VGMaps
General Boards => Map Requests => Topic started by: JonLeung on February 09, 2019, 07:55:02 pm
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You know what I love? "Metroidvania" games! While we have most of the Metroid and Castlevania games (though we're still missing the Castlevania games on DS), I'm also interested in those of the same genre that aren't in the series that spawned that term.
As my Steam wishlist falls into a backlog that may never be caught up on, there are some games on there that might be cool to have maps for, if I ever get to playing them... in the meantime, consider these my requests.
Alwa's Awakening (PC / Switch) - definitely NES-inspired, I can't help but love the look of this game. Though it came out in early 2017, somehow I didn't hear of this until sometime last year, and immediately fell in love with its look. Haven't played it yet, though...
Iconoclasts (PC / PS4 / PS Vita / Switch) - if a Super NES or GBA game had more pixels to work with, and bigger sprites and fancy effects, it might look like this game. So colourful, it almost hurts.
Timespinner (PC / PS4 / PS Vita) - see how I described Iconoclasts, but with a more subdued palette. Also Castlevania-ish.
Odallus: The Dark Call (PC) - this might have comparisons with Castlevania, which is not an issue at all. It's a little dark and not as vivid as the above two games, but I would welcome maps of these just the same.
Bloodstained: Curse Of The Moon (PC / PS4 / PS Vita / Xbox One / 3DS / Switch) - this very-obviously 8-bit Castlevania-inspired game was put out while we're all waiting for Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night, which itself is a spiritual successor to Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night, and made by a team led by former Castlevania series producer Koji Igarashi. I heard of a guy who's bought and rebought Bloodstained: Curse Of The Moon for every platform it's available, because he loves it so much. It sounds like it's more in the style of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse than Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night, so if that is indeed the case, it's just a platformer, not a "Metroidvania" (which would involve more upgrading and backtracking), but, sure, whatever, I'll just keep this on the list.
Monster Tale (DS) - I apparently requested this before. Not sure how much demand there is, since as a DS game it's not as easily accessible as the Steam games listed above. Still, my request still stands, but priority is a bit lower. I did notice that The Spriters Resource has maps of these (under the "Backgrounds" section) (https://www.spriters-resource.com/ds_dsi/monstertale/), however, these are ironically foregrounds (the actual platforms, walls, obstacles) without backgrounds at all but pure green, which is just not appealing to me - it'd be nice to have them look closer to how they look in-game, with items marked, etc.
I am sure there are more I could request, but for now this will probably do.
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I love Metroidvania games as well, but they can be such a pain to map properly, otherwise I would dedicate my life to mapping as many of them as I could.
Most of the time, you first need to have a good to great understanding of the game as a whole before even starting, otherwise you might run into unforeseen obstacles further down the road (like the Pirate Mothership in Metroid: Zero Mission where most/all of the rooms overlap slightly along their borders, making assembly a nightmare).
It's even more difficult if they're on a modern system where you don't have the many benefits of a fully-featured emulator (like disabling layers, viewing tiles and sprites, writing LUA scripts, editing memory) like on the PC or all modern consoles. The only games that are reasonably mappable correctly in those cases are very primitive looking ones with little or no lighting effects and no parallax scrolling.
About your list, I started mapping Alwa's Awakening on PC but never really got far before losing interest. I was still suffering heavily from sleep apnea at the time and had little mental energy for mapping even though I wanted to map something, *anything*. Looking back now, I think it attracted me more because it looked technically simple to map rather than because the game seemed fun so I doubt I'll be going back to it before finishing some of my other projects.
Also, let me add a few more games to your list:
The Messenger (PC / Switch) - This is another one that would be so good to see mapped, especially since every area exist in both 8-bit and 16-bit versions. The maps would spoil the reveal that it *is* a Metroidvania (which isn't apparent until several hours into the game) but they would still be fun to compare.
Shantae (GBC) - It's dated and nowhere near as fun as the following games, but I'd love to see this one fully mapped (I'm currently trying to restart this project).
