Circle of the Moon is better than all the IGA Castlevania games. And I'm tired of pretending it's not.

>>712961514 (OP)
Castlevania would have been better if they never used Dracula and Carmilla. The vampire villains should have been original characters because Dracula in Castlevania does not resemble the actual Count Dracula from the book or Universal's movie.

>>712961514 (OP)
I love it. I only wish the run was automatic.

>>712961514 (OP)
no, but it's better than sotn and dos

CotM is excellent. I feel like the people who hate this game just get filtered by the movement and card systems and have no coherent arguments other than that. That's a skill issue if I've ever seen one.

>>712961678
If that's what you want then kindly fuck off back to your Kikeflix slop

>>712961901
That is neither here nor there and fuck you.

>>712961787
It's harder than a lot of Castlevania games (especially the IGA ones). And takes a while for it to start getting interesting. But once it does, it's crazy good. You can actually beat stuff underleveled with skill and good use of items/magic. Not to mention stuff like Magician and Thief modes where this is the norm.

what makes it better?

>>712961787
From what I see the biggest complaint people have with this game is.....it looks old. That is the spirtework doesn't even look like Super Nintendo tier. And people get turned off by the visuals.

People have gotten SPOILED by games like Cuphead and Hollow Knight and to a lesser degree Undertale. If the games look old and archaic visually they will be ignored by the masses. Modern gamers want the prettiest visuals ever.

>>712961514 (OP)
My only complaint with this game besides better running movement controls is I wish it had more boss fights. We get the standard ones like Medusa and Death, but I wanted more famous monsters.

Oh well better than the boss fights form Harmony god that game has awful boss fights. And don't get me started on Dawn on Sorrow's boss fights they're also bad.

>>712962172
>From what I see the biggest complaint people have with this game is.....it looks old. That is the spirtework doesn't even look like Super Nintendo tier.
Which is completely wrong. But the issue is, you need to play the game on a bigger screen. It does look bad on the original GBA screen. When you play it on a TV, with a Super Gameboy or on the Advance Collection or something, it holds up surprisingly well. And looks 100x better than Harmony and Aria.

The music is also better quality than the other GBA games (except for the opening theme full of crunchy compression). It's really odd how IGA tried to make his games literally the opposite of CotM in every way. Including making the graphics look worse and somehow finding a way to make MIDI songs sound compressed.

>>712962440
Iga is a mess of a man. The only thing he's doing nowadays is making Legally Distinct Castlevania Konami Don't Sue.

And I got to say it the sequel to Bloodstained looks somewhat messy. The visuals are not good and the gameplay seems like a knock off of Ruin. Iga has no more fresh ideas.

>>712962440
It's true that CotM's visuals shine on a bigger, actually backlit screen, but I think the game's colors still look very muddy. Lots of browns and olives and drab shading. The spritework itself is great, though, just the color choices are a bit unflattering. The game also has very scarce animation frames in general, which I don't mind all that much, but I can see how some people might.

>>712962093
-You are rewarded for actual skill. Both in movement of the character and using items/magic.
-Better controls. People complain about the run, but it is easy to get used to. And once you do, you have more mobility than almost any other Castlevania game. As your run provides multiple levels of momentum. Game also has a lot higher jumps than most games.
-High difficulty leads to high satisfaction once you complete things. Many things seem almost impossible the first time you try them, like bosses or the arena. But once you change your tactics and beat them, it's immensely satisfying.
-Graphics hold up surprisingly well, if you play it on a TV.
-High
-The card system, while initially confusing, actually has a lot of variety and good ideas.
-Most of the music in the game is remixes of past games. But it's some of the best music of the series, from III, IV and Bloodlines.
-Five extra game modes which actually provide a lot of replayability to the game.

This is not to say the game is perfect. The castle layout has a lot of dead ends and terrible teleporter placement. There's some massive spikes in difficulty that turn off new players. Virtually nothing is explained so you can end up not knowing where to go or even running into the sewers before finding the talisman (like I did). Items take way too long to show up (especially cards). And it's got one of the dumbest stories in the series (which says a lot). But many of these things can be overcome with skill and knowledge in replays.

