Castlevania Lords of Shadow Walkthrough

This complete text and HD video walkthrough will help you hack, slash, and impale your way through Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, destroying every demon, beast, and of course, vampire, that gets in your way. Defeat the ultimate Castlevania nemesis, Dracula, and his legion of the damned, including foul creatures never dreamed of before, and even Death himself. The most ambitious Castlevania title ever released, Lords of Shadows is an epic supernatural horror adventure featuring the return of the Belmont lineage, and a story steeped in bloodcurdling terror.

In the year 1047 AD, magic and the supernatural rule supreme. Monsters if all descriptions roam the land, massacring the innocent at will. A hero must rise to save the human race, before it's plunged into terror and darkness forever. That hero--one of a long line of heroes--is Gabriel Belmont, whose skill with both sorcery and more traditional weaponry makes him the only man capable of standing up to and defeating the dark forces that stalk the earth. Gabriel's quest to free the land of its evil curse will take him farther than he ever imagined possible, and bring him face to face with the ultimate horror. Beset by demons, monsters of mythology, and creatures of the night of all kinds, Gabriel is the last, best hope for humanity. He'll need all the ability he can muster, plus every magical artifact he can get his hands on, if he is to protect the innocents of the land from the marauding horrors that surround them. And he'll have to draw on all the inspiration and guidance of his illustrious bloodline, which also spawned the very first Castlevania hero, Simon Belmont.

Evil runs rampant, and the source of this dark reign is a spell which has somehow separated the earth from the heavens, rendering God powerless to protect humanity from the creeping terror besetting it. Responsible for the curse are the legendary Lords of Shadows, powerful, evil beings who rule their lands as private fiefdoms of pure horror. But the Lords of Shadows are not exactly what they seem; an even darker secret lies behind their reign of terror. Only Gabriel Belmont--and the allies he meets along the course of his journey--can hope to track down and destroy all of the dark Lords, including their evil master, the most powerful Castlevania foe of all.

Centered on fast-paced third-person fighting, Lords of Shadows also incorporates elements of puzzle-solving, and a wide variety of epic boss battles. To aid Gabriel in his quest, players can find and use magical artifacts, upgrading weaponry, armor, and other items in Gabriel's inventory.

The most ambitious, largest scale Castlevania ever, Lord of Shadows is far from the first. One of the most prolific and longest running franchise in video game history, the series began in 1986-7, with the release of the original Castlevania. Since then, Castlevania games have appeared on almost every console, in a variety of genres, featuring a wide array of heroes, some Belmonts, some not. Castelvania: Harmony of Despair, which recreated the style and tone of the earliest titles in the series, was released on August 4, 2010.

