One Controller Port Podcast – Episode 52: Curse of the Gera Police

This week I talk about Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon, Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX and some more Dragon Quest Heroes II.

Bloodstained: Weighed Down by the Baggage of Castlevania

Kickstarter has been great for developers launching spiritual successors to their dead franchises. While they may not be able to continue the beloved worlds and characters these series offered, they can at least keep working with the core design and bring the fans with them. It also acts a fresh start – letting developers experiment and create new elements without being tied down by franchise expectations.

In the case of Koji Igarashi’s Bloodstained, it’s unabashedly Castlevania to an extreme.

Azure Striker Gunvolt: It’s all for Speed

Fast-paced movement in a side-scroller is something I’ve never felt comfortable with. Sonic the Hedgehog comes to mind as the game expects a level of precision at high speeds, which can only be obtained through memorization. For someone with the time and dedication to learn each stage, that’s fine. However, I often just want to go through a game and experience it once. So as exhilarating as speed can be, it often leads to frustration. I find it difficult to read and react to what’s coming up ahead when limited to a side-perspective.