Ok, no one talks about how slow this game starts. For the first hour and a half-ish it's kind of awful. Alucard's weightless jump and horrendously small sword hitbox make the controls feel awkward, and the first couple bosses (post-Richter) are probably the hardest bosses in the game, just because you're so frail. Top all that off with the clock tower being towards the beginning of the game, easily the shittiest part of Symphony of the Night in its entirety with the most aggravating Medusa Heads in the series, and this game doesn't give the best first impression. Thankfully, sticking it out is worth the wait.

Everything starts to fall into place as you begin to explore the nooks and crannies of each area, returning to old locations with your upgrades, getting better equipment and slowly becoming stronger. The bad vibes at the beginning completely wear off, and it's easy to get sucked into the cycle of exploring and slaying all of the really cool bosses. Too much so, actually, and it doesn't take long before you start steamrolling through everything, and each fight starts to feel really pathetic since almost nothing can hurt you. But even with its ease, it's a fun time.