Castle Entrance

Welcome to Castlevania! As Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin, your journey begins in the ominous Castle Entrance. This area serves as a vital introduction to the game's mechanics and sets the stage for the horrors within. Be thorough in your exploration, as even early items can make a significant difference.

Initial Exploration and Basic Combat

Upon gaining control, you'll find yourselves in a dimly lit corridor. Your first encounters will be with the castle's most common denizens:

Zombie: These slow-moving undead are easily dispatched with a few whip strikes from Jonathan or a basic spell from Charlotte. They pose little threat individually but can overwhelm if you're not careful.
Bloody Zombie: A slightly tougher variant of the Zombie, these can take a few more hits. Practice switching between Jonathan and Charlotte to get a feel for their distinct combat styles.

Proceed right, clearing out any enemies in your path. You'll soon come across your first breakable objects – candles and environmental pieces. Destroy these to collect valuable items:

Hearts: Essential for using Charlotte's spells and Jonathan's sub-weapons.
Gold: Used for purchasing items and equipment later in the game.
Potions: Small health recovery items.

First Save Point and Map Room

Continue moving right until you reach a large, open room. Here, you'll find two crucial elements:

Save Point: This glowing orb allows you to save your progress. Always save frequently, especially after clearing challenging sections or acquiring valuable items.
Map Room: Just beyond the save point, this room contains a large map on the wall. Touching it will reveal a portion of the castle layout on your bottom screen, which is invaluable for navigation.

After saving and updating your map, head back left a short distance. You'll notice a staircase leading upwards. Take this path.

Upper Corridor and Item Acquisition

As you ascend, you'll encounter more Zombies and Bloody Zombies. Continue your combat practice, focusing on dodging and utilizing your partner's abilities. Jonathan's whip is excellent for crowd control, while Charlotte's offensive spells can hit multiple targets or deal significant damage to single foes.

Keep an eye out for hidden walls! In Castlevania games, many walls can be broken to reveal secret rooms or items. Look for suspicious cracks or sections that seem out of place. In this upper corridor, a hidden wall to the right will reveal a small alcove containing a:

Pendant: An accessory that provides a small boost to your stats. Equip it immediately via the menu.

Proceed further right along this upper path. You'll eventually come to a dead end with a large, ornate door. This door is currently locked, requiring a specific key or event to open. For now, remember its location.

Descending and the First Portrait

Head back left and descend the stairs you came up. Continue past the save point and map room, moving further to the right. You'll enter a new section of the Castle Entrance.

Here, you'll encounter a new enemy type:

Bat: These flying creatures are agile but have low health. Use Jonathan's whip or Charlotte's basic attack to swat them out of the air.

Keep moving right. You'll soon reach a large, imposing portrait. This is your gateway to the first "painting world." Interact with the portrait to enter the City of Haze. This marks your departure from the immediate Castle Entrance, but remember that you can always return here to save, heal, or explore any missed sections.