>double tap to run
lol. lmao.

>>712963229
>And it's got one of the dumbest stories in the series
I don't know about that, DoS and LoI are tough to beat. Hugh getting absolutely mogged in front of his own father was kind of funny just for how brutal it is. Poor guy.

>>712963423
>double tap to run
>can keep running as long as you don't get hit
>can even stop running and then continue running if you move before the stopping animation completes
Double tapping to run is way better than having to hold down R to run or something. I've played games like that. Your finger falls off after like 20 minutes.

crazy that the cards have so little to do with the progression in the game that one mode just completely removes them and the game doesn't even change all that much, it just becomes a little easier if anything.

>>712963582
Fair enough. What I should have said is it has some of the dumbest dialogue. But even then, I'm replaying Aria right now and I think the dialogue is even worse...

>>712963701
How would the game become easier without the cards? Its with the cards it becomes easier. Just with the combo to heal or the ability to absorb certain damage (mostly used for the sewers where you gain life from being hit by ice and then breeze through it).

>>712963830
you get better level ups.

>>712961514 (OP)
I like Circle of the Moon a lot but you're wrong.

>>712963830
Fighter mode starts with enough stat boosts that it more than makes up for not having cards.

>>712961514 (OP)
it's the best game in the franchise, only bloodlines comes anywhere close

>>712964047
What does this even mean? The cards are not related to level ups. And still make the game easier.
>>712964167
But..that's one of five modes. And you can turn around and claim Magician mode makes the cards better. But obviously we're considering the base game.

>>712964084
>all smiles

>>712965154
Maria would instantly be top tier in Smash

>>712961787
Movement works up to a point, because it's designed for very large areas, like the one you get dropped into at the start. Later on it just starts to feel awkward and out of place.
Point of this post is to laugh, because while most of the other protags strolled into the castle and took their beef to it like chads, Nathan just got flushed into the sewer like the turd he is. The opening is like an analogy for most of the game.

>>712966423
That's why they didn't let her in. Too broken.

>>712963691
>yeah it's shit but at least it's not even worse

>>712964584
>But obviously we're considering the base game.
not what I mentioned in my first post. Fighter mode does give you better level ups and the game ends up being easier and really more fun than the mode in which you pick them up as you progress.
Magician mode also makes the game easier but less fun than either Fighter or Normal because you just end up spamming one or two OP combos

>>712966443
The sewer is late in the game. The starting area is like the catacombs in SotN. And your anolgy is bad because Simon and Trevor also went through a sewer like area. That's where CotM got the idea.

>>712966661
>not what I mentioned in my first post.
You didn't mention Fighter mode in your first post.
>Magician mode also makes the game easier but less fun than either Fighter or Normal because you just end up spamming one or two OP combos
Fighter mode you just spam Cross over and over and beat everything...

>the minotaur room in the arena

I kept waiting for some new mechanic to explain the card system after 6-7 hours into the game until I finally realized you just have to equip and match ??? cards and press L once to unlock them and figure out what they do

>>712961714
You can do this with a cheat.

>>712966443
>it's designed for very large areas
Yes, exactly. The level design facilitates the movement perfectly.
>Later on it just starts to feel awkward and out of place.
I don't think so, the rooms stay large throughout the whole game. The only exception that comes to mind is Hugh's area with the cramped hallways. Certain rooms in the sewer area are absolutely massive.

>>712966764
>You didn't mention Fighter mode in your first post.
I did, just not by name.
>one mode just completely removes [cards] and the game doesn't even change all that much

>>712966827
Just did that yesterday, on Thief mode. Almost made it to the end but died in the third to last room. Decided to leave and level some. But for some reason Lilith wouldn't spawn. Got annoyed so I just went and finished off Dracula without getting the last two cards.

>>712963691
>better than this thing nobody would want rather than him just running by default
holy cope

sure bud
just like PoR has solid area variety and DoS makes good use of its progression system

>>712967356
Running by default wouldn't work in some areas or in bosses. Have fun running by default when trying to fight the double dragon or manuver in the chapel. Now, if they had an option in the menu to turn run on and off, then sure, that could be better. Or an option to have run on default but then hit a button to walk. But you're not suggesting stuff like this. You're an idiot who thinks it's an RPG where you should just run all the time.