Shantae: Risky's Revenge (DSi / iOS / PC / PS4 / Wii U) - Looks a lot better than the previous one but is a lot harder to map because of that blasted parallax scrolling and lots of waving effects in the underwater areas. I managed to map a few areas years ago but it's taking so long to handle the backgrounds... Give me a few extra years of life and maybe I could get it done but I'm not sure I'll have the patience as it is :(.
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I'd heard of The Messenger, but thought it was like any other deliberately-retro-style indie platforming game. I wasn't aware of the switch from an action-platformer to a Metroidvania. Reading more about it, I'm intrigued.
I guess that was a spoiler, but you know what? I think I'm glad I know that now, because I probably wouldn't consider playing the game otherwise. Assuming I ever have time to get to it...
Ah, and you mentioned Shantae. Guess I didn't think much of it since I think I played each one already. Though Shantae: 1/2 Genie Hero looks the best for sure, I feel it might be a partial step down from Shantae And The Pirate's Curse, which, if memory serves, felt more challenging as a platformer and as a Metroidvania. Unless the retro-style of graphics of The Pirate's Curse reminds me of Super Metroid or even Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night, unlike the cartoon graphics of 1/2 Genie Hero, cute as they are.
I guess that's why many of the games in my original post (assuming I don't edit it later) are recent releases on the PC (or modern consoles) but deliberately try to look like they are from the 8- or 16-bit era, or at least hand-drawn raster graphics sprites in a tile-based environment. I suppose retro-style is popular among many indie games, but the overall feel and gameplay of Metroidvania somehow feels more authentic than, say, a run-and-gun game that you find on an app store that doesn't feel like a Super NES game even though it has 16-bit graphics. Am I rambling?
I get what you're saying about the difficulty of these, particularly since I've asked for a lot of PC games here. Like any request, I'm just putting these ideas out there, not going to hold my breath for maps of these anytime soon. But if someone does send in maps of these, I would probably drop whatever I'm doing and put these up right away! Not that I don't put them up timely these days, but I mean I'd be really tempted to leave work early to get home to put maps of games like these up even sooner, maybe...
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I'd heard of The Messenger, but thought it was like any other deliberately-retro-style indie platforming game. I wasn't aware of the switch from an action-platformer to a Metroidvania. Reading more about it, I'm intrigued.
I guess that was a spoiler, but you know what? I think I'm glad I know that now, because I probably wouldn't consider playing the game otherwise. Assuming I ever have time to get to it...
I think it was initially advertised as a linear, stage-based retro-platformer in the style of Ninja Gaiden and that held no interest to me whatsoever. It was hearing about the twist that made me buy the game, and that sucks a bit for the developers.
In the regards that there's a major twist to the gameplay that shouldn't be spoiled before playing the game, The Messenger feels like Undertale. It's supposed to be this major reveal that completely baffles you after playing for a while but I honestly wouldn't have played either game without knowing in advance what those games were really all about.
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Last night we got maps for Blasphemous (PC) (https://vgmaps.com/Atlas/PC/index.htm#Blasphemous) which wasn't mentioned earlier. It's also on the current consoles: the Switch, PS4, and Xbox One, so I made links for the latter two on the directory page since we didn't have them yet. Thanks, eishiya!
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Quite long since this had a post, but, time went by, and many more Metroidvanias have been launched, with more still coming.
Yet, there are others you've not heard nor remembered long. They may not be in your request list, but thought I would mention these to you, anyway.
Outland (X360, PS3, PC) - That game from Housemarque and published by Ubisoft is surely a Metroidvania, but with more bullet heck elements in it that tells the tale of one, lone hero standing against the two super-powerful Sisters of Chaos for the fate of the world and bringing Balance from Chaos, with the gameplay utilizing a polarity system familiar to Treasure's "Ikaruga" or "Silhouette Mirage".
Really neat take on that, but highly ignored by many people, though some still remember it. I would not lean on the game's maps being large, but, given the memory and CPUs we had and have there and then, I wouldn't expect so much large maps prior to later games.Would be really neat to see and have a sequel... maybe.
Hope anyone got copies of it, merely the PC version, to commit mapping the game, and not just with the menu minimaps alone. Otherwise, for console versions, buy and have your USB capture cards ready for it.