Start: Pause

Back: Open Travel Book

Left Stick: Move

(Press): Gather Light Magic

Right Stick (Press): Gather Shadow Magic

Left Button: Activate Light Magic

Right Button: Activate Shadow Magic

Right Trigger: Grapple/Grab/Interact

A: Jump

B: Use Relic

Y: Area Attack

X: Direct Attack

Chapter I (10G): Defeat the Ice Titan

Chapter II (10G): Get the Dark Gauntlet

Chapter III (15G): Acquire the power of the first Dark Lord

Chapter IV (15G): Kill the Crow Witch

Chapter V (20G): Gain access to the Vampire Castle

Chapter VI (20G): Leave the Refectory with the Butcher's Key

Chapter VII (25G): Survive the encounter with Laura

Chapter VIII (25G): Acquire the power of the second Dark Lord

Chapter IX (25G): Persuade Baba Yaga to open a portal to the Necromancer area

Chapter X (30G): Vanquish the Gravedigger

Chapter XI (30G): Acquire the power of the third Dark Lord

Chapter XII (35G): Defeat Satan and save the world

Trials - Chapter I (25G): Complete all the trials for Chapter I

Trials - Chapter II (25G): Complete all the trials for Chapter II

Trials - Chapter III (25G): Complete all the trials for Chapter III

Trials - Chapter IV (25G): Complete all the trials for Chapter IV

Trials - Chapter V (25G): Complete all the trials for Chapter V

Trials - Chapter VI (25G): Complete all the trials for Chapter VI

Trials - Chapter VII (25G): Complete all the trials for Chapter VII

Trials - Chapter VIII (25G): Complete all the trials for Chapter VIII

Trials - Chapter IX (25G): Complete all the trials for Chapter IX

Trials - Chapter X (25G): Complete all the trials for Chapter X

Trials - Chapter XI (25G): Complete all the trials for Chapter XI

Trials - Chapter XII (25G): Complete all the trials for Chapter XII

Master Achiever (50G): Complete all the trials

Dark Collector (20G): Gather all 30 Shadow Gems

Light Collector (20G): Gather all 30 Light Gems

Green Collector (20G): Gather all 30 Life Gems

Master Jeweler (25G): Gather all hidden magic gems

Master Philanthropist (20G): Buy all the extra artwork

Skirmish (15G): Finish all levels in Squire difficulty

Quest (20G): Finish all levels in Warrior difficulty

Crusade (30G): Finish all levels in Knight difficulty

Epic Victory (40G): Finish all levels in Paladin difficulty

Welcome to the Club (15G): Buy a combo

Brawler (20G): Buy 15 combos

Master Fighter (25G): Buy all combos

Experienced (10G): Acquire 1,000 experience points

Seasoned (15G): Acquire 20,000 experience points

Veteran (30G): Acquire 100,000 experience points

Master Improver (25G): Find all the secret Brotherhood Arks

Eleventy Party (40G): Get a 110% completion rate on all levels

Gabriel Bomont's journey begins with his quest to find the Guardian of the Lake, the only being who can help him discover the cause of the evil plaguing the land. Stopping at a besieged village, Gabriel battles a pack of vicious werewolves. Continuing toward his goal, he encounters goblins, naiads, and other deadly enemies. When he finally finds the Guardian, his quest is still not complete. He must find the Lake of Oblivion, and destroy the colossal creature waiting for him there. When the battle is over, Gabriel finds himself with a new ally, and a long road ahead of him.

Your tutorial comes in the form of a battle with a pack of ravenous werewolves, who attack first from the ramparts ahead, then from all sides. Follow the prompts that appear on screen to learn the basics of the game's combat system. Press X for a direct attack, Y for an area attack, and A to jump. When you've dispatched the first few lycanthropes, take a moment to heal yourself at the health font on the left. Then return to the fight. Be sure to grab the daggers when they appear; they're excellent weapons against lycanthropes. When prompted, grab one of the beasts, than wait for the circles to come into alignment and press any button to deliver a devastating attack. When you're instructed to earn 25 experience points, take out the next five werewolves (you'll get five xp for each). Then, check out your Travel Book, which contains useful information on combat moves and weapons. With your 25 xp, you can purchase a new skill, Guillotine. While you're looking at the book, check out some of the other moves you already have access to.

Once you're done with your Travel Book, take out a few more lesser lycanthropes, then get ready for a fiercer foe. After the short cutscene, take on the giant wolf that bursts through the gate. Tap whichever button appears on screen to release yourself from the beast's grip and get to your feet; be ready to do this if the beast tackles you again. Now you'll learn a few more useful skills. Block with Left Trigger; when you encounter an unblockable enemy attack (which you will almost immediately), use Left Trigger and the Left Stick to dodge it. When you're knocked to the ground, press A quickly for an instant recovery.

Battle the great warg, using your daggers and other attacks, and avoiding its charges. Use block and doge frequently, and take every opportunity to deal damage to the beast without taking it yourself. Sometimes the warg will become distracted by the villagers, allowing you to rip into it with a powerful combo. Guillotine works well here, especially if you can approach from the warg's sides or back, but be ready to dodge away immediately if the monster turns on you. Once you've taken the beast's health down completely, be ready to grab the large wooden pillar next to you. Press Right Trigger to bring the jagged pillar up into position; the warg, in its frenzied aggression, will impale itself on the pillar in a last desperate attempt to destroy you. Once it does, you'll have completed the game's opening level.

In the cutscene that opens this level, you'll learn a bit more about Gabriel's motivations, and meet a glowing, talking unicorn. Study the horseback controls--displayed on the screen following the cut-scene--before beginning the level. Keep in mind that you can target both the werewolves, and the wargs they ride, with Y and X, respectively. You can also dodge while on horseback, using the same controls as when on foot.

