I liked the 3D remake better than the original, personally. In fact, I really didn't care that it was included. (Instead, I hoped for the SNES Dracula X)
In regards to Maria: In the Saturn SotN, Maria made everything a joke. In the PSP SotN, Maria is a joke. I honestly have no idea how I'm gonna beat Galamoth (the unicorn thing). Though, my biggest complaint is that Maria's doves (owls) can only hit enemies once instead of twice like in Rondo. The rock-throwing guards in the Floating Catacombs seem to be the only exception to this, taking a godly amount of hits from a single dove. Glitch, maybe?
Shonoa: Hah! I'm am omnipotent! I can absord enemies' powers! Soma: Hah! I can do that, and I have the Claimh Solais! Bow down, pretenders! Alucard: ... I'm carrying two Crissaegrims. Soma: Oh, right you are, Alucard. I'll, just be over here if you need me... Shonoa: *Cries*
I probably don't need to point out that Jonathan and Charlotte are also there. In the last shot, they're all on-screen at once, so let the killing commence.
Oh, awesome. Hopefully they'll throw a traditional Belmont into the mix as well. Richter preferably, but with Harmony in the title Juste should show up as well.
...although if they recycled his sprite it would look REALLY out of place.
Something tells me I'm gonna have to get a 360 now ...
And you'd think that since they're doing this on 360, they'd up the graphics to be very similar to SotN instead of the DS titles. Then again, that would mean redrawing sprites and as Tbob pointed out that's something the Castlevania series is well known for.
After tippage: Attempting the Richter achievement on 360, but have never played as him. Are there any general tips for his use? I'm fairly sure I know his moves: Slide / slide-jump; high jump / attack upward; and spinning air attack. I seem to be failing most miserably with general room negotiation, with random enemies knocking you every which way possible.
Only move I can think of that you're missing is when he spins the the chain as he slides/dashes forward. The combo is something like Up-Counterclockwise-forward + attack. I just mash the dPad/joystick in a circle and keep attacking until I eventually get it. :P
Yeah, that's the one I called 'spinning air attack'. I think half the problem is remembering where the save rooms are. I'm so used to just plouging through things with Alucard that it seems so alien to actively seek them out.
Now that I've reread your post and know what you're asking ... >_>
Always keep a subweapon handy. Or, ignore subweapons for the flame-whip item crash. I don't recall the flame whip doing any more damage than normal though. Hyrdo-Storm clears rooms out fast, so keep a healthy stock of hearts. Pick up as many Health upgrades as you can, as they do improve Richter's stamina. Thousand-Blades is another fun combo and can sometimes be effective where Hydro Storm is not. As long as you know where most everything is, you shouldn't have much of a problem.
Thing is, as badass as Alucard is, Soma IS Dracula. And he has an RPG and Death's Scythe.
Therefore, though it pains me to say it, Soma>Alucard
Alucard killed Dracula. Granted, the first and third time he had a little help from his friends, and the second time, Dracula was lounging in a huge armchair with crazy mouths. It'll be funny to see what happens.
And Shanoa would likely just blitz everything with Dominus as an epic suicide move, although Alucard'll just become mist since he's bastard hax.