No-Sight Reading: Let's Play Castlevania, Symphony of the Night: Blind

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Let's Play! > No-Sight Reading: Let's Play Castlevania, Symphony of the Night: Blind

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Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

IIRC, obtaining the Cube of Zoe causes candles to start dropping items, not enemies. Remember, you got both the Short Sword and the Red Rust before the Cube.

# ¿ Jun 22, 2018 12:22

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# ¿ Apr 23, 2024 19:55

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Natural 20 posted:

It will come up later, but I played the Prime series all the way through and I remember playing some of Super Metroid, but if you asked me anything about that game all I'd be able to say is that speedrunners do weird poo poo with it and there's something about animals and saving time.

It's enough that I'd feel dishonest not mentioning it, but also enough that really, I have no idea how this is going to work at all.

Prime doesn't count as a Metroidvania, but the basics of how you're expected to wander around and explore (and yes, even get lost sometimes) are similar to the Metroidvania sub-genre.

# ¿ Jun 22, 2018 17:30

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

The "magic salt" is actually probably plain old vanilla table or rock salt. Salt was believed to have mystical purification powers in many mythologies due to its role in preserving food from decay (which, before it was understood that microbes were the cause, was believed to be the work of witches or demons). Hence the practice of throwing a pinch of spilled salt over your shoulder to ward off evil, or the Supernatural TV show's obsession with rock salt bullets.

The backdash is faster than walking forwards, and can be repeated infinitely (even in the middle of another backdash), so it's a common speedrun tactic to see Alucard sliding backwards through Dracula's Castle.

I can sort of sympathize with Nat20 on the issue of "confusing buttons"; while I have no real problem segregating the Sony and Nintendo controller formats due to the latter using letters to designate buttons and the former using symbols, XBox controllers confuse the hell out of me, because they're like Nintendo controllers, but just different enough to gently caress with my muscle memory.

# ¿ Jun 25, 2018 22:55

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

"Eat Book" sounds like a command you'd enter in a text-adventure game if you were trying to solve a puzzle and got bored or frustrated. I CAN'T EAT BOOK.

Also, seconding that Harmony has the worst soundtrack I've heard in a Castlevania.

I always have trouble against the Doppelganger; his small size and quick movement combine to make him pretty tough, IMO. I usually resort to spells for damage.

# ¿ Jun 28, 2018 02:06

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

I forget whether it was Symphony of the Night or Aria of Sorrow, but in one Metroidvania I do use the Baselard as an early-game weapon because while its attack power isn't great, it has a lightning-fast attack speed, thus allowing it to deal pretty good damage for a fair bit of the early game.

EDIT: Update on previous page.

Natural 20 posted:

Episode 05- Why Game!?

# ¿ Jul 3, 2018 00:45

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Zanzibar Ham posted:

I think Karasu might mean crow or crow demon? Sounds familiar (outside this game) anyhow.

I think you're right, which may mean this is a case of the devs not localizing a name. Hell, was the Goetia convention even established at the time?

Also, it wouldn't be the last time Konami used a bunch of awkward translations in a Castlevania game. As much as I like Aria of Sorrow, the bestiary was a goddamn mess of mistranslations (Curly for the Hindu goddess Kali, Alura Une for the Alraune, etc.).

# ¿ Jul 10, 2018 02:25

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Shields provide a passive defense bonus even when you're not holding them up, and when held will block many projectiles. They won't block normal melee attacks and some larger projectiles, though, and their blocking is limited to their own hitbox, so things can go above or below the shield and still hit you. That said, I usually have a weapon in each hand for adventuring sections, and switch to a shield in one hand for enemies with projectiles and/or hard-hitting bosses.

# ¿ Jul 12, 2018 00:21

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Gnoman posted:

Of course, the same person insisting that shields are worthless is also claiming that most of the subweapons are useless, which is just as wrong.

I don't use either all that much, so I can see where Tea gets the idea, but when you need them, you need them.

Also, it wouldn't be a "proper" blind LP if the guide didn't screw up on occasion.

# ¿ Jul 12, 2018 03:12

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Sheen Sheen posted:

Unfortunately no, just a PS4 I'm pretty sure I can't download it off PSN for PS4

I know it will never happen, but this is like the perfect game to release for Switch

It's available for PS3, PSP, and PSVita as a PS1 Classic, and for PSP (and by extension PSVita) as part of the Dracula X Chronicles game (which re-translates and re-records most of the dialogue), which also includes two versions of Rondo of Blood, the game the "Final Stage: Bloodlines" bit of Symphony was based off of (that's right, not the actual game titled Castlevania Bloodlines, but instead Rondo of Blood).