Fight off the two warg-riders that attack soon after the level begins. One will appear on one side, then another on the other. Be ready to press a button when you're bumped by the wargs--the circles will appear and align--in order to stay on your steed. If you fall, or if you defeat both enemies, you'll have to battle some lycanths on the ground while you wait for your mount to find you. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, though, since you'll be able to learn a new skill, and get some xp. On the ground, learn how to launch a counterattack: block an enemy's attack with good timing, then tap X a few times to unleash a series of powerful strikes while the enemy is vulnerable. Battle a few lycans, then, in the next cutscene, regain your ride.

You'll have to make it through a few sections of forest, with a combination of mounted and ground battles. While on your horse, you can ride a warg--and quickly return to your horse after dispatching the warg--by first destroying the beast's rider, then dealing damage to it, and, finally, when the warg begins to glow, pressing Right Trigger. Make it to the end of the hunting path to continue your journey.

Move down the path into the bog. When you find the body of the fallen knight, examine it to receive a Life Gem Medallion. Collecting gems to fit into the medallion will eventually increase your maximum health. Check the corpse just ahead to find a scroll, which will give you a hint about progressing safely through the bog. Just to the left, climb up the series of ledges. Follow the prompts to learn how to climb, jump, and drop down while clinging to ledges.

On the section of path ahead, you'll enter a cutscene. Once it;s over, grab the grenade on the path ahead and quickly throw it (into a group of enemies, if possible). Then, battle the remaining goblins. They're relatively weak foes, whose main strength lies in numbers. Use area attacks and counterattacks to dispatch them. After the next cutscene, proceed into the bog, being careful to avoid the patches of bubbles that signal the nearness of naiads. If they grab you, time the circle alignment to escape their grasp. Your progress through the mire is slow; you can jump in to make a bit of progress, but once in the bog, you can only wade slowly ahead or back. Remember, the gas to either side is poisonous, so you can't just wade around the naiads. To the left up ahead is a health font, and, beyond it, a goblin village. To the right is the main path, where you'll need to avoid more naiads, and, further along, battle more goblins. Look for a fallen knight along a side path ahead to find another gem for your medallion.

Up ahead, battle through another goblin village. When you come to the dead tree, you'll need to use the goblins' grenades to knock it down. Grab a goblin and take it out, and you'll be able to pick up and throw its grenade. A few shots will fell the tree, allowing you to move on across it, and further into the bog. Look to the platform on the left just past the tree to find another dead knight, and another scroll. Then proceed into the swamp. The path here is thick with naiads, so be ready to escape their attacks. Ahead are more goblins. Take them out, then proceed along the path, battling more of their ilk. Look for the stairs ahead on the left. Climb them to find the mausoleum. Climb up the ledges on the left side of the tomb to enter it. Inside, you'll receive an upgrade to the Combat Cross, allowing it to be used as a grappling hook. Use your new climbing ability to leave the mausoleum.

Outside again, you'll be confronted by an angry swamp troll. Jump when prompted to avoid the shock wave it triggers when it pounds the ground. As the battle progresses, try to take advantage of your aerial position when avoiding the shock wave to launch attacks. The shock wave can't be blocked, but the troll's other attacks--including plucking up gravestones and swinging them at you--can, allowing you to launch powerful counterattacks. The troll will often block when you score multiple hits; when it does, back off, and look for an opportunity to attack again. If the troll grabs you, rapidly tap whichever button appears on screen to escape. You can destroy tombstones to find more daggers; they'll appear under stones the troll destroys as well. Once the troll's health is gone, it will be begin shining, prompting you to finish it off. Hit Right Trigger, and be ready to time up several rounds of aligning circles and button taps. If you miss any of them, you'll be thrown to the ground and pummeled. If you time it right, you'll destroy the troll.

After defeating the troll, examine the Brotherhood Ark, then approach the tree on the other side of the graveyard, and use your hook to leave the area. Follow the path; when it forks in the next section, check the path on the left for a health font. then head down the stairs to the right. Jump, climb, and use your hook to cross the series of platforms over the ravine ahead. You'll receive prompts to help you along the way. Once on the other side of the ravine, go up the stairs and into the building to finish the level.

