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Awesome game! But not for the faint of heart
posted by heimburg (ORLANDO, FL) Jan 20, 2007
Member since Jun 2005
20 out of 21 gamers (95%) found this review helpful
This is easily the best Castlevania since the PS1 classic Symphony of the Night. And you can really tell that the designers sat down and asked themselves, "How can we really top our earlier games?" They didn't just rearrange the magic system like handheld Castlevanias usually do -- they also added a fighting partner with all sorts of partner moves, plus a quest system to give you even more to do while you're wandering the castle.
You get rewards constantly and the pacing is very good. The sound is beautiful and the visuals are often stunning. I would love to have this game's soundtrack.
There is one thing to be aware of, though. After about a half hour of easy-going monster stabbing, you'll run into your first boss, and you'll then realize that the kid-gloves are off. You'll probably have to fight that boss many times until you've memorized his moves. This boss is extra difficult because the first part of the game was so easy that you are totally unprepared for a hard boss! So now I've warned you. Keep it in mind, and practice your moves and timing at the beginning of the game. Buy a bunch of potions at the stor, and don't forget to save right outside the boss's door.
After the first boss, there are a few relatively easy bosses, and then some devastatingly hard bosses. If you hate the idea of having to fight a boss battle a dozen times to learn the moves, this is not the game for you.
Outside of the boss battles, the game gets slowly more difficult, eventually reaching a point where it's actually pretty tough just to survive from one save point to another. You can remedy this, though, by either getting better at the game or by leveling up your character, farming items and abilities.
This is a deep game with a lot of complexity and substance to master. But the real hook is the really strong feeling of exploration you get. You'll find yourself wondering what the game has in store for you after this next boss. And don't worry: you won't be disappointed.
You get rewards constantly and the pacing is very good. The sound is beautiful and the visuals are often stunning. I would love to have this game's soundtrack.
There is one thing to be aware of, though. After about a half hour of easy-going monster stabbing, you'll run into your first boss, and you'll then realize that the kid-gloves are off. You'll probably have to fight that boss many times until you've memorized his moves. This boss is extra difficult because the first part of the game was so easy that you are totally unprepared for a hard boss! So now I've warned you. Keep it in mind, and practice your moves and timing at the beginning of the game. Buy a bunch of potions at the stor, and don't forget to save right outside the boss's door.
After the first boss, there are a few relatively easy bosses, and then some devastatingly hard bosses. If you hate the idea of having to fight a boss battle a dozen times to learn the moves, this is not the game for you.
Outside of the boss battles, the game gets slowly more difficult, eventually reaching a point where it's actually pretty tough just to survive from one save point to another. You can remedy this, though, by either getting better at the game or by leveling up your character, farming items and abilities.
This is a deep game with a lot of complexity and substance to master. But the real hook is the really strong feeling of exploration you get. You'll find yourself wondering what the game has in store for you after this next boss. And don't worry: you won't be disappointed.