Gnoman posted:

It also includes two familiars originally left out of the game, as well as the option of Japanese audio.

And Maria as a playable character, in addition to Richter.

# ¿ Jul 13, 2018 00:19

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

The "slab" in the gate area of the castle was intended to lead to another area of the castle, which in the end was cut from the PSX version due to deadlines. You actually can clip through by exploiting glitches, but there are only a couple of rooms including a save point AFAIK. This area was completed in the Saturn version of the game and was accessible normally.

Bruceski posted:

Yeah, the lesser demon hits like a truck. Nice job not dying to it when caught by surprise.

Yeah, that was pretty impressive, especially considering how much damage he took up front. I'm pretty sure that the Holy Rod saved him, because I remember the Demon taking a lot more punishment before going down. I'm pretty sure it's weak to Holy.

# ¿ Jul 14, 2018 06:44

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

"Olrox's Quarters" is actually a mistranslation. The name of the area is supposed to be Orlock's Quarters, a reference to the movie Nosferatu.

# ¿ Jul 17, 2018 01:37

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

The Colosseum has some of my favorite music in this game, and that's saying a lot. It really is great.

# ¿ Jul 19, 2018 02:22

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Bruceski posted:

Time Stop is great until you encounter anything you actually want to use it on.

The Stopwatch is useful against a couple of things you'd really want to use it on, but yeah it's generally pretty underwhelming.

Gnoman posted:

Exactly. This is what makes it the only bad subweapon in the game. Everything else is extremely useful, but the Time Stop is only good against enemies that aren't worth the trouble.

I argue that the Vibhuti or whatever it's called (the "magic salt") is worse than the Stopwatch, mostly because I can't think of any situation I'd use it that the Holy Water isn't objectively better for.

Section Z posted:

Also holy poo poo, the Werebane is one of my favorite weapons in the entire game just for how stylish it is

Pros: One of the strongest shortswords in the game.

Cons: That's faint praise as you continue collecting weapons.

I like using the Werebane due to a mechanic that Tea discovered once in the literal first video and then seems to have promptly forgotten about. For a while, I usually dual-wield the Firebrand (spoilered because even though it's in the shop, we haven't technically seen it in action yet) and either the Rapier or the Were Bane, depending upon what drops.

# ¿ Jul 19, 2018 03:08

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Gnoman posted:

That weapon has a slightly higher damage formula, and the different trajectory can be useful. Holy water is probably better in most cases, but "not as good" isn't the same as "bad".

Except the Holy Water deals continuous damage as long as the enemy is in contact with it, so 99% of the time it ends up dealing more damage, too. I suppose that's more of the "Baselard vs. Gladius" argument that was going on before, though.

# ¿ Jul 19, 2018 04:17

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Pierzak posted:

You don't even have to throw the actual fireballs.

And you can do the two-fireball attack Drac uses as well.

That said, Hellfire is the spell I use least, really. I use Dark Metamorphosis, and I also like Summon Spirit, the third spell Nat20 bought but didn't use on-camera. But the spells I use most are probably Tetra Spirit and Soul Steal.

# ¿ Jul 20, 2018 13:53

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Darth Metastasis, the Sith Lord of Cancer.

# ¿ Jul 22, 2018 01:35

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Section Z posted:

More "Redundant now that you have bat!" chat.

Wolf form can run by double tapping. Running when on an incline like stairs gives you a higher jump. I remember using this to stubbornly do... Something, way back when.

Actually, you need another Relic to do that.

# ¿ Jul 25, 2018 14:24

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Black Robe posted:

The big rock you climbed over at around 19 minutes has a secret that you can't possibly figure out without a walkthrough, and I have no idea how anyone found it in the first place...

I just compulsively attack walls in Castlevania games looking for wall turkey.

# ¿ Jul 27, 2018 20:59

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Yeah, I have no idea how you're supposed to figure that one out without a walkthrough.

# ¿ Jul 27, 2018 21:25

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Zanzibar Ham posted:

I was surprised there wasn't a secret in the echo bat room to test the new power on. Unless it actually was there somewhere and Nat20 missed it. I don't even remember if it helped spot breakable walls or "see" in super-dark places, because sonar powers exist in other metroidvanias and they might have all mixed together in my head.

The pretty much only use for Echo of Bat is navigating a darkened room to get the Spike Breaker armor, which allows you through that hallway.

# ¿ Jul 28, 2018 23:54

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Yeah, SOTN isn't my favorite Metroidvania (that goes to either Aria or Dawn of Sorrow), but it's a pretty close second, and you can see how much love and work was put into the game.

# ¿ Jul 29, 2018 00:09

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Familiars gain Exp regardless of who kills the enemy. Alucard also gains Exp for monsters his familiars kill.

# ¿ Jul 30, 2018 23:10

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

SatansOnion posted:

Granfalloon is in fact a Vonnegut reference (in a rather odd place, though)

in Order of Ecclesia, Dracula's Castle has well-stocked kitchens and a dining hall, which felt slightly odd given Dracula's, y'know, dietary needs

In some stories vampires can eat normal food. Whether or not they need it in addition to blood is another story entirely.

Besides, there are all of the "servants". Even if the master himself doesn't need to eat, the help might.

# ¿ Aug 7, 2018 11:01

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

The best thing about the Spike Breaker is that it works as long as you have it equipped, regardless of what form Alucard is in. You can be wrecking spikes as a wolf, a bat, or even a cloud of mist.

# ¿ Aug 9, 2018 01:30

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Gnoman posted:

That succubus fight is pretty amusing because of how nasty Alucard gets there. When he chats with Death earlier, he's just got an attitude of "have to make the bad castle go away" - but here he's practically gloating about the special hell he's claiming that the Succubus is consigned to.

Death wasn't impersonating his mother and basically spitting on Alucard's memory of her last moments.

# ¿ Aug 9, 2018 11:14

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

...Huh. In the version that comes with Dracula X Chronicles, there is a boss fight in that room under the clock; it's Maria. She says something about having to prove your strength to her and then she proceeds to fight you. She's actually fairly tough.

# ¿ Aug 11, 2018 05:23

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

The video's doing that thing where I'm not allowed to watch it at above 360p resolution. Or maybe it's not done buffering yet or something but Nat20 uploads the vids in advance so that seems unlikely.

# ¿ Aug 18, 2018 07:21

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Cyflan posted:

I always thought the Dragon Helm meant that it lowers ENEMY defense, rather than your own.

It does. The description is poorly translated (or possibly a victim of character limits), but you're right.

# ¿ Aug 18, 2018 10:26

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

You managed to discover something on your own that I'd been avoiding mentioning; the transformations are actually pretty useful for dodging attacks. Now that you have Power of Mist and a half-second mist form doesn't use a quarter of your MP, mist is actually better than either of the other transformations for dodging though due to being practically invulnerable. It makes timing your dodges much easier.

# ¿ Aug 18, 2018 12:48

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

My favorite way of dealing with the Guardians is to use the Moon Rod and spam its special attack. It's got great range, and if you're far enough away, all of the moons will strike the Guardian, resulting in absolutely ridiculous damage. Really, the Moon Rod is a great weapon, and frequently gets ignored in favor of the admittedly even more broken weapons in the game.

The Paranthropus' name refers to an early species of hominids, that actually existed in the real world. Basically, you're fighting animated caveman fossils. How those got into Dracula's castle is a mystery for the ages, I suppose. And the secret Tea is referring to is only accessible if you have a clear game save file on your Memory Card.

# ¿ Aug 20, 2018 23:57

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Moon Rod is great, yes. And personally, my favorite sub-weapon is the Holy Water, but the Axe is pretty good, too. I consider the Cross and the Agunea (the lightning gun) to be cool but too costly in terms of Hearts used, and the Stopwatch is great when it works (secret: even if many enemies don't get fully stopped by it, a bunch will slow down when it's used). The Bible and the Ricochet Stone are very situational. And the Vibhuti (magic "salt") is simply a worse Holy Water.

You actually can sort your inventory by pressing Triangle when selecting a hand-held item. It even lets you arrange by item category, so if you're looking for a shield, you can put shields first. The only problem is the game doesn't properly differentiate between the single-use attack items and actual thrown weapons, simply calling them "Throw 1" and "Throw 2" or something similar.

# ¿ Aug 23, 2018 00:20

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

The "Sniper of Goth" is known in the Japanese version (and subsequent English Castlevania localizations) as the Amalaric Sniper. Amalaric was king of the Visigoths, and was assassinated by his own men after a series of military defeats.

The original Legend of Zelda's Master Quest exists because they had a lot of ROM space left over at the end of development. I've also heard that Link to the Past's English localization was brushing up against the edge of the ROM size for the Japanese cartridge, so they were considering a Master Quest if they ended up going over and had to use a bigger cartridge, but in the end it barely fit.

Poison here isn't a DOT effect like in most games; IIRC, it prevents your MP from regenerating naturally. It might also stop MP healing items from working, but despite using spells and weapon powers nearly constantly in this game, I still rarely run out of MP.

You do have an "invincibility star" of sorts; Mist form is nearly invulnerable, and now that you have Power of Mist, you don't have a time limit and it doesn't cost about a quarter of your MP for half a second. It's good for dodging attacks and just "nope"ing a part of the castle you don't want to deal with.

# ¿ Aug 28, 2018 02:38

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

I love how bent out of shape Tea is getting over how many secrets you've missed, Nat20. Keep on truckin'.

# ¿ Sep 1, 2018 06:58

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

The Inverted Castle's equivalent to the Alchemy Laboratory has a pretty good name: The Necromancy Laboratory.

Marsil is my favorite sword. My favorite Fist weapon also hasn't been seen yet, although we've seen the enemy that drops it.

# ¿ Sep 4, 2018 01:37

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

I feel like a good title for this episode would have been "Mist Could Pass".

I usually use Marsil (or another flame weapon) and a shield to fight Venus Weeds; their rose projectiles are blockable and the vines forecast their attack pattern pretty heavily. That pointless corridor in the Reverse Entrance is one of the most brutal places in the game for me; the combination of the Venus Weeds and the Nova Skeletons is pretty brutal. I'd avoid it when I play if it wasn't for map completion. By comparison, the corridor in the basement with the Venus Weeds and the Rock Armors isn't quite as bad.

# ¿ Sep 6, 2018 00:21

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

I dunno about peanuts, but dogs seem to like peanut butter just fine. My brother gives nearly-empty peanut butter jars to his dog all the time.

Also, who else was hoping that he'd go into the Doppelganger boss with the Stopwatch equipped?

# ¿ Sep 8, 2018 06:07

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

SatansOnion posted:

peanut butter is fine for (and generally adored by) dogs; hard to imagine that the nuts themselves would be troublesome, except in that dogs are gonna have trouble cracking shells. That said, ianav

Now, chocolate is absolute poison for dogs, and iirc cats, but carob is fine

I think most animals love peanut butter, or at least most animals that can digest it. Mice and rats actually prefer it to cheese, despite the stereotypical connection of the latter. And raccoons love it too.

I think chocolate is more poisonous to cats than to dogs, but since cats can't taste sweet they also don't care nearly as much.

# ¿ Sep 9, 2018 13:55

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Update pacing is fine; I'd say that as long as you have no problem keeping it up, 3x a week is a fairly good pace.

I'm usually not really a fan of blind LPs, but this one worked due to how well you and Tea work together; he was pretty good at giving you just enough guidance so that you didn't get lost, and you caught most of his hints that weren't about obscure super fiddly stuff you'd never discover in your own.

# ¿ Sep 11, 2018 14:42

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

RC Cola posted:

I want to follow this but also want to play the game one day unspoiled. Do we think it will ever come out for the switch?

I don't know about the Switch, but if you have any PS console with access to the PSN, you can buy it as a PSOne Classic. It's also included with the PSP game Dracula X Chronicles, although that version has an updated localization and new voice acting.

Jack-Off Lantern posted:

I doubt it. Konami isn't big on their old franchises anymore. They fell on their rear end a lot recently. If it doesn't make them money without effort,it's probably not happening

Hope that the switch vc will have a good castlevania lineup tho.

I mean, if one thing could manage the most money for the least effort, it's probably a re-release of Symphony. The game's got a metric fuckton of nostalgia factor for practically an entire generation of gamers aside from being a good game on its own merits.

# ¿ Sep 12, 2018 09:13

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# ¿ Apr 23, 2024 19:55

Commander Keene: Dec 21, 2016; Faster than the others

Lazy Bear posted:

Which is precisely why they'll absolutely release...

A pachinko machine.

Replace "Viacom" with "Konami" and "Star Trek" with any IP of your choice.

# ¿ Sep 12, 2018 10:09

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Let's Play! > No-Sight Reading: Let's Play Castlevania, Symphony of the Night: Blind

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