Move down the path through the forest, being sure to examine each set of carvings as you come to them. Most of the five carvings are in plain view; the only tricky one--the third--is off in the bushes on the far right of the screen, just after you go around the sharp bend into the stream. It's opposite the fallen knight, who lies on the ground on the left side of the screen. In the same area is another fallen knight, and a gem. When you've found all five runes, take them to the glowing opening at the end of the river. Ignore the ark on the left for now; you won't be able to get it until you learn new skills. At the end of the river, use Pan's Amulet, on the left side of the opening. Arrange the runes in the order in which they occur on the bar on the right of the screen to gain entry to the next section. There, climb the path to speak to the Guardian of the Lake.

After the cutscene, you'll have to solve a puzzle in order to reach your dead wife and speak to. The object is to line up all three rings so that the pieces of the bridge over them connects with the path on the bottom of the screen, allowing you to follow it across the bridge. You only have a limited amount of moves; each time you rotate a ring, the pendulum above Marie will get lower, and when it reaches her, you'll fail the puzzle. The secret is to rotate all three wheels in the same direction, clockwise. The quickest way--though not the only one--to line up the bridge is to turn the outer ring twice, then the inner ring twice as well, and, finally, the middle ring once. When you've solved the puzzle, you'll get a cutscene, and move on to the next level.

Head forward toward the frozen lake. Be sure to check the fallen knight on the left at the end of the dock to find a life gem. Then, continue forward, across the ice. You'll run into a cutscene, in which you'll meet the titan who lives in the lake.

In order to stop the ferocious titan, you'll need to destroy the runes that dot its body. First, though, you'll have to reach it, which will entail avoiding its attacks as you cross the ice toward it. Watch out for the lines of icy spike raised when its fist slams down to the surface of the lake. Dodge to avoid these. When the monster slams its fist down, jump at the right instant to avoid the shaking of the ice, which does a small amount of damage. When the titan holds its right palm over the ice, and the blue glow appears beneath it, run to either side. Jump when the corresponding blue glow appears on the ice beneath you. If you're trapped in the ring of ice that rises around the blue circle, you'll have to pound on the ice until it shatters, or take damage from the titan's descending fist.

When you reach the vicinity of the enemy, wait for its left fist to slam down and get stuck in the ice. When it does, use your hook to grapple up onto its arm. While climbing along the ledges on the titan's arm, be ready to stop and hold Right Trigger to keep your grip and avoid falling when it shakes its arm. Make your way up its arm by following the ledges around, and jumping up when you find a break in the armor above you. Climb all the way around to the end of the ledge at the top of the creature's forearm to find the first rune. Press X to attack it; you'll need to hit it several times before it breaks. Be ready to cling to the ledge when the arm shakes.

To reach the next rune, you'll have to first travel along the monster's arm again, this time horizontally. Dodge its other hand, which it uses to try to crush you like a bug. Doge the hand, then hook it and climb up. Ride the hand until you see the glowing breastplate, then swing immediately across to it. Cling to the narrow ledge when the beast shakes, and follow the groove upward when it's still. Find the second rune at the top of the groove, and pound away at it as much as you can. Be ready to dodge again, when the monster's hand approaches, trying to brush you off. If you get knocked to the ground at any point during the battle, you'll have to avoid the titan's attacks again, and wait for your opportunity to climb up it again. You'll be able to skip the first section, but you'll still have to dodge the hand, ride it across to the chest, and do the rest of the sequence to reach whichever spot you fell from.

Wail away at the rune, dodging and clinging when necessary, until the rune is shattered. When the monster rears back in pain, be ready to grapple its chin, which you can use to swing around to its back. There's another rune there, but you'll have to climb down and across to reach it. Dodge the titan's hand as it once again tries to brush you off. Destroy the third rune, then climb back upward, toward the titan's newly exposed brain. The monster will be shaking almost non-stop from now on, so whatever you do, you'll have to fit it in between bouts of clinging desperately to the ledge, and dodging the attempts of the monster to brush you off. Swing up onto the titan;s brain, and climb around to the right, on the lower level. The last rune is to the right. Find it, and destroy it, or at least do enough damage to it to summon Patrick Stewart to save you. After the following cutscene, the first chapter will be over.

The next leg of Gabriel's journey takes him deep into the territory of the lycanthropes, or werewolves. His ultimate goal is the Dark Lord of the lycanthropes himself, but before he can reach the powerful monster, he'll have to battle hordes of lesser and greater wolves. After upgrading his Combat Cross, Gabriel will master the ability to ride some of the monsters he faces, turning their own ferocity to his advantage. He'll also meet a powerful new ally...and lose her again all too soon.

