The game takes place in an Austrian castle in the year 1830. Camilla has successfully resurrected Count Dracula yet again, and it's up to Nathan Graves and the father and son team of Morris and Hugh Baldwin to stop the evil vampire. However, Morris is captured almost immediately, and Nathan and Hugh are tossed aside and left for dead. Hugh departs in search of his father, leaving you to play as Nathan in your quest to defeat Dracula and save Morris. Like any good Castlevania protagonist, Nathan comes equipped with a whip, and he can pick up and use the same classic secondary weapons from the rest of the series, such as a dagger, holy water, a time-stopping watch, and an ax. The secondary weapons are powered by hearts, which are usually hidden in candles that must be whipped. At first, Nathan's movement and attack options are fairly limited, but as you progress through the game, you'll find additional items that let you do things like run, execute a dash attack, double jump, triangle jump off walls, breathe underwater, and bolt high into the sky. The game also has a magic system called DSS. The DSS, or dual setup system, is powered by cards. Different cards are found in different areas of the game, and their appearance is semi-random. Magic enhancements are selected by choosing one of each of the two types of cards. Action cards specify what sort of magic you'll use, while attribute cards alter the action by adding an effect, usually elemental in nature, to the spell. For instance, one spell may cause blue fiery spheres to rotate around you, while changing the attribute card will change the spell so that you're surrounded by a cloud of plant spores. This is also useful for different weapons, such as fire or ice swords. Not everything is a strictly offensive or defensive spell, however. Other combinations allow you to heal yourself, run at double speed, or even increase your luck attribute, making it easier to get items. The game also keeps track of strength, defense, and intelligence attributes. As you pick up items, such as armor and rings, you can equip them to raise your different stats. You'll also earn experience and gain levels as you play, which is another way to increase your health and magic maximums and your other attributes.
Other Helpful Reviews for Akumajou Dracula: Circle of the Moon
It was my first "Castlevania" I ever played. Well, except some genesis version that I played only 30 minutes and gave up. And even if it's not the best game from series (because "Symphony of the Night"... Read Full Review
When my aunty brought this for me my last birthday i was like 'yay another gba game', but seriously this is possibly the greatest gba game ever. I honestly never thought a gba game could be so good! The gameplay has l... Read Full Review
