This was a step down from the original, Music is weaker, Zangetsu is just extremely slow and feels gutted compared to CotM1, Which is unfortunate cause that's your main dude. The level design is weak, feels like the game was designed around you playing as Hachi and being invincible the entire time. I think it's worth one playthrough of Episode 1 but Episode 2 and onward are kinda zzzz. It's definitely less of a spiritual successor to Castlevania and something else entirely different.