Move down the path to the cliff, and drop down to the ledge. Drop down again, and use your hook on the glowing spot on the next ledge. From there, rapel down the cliff until you see another glowing spot off to your left. Grapple across to it, swing to the opposite cliff face, then drop down to ledge below. Examine the fallen knight ahead to find a scroll. Then, drop down to the ground below. In the cave beneath the waterfall is a set of carvings, but you won't be able to examine it if this is your first visit to this level. You'll need to return later, after you've been granted the ability to use Shadow Magic.

Cross the river and move along the path on its banks. Up ahead, battle a lycanth. Once he's defeated, absorb the Neutral Elemental Orbs he drops. Learn how to use your Light Magic powers to heal yourself during battle. Be ready to battle another lycanth just ahead. Once both have been destroyed, drop down to the path below. Up ahead, absorb the neutral elemental power surrounding the statue. Then, move ahead down the path. Battle the pack of werewolves that attack from up the path. If you take damage, use your newfound Light Magic abilities to heal yourself. From now on, be sure to absorb all the neutral elemental orbs you encounter.

At the ancient ruins ahead, where the path forks, go to the right, drop down into the river bed, and move forward. You'll have to battle a group of goblins. Beyond them, examine the fallen knight to find a Light Magic gem. Then, return to the ruins, and take the left-hand fork. Battle more goblins, and continue along the path until you find a grapple point high up on a wall. Use it, and the ledges in the area, to climb out of the ruins. At the top, move along the path, and examine the fallen knight head for another scroll. Further on, grapple up to the window of the ancient building and press X to break through to the other side. There, examine the fallen knight to find the Focus Scroll, which will introduce you to yet another power. Practice the focus ability on the warg that appears as soon as you close the travel book. Keep dealing damage to the warg, and avoiding taking damage yourself, until your focus meter is full. As long as the meter is full, enemies will drop neutral elemental orbs each time you hit them, rather than only when they die. This will come in handy later, allowing you to fill your meter much faster.

After defeating the warg, you'll have to find a way to blast through the heavy stone doors ahead. Luckily, a pack of goblins will descend on you now, and you can steal their grenades and use them to destroy the door. Two grenade blasts should destroy the door. This is another good opportunity to practice chaining together attacks to raise your focus bar. When the door has been destroyed, move on through the doorway and up the path ahead. Fight more werewolves as you move ahead. When the path forks at the giant dead tree, go right and examine the corpse there to find another scroll. Then move around to the other side, and use the series of ledges and grapple points to climb up and, eventually, swing into the stump of the dead tree. This will end the level.

Move into the tunnels beneath the dead tree. At the end of the path, drop down onto the ledge, but don't drop down again. Instead, crawl along the ledge to the left. Jump up, then back, to safely reach the next section of path. There, you'll encounter a cutscene in which you're attacked by a giant spider. Immediately following the cutscene, tap whatever button appears on the screen to escape the spider's grasp. Then battle the beast. Tap whichever button appears on the screen whenever the spider jumps on you, or traps you in its web. These giant spiders are also capable of poisoning you; be ready to use your Light Magic to counteract the effects of the toxin. When you're done with this first spider, move ahead, down the path and across the series of grapple points and ledges. Another giant spider and a pack of werewolves await you ahead. Your best bet here is to pick off the wolves first, so that you can concentrate on the spider. You'll have to destroy them all before moving on.

When the beasts are all defeated, climb out of the room via the opening on the right. Follow another series of grapple points and ledges forward to the right. After climbing back up onto the path, you'll have to jump across to the platform on the right. From there, balance across the spiderweb bridge to the next platform. If you start to fall, hold Right Trigger to regain your balance before moving on. Check the corpse on the other side of the web for a scroll. Then, move ahead down the path. Up ahead, cross on another, longer spiderweb, and continue along the path. When you come to the stone door, fight a group of goblins. Steal their grenades and use them to destroy the door. Follow the path beyond, and examine the corpse to find a stone key. Then return to the main path, and fight your way forward. There are several more spiderwebs up ahead. Climb up the wall on the right side of the large room via the ledges there. Follow the ledges, and the grapple point, all the way around to the passageway. Out on the platform beyond, search the corpse to find the second key. From there, drop down to the floor below. Approach the doorway ahead, and use the keys to gain entry. Inside, you'll find another upgrade for your Combat Cross. Move further into this building, and use your cross's new spiked chain to saw through the barrier ahead. Then continue along the passageway ahead to end this level.

