Castlevania: Lament of Innocence 2003

Is it still worth playing?

In 1094, the holy knight Leon Belmont searches a vampire's castle for his kidnapped bride Sara, in this 2003 action adventure for the PlayStation 2, the first Castlevania on that console. It is the first game of the series in story order. The castle is explored in an open ended way, with puzzles, hidden items and rooms and bosses. Portals near the entrance lead to the main areas, all open from the start, and beating each area's boss unlocks the last one. Leon has two kinds of whip attack, and combining them leads to combos that do more damage. He can also pair a subweapon with one of seven colored orbs to make a spell. A shop on the castle grounds sells health restoratives and items that improve his strength and defense. Combos from two whip attacks and spells made by pairing subweapons with orbs still give the fights something to learn.