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Monday 14 January, 2008
Gamelog entry #1
Summary:
In Castlevania, Soma Cruz realizes that he has the ability to dominate the souls of monsters and use their powers as his own. His friend, such as Mina Hakuba, manages to help him escape. Celia Fortner and the cult are after Soma because they want to resurrect the lord of darkness, and to get a new lord. The object of the game is to find Celia, and to fight monsters that are part of her cult along the way.
Gameplay:
I would not say that I play video games often, nor do I own any games of my own, but I decided to try one out on my friend’s Nintendo DS. The game that I chose was Castlevania. I thought that the game’s story in the beginning was interesting: how Soma Cruz was the rebirth of Dracula, but on the other hand, he is fighting evil. My initial feeling of the game was one of confusion because I did not know the basics to it.
When the zombies and such attacked, I had no clue of what to do. I was not sure of which button to press, but that was until I pressed random buttons such as the Y and B, which is for jumping and slashing. My next goal was to figure out how to use the equipment that I just gained. Being a beginner at this, I did wish that the game was a bit simpler like the Super Mario Bros game for the Nintendo system, way back in the days. I mean, those kinds of games were simple and fun! But looking back at it now, I figured that this is as simple as it is going to get.
I was tempted to click through the dialogues, but then I found it crucial to read it because it would show me how to use my new power. I ended up dieing after I passed my first level, but what I was curious about is how do I gain my life/power back? It was later on that I found out how to use the potions to raise my HP. Although I died, I decided to try again because I the game was quite addicting. Not to mention the fact that I was not willing to give up after just one round. I wanted to uncover more information from the story, like whether or not Soma is going to turn into a Dracula. The brief introduction in the beginning made me want to continue on with the game.
Design:
I know that Castlevania is not the only game where the character collects money along the way, but including the whole idea of money in the game is interesting because that way, we get to buy different things. It would have been beneficial if the “more powerful” monsters had one of those HP bars. That way, I would know how much more attacks it would take for the monster to be destroyed. I could look on the bright side; after the third try, I discovered new ways to fight.
As for the animation, I admired the well-drawn characters in this game, which reminded me of those characters from Anime books. Soma, the main character, seemed to be the typical tough, heroic, and cool type. I think it would have been interesting to see a somewhat geeky guy be the character Soma, just to add a little variety to the typical “cool” character. It was different, but nice, to see a woman be the villain in a video game. The characters and the background looked believable and real. The colors used in the game were not too bright, which did not make me feel tired, or get a headache from playing for a lengthy time. The level of the game design was intricate and detailed, and the music complemented the gothic feeling to the game. The game was kept interesting with the various backgrounds, such as the tower and the underground caverns.
Gamelog entry #2
Gameplay:
Wow! In my second try at this game, I realized that little things like light bulbs have hidden HP points (hearts) inside of them. I loved playing the game over and over because I started to get the hang of things. The experience of a “flow” became apparent when I understood the basics to the controls/ buttons, and when I felt satisfaction from defeating one monster after another. There was a point where I wished that someone would have told me sooner that there was a certain spot I can go to, to save the game, so that I wouldn’t have to start all over again three times.
After defeating one of the masters, or the “armor” monster, I felt an iincrease in adrenaline, and I was ready to go to the next level. It took me some time to figure out how to get over a wall, so that I can proceed with the game. Having no clue what to do, I asked a friend for advice. So, what I was supposed to do was use my flying power in order to get over the wall. I would say that compared to fighting the masters, it was trying to figure out things like using my powers that I found challenging. I know this sounds a bit silly at first, but the method that I kept trying at first was to jump over the barrier.
Design:
The design elements made this a good game to play. I felt that since the game designer put so much detail and effort into the characters and backgriund, it would be best for me to put in my best efforts as well. It’s sort of like applauding the game designer for creating such a clever storyline and challenging levels. The levels vary; it gets more challenging the more you beat the masters. Giving the game players a chance to figure out how to use our powers to fight in battles was one of the challenges.
The chamge in background and monsters give the game a new feeling, and it keeps the game interesting. In terms of the space and gameworld, there is really only one direction to go. I don’t know if I would change the game, but I would add the power bars in the upper left hand corner for the masters. The game’s reward structure encouraged me to proceed with the game. For example, when I retrieved hearts, I knew that I had the capibilty to continue on with the other level. This is a one-player game, so I don’t think that people would have much interest in watching me play Castlevania.
When it comes to video games, I'll admit that even my 9 year old little brother is much better than I am. I think that I enjoy, or am better off at games like Crash Bandicoot, or any other games that involves cars. Overall, Castlevania was a fun game that, in my case, requires intricate thinking, but I’m looking forward to seeing how far I will go next.
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