Small fact: That game is also part of a bundle bought for the 360 in physical media paired alongside "From Dust" and "Beyond Good and Evil HD". The one thing is, that collection is only from the EU version, nowhere else.
I came across and found a minimap collection made by Phunkyboee from GameFAQs, that said user who, in fact, actually used a USB capture card while playing the game, and figured I'd bring it to your attention.
The game's minimaps' collection image and its link are here as proof - https://i.imgur.com/iMndj.jpeg
Guacamelee! 1 & 2 (PS3, Multi-Platform) - Those games from Drinkbox Studios are REALLY cool to play! Loads of Mexico-inspired aesthetics and great music from Rom Di Prisco, the games' composer, to listen, but moreover, the amazing combat attacks to pull of on numerous enemies!
First saw the game on PS3, and had a blast seeing Juan Aguacate traverse through planes of living and dead, thanks to a special wrestler mask that grants him powers and survival in the latter's plane, to take down Carlos Calaca and save El Presidente's Daughter, Lupita. It did have an enhanced port that expanded the story and added two new areas, but I enjoyed all those versions all the same.
Then, came the sequel that plunges Juan into a(often boresome, and recycling, plot mechanic) multi-timeline jeopardizing scheme against the "Mexi-Verse" by Salvador himself, who seeks ultimate power from the Sacred Guacamole by putting its pieces together within El Otromundo to become the strongest there is by all means necessary, at the cost of existence within the "Mexi-Verse".
The sequel improved much from the first, aside from very little new moves added in, such as additional combat skill trees for new, improved combos, 4-player co-op, and, I really love this, BIGGER maps! And, boy, do I mean BIG! Far bigger than the first game's, even the later port's! The sequel was REALLY fun!
Really felt the backtracking could've been far less agonizing by maybe having a new speed-dash ability to get around the larger maps quicker, or mark and teleport to marked spots in an area alongside those transporting Olmec-like Stone Heads, and perhaps some better item marking when finding and collecting them, and maybe new original playable characters serving as Juan's new allies to fill up the 4-player co-op roles rather than seeing copy-and-paste re-colors/re-skins of Juan and Tostada.
I can hope Drinkbox delivers "Guacamelee! 3" someday soon! Should that be so, well, we'd all be ready to endure lots more mayhem and exploring from more bigger maps.
Steamworld Dig 1 & 2 (3DS, Multi-Platform) - Those games by Image & Form, before being brought into Thunderful, are very great entries to the entire SteamWorld series that began with the DSiWare game, "SteamWorld Tower Defense"!
The first game,"Steamworld Dig", placed Rusty, that game's main star, into an ever-digging adventure to find secrets his uncle discovered before something mysterious happened to him. I tell ya, when I first got that on the 3DS, I was HOOKED! I played it and dug really rapidly to go deeper and mine minerals for cash to unlock upgrades and improve Tumbleton time and again.
Faced many dangers, too, such as a few enemies, some hazards, even a couple nasty surprises. There was only one boss fight, but the discovery and outcome seen at the very bottom in the game's end is rather... SHOCKING.
Soon, "Steamworld Dig 2" came out, and Dorothy was the main star that time in her own journey to find Rusty in the depths of El Machino after she believes him to be missing after the confrontation, and later on her way having to come across a dangerous plot that threatens the Steambots' living planet.
The sequel gave us a more deeper world to dig and explore, more secrets to find, more minerals to collect, and more dangers to overcome, including a few more bosses. The upgrades are more varied and their availability depended on how far Dorothy's done from her XP collecting and how far the upgrades have come.
The sequel was able to make its way to the 3DS, since the original got launched, there.
Those digging games are very fun to play. I am very eager to see "SteamWorld Dig 3" sometime soon, perhaps with lots more digging and more larger maps to see!
Souldiers (PC, PS4, XONE, Switch) - That's a rather good Metroidvania that incorporates soulslike combat alongside puzzle-solving to fight off the evil Dadelm Army that threatens Terragaya, and potentially all of Ascil, with the help of any warrior of class choice.
The pixel art there is gorgeous, speaking "Hi-Bit" in every corner. It may be one of the visually great-looking Metroidvanias yet. Don't know about the maps' sizes yet, though. Great difference from other Metroidvanias.
Have any of you seen, heard of said games, or remember them by chance? Felt I should get word about those games right up your alley, since they're not mapped yet. If you do remember, though, what did you enjoy about them in memory?
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Few more yet-to-be mapped Metroidvanias have come to my mind...
"Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom" - The latest entry in the "Wonder Boy" series by Sega, after a long time waiting for a new game, places a new hero, Jin, in the midst of a world-threatening situation caused by his uncle, Nabu, who went apparently insane, and is using magic to cast a curse that changes the kingdom's people into animals and bring out evil monsters to cause mayhem. Jin, having caught up in Nabu's scuffles, gets changed into an animal-like form by his magic, which upon finding more, discovers his newfound ability to change forms to combat evil. Its up to Jin, with the help of some people he meets along the way, to get to the bottom of the kingdom's predicament and the true mastermind behind it all.
That game's been really fun to play, and features a good couple of callbacks to past "Wonder Boy" games, too. I have no idea how large that game's world is, but I think it may be close to Hollow Knight's overall size... maybe.
"Blast Brigade and the Evil Legion of Dr. Cread" - That Metroidvania places one of B.L.A.S.T.'s agents, Jeff Jefferson, into a mission to stop the evil Dr. Cread, who has set up his evil base of operations on an uncharted island infested with his entire legion of robots, mercenaries, monstrous creations, and all kinds of freaks of his evilness he's created to achieve his plans of global conquest. It's up to the often bumbling agent himself to put a complete stop to Cread's plans, along with the help of a few allies Jeff encounters along the way, along with equipping an arsenal of weapons and upgrades.
It's a neat Metroidvania, another made through Unity, and in spite of its challenges, the gameplay's pretty solid.
"Noreya: The Gold Project" - Another recently made Metroidvania, made by the indie dev, Dreamirl, that places heavy emphasis of choice with consequence upon differing actions, as Kali, the deity of Light, fights against other super-powerful deities, under the command of the powerful super-deity, Salluste, beneath the City of Gold itself, Lemia, but Kali's choices heavily determine the outcome of her journey and how her life is set in the end, to follow honor and goodness and remain pure, or be gobbled by greed and darkness. That game holds 2 persistent worlds, but the journey there lean heavily on anyone's choices made by their actions.
The game's presently on PC, but console ports are in the works through the conversion from its own engine to Godot. Little note about that game, the worlds' maps were made in their entirety through Tiled itself, the level map editor, and from Dreamirl's words, it only took about 8 to 16GB of RAM memory out of about 32 to 64GB they have to create them, and, from what I've read, that program slugged quite so slowly, despite the loads of RAM memory we have so far. I'm quite impressed about such a game with such big Metroidvania maps made there.
Also, a bit of insight, the game's title had a naming trademark dispute(don't ask me why, but I'll only say, its a bit complicated), and had to be renamed "Noseka", but after a few compromises, the name got reverted back to "Noreya".
This Twitter/X link from Dreamirl is here as proof - https://x.com/DreamirlGames/status/1733051622551400829
"Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown" - Another installment to the "Prince of Persia" series from Ubisoft after a while, and made through Unity, too, but this installment goes straight into Metroidvania territory. It places the apparent-immortal, Sagron in the thrust of a dangerous time-threatening plot setting in a mythical city on Mount Qaf, the game's main setting, and seeks to uncover a great mystery behind the disruption of time, along with uncovering a hidden conspiracy that turns his allies against each other in the process. Its up to Sagron to put a stop to the evil scheme and re-stabilize time itself to save the world and existence.
The gameplay's really good, and the overall adventure's been fun to enjoy. It even has a story DLC, called "Mask of Darkness" that expands the adventure and has Sagron facing a different threat, but once purchase, the DLC adventure needs to be unlocked by progressing through the story. No idea how large that game's world is, but I'm quite sure it is. I'm very curious about that.