Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Impressions

As an avid aficionado of video games, few franchises are as close to my heart as Castlevania. It is in fact one of the reasons that I am involved in the course of study that I've chosen, and I don't exaggerate by saying that it may be one of the only reasons I got into RIT in the first place. Since high school, when I played my first game of the series Harmony of Dissonance, I was captivated by the epic tale of Castlevania; of the the Belmont Clan's near millennium long struggle against the children of the night, most notably, the dark lord Dracula. My admission portfolio was loaded with sketches and character designs inspired by the series, and I believe that, without them, I wouldn't have been given the time of day by the review board. To say the least, I love this series.

The most recent entry in the series, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, has been met with mixed reactions and interpretations by many fans of the series, some arguing that it is undeserving of the Casltevania brand. Let's step backward and explain where this comes from. In the franchise's infancy, on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986, it was a classic action side-scroller that pitted the character against legions of monsters in the eerie land of Transylvania, on a quest to defeat the Prince of Darkness. As time progressed, and the series evolved, the design took on an exploration dynamic, with the bulk of the game taking place exclusively in Dracula's Castle, while the player gained experience points, found new weapons, and combed the estate in a non-linear fashion.

Now, after years of the above formula being rehashed and redone to the point of being comical to some, the time has come for Castlevania to take the next step into the current generation. This step, in the form of Lords of Shadow, was helmed by developer Mercury Steam in conjunction with Kojima Productions, famous for its Metal Gear Solid series. To most, this seemed a match made in heaven, but the end product made many shrug their shoulders. Many, honestly most, saw how heavily it borrowed from other franchises like God of War and Shadow of the Colossus, and felt that it was a simple clone. This I believe is very unfair, as where this game may fall somewhat short of innovating tried-and-true formulas, it, in my eyes, surpasses its peers to deliver a truly monstrous performance.

When it comes to visual quality, Lords of Shadow is an absolute juggernaut. The developers spared no expense in replicating the visual tone and Gothic atmosphere that the series, and moreover the Dracula legend, is famous for. Ranging from murky and deadly swamps, to the haunting and desolate mountain ruins, to the frigid halls of the vampire lord's castle, the environments and set pieces of this game can be likened back to the glory days of the franchise, and there was no time more glorious than, most specifically, Super Castlevania IV. To those who doubt its roots and tribute to previous installments, LoS captures the varied and organic style of the 1991 Super Nintendo classic, a style mostly lost when the series began the transition to a design that centered around the Count's massive castle. Mercury Steam certainly did its homework, and above all conveyed the respect and love for the franchise's past that all die-hard fans of Castlevania share.

This level of care and reverence carried into the sound design. The voice-acting for characters was handled by many A-list talents, such as Sir Patrick Stewart, Jason Isaacs, and Robert Carlyle leading the pack in the game's lead role. The degree of expertise and seriousness toward their roles lent LoS's dialog a weight and grandeur that hasn't been seen before in Castlevania, and which few others can hope to match. Couple this with the game's evocative musical score, itself earning its composer, Óscar Araujo, the award of "Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media" by the International Film Music Critics Association, and the player is awarded an unrivaled listening experience.

Whether it be its dramatic visual qualities or the prestige of its audio resources, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a triumph that few honest critics can argue with. It stands as a shining example of how an affectionate attention to detail and admiration for a series' past can lift an aging legend from stagnant mediocrity, and how a product can be made greater than the sum of its parts.

Belmont forever.

Working at Tops

Working at a grocery store is quite the production. There are many things involved in creating a productive and friendly environment that is condusive to a good shopping experience. I run the self-checkout station at work, and this involves, I think, an extra amount of attention and proactivity. Everything must be set up for each customer once they begin their order, which is no big deal for a regular cashier, but which becomes more involving when dealing with 4 customers at once.

Before a customer even enters the area, I like to set up the bagging area more them, opening and fluffing up the bags, to make it easy for the customers to place their groceries in. This is even more useful since it prevents the customers from becoming frustrated and pulling out bags wastefully. I usually spray and clean the scanners twice during my shift, or after especially messy orders, so that the customers don't have to scan their groceries over filth.

