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TIGSource ForumsPlayerGamesKoumajou Densetsu II: Stranger's Requiem (aka Touhou Castlevania 2)
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Author Topic: Koumajou Densetsu II: Stranger's Requiem (aka Touhou Castlevania 2)  (Read 19423 times)
Akari
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« on: January 01, 2011, 02:37:34 PM »

Some of you have probably heard of Touhouvania aka Koumajou Densetsu, a Touhou spinoff game in the spirit of Castlevania. Well, Frontier Aja has just released a sequel for it in Comiket 79, Koumajou Densetsu II: Stranger's Requiem. Have some amazing promo art:


You can download the demo here on Frontier Aja's website. Just click the Koumajou2_trial3.zip linked on top of the site.
The demo is in Japanese, but the full game is supposed to have an English and French translation too. The first game got its translation in a patch, so it's not really surprising if the full version of the sequel ships with the same translations to begin with.

EDIT: Controls are shown in the PDF manual that comes with the demo, along with helpful pictures. You can also use a gamepad and configure the gamepad buttons in the options.

In the first game, the gameplay was rather weak due to the fact that you could fly indefinitely and it was rather poorly balanced in general. However, the sequel improves upon this A LOT, and the gameplay is much more tactical and balanced now. As a result, it's also a lot more fun. And the soundtrack is still incredibly amazing and the character design and art by Japanese artist Banpai Akira is nothing short of incredible. The game is linear like its prequel though, so you can expect this game to be more along the lines of the older Castlevania games in terms of progression, rather than having an explorable and backtrackable castle.

On top of that, Frontier Aja has gone quite all out and hired a big list of professional voice actors for the game, including names like Miyuki Sawashiro (Celty Sturluson, Durarara!!; Saeko Busujima, High School of the Dead; Perrine Clostermann, Strike Witches; Shinku, Rozen Maiden; Suruga Kanbaru; Bakemonogatari; Canaan, CANAAN) voicing Sakuya, the main character. Other voice actors include names like:
  • Aya Endo (Sheryl Nome, Macross Frontier; Miyuki Takara, Lucky Star; Felicia Heideman, Sora no Woto)
  • Haruka Tomatsu (Sakana-chan (Fish Girl), Star Driver; Megumi Shimizu, Shiki; Hitoha Marui, Mitsudomoe; Princess Hitei, Katanagatari)
  • Satomi Sato (Ritsu Tainaka, K-On!; Manami Tamura, Ore no Imouto; Aria Shichijou, Seitokai Yakuindomo)
  • Ryoko Shintani (Sae, Hidamari Sketch; Rihoko Sakurai, Amagami SS; Nami Hito, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei)
  • Rina Sato (Mikoto Misaka, Toaru Kagaku no Railgun; Kaoru Tanamachi, Amagami SS; Minami-ke, Haruka Minami)
  • Eri Kitamura (Yui, Angel Beats!; Ami Kawashima, Toradora!; Kureha Suminoya, Sora no Woto)
  • Noriko Rikimaru (A bunch of no names?)
  • Hisako Kanemoto (Kanata Sorami, Sora no Woto; Ika Musume, Shinryaku! Ika Musume)
  • Hekiru Shiina (Hikaru Shindou, Magical Knight Rayearth; Yuka Kamitsuki, Kemonozume)
  • Ryo Hirohashi (Kyou Fujibayashi, Clannad; Yamada Aoi, Working!!; Alice Carroll, Aria)
  • Yu Kobayashi (Rio Kazumiya, Sora no Woto; Kyouka Kanejo, B Gata H Kei)

Anyway, here are some screenshots of the actual game:





And here's some



And just to repeat so you don't have to scroll up: You can download the demo here on Frontier Aja's website. Just click the Koumajou2_trial3.zip linked on top of the site.

I really recommend trying out the demo for everyone, especially if you're a fan of 2D Castlevania-style gameplay.
« Last Edit: January 01, 2011, 02:53:50 PM by Daiz » Logged
MaloEspada
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« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2011, 02:43:48 PM »

good points: some of the graphics, i guess.

bad points: the level design is SUPER TERRIBLE. it's boring as fuck. at least the demo, anyways. the first game is just as boring, if not more.
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HöllenKobold
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« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2011, 02:47:00 PM »

Yeah, I've been interested in this even though I really hated the first game!
The sprite interpolation and resolution and style clash is kinda killing me slowly though. Gonna play now and forget to edit in impressions.
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Kramlack
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« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2011, 02:47:54 PM »

Resolution mixing pisses me off to no end. Why are the sprites so big while the hud is all crisp looking. I mean, I'm sure the sprites are nice if it takes after castlevania, but the res mixing kills it for me. I haven't tried the demo yet, so I can't comment on the level design, but that's just my two cents from the screens.
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Akari
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« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2011, 02:51:44 PM »

I agree that the resolution mixing is rather annoying, but I'd say it's much more annoying when looking at static screenshots than while actually playing the game. It bothered me more in the first game while actually playing, but the overall feel and visuals of the game are a lot more polished in the sequel which somewhat makes up for it.
« Last Edit: January 01, 2011, 03:47:02 PM by Daiz » Logged
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« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2011, 02:52:47 PM »

Spitefully, one could say that "when the original developers of the series fail to innovate, it's up to the fans to... just copy it themselves" Tongue

It does look nicely made, though personally I have already become tired of the often self-derivative Castlevania titles without even having played much of them (Luckily, there is Order of Ecclesia, Lords of Shadow doesn't count in my book). So, more seriously, I just find it weird when seemingly not even the fans able to recreate it faithfully use that chance to add something fresh.
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Akari
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« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2011, 02:59:06 PM »

Spitefully, one could say that "when the original developers of the series fail to innovate, it's up to the fans to... just copy it themselves" Tongue

It does look nicely made, though personally I have already become tired of the often self-derivative Castlevania titles without even having played much of them (Luckily, there is Order of Ecclesia, Lords of Shadow doesn't count in my book). So, more seriously, I just find it weird when seemingly not even the fans able to recreate it faithfully use that chance to add something fresh.