Move forward into the ancient city, and examine the door. After the ensuing cutscene, battle a horde of goblins, including one riding a giant warthog. Destroy the warthogs rider, then deal damage directly to the beast. When it flashes, press Right Trigger to mount the warthog. You can now ride the beast, and use its charge attack to destroy the door, and any lingering enemies. After crashing through the door, destroy the warthog, then climb up the series of ledges on the left side of the wall ahead. Grapple to the top of the wall, and move on. Ahead is a series of narrow beams, which you'll need to balance across. Find a scroll on the fallen knight at the end of the series of beams. Then climb up a series of ledges on the pillar on the left. Cross the gap by crawling across the beam overhead. From there, drop down to the ledge, and use the grapple point to swing across to the far side. Then continue on.

Ahead, examine the lever in the ground. Turn the lever to open the door ahead. Watch out for a pack of werewolves to jump you here. After dispatching them, go through the doorway. In the next area, look for a health font on the left, and a fallen knight with a scroll on the right. After crossing the bridge ahead, go right to find a bag of daggers. Then move left, and jump across the large gap in the floor to proceed. Battle a pack of goblins in the room ahead. Once they're down, you'll meet your first greater lycanthrope. Stronger and more deadly than their lesser counterparts, these large wolves must be handled with greater care. They also require a series of quick-time events to finish them off. Eliminate this one, then find the wooden bar one of the goblins was carrying earlier. Pick it up and bring it to the mechanism in the floor. Fix the bar into the left side of the mechanism's face, then turn it to open the door. The ensuing cutscene will end this level.

As soon as you gain control, examine the fallen knight on the left to find a scroll. Then move ahead down the path. In the next area, jump across to the large platform. Fight the giant spider there. After dealing enough damage to the spider to make it flash, press Right Trigger to mount it. Use the spider's webs to pull down the tree on the right. Once you've done this, destroy the beast, then grapple across to the tree. Move along the path on the far side, jumping across the gaps. At the end of the path, use the ledges to cross another, larger gap. Hold Right Trigger and press A to get safely across. After climbing up another series of ledges, and grappling across to another platform, you'll have to fight another greater lycanthrope.

Further ahead, fight more werewolves, including a greater one. After defeating them, use your cross to pull down the face of the statue on the right. Use it as a bridge to the next section. From it, you'll be old to grapple and rapel down the sheer face of the wall. Further ahead, fight a group of small trolls, accompanied by one large one. The smaller trolls will keep coming, so concentrate on the large one. Once you've dealt enough damage to it, you'll be able to ride it. Once on its back, use its strong melee attacks to fend off the smaller trolls. Smash the rocks blocking your path, then strangle the troll and grapple across to the far side of the gap. Look for a health font just ahead. Further on, you'll need to saw through a barrier in order to proceed. Watch for more lycanthropes ahead. Use the series of ledges to the left of this area to reach a grapple point and move on. Ahead, fight another giant spider. When you can, mount the spider, and make it sling a web across the gap formerly traversed by the bridge. Then kill the spider, and carefully cross the web. Use the neutral energy font on the right to refill your Light Magic meter. Then go through the doorway, and saw through the statue on the right ahead. In the next area, find the Shadow Magic Medallion. Learn how to use Shadow Magic (a dark counterpart to Light Magic). Then return to the neutral energy font you used earlier and fill up your Shadow Magic meter. Next, go back inside the building, and examine the plate on the left side of the doorway straight ahead. Activate your Shadow Magic to open the door. If you'd like, try out your Shadow Magic on the group of werewolves ahead. After defeating them, use the ledge to reach the grapple point on the wall at the end of the room. From there, swing around to reach the next grapple point, and follow the ledge around to another. Continue along the ledges and grapple points to climb out of the level.

When you begin this level, you'll meet a mysterious girl, whose glowing crystal somehow grants her control over a demon. After saving you from a troll, she'll jet, and you'll have to find a path through the ruins in order to rendezvous with her. Head to the right, and battle a pack of werewolves. Once they're dead, you can grapple across the gap ahead, and move on.

