First time playing the game after hearing so much about it. I went in as blind as I could, after finishing Rondo of Blood. I have to say it really lives up to its name. I can see that other games have picked up SotN's legacy and and built on it.
First of all the art style and the atmosphere of most of its areas are gorgeous and unique. You can understand instantly where you are on the map.The castle felt like a living and place and I enjoyed exploring every inch of it. Mechanically, Alucard's control is so much smoother than Richter's, even compared to this-games-Richter, but especially compared to its prequel. I could really feel the difference between a vampire and a human. I also liked the Rpg elements, although some weapons felt game breaking easy. I also liked how the bosses developed over the year, having a little bit more complex movesets.
Some cons are the outdated menu, although I get that its ok for its time. Also, ever if the soundtrack overall was really good, some tracks felt out-of- touch with some areas.
All in all it is an excellent game and I recommend to everyone to at least try it once, if not finishing it.