Castlevania: Circle of the Moon Areas
ircle of the Moon is the first game to continue the tradition of Symphony of the Night's type of Castle; that is, a continuous, flowing castle that one is able to revisit in any of its parts, at any time, eventually.
There is a constant gloomy quality to the places. A great sense of scale is given, due to the game including many vast rooms and having small character sprites. Of special note, the moon is never completely full when it is shown, seeing as how the Dark Lord needs it for the rite to be complete.
Circle's castle uses a hub layout, a different approach from its relations. The Audience Room functions as the most convenient spot to save, and also connects to virtually every other part of the castle. Its map is unique, as it employs the most diverse room shapes of any exploration-inclined Castlevania.
CotM is a sharp diversion from the amazing things we were expecting to see on a game similar to SotN. Background animations are rare, multi-scrolling is minimal, and the incredibly detailed look of SotN has been replaced with a very basic and grimy appearance.
This is the entire map of Carmilla's Austrian stronghold. Unlike Symphony of the Night and Harmony of Dissonance, Circle of the Moon features only one castle. Regardless, the game is still rather large.
Catacomb
Beginning in a dingy shaft, this environment turns into a series of rocky hallways infested with enemies that enjoy the extreme darkness, and, later on, a bunch of vertical chambers full of platforming sequences. The guardian of this area, Cerberus, inhabits a fiery room that is basically a modification of the boss' room in SotN.
After a long descent, Nathan will find himself in a dark pit that leads even deeper into the Castle's under structure. The deceased can be seen occupying the walls of the huge crypt.
In the beginning, you will find many areas that are blocked off. In order to access them, Nathan must learn more abilities.
Fight your way through a burial chamber infested with the living dead, who're just dying to meet you. It must be rank in there.
The Catacomb has plenty of compartment rooms set off to the side. Keep an eye on your map and make sure you investigate as much as you can. There are precious treasures lying around that will certainly be of use.
The hellhound Cerberus guards the relic that will lead Nathan out of this living nightmare. Someone's got to go. It's either you or him. . .
Enemies:
• Skeleton
• Skeleton Bomber
• Bone Head
• Bat
• Slime
• Skeleton Spear
• Poison Worm
• Zombie
• Fleaman
• Earth Demon
• Mudman
• Brain Float
• Mummy
• Coffin
• Arch Demon
• Bone Tower
• Fox Hunter
• Hopper
• Stone Armor
• Trick Candle
• Zombie Thief
• Spirit
• Grizzly
Boss:
• Cerberus
Music Track:
• Awake
Abyss Stairway
A mostly unadorned group of tall, convoluted towers that lead to the upper world, this mostly serves as a small transition area between several locales. Stairways curl around the walls, and large bricks hold everything together. Gremlins and other pesky creatures will try to limit your progress by coming in by swarms.
For the most part (for the whole part, actually) this is a dull and incredibly repetitive place, but it does serve a purpose. The Abyss Stairway is a conduit that leads to many different castle areas once all the paths are open.
Work your way up spiraling underground tow-
ers to escalate to the over world.
The soaring Gargoyles do their best to make Nathan's ascendance a wretched one.
The Stairway is a handy channel to different castle locales. For instance, this path will take you to the castle's gutter.
Obtain the Roc Wing in order to soar to the highest reaches of the Stairway.
Enemies:
• Skeleton
• Gremlin
• Bone Head
• Axe Armor
• Siren
• Skeleton Soldier
• Slime
• Devil Tower
• Clinking Men
• Electric Skeleton
• Will-o-Wisp
Music Track:
Audience Room
This can hardly be thought of as one room – a host of expansive, airy spaces await your exploration. Darkened columns surrounds large windows displaying the night sky, and there's a glossy look to much of the place. Part of the environment could have been an art gallery at one time. A couple large paintings are hung up, but don't seem to have been taken care of very well. The Necromancer lurks on the side of one of the larger rooms here.
Being in the spacious and luxurious lobbies of the Audience Room is like a breath of fresh air after being trapped in the funk of the Catacomb.
The lovely Succubi will eventually begin roaming the halls of the Audience Room. Don't let these beauties distract you from the task at hand.
Battles take place in the colonnade, where the dusky moon is displayed to be almost full.
The Audience Room has several theatre-like galleries in which large paintings are displayed.
There are parts of the Outer Wall and Chapel Tower that greatly resemble this stony area.
Enemies:
• Axe Armor
• Devil Tower
• Skeleton
• Skeleton Soldier
• Skeleton Knight
• Brain Float
• Gargoyle
• Fleaman
• Frozen Shade
• Heat Shade
• Hyena
• Mimic Candle
• Poison Armor
• Skeleton Athlete
• Thunder Armor
• Were-Jaguar
• Werewolf
• Will-o-Wisp
• Witch
• Zombie Thief
• Slime
• Were-Panther
• Were-Horse
• Ectoplasm
• Electric Skeleton
• Clinking Man
• Wind Demon
• Forest Armor
• Imp
• Succubus
Boss:
• Necromancer
Music Track:
Outer Wall
Strangely enough, the "outer" wall is in the center of everything, and comprises the base of the Observatory Tower, rather than being on either side of the castle (this probably has to do with the way the map is facing). This is a small area that branches out in several random locations close to its side. Pillared platforms will get in the way of Nathan, so he'll need to scale them to get around. Above, a small maze of ruined structures house several prizes.
The Outer Wall seems to be in a state of decay. You must contend with broken columns and the Skeletons that reside amongst them.
The peculiar Brain Floats drift in the skies above the base fortification. With a little ingenuity, Nathan can make use of them.
The Castle's battlement is more than it at first seems. It reaches higher into the deep skies, where a labyrinth of broken architecture hides its secrets.
Keep searching and you will discover more treasure.
The ruins will only rise so high. Beyond this point is the Castle's highest area.
Enemies:
• Skeleton
• Skeleton Bomber
• Brain Float
• Electric Skeleton
• Will-o-Wisp
• Were-Horse
• Nightmare
• Wind Armor
• Were-Jaguar
Music Track:
Triumph Hallway
Another tiny location that leads to the classic entrance hallways, complete with the red drapes surrounding the windows and the groups of endless zombies. At the end, Nathan will find himself outside in a place similar to SotN's starting point. An evergreen forest sprouts behind a brick wall, and there is a small room high above, right after the castle's entryway, that seems to be impossible to reach.
Skull fixtures light the hallways here, and gold rods adorn them.
This courtyard seems to be directly inspired from Symphony. This is an easy place to remember where the cross is.
Just like SotN, there is a tower at the castle entrance that harbors an HP Max Up.
More obstacles that refuse to budge! Return here later.
It's interesting that this area isn't the starting point in the castle like it usually is.
Enemies:
• Skeleton
• Clinking Man
• Fleaman
• Zombie
• Will-o-Wisp
• Flame Knight
Music:
Machine Tower
Since there is no clock tower apparent in Circle, it remains to be understood what the innumerable machines here actually are accomplishing. There are no cogs to be ridden on, but sophisticated moving platforms that function on belts and spiral pillars. Little devices are set on parts of the ceilings to give shocks to anyone unlucky enough to hit them. The haunt of the Golem contains an enormous cog in the background that apparently is running the whole show. At this point, the tower is the most difficult portion of the game.
The usual cogs and pendulums may have been replaced by moving platforms, but the Medusa Heads remain to give you a hard time.
The Shade enemies from Symphony of the Night return. It seems someone decided to give them clothes this time.
This reminds me a lot of the original NES game starring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It looks like some of the areas in the third level; the one where you get to drive the Turtle Van around and shoot missiles at barricades.
Watch your head! The place is riddled with electrifying traps.
This seems to be the Tower's central cog.
Enemies:
• Fox Archer
• Medusa Head
• Thunder Demon
• Bone Tower
• Earth Armor
• Lilim
• Scary Candle
• Skeleton
• Skeleton Knight
• Skeleton Boomerang
• Slime
• Heat Shade
• Stone Armor
Boss:
• Iron Golem
Music Track:
Eternal Corridor
Thankfully, this area's name doesn't stay true to its title. Arches make up the foundation for the ceilings, and in the very far back a large forest can be seen, separated by a wall that glows with torches. If you're good enough, you can make it through this place without having to fight anything. It's still a good idea to take out what you can, as the oncoming confronations in the Chapel will be less of a hassle.
This passageway is packed with powerful enemies, like the Flame Demon.
Like other areas in the game, the enemies change as time goes on. The Witch and Franken only appear later in the game.
Here comes Carmilla's Petting Zoo! One must wonder what she's doing with all of these animal-like, beastial monsters in her castle.
This descending lane leads to the Underground Waterway. The walls around this area have become corroded. Carmilla's castle has horrible hard water stains due to the unkempt sewers beneath it.
Within the lower recesses of the Corridor, you can find a teleporter for quick transportation.
Enemies:
• Ectoplasm
• Gorgon
• Beast Demon
• Evil Hand
• Skeleton Knight
• Witch
• Ghoul
• Were-Bear
• Skeleton
• Skeleton Boomerang
• Bone Tower
• Franken
• Killer Bee
• Arch Demon
• Flame Demon
Music Track:
