It's absolutely a pretty great start to the metroidvania style of this series, but it's not the best the series has to offer. It's got a few major flaws. Cheif among them is how exploration can be rather tedious due to unclear methods of progression and infrequent fast-travel means you spend a LOT of time backtracking. It's usually not terribly boring, but it's a lot less fun than when you're venturing into new territory. Exploring new areas with the game's tight controls, fun combat, and excellent presentation is great. All that with the enjoyable cheeseball story makes it pretty fun most of the time. There are a few other annoyances, though. The way to unlock the true ending is kind of annoying and cryptic, and the last section of the game is just the first half but upside down. It's sort of different, but the upside down geometry more often than not leads to annoying traversal. Also some enemy placement is really annoying, especially in the royal chapel and clock tower. This review was mostly complaining, but the game is still really fun. I just feel this game gets a lot of praise when the later castlevanias improve on this game's strong foundation (like Aria/Dawn of sorrow, portrait of ruin, and order of ecclesia.) It's still worth playing, though. Fun game.