Up ahead is a gap too far to jump across, and it's here that you'll have to mount the first of three beasts. A warg will appear here; battle it until it's stunned, then jump on its back, and use it to leap across the gap. Now you'll have the chance to put the warg's claws and teeth to work for you, shredding the pack of werewolves here. When they're all down, continue on with your warg. When you reach the end of the path, strangle the beast and keep going on foot.

Ahead is a group of trolls, one big one and a slew of smaller beasts. Keep the little guys off you as you deal steady damage to the big boy. The small trolls will keep appearing, so concentrate on the big one as much as possible. When the large troll is stunned, hop aboard, and use it to flatten any remaining little guys. Then ride the troll forward. Plow through any enemies in your path, and, when you come to a large metal gate, use the troll's brutish strength to burst through it. You'll have to choke out the monster almost immediately, and continue on alone.

Ahead is another warg, which you'll need to cross the gaps further on. Werewolves will attack here as well. Concentrate on the warg, wearing it down as you keep the smaller beasts off you. Subdue the warg, and mount it. Use the beast to destroy any remaining wolves, then head forward, across the gaps. Don't abandon your warg; you'll need it to climb up the vines at the end of the path. If you do lose the beast, you can return to the place where you found it, and fight another. There are grapple points beneath the wide gap, which you can use to return to the platform. Bring the warg to the vines, and climb up to finish the level.

In order to safely reach the dungeon far below, you'll have to descend by a series of ledges and grapple points. Remember that you can push off against the wall when hanging by the chain, giving yourself momentum in the required direction. Also, you can jump straight back to a nearby ledge by holding Right Trigger and jumping. When you reach the bottom of the ruins, drop down and continue on more solid ground.

After briefly meeting up with the girl again, you'll have to find two keys in order to extend the bridge and continue on. Head down the passageway on your left. Up ahead, you'll meet a few gremlins. You can jump up to kill these flying creatures, or yank them down with your chain. After eliminating the first flight of gremlins, check the corpse on the ground here to find the first key. A few more gremlins will show up once the key is in your possession. Check the corpse in the small alcove on the right for a Shadow Magic Gem, then head back the way you came.

Go to the room with the bridge, and insert the first key into its slot. This will extend the bridge partway, allowing you to drop down onto the section of floor on the right, and continue on. When you come to the locked door, fight the gremlins and giant spider that show up. Subdue the spider, and use its web to open a hole in the door large enough for you to fit through. Kill the spider and move on alone. Use the health font in the next room, and search the fallen knight there to find the second key. Then head back to the bridge room. You'll have to fight through a large flight of gremlins after going through the hole in the door again.

After inserting the second key into its slot, head across the fully extended bridge. Scale the wall up ahead via the series of ledges and grapple points. At the top, fight a large pack of gremlins. You won't have to destroy them all, just enough to trigger a cutscene. Don't worry, you won't have to battle the huge metallic creature that appears now. After speaking--or anyway, thinking--with the girl, you'll have finished the level.

In order to gain entrance to the Sanctuary of the Titans, you'll need to assemble four shards into a complete Dark Crystal, and use it to open the gates ahead. Head down the narrow pathway on the left side of the area, and follow it along, fighting the pack of werewolves that attacks just ahead. The first crystal shard isn't far ahead. Look for it in a small alcove on the right near the end of the pathway, just after you're attacked by another pack of wolves. After grabbing the shard, turn around and move on.

When you come to another pack of snarling werewolves, wipe the beasts out, then use the ledges nearby to cross the large gap ahead. Another pack awaits you on the far side; deal with it, then grab the second shard, and heal yourself at the health font here. This area is a dead end, so return the way you came, across the gap.

Use the ledges on the high, narrow wall just beyond the gap to climb upward, to a point from which you can grapple to a still higher point. Do so, then push off, jump, and grapple to another point, on the opposite wall. From here, you can climb up to a crumbling pathway. Run along it, and jump to clear the gaps in your path. At the end of the hallway, use the ledges on the wall to the left to descend into another area. You'll have to battle three greater lycanthropes up ahead. This is a tough battle; try to keep the beasts separated, providing yourself with room to dodge. Pick off the wolves as you can; you won't be able to concentrate entirely on one at a time, but