Once upon a time, in a small village nestled deep within the enchanted forest, lived a kindhearted witch named Azura. She was unlike any other witch, for instead of using her powers for mischief or personal gain, Azura used her magic to help those in need. Azura had a heart as pure as the crystal-clear waters of the nearby magical lake, and her kind nature was evident in everything she did. She would often spend her days concocting potions and spells to heal the sick, bring good fortune to the downtrodden, and protect the innocent. News of Azura's benevolent deeds traveled far and wide, and people from distant lands would seek her help. Villagers would come to her hut seeking remedies for ailments, farmers would ask her to bless their crops with bountiful harvests, and children would request her assistance in finding their lost toys.
Next up is Robert, an old friend of Zangetsu. Of the three new characters, he has the most limited utility. He attacks with a rifle, and while his shots can cross the entire screen, it’s not a particularly powerful attack. However, he can lay down while firing, which gives him some advantage, and crawl forward through certain paths. His subweapons include an overhead lance (which makes him more useful), a grenade, and a mid-range energy weapon. Robert’s biggest problem is his extremely low health.
Something happens at the end of the first chapter that forces you back to the beginning without one of your allies, and the boss fights in round two are much tougher. This repetition is annoying, but I appreciate the opportunity to unlock new characters, and I was happy to see that the bosses get remixed, making them harder to bring down.
Villagers would come to her hut seeking remedies for ailments, farmers would ask her to bless their crops with bountiful harvests, and children would request her assistance in finding their lost toys. Azura never turned anyone away, for she believed that everyone deserved a chance at happiness and well-being. She would spend hours listening to people's troubles and offering them comforting words of wisdom.
Bloodstained curde of the moon 2
The gang's all here!
I was a big fan of Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon when it came out in 2018. Back then, it was a stretch goal for the Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Kickstarter and we all assumed it would be a fun little one-off game. It must have sold pretty well, because Inti Creates has now released a sequel that takes the original game’s formula and adds a few surprising layers. Mysterious swordsman Zangetsu teams up with allies new and old as they continue to explore a world informed by the pre-Iga Castlevania games.
As before, Zangetsu will find and team up with several new characters, each with different abilities. First is spear-wielder Dominique, who you may remember from Ritual of the Night. She has the highest jump of the four initial team members, and can attack enemies above and below her. Her down-thrust has the ability to bounce off enemies or candles, so if you get creative, you can combo towards certain doors. Her subweapons are spells, including one that can heal the party.
Next up is Robert, an old friend of Zangetsu. Of the three new characters, he has the most limited utility. He attacks with a rifle, and while his shots can cross the entire screen, it’s not a particularly powerful attack. However, he can lay down while firing, which gives him some advantage, and crawl forward through certain paths. His subweapons include an overhead lance (which makes him more useful), a grenade, and a mid-range energy weapon. Robert’s biggest problem is his extremely low health.
Finally, the objectively best new character is Hachi, who might be a winking reference to Gato Roboto. He’s a big tinker-bot mech. piloted by an adorable corgi. Hachi presents a big target, but has high health to make up for it. His melee attack has extremely short range, but he has a very useful hover jump and in lieu of subweapons, he can turn invincible (although it quickly drains your MP). Hachi is who I used most often thanks to his high health and hover jump.
As before, as you pick up these allies, Zangetsu (who plays the same as he did before) can switch to the other characters with the L or R buttons. Subweapons are mapped to the X button by default, but I found that awkward, and I was happy to see an option to remap the buttons (go with ZL or ZR). Having all four characters gives you lots of options, and your top priority will be making sure everyone has enough health. The maps are large, with tons of alternate routes, some of which will hide upgrades to your party’s health, MP, attack power, and defense. You’ll also see plenty of paths you cannot reach, at least when you first play through the stages.
Like its predecessor, Curse of the Moon 2 has several chapters that play out in different ways. Something happens at the end of the first chapter that forces you back to the beginning without one of your allies, and the boss fights in round two are much tougher. If you find certain items during your second run, you can save them from the final boss. Once you do that, the game really opens up in the final chapter, because in a post-credits scene of the second run, Zangetsu and his new pals get a real Avengers: Endgame moment (and then, later in the 3rd run, things get weird--in a good way).
