Uh you're welcome, fwiw I also don't think it holds up on its own merits because exploring isn't fun on its own and combat is a chore. It is worse if you have the old vania brainworms I do, though!! Subsequent vanias do also improve on Symphony in ways, like I do not dislike Circle or Aria honestly.

Curse of the Moon bugs me forever, Inticreates should have known better. It has a cursory understanding of how a Castlevania should work, but the lives and knockback(???) being tied to a toggle tells me that they thought OLD SCHOOL HARD, BRO was just a doofy gimmick people engage in, rather than something to actually enjoy. Maybe I play too much old Castlevania, but I found the game really easy right up to the final boss, like the enemy layouts are so tame and the level design is so flat that jumping and whipping 24/7 easily deletes most foes.

I also wasn't realpy hot on the visuals, which sort-of go for bright neon colours on dark backgrounds, but more as lil highlights than core parts of the visuals, if that makes sense. Also the music is pretty average? I was hyped when Curse got announced so it made me grumpy yet again - I find Castlevania The Adventure Rebirth is a better post-90s old Castlevania, and I also played the Darkest Abyss demo on steam and enjoyed it a lot more :) that one gives you two sub weapons, which hopefully can open the doors for more complex levels and faster enemies...