Castlevania: Circle of the Moon

21.03.2001
Critic 90/100
Users 68/100
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Castlevania: Circle of the Moon is the first of the series to be based on the action/RPG structure of Castlevania:Symphony of the Night rather than the level-based action style of all previous Castlevania games. Dracula's castle is a single continuous building, and as Nathan discovers artifacts within it he gains new abilities that allow him to explore more of it. While Nathan can only use his Killer Whip as a weapon, he can find and equip different kinds of armor and accessories that change his stats. Unique to this entry in the series is the Dual Set-up System, where a combination of two cards will give Nathan unique magical abilities. For example, equipping a fire type card with a whip card will give the Killer Whip a fire attribute, while equipping it with a summon card will let Nathan summon a fire demon to attack onscreen enemies.
Taking place in 1830, Circle of the Moon is set in one of the fictional universes of the Castlevania series. The premise of the original series is the eternal conflict between the vampire hunters of the Belmont clan and the immortal vampire Dracula. Circle of the Moon's protagonist, however, is Nathan Graves, whose parents died a decade ago to banish Dracula. Morris Baldwin, who helped in Dracula's banishment, trained him to defeat Dracula and the monsters; Morris ultimately chose him as his successor and gave him the "Hunter Whip", to the displeasure of Hugh, Morris' son who trained alongside him. At an old castle, Camilla, a minion of Dracula, revives him, only to be interrupted by the arrival of Morris, Nathan, and Hugh. Before they are able to banish him again, Dracula destroys the floor under Nathan and Hugh, causing them to plummet down a long tunnel. Surviving the fall and wishing to find his father, Hugh leaves Nathan behind. Nathan proceeds to search the castle for his mentor. Along the way, he learns that at the next full moon, Morris' soul will be used to return Dracula to full power. He also periodically encounters Hugh, who becomes more hostile as the game progresses. Eventually, Nathan encounters Camilla, who hints that she and Dracula are responsible for the changes in his personality. Nathan vanquishes Camilla in her true form and meets up with Hugh once more. Upon seeing him, Hugh immediately attacks him with the goal of proving himself to his father through Nathan's defeat; Nathan, however, realizes that Dracula is controlling Hugh. Nathan defeats him, and Dracula's control over Hugh breaks. Confessing that he doubted his self-worth when Nathan was chosen as successor, Hugh tasks him with Morris' rescue. Arriving at the ceremonial room, Nathan confronts Dracula, who confirms that he had tampered with Hugh's soul to cause the changes in his personality. They begin to fight and halfway through, Dracula teleports away to gain his full power. Hugh then frees his father and tasks Nathan with Dracula's banishment. Nathan continues the battle and defeats Dracula; escaping the collapsing castle, he reunites with Morris and Hugh. Nathan is declared a master vampire hunter by Morris. Hugh vows to retrain under Morris due to his failure.

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Part of collection:
Castlevania (last 3 games)

27.08.2024

Haunted Castle Revisited, a redesigned version of the very first Castlevania arcade game, makes its debut! The game was released within the Castlevania Dominus Collection.

27.08.2024

A port of Haunted Castle included in "Castlevania Dominus Collection." Count Dracula sleeps for a long hundred of years. During this time, peace exists at the village and Dracula is nothing but a mere legend. However, one day a young couple named Simon and Serena were celebrating their wedding at the village's church. The couple were enveloped with happiness, as the wedding bells rang, their future seemed blessed... Suddenly, the empty sky was covered with dark clouds and with a rolling thunder that shook the earth, Dracula has once again awakened. Asking for the beautiful girl's blood, he flew down during the middle of the wedding and suddenly took the bride with him. Now in order to save Serena, Simon heads to the demon castle

27.08.2024

A port of Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia included in "Castlevania Dominus Collection." Use the brand new Glyph system with over 100 different attack combinations to battle Dracula and his minions throughout 20 explorable areas! Take part in side quests and collect items to power up! Experience a gripping storyline featuring new characters! In the absence of the Holy Whip, those who live in fear of Dracula seek a replacement, which takes the form of the Order of Ecclesia, an organization that holds the secret to manipulating Glyphs. Shanoa, a young woman possessed with a unique ability to channel Glyphs, is chosen as our protector. This is her destiny and the story of the sacred Order of Ecclesia.

Part of franchise:
Castlevania (last 3 games)

27.08.2024

So comes the very night incarnate, accursed and ravenous, for darkness is Dracula’s domain. With the ability to transform into the vile denizens of the woods and conjure unnatural flames, all mortals shall succumb to The Dark Lord’s vengeance.

27.08.2024

A port of Haunted Castle included in "Castlevania Dominus Collection." Count Dracula sleeps for a long hundred of years. During this time, peace exists at the village and Dracula is nothing but a mere legend. However, one day a young couple named Simon and Serena were celebrating their wedding at the village's church. The couple were enveloped with happiness, as the wedding bells rang, their future seemed blessed... Suddenly, the empty sky was covered with dark clouds and with a rolling thunder that shook the earth, Dracula has once again awakened. Asking for the beautiful girl's blood, he flew down during the middle of the wedding and suddenly took the bride with him. Now in order to save Serena, Simon heads to the demon castle

27.08.2024

A port of Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia included in "Castlevania Dominus Collection." Use the brand new Glyph system with over 100 different attack combinations to battle Dracula and his minions throughout 20 explorable areas! Take part in side quests and collect items to power up! Experience a gripping storyline featuring new characters! In the absence of the Holy Whip, those who live in fear of Dracula seek a replacement, which takes the form of the Order of Ecclesia, an organization that holds the secret to manipulating Glyphs. Shanoa, a young woman possessed with a unique ability to channel Glyphs, is chosen as our protector. This is her destiny and the story of the sacred Order of Ecclesia.

Could be interesting

06.05.2003

The year is 2035 and Soma Cruz is about to witness the first solar eclipse of the 21st century when he suddenly blacks out -- only to awaken inside a mysterious castle. As Soma, you must navigate the castle's labyrinths while confronting perilous monsters at every turn. But beware, you must escape before the evil consumes you!

16.11.2006

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin is a side-scrolling action RPG where you switch between two hunters, Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin, to explore Dracula's castle and defeat the vampire Brauner. Set in 1944, Jonathan wields the Vampire Killer whip while Charlotte casts magic. You'll navigate eight painted worlds hidden within the castle, solve puzzles using each character's unique abilities, and acquire new skills and weapons. Your decisions determine which of multiple endings you receive.

20.03.1997

Having been awoken from his eternal slumber by the reappearance of Castlevania, Alucard must once again face the evil minions of darkness. Use your vampiric powers, along with weapons, potions, and other magical relics to change the tide of battle. A mixture of platform and role-playing action with many hidden areas and secrets. Can you discover them all?

12.07.2007

In Mega Man ZX Advent, the main characters discover the power of the mysterious "Biometal model A," which on its own has several attacks, but also has a special Megamerge ability which allows the character to transform into one of eight "Pseudoroid" bosses that each have a unique set of abilities. Once a boss is defeated, players can emulate their powers to find hidden routes, discover rare items and aid their battles against more powerful enemies. The title takes full advantage of the Nintendo DS features to enhance the action-packed gameplay and story line of the popular series.

21.10.2008

In the absence of the Holy Whip, those who live in fear of Dracula seek a replacement, which takes the form of the Order of Ecclesia, an organization that holds the secret to manipulating Glyphs. Shanoa, a young woman possessed with a unique ability to channel Glyphs, is chosen as our protector. This is her destiny and the story of the sacred Order of Ecclesia. Use the brand new Glyph system with over 100 different attack combinations to battle Dracula and his minions throughout 20 explorable areas! Take part in side quests and collect items to power up! Experience a gripping storyline featuring new characters!

26.09.1986

Step into the shadows of the deadliest dwelling on earth. You've arrived at Castlevania, and you're here on business: To destroy forever the Curse of the Evil Count. Unfortunately, everybody's home this evening. Bats, ghosts, every kind of creature you can imagine. You'll find 'em all over the place, if they don't find you first. Because you've got to get through six monstrous floors before you even meet up with the Master of the House. Your Magic Whip will help, and you'll probably find a weapons or two along the way. But once you make it to the tower, you can count on a Duel to the Death. The Count has waited 100 years for a rematch.

25.08.2005

Draw the correct magic seal quickly, or your enemies will never die! Fight and explore through one of the largest castles ever seen in the series! Race another player through custom-made castle rooms in versus mode! A year has passed since Soma Cruz discovered the evil of Dracula hidden inside his body. Now, a mysterious cult wants to release the power of the Lord of Darkness. As Soma, you must do everything in your power to stop them before it's too late.

01.11.2005

Castlevania: Curse of Darkness is a direct sequel to Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse. The game differs from its predecessor in a number of ways, including a more complex, action-adventure style of gameplay featuring character growth based on accumulated experience points. Master the unique new skills of Devil Forgery to develop and enhance Innocent Devils - allies that will help to conquer enemies, evade traps and solve challenging puzzles.

06.07.2006

This game contains elements from the Mega Man X series and the Mega Man Zero series. The game introduces a new open-ended gameplay environment and the ability to select the protagonist's gender, a first in the series. The player's character, Vent or Aile, is on a 2-dimensional overlay map with sprites where he or she engages enemies to finish the mission. When Vent and Aile receive a Biometal, they are able to change form, gaining various abilities, such as the charge moves, or charging their weapon with an element of that Biometal; for example, Biometal H will charge the weapon with electricity. While in a special form, using the form-specific abilities use up weapon energy. When Vent and Aile receive the other half of the Biometal, they are able to perform a different special ability.

25.10.1991

Monsters have taken over the land, and every day the citizens fear for their lives, hoping that a hero will step forth and bring peace to the embattled country.

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