on 02/05/2007, 09:26 PMCheck it out,
Koji Igarashi: The Dracula X Chronicles interview
http://pspupdates.qj.net/Koji-Igarashi-The-Dracula-X-Chronicles-interview/pg/49/aid/81804

Good interview, thanks for the link. I have never seen (or heard for that manner) of Koji Igarashi, but I dig that dude's style.

TR0N · 02/05/2007, 11:39 PM

Quote from: guest on 02/05/2007, 10:57 PM
Quote from: XtraN on 02/05/2007, 09:26 PMCheck it out,
Koji Igarashi: The Dracula X Chronicles interview
http://pspupdates.qj.net/Koji-Igarashi-The-Dracula-X-Chronicles-interview/pg/49/aid/81804
Wow, the dork doing the interview thought that the branching paths were part of the upgrade.

Did Koji Igarashi basically say that he hopes Drac X PCE does't get released for Wii VC too soon, lest it steal some of Dracula X Chronicles thunder?

Kind of ironic that the DS Castlevanias had to switch from the Ayami Kojima artwork to the ugly anime cut scenes/character art to be more commericially viable, but with the Drac X Chronicles Rondo's anime art is getting switched from anime to to new Ayami Kojima art.

I guess DS is just for kids and the PSP is for real growned ups.

Anyone else see 1up.com's recent lame Retronauts episode in which a couple uber snerds use Drac X Saturn to show how crappy the Saturn always was and how totally awesome the PSX always will be. Cause "obviously" the Saturn can't handle 10 polygons at a time.

Watched the whole thing that's the kind of vibe he gave me.

Still i just hope the next castlevania for consoles isn't 3d

GUTS · 02/06/2007, 01:52 AM

Ugh that Saturn comparison would have pissed me off, I can't believe there's still people out there who don't think the Saturn ruled. Pretty much every gamer I've run across that isn't a complete fuckwit loves the Saturn.

termis · 02/06/2007, 02:35 AM

Good interview, but the interviewer obviously hasn't played Rondo before - not only did he not know about alternate paths (which is pretty obvious if you played it), he also asked if the new version would be "upgraded" to orchestrated music from "MIDI" music?!?!

Oh, and all Sega systems ruled... simply cause they had 1st party sega games! If I had to live with only one game developer, I wouldn't hesitate in picking Sega.

Seldane · 02/06/2007, 10:00 AM

Sega Saturn rules, but the Saturn port of Nocturne in the Moonlight is abysmal. The frame rate is so low that it is just unbearable to play. A true shame, because playing as Maria absolutely rules!

GUTS · 02/06/2007, 02:12 PM

^^ Yeah thats why I don't understand why they don't add the extra stuff from the Saturn version into the upcoming PSX port on Live or on this PSP game, then it would render the crappy saturn version obsolete.

CrackTiger · 02/06/2007, 03:11 PM

Quote from: GUTS on 02/06/2007, 02:12 PM^^ Yeah thats why I don't understand why they don't add the extra stuff from the Saturn version into the upcoming PSX port on Live or on this PSP game, then it would render the crappy saturn version obsolete.

Thats what I'm hoping for. I don't know why all the pros only talk 'ports'. Konami said right away that the PSP SotN would feature changes/upgrades(not a straight PSX port). So why can't they take the best of both the PSX & Saturn versions and fix anything that still needs it?

And those losers who showed "all" thats extra in the Saturn version didn't mention the two biggest bonuses: the 3rd hand and running boots.

Even if the Saturn version didn't have anything new, with everything it lost its not a hunk of garbage unless the PSX version is too. I never hear people trash Saturn to PSX ports like Lunar SSS and Grandia as complete unplayable garbage, but the difference is bigger than the Saturn Drac X port.