A game that feels like whoever was making it was scared there would never be another Metroidvania after it. It has every hallmark of the genre and plays like a best hits version of the previous Metroidvania games mechanics.
In terms of style, music and direction, it's really something special. While it still hangs out in the gothic clubhouse, it has enough distinct charm to make it stand on it's own feet. Although when it comes to cutscenes, things do get a bit stiff on the animation department.
However, in terns of gameplay I find myself torn. This is a huge map and there's so many little things to do within it. Although that is sometimes to a fault as when you start out with lacking abilities, certain missteps can cause back tracking for days. Even when backtracking for story sake, it can take quite awhile to get around.
More on the combat side, I'm not the keenest on the crystal shard system (aka the soul system from aria of sorrow). I respect it big time as a mechanic, as the thrill of every enemy having a new move for you to use is a lot of fun. Furthermore, this game better enables you to stick with the moves you like so you can upgrade any ability you fancy. However, I get bothered with how difficult it is to make decent move sets with them. The game gives you a shortcut option where you can swap between gear and crystals and save pre configs. But it's too much being adjusted in one go. Using older Castlevania games as reference, it was efficient and promoted experimentation when swaps were quick and just changed your moves. But in this, you have to update all your armour and weapons with it and by the time you find a new piece of gear your config is out of date and you have to rebuild the bunch. It just put me off from trying out moves by the latter half as I didn't want to deal with it, keeping it just for mandatory traversal moves.
In terms of challenge and difficulty, this had some great intensity to it but I swear this game has a few jank hitboxes. The greatest move some of these bosses in this game can pull on you is walking into you and not moving. With the high damage numbers and the low i-frames after hit, it's a recipe for a quick game over. So many of the boss fights had to be played with less worries about avoiding moves and more avoiding the boss itself.
While my complaints are elaborate though, I still think this game is a great time. There's so much charm and heart poured into it. Furthermore, if you take to this, this game offers so much post game content that it would make your head spin. From extra characters, to boss rushes, to randomisers, speedrun modes and even entirely new classic modes too.
