First time playing RoB and my first Castlevania game. I was not enjoying it when it first started. The controls felt to stif, you commited early to your movements and your jumps. However after the Minotaur bossfight I felt that everything just clicked. You learn the enemy positions, you learn the boss attacks and how to avoid them. You don't have to use Maria, but after replaying some normal-path stages with her, she makes the game much easier. The soundtrack is awsomeand I loved the backgrounds and the art-style. It shows its age, mainly through the controls, but if you push through some rough first stages, I believe you can enjoy a very beautiful and enjoyable game.