Curse of the Moon 2 is harder than the original, which is evident in the Veteran difficulty option that limits your lives and brings back the classic Castlevania knockback. It’s brutal, but the other option, Casual removes the knockback and gives you unlimited lives so you always have the option to retry from the last checkpoint with your entire party healed up, so stupid mistakes can be undone. If one of your allies dies, you’ll go back to the last checkpoint anyway, but without that character for the rest of the level. Is there any advantage to this? Sort of--if you lose a character during a boss fight, continuing on without them preserves the boss’ health when you died, so if the boss was on death’s door when you lost, say, Robert, maybe you can take it out in one or two hits once you get back. In all other situations, it’s better to simply retry from the pause menu.
Curse of the Moon 2 also introduces couch co-op, which is. there, I guess? Unless both players are good at Castlevania-style platformers, you’ll probably be more frustrated than anything else. I will say that the game is surprisingly playable on a single Joy-Con. Might be worth a shot if two people are big fans, but otherwise this game is best tackled solo.
I really enjoyed Curse of the Moon 2, especially once things opened up in the third run. And don’t take that the wrong way--I also had fun with the first two runs--but the game really turns into something ridiculously wonderful in that third run. In general, I didn’t like the boss fights, especially during the second run, because they started to exhibit Inti Creates’ bad habits when it comes to bosses--to avoid damage, you have to be be extremely precise, and I just don’t think the Curse of the Moon controls and physics are really up to that demand. And you know what I really love? Final, incredibly-hard-to-avoid gambits once you kill a boss. Switch to whichever character will survive the hit and pray!
Overall, though? Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 is a great game that pays loving homage to the classic old-school Castlevania games. Here’s hoping this does well enough so Inti Creates can go even bigger with a third entry.
Her compassionate nature had the power to heal not only physical ailments but also the scars of the soul. The village folk adored Azura and regarded her as their savior. They would gather by her hut, eagerly awaiting her arrival each morning, in the hopes of receiving her magical touch. They would bring her fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables, as a token of their appreciation for all that she had done. Azura's love and kindness extended not only to humans but also to the animals that roamed the forests. She would often be seen conversing with birds, squirrels, and rabbits, using her magic to heal their wounds and protect them from any harm. The animals, in turn, would protect her and guide her through the dense woods whenever she ventured out into the unknown. Azura's selflessness and generosity inspired the villagers to follow in her footsteps. They would organize charity events, donate their time and resources to those less fortunate, and spread love and kindness in their daily interactions. Through Azura's example, the village became a beacon of light and compassion in a world often overshadowed by darkness. The kindhearted witch Azura taught us that true power lies not in personal gain or dominance but in using our abilities to help others. Her magical touch healed both bodies and souls, and her unwavering love and kindness made the world a better place. As the villagers continued to channel Azura's spirit of benevolence, her legacy lived on, reminding us all of the power of compassion and empathy..
Reviews for "The Mirror of Azura's Heart: Reflecting the Beauty of Kindness"
1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "The Kindhearted Witch Azura". The storyline was predictable and unoriginal, and the characters felt flat and one-dimensional. I also found the writing to be subpar, with awkward dialogue and repetitive descriptions. Overall, this book didn't live up to the hype for me, and I wouldn't recommend it.
2. Sarah - 1 star - "The Kindhearted Witch Azura" was a complete waste of time for me. The plot was boring and lacked any real depth or intrigue. The characters were forgettable, and I couldn't connect with them at all. The writing style was also bothersome, with excessive use of clichés and unnecessary descriptions. I struggled to finish this book and felt no satisfaction after reading it.
3. Emma - 2 stars - "The Kindhearted Witch Azura" had potential, but it fell short for me. The pacing was slow, and it took too long for the story to build up. Additionally, the world-building was lacking, leaving me confused about the magical aspects of the book. The romance felt forced and unnatural, and the ending was unsatisfying. Overall, this book didn't capture my interest or deliver an enjoyable reading experience.
4. Mark - 3 stars - I found "The Kindhearted Witch Azura" to be an average read. While the concept was interesting, I felt that the execution was lacking. The writing was decent, but the plot felt rushed and underdeveloped. The characters had potential, but they were not fully fleshed out, making it difficult to connect with them. Overall, this book had its moments, but it didn't leave a lasting impression on me.
5. Emily - 2 stars - "The Kindhearted Witch Azura" was a book that didn't live up to my expectations. The story felt disjointed and lacked coherence, making it challenging to follow. The character development was weak, and I couldn't invest in or root for any of the protagonists. The dialogue was also stilted and unrealistic, further taking away from my reading enjoyment. Unfortunately, this book was a miss for me.