>>712967520
NTA but that's absolute cope t. >>712966924
playing the game with full autorun never gave any issues since the controls are still really precise with it.

>>712967486
>just like PoR has solid area variety and DoS makes good use of its progression system
Well, he said CotM is better than the IGA games so...

One thing I really cannot stand about the game is the way the castle is gated off specifically the head butt blocks and the ring to move heavy boxes. Its reminiscent of DOS where you had tons of dead ends and arbitrary abilities that basically only exist to advance the gated areas. That plus the castle feels lifeless in general without anyone else around to interact with besides the once in a blue moon cutscene. Having no shopkeep around or other weapons to find and being forced to grind for cards which just incentizes cheating to save time and the way running works is meh.
These aren't major problems in of themselves but together adds up to making the game feel ever more dreary for me the longer I play it.
Its annoying because the rest of the game outside that is so good, it feels like the game is constantly kneecapping my fun at every turn and introducing unnecessary tedium through these designs. I'd kill for an open castle version of this game save for double and wall jump areas being blocked off, that would instantly make the game so much better. I rarely replay it because of those issues.

>>712967520
>you just have to have it be a shit design no matter what, you can't have a button to walk or a middle ground speed okay?? so good luck with that
coping like a cope-a-thon, you're the mvp coper of the year

>>712968386
>>712967646
>>712967356
>cope
>cope
>cope
At least try not looking like a samefag, dude.

>>712968505
>if I say you're samefagging that means I'm not coping
now you're coping about being called out for coping, whats gonna be the next copeaboutism?
Its all me faggot, I switched ips because calling you a coping retard from one wasn't enough, cope with that now too you fuckin francis ford cope-ala

>>712968505
Yeah because that's what you're doing is called. You're defending a shitty mechanic the devs themselves swapped out of all the following games for how universally bad it was.
Look I'll upload the hacked rom for you to play if I still can find it, it's literally an objective improvement.

>>712968505
>>712968642
>>712968715
Cope.

>>712968750
>no u cope with the fact I can't handle legitimate criticism of a game I'm emotionally invested in on the internet
I'm coping just fine, you on the other hand...

>>712968750
You're in a GBA game thread, at this age you better be able to do more than project.

>>712968715
>You're defending a shitty mechanic the devs themselves swapped out of all the following games for how universally bad it was.
Most of the following Castlevania games have no run at all. Have you even played the games?
>cope

>>712968879
>Have you even played the games?
Sorry I don't play games that aren't as good as cotm, maybe you should not play trash games with no running and treat yourself better.
You know you don't deserve it though, deep down you punish yourself because you know you're not worthy.
Enjoy your no run slop, bitch.

>>712968879
Have you? Most of them also don't require or even allow you to return to a previous area, or scroll both vertically and horizontally at the same time. Stop pretending like it doesn't play exactly like the rest of the Metroid-y ones.

>>712968990
>guy gets so mind broken he starts flipping his argument
Damn. That'll learn 'em.

The only thing I dislike about it is the difficulty of the arena. Yeah, it's optional, but it's way too tough. I always end up cheesing it.

>>712969065
>Most of them also don't require or even allow you to return to a previous area, or scroll both vertically and horizontally at the same time.
>games after CotM
Okay, I legitamitely can't tell if you're trolling or retarded.
>Stop pretending like it doesn't play exactly like the rest of the Metroid-y ones.
CotM is hated precisely because it doesn't play like SotN and the later IGA ones. Also, this comment contradicts your previous comment...

>>712969167
I beat the arena when i was 10 or something

>>712969167
Basically just use the cross and good timing. Yeah, it's cheesy. But the arena is made super hard so it's basically expecting you to cheese (or level off Lilith for 30 levels, which is just another kind of cheese).

Old axe armor/hard level 1 in PoR is harder than anything in CotM

>>712969113
thats right, I've flipped arguments, I've shit on the very thing I was defending just a post ago, I've mind broken on anything that ever typed on a keyboard at one time or another and im here to mind break on (you) anon, for what you did to the coping OP.
You other anons better step aside, its about to rowdy up in here.

For anyone curious, here's the Circle of the Moon ROM with a patch that lets you move like in Symphony of the Night/Harmony of Dissonance/Aria of Sorrow where running is always automatic.
Just turn the "N" to "Y" with A at the start on "Always run".

Play this if you hated the double tap run. Or if you're like >>712967520 and need to play what they're suggesting before talking out of their ass.

https://files.catbox.moe/wx2ppf.gba

>>712969514
>Symphony of the Night/Harmony of Dissonance/Aria of Sorrow where running is always automatic.
None of those games have running. Yes, you only have one movement speed. But all the characters walk with the same animation as Alucard. And it's just that, a walk. You're actually proving why CotM is unique and some would argue good. Because you get a run. And that run (and his jump) has better momentum/control than most Castlevania characters.

What an idiot.

>>712961514 (OP)
Yes but none of them are worth playing.

>>712970381
>has better momentum/control
nah

>>712970381
If that were true the patch wouldn't make the game more fun to play.
>that run (and his jump) has better momentum/control than most Castlevania characters
Better than classicvanias? Yes.
Better than metroidvanias? No, it makes it identical to those, you have the same air control as you have ground control.

>>712963229
>Better controls
lmao

everyone talks about how awful the double tap run mechanic is but the wall jumping feels like shit too and there's a ton of it

>>712970623
>Better than metroidvanias? No
All the Metrovanias after SotN and CotM ruined air momentum. The reason SotN is so easy, among many reasons, is because of such fluid movement in air. IGAs solution to this was to make characters like Juste and Soma lose momentum when attacking in the air and lock them into a long animation. As well as making any weapons besides the short sword have rediculously long animation times (sometimes up to 3 seconds). And your character 1) stops all momentum when starting the attack and 2) has to complete the animation. Whereas in SotN, Alucard cancels the attack animation when landing.

Then things just got even worse in the DS and PS2 games.

>>712970705
I think it's better than Mega Man X kick animation. There's also not that much of it. The bigger issue is not really the kick but that enemies often hit you while you're in air (from offscreen). They love to place fox archers or medusa heads right where you're trying to land.

>>712966827
>somehow survive the minotaur room
>don't get the black dog card drop later on

>>712970705
yeah, the wall jumping feels off, however, I don't remember it being required that much

>>712972041
It's weirdly delayed. The action of kicking the wall vs the actual push off is delayed. And then the sound itself is also out of sync with both. But that said, it functions just fine. You don't need it for anything technical, unless you want to get like a couple HP/MP pots early. And you don't need to bother. You can just wait until you get the roc feather, which is like 60% into the game.

It's not like some shit like Metroid Fusion/Other M/Dread where they lock half the items in the game behind the last two power ups, 95% into the game.

>>712969374
I tried a hard lv50 of this (maybe it was hard lv25) and couldn't get past the first boss

It isn't
also bloodstained is better

>>712961514 (OP)
It's the worst one.

>>712974678
Even getting to the first boss is an accomplishment, but yes he's rough. I only beat him by being very lucky with his pattern.

>>712970934
>Whereas in SotN, Alucard cancels the attack animation when landing.
in Aria and the later games it depends on the weapon, but even for the ones that don't have it you can cancel it with a backdash, then cancel the backdash with a forward jump and attack in the air then repeat once you land.

>>712975503
Most of the weapons with the long animation, like overhead swings and stabbing weapons, you can't cancel the animations. It's really quite silly how many weapons are bad in Aria. Usually you end up using a simple sword with 60% the damage of an overhead swinging sword because it's faster to slash twice than do one long attack animation. Until you get the final most powerful sword which is a stabbing one (spear animation). And it takes up so much room it makes up for the bad animation. Unless you need to attack in air and you get screwed that way.

And then he found a way to make them even worse in Dawn.

>>712975963
What are you talking about? The best weapon in both games have huge fuckoff swings.

I wish it got a sequel without a broken DSS.

>>712965154
Richter should’ve gotten an alt based on Maria at least, pink clothes and blonde hair