Being attentive to each customers needs requires speed and accuracy, which I've found that many U-Scan attendants don't have. People think that all we have to do is stand at the console, fixing any errors that occur with orders, and help customers occassionally. I feel that this approach can be very discouraging for the customers to watch and deal with, as standing in one place giving instructions is very impersonal and makes the attendant seem unconcerned with them. This is why I try to keep moving, asking customers if they need any help, or assisting them with scanning. This little bit of attention and production goes a long way toward making people feel welcome and taken care of.

Lovin' Cup

I met my sister for lunch at Lovin' Cup last week, a cafe/restaurant at Park Point next to RIT. It'd never been there before, but had heard it mentioned numerous times by her and at school all the time.

The place was very open and well-lit, contrary to many other coffee houses that can often be claustrophobic and dim. The purple walls were littered with bumper slickers and artwork, though not to the point of being obnoxious, and the entire establishment had a very colorful vibe. I enjoyed this, as most places like this stick with a more rustic, earthly tone that attempts to reflect the product as opposed to the personalities of the people drinking it.

We were seated almost immediately. Our server had about two dozen buttons and pins on his sash. I'm always curious as to whether that it the employee's choice or is demanded by the owners, since they are going for a hip college atmosphere to pander to the largely student clientele. Once at the booth we were left to review our meues and order. We noticed as we waited that the music being played throughout the cafe was oddly dramatic and intense, along the lines of Ride of the Valkyries, which was both funny and strange when considering where we were.

Overall I thought the experience was very refreshing and not what I was expecting. I think they achieved a very unique yet comfortable appearance that allowed customers to relax, and went beyond what a more typical coffee establishment would offer.

Three Literary Selections

For my three favorite works of literature, I have chosen The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas, Dracula by Bram Stoker, and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. These pieces are instantly recognizable to many due to their extensive use in film, television, and popular culture, yet I do not simply choose them because of that inherent familiarity to others. I proudly own all three, each resting at the top of my book shelf.

The story of Monte Cristo is in my mind the greatest tale of vengeance ever told, and though it has appeared in film and television a number of times, I feel that the actual source material warrents more justice. Many remember the most recent film adaptation starring Jim Caviezel, and though I think it was a decent movie, I have fonder memories of Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo, an anime adaptation whose incredible visual style is matched by it attention to the novel's plot. What the story excells at, above the action and adventure, is creating a web of deception and drama, which audiences at large have yet to see realized on the big screen.

Recently there have been a rash of movies, TV shows, and books devoted to "vampires", to the point of the market being overrun. I write vampires in quotes because to my way of thinking, modern media has either only highlighted a romantic, fangless version that menaces no one, or transformed them into mindless, ravanous monsters that only vampire hunters with stave-firing machine guns stand a chance against. It's an affront. Dracula, as Bram Stoker wrote him, was able to combine the best aspects of the vampire, the mysterious nobleman with a demon within that terrorized the populace, into a villian that is synonomous with the children of the night. The 1992 adaptation by Francis Ford Coppola is a shining example of what the legend is made of, and a well thought out, well executed reimagining of the story could wash away years of irreverence.


Similar to Dracula's predicament, the story of Frankenstein has not received the level of attention that it is due; I might argue to a greater extent than the former, though I personally prefer Stoker's novel. The story of a scientist's mad pursuit of man-made life, tantamount to the power of a god, and the horror of motivation turned monstrous, is a tragedy that deserves exposure to the limelight once more.

Introduction

My name is Elliot J. Alvarez. I was born in Rochester, NY, and now live in the suburbs of Henrietta. After I graduate, I hope to get a job in the game industry, mostly likely as a character designer/modeller to begin with. Since I don't consider myself masterful in any one particular department, I would like to be able to pool together my combined knowledge and skills in a director's position someday.

Outside of digital imaging, I am an avid video gamer and draw character art of my own design all the time. It's thanks to drawing in my leisure time that I even had a portfolio to submit to RIT in the first place. I am deeply inspired by the artwork, characters, and stories that I play through, and hope to put that to good use one day.