Complete walkthrough for Level 8 of Castlevania: Bloodlines, "Devil Castle: The Main Hall." Includes strategies for the Grim Reaper boss fight and tips for navigating the level.
Walkthrough
- 1Begin by heading down the hallway, defeating Zombies and Bats. Be mindful of the third candle, which contains a Dagger.
- 2Ascend the stairs on the right, dealing with two Axe Guards. Alucard can fly to the upper platform, or you can carefully climb and fight them.
- 3In the next room, defeat Spiders and Headless Hunters while avoiding projectiles. Use sub-weapons to push forward.
- 4Enter the next block (BLK 8-02). Deal with Slimes and Skeletons throwing bones from above. An Axe is available in a candle near small stairs.
- 5To the far right, after defeating a Whip Skeleton and Slime, find Leg of Werewolf in the wall.
- 6Head up the stairs, defeating enemies and outrunning a Red Skeleton. Continue upwards, encountering more Slimes and Skeletons.
- 7Ascend more stairs, facing Slimes and Axe Guards. Wait for Axe Guards to retreat before attacking. A candle higher up contains Sacred Water, and the far left candle holds a big Heart.
- 8Proceed up the stairs to the next block (BLK 8-03), the final screen.
- 9To the left, whip blocks for a big Heart. Upstairs, find sub-weapons and a Banshee Boomerang to the left of upper blocks. This is a recommended weapon.
- 10Be aware that the blocks to the right will fall. Hurry through this area, as stopping for sub-weapons like the Pocket Watch or big Hearts can be deadly.
- 11Defeat or jump over the Knight blocking the path.
- 12Continue forward to face the boss.
Boss: Grim Reaper
Stats / Weaknesses:
- The Grim Reaper is a recurring boss, appearing near the end of the game.
- He attacks by spawning random scythes that float and home in on the player.
Phases:
- Phase 1: The Grim Reaper floats and spawns scythes.
- Phase 2: The Grim Reaper transforms into a large, rotating skull that moves slowly left, wrapping around the screen. It occasionally stops to shoot a single scythe.
Strategy:
- Overpowered Strategies:
- Sypha's Lightning Orb is highly effective, damaging the boss and scythes.
- Alucard's spread attack offers good range.
- The Banshee Boomerang, especially with Double or Triple Threat icons, can damage the boss and clear scythes.
- Sacred Water can stun-lock the Grim Reaper if used effectively on the ground.
- General Tactics:
- Use the blocks on either side of the screen for movement to evade scythes. Falling from or jumping to higher blocks can disrupt scythe tracking.
- In Phase 1, focus on damaging the Grim Reaper while destroying or dodging scythes.
- In Phase 2, position yourself on the middle block on the right. Hit the boss (its mouth) twice, then drop off to the right.
- Follow the rotating skull slowly, attacking when possible. Sypha is particularly effective here.
- When the boss is on your right in Phase 2, run underneath it to stay safe.
Tips
- The music in this stage is reminiscent of the original Castlevania.
- Restore Points are helpful for this challenging stage.
- Be quick in BLK 8-03 as the blocks will fall.
- The Banshee Boomerang is a highly recommended weapon for this stage and boss fight.
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