I'd say the gameplay in this one is quite fresh when you compare it to the 2D Castlevanias in general. The overall feel of the gameplay is like a mix between the Soma gameplay in Dawn of Sorrow combined with Julius gameplay in Aria of Sorrow (I haven't played Julius in Dawn of Sorrow so I don't know how similar it is to AoS) with the addition of the limited flying ability (which doesn't actually totally break the game like it does in the first one). The first one was quite boring and generic (and somewhat broken) gameplay-wise, but this sequel really improves on that.
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HöllenKobold
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« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2011, 03:32:25 PM »

Okay, played it. The resolution mixing is a lot less jarring. It also has nice little splotches of faux 3D and parallax that I liked. I like the gameplay. It's pretty fast and smooth. The subweapons, flying, and special attacks are all pretty streamlined. It isn't a clunky frustrating beast like the first.
There's a lack of weight of impact that hinders it, but the controls are okay and much better than the first. The hit detection isn't abysmal like the first either so that's good.
Level design-wise, it's nothing to write home about but it's not cluttered or frustrating. Has a decent flow and forward momentum I guess. The second stage suffered a bit from copying Metroidvania level design when it's a linear game though.
Overall, it's a pretty great improvement over the original, but most of the intrigue is in the graphics rather than gameplay still. Also, is the second modular enemy (the one that wakes up) unkillable? ; - ; LAME.

It doesn't really play like a classicvania or metroidvania beyond base elements. It's a standard action sidescroller with some gimmicks.
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iffi
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« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2011, 05:50:33 PM »

I played the demo a few days ago, and I completely suck at it. I don't really like the resolution mixing, but it's a nice enough game, if not really excellent in level design.
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« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2011, 06:01:44 PM »

Not sure whether I'd class this as a "tribute" or just a very shameless ripoff.

Is this worth rebooting into Windows for if you don't have any particular interest in the Touhou characters or universe?
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« Reply #10 on: January 02, 2011, 10:28:12 PM »

This game is awesome.  Is this an indie game, or like professionally funded?  If indie, WHERE do they find these amazing artists? srsly game looks good

I'm almost glad I don't understand Japanese though, cuz those cutscenes are tedious and I'd bet the dialog is hella rubbish

cheers!
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Dragonmaw
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« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2011, 02:23:39 AM »

Looks super slick. Kinda wish there was a greater selection of Metroidvanias done in classic (well, Classic RPG) Castlevania style, honestly.I've always enjoyed all the Castlevanias, and the 2D RPGs really feel underrepresented in the indie world.
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« Reply #12 on: January 03, 2011, 06:55:56 AM »

This game is awesome.  Is this an indie game, or like professionally funded?  If indie, WHERE do they find these amazing artists? srsly game looks good

I'm almost glad I don't understand Japanese though, cuz those cutscenes are tedious and I'd bet the dialog is hella rubbish

cheers!

It's a Japanese indie game, funded out of the developer's own pocket. As for the amazing art, well, they're from Japan, and that country is full of amazing drawing talent. Though getting someone like Banpai Akira to do the character art is certainly hitting a jackpot, because damn, that man knows how to draw. He's easily among my favorite fanartists and internet artists in general. As for the voice acting, getting professional voice acting in Japan is rather cheap compared to say America, which makes it affordable even for indie developers if they're making commercial products.
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« Reply #13 on: January 03, 2011, 10:05:15 PM »

I played it. I stayed playing longer than I thought I would. Art was really nice except for Bg art. Level design wasn't very interesting, it felt pretty empty and like not much thought was put into it but nothing to rage over. I'm not too crazy about bullet hell because it often seems like it's more about pattern making than game design. It was enjoyable though, I'll probably go back and seek revenge for it kicking my ass!>_<
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« Reply #14 on: January 05, 2011, 09:14:28 AM »

I have been tweeting with Project Aja and the developer has agreed to an interview. I wonder what kind of things to ask a doujin maker. As I ask many developers, I will see if he recommends other doujin games and devs to talk to.

I would like to open the doorway so that more doujin can receive good int'l coverage.
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« Reply #15 on: January 05, 2011, 09:32:10 AM »

I have been tweeting with Project Aja and the developer has agreed to an interview. I wonder what kind of things to ask a doujin maker. As I ask many developers, I will see if he recommends other doujin games and devs to talk to.

I would like to open the doorway so that more doujin can receive good int'l coverage.

Ask them if they've ever thought about using digital distribution to sell their games, via services like Fastspring or BMT Micro or whatever so that people outside Japan could buy their games more easily. And if they haven't thought of it, tell them that they should seriously consider it in order to gain a larger audience, especially overseas.
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« Reply #16 on: January 05, 2011, 09:51:40 AM »

Through twitter, he mentioned using DLSITE.com for the game. Indeed, his first game is there: http://eng.dlsite.com/

He said he's in negotiations with another site that uses Paypal for transactions.
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