Need some help to get into Castlevania

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

After almost one year I'm trying to get back into Castlevania, more precisely Symphony of the Night.
People told good things about this game and the plot and atmosphere interest me, especially since characters made it into Smash.

Since I'm not experienced with platformers at all nowadays I was already feared that this game would cause me some trouble.
However I didn't expect to die that early all the time to force me to play this game from the beginning all over again including that intro bossfight.
The movement speed is extremly slowish which complicates things for me. 

I've noticed that Castlevania isn't only a platformer, but also features some RPG elements like equipment management and leveling.

I'd like to know some tips how to survive earlygame and reach the first savepoint (if they exist).
 

[Interdimensional Observer]

Symphonyof the Night is more an action RPG than a platformer. It's the first "Metroidvania" game, everything that came before it is "Classicvania", which were platformers devoid of any RPG/Metroid-esque influences, and fairly challenging ones at that I think.

 

Save Points do of course exist, but if you're dying that early on, something is amiss. One tip though, before you lose the powerful Alucard equipment, is to farm the Mermen for a while to gain a couple levels. 

For now, if you can input a up semicircle forward (left, up and left, up, up and right, right, and then attack) you'll cast Dark Metamorphosis, which temporarily heals Alucard every time he hits an enemy that bleeds.

Admittedly, SotN is harder at the beginning, but as the game progresses it gradually gets easier and eventually becomes easy.

[Karimlan]

1. Save. Often.
2. The Axe heart weapon is your best friend.
3. What @Interdimensional Observer said re the mermen room in Castle Entrance. Farm experience there and take time to learn Alucard's spells (Hellfire and Summon Spirit come to mind, in addition to the Dark Metamorphosis he mentioned).
   Spoiler

   Occasionally the Mermen would drop Zircon rings, which do nothing but are sellable once you get to the Long Library and meet the Librarian.

   
   Hellfire is done by doing U, D, DF, F+Attack or up-Hadoken motion; while Summon Spirit can be learned by pressing B, F, U, D + Attack. BTW, Hellfire has properties that you can trigger by the following "motions": 

• Do nothing after the move: Alucard summons three fireballs.
• Hold U after the controller motion: Alucard summons two large meteors.
• There's a third outcome that I've forgotten how to do, where Alucard simply teleports and does not summon fireballs or meteors (sorry!). You can do the teleport by holding B or F, but I forgot how to "cancel" the fireballs/meteors.

 

Edited October 2, 2018 by Karimlan

[Interdimensional Observer]

18 minutes ago, Karimlan said:

The Axe heart weapon is your best friend.

This depends. The Axe is good for anti-air, but the Holy Water is better for anything firmly on the ground- multiple holy hits is so strong. Still, probably the Axe is probably the second-best subweapon. Not sure why they took until Portrait of Ruin to let you carry them all at once instead of just one.

[Karimlan]

Oh yeah, earlier in the game, it's a toss-up between the Dagger and Holy Water for most baddies. Later on though, as Alucard gets more interesting toys, advancing in some ares that you have to go up, you would need to stay out of range of a certain monster's powerful attack.

Quote

Not sure why they took until Portrait of Ruin to let you carry them all at once instead of just one.

Was questioning this too, at one point. I guess Konami had to present much more of a challenge in the game's early innings?

BTW: Found it! If you hold D after the Hellfire controller motion, Alucard will simply teleport and not throw fireballs/meteors.

Edited October 2, 2018 by Karimlan

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

I have found the first savepoints and beat the first boss (doing Gallery atm).

Using all the attacks is quite hard for me to learn due to the complicated button combos. 

Also I got confused by the gained hearts by destroying the candles, which stand for the durability of the weapon and not for the healthbar. 

The throwing hammers (or whatever it was) against the first boss was really helpful.

 

I think if I could get used to the controls, it could become a fun game for me.

Edited October 2, 2018 by Hecatia Lapislazuli

[Karimlan]

Those were Axes, man :D

Hope the next area's boss does not make you ragequit.

Edited October 2, 2018 by Karimlan

[Slumber]

The series isn't easy, but SotN is one of the easier(If not the easiest) entries in the series. If it's troubling you, then my main advice is to power through until it, if ever, clicks.

I'll echo that Holy Water is good early game.

[Kazuya]

Rondo of Blood, Aria of Sorrow, and the good DS game are pretty fun for beginners, just SoTN can be a bitch, especially the second half. 

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

Uh... I don't have Holy Water from what I've seen yet.

Also how is exactly the world bulding?
I did the third section. After beating a (mini)boss it brought me back to the first section.
Are these just optional bosses to get some experience or am I supposed to beat them to return to earlier discovered areas?

[Karimlan]

If you look closely, there are areas that are inaccessible at first, requiring you to get some more of Alucard's abilities. Some of them involve shapeshifting, others involve gaining two more kinds of jumps, and a third category involves summoning allies to help you out in a number of ways. These areas pave the way for more items, and more parts of the castle.

If ever you want a more straightforward explanation on what to do next, you need only ask, and we'd be more specific. I'm kinda beating around the bush, as it is.

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

What do these "tactics" from the shop guy exactly do, and is it worth to buy them?

Edited October 7, 2018 by Necrofantasia

[Interdimensional Observer]

9 hours ago, Necrofantasia said:

What do these "tactics" from the shop guy exactly do, and is it worth to buy them?

Nope, they're not worth it. They're just clips that show you how to beat a given boss, the problem that makes them worthless is that you have to have won against a given boss to see its clip. 

Also not worth it are the spells, they just show you the inputs for each, it doesn't unlock them. So if you already know the inputs, you don't need the spells, and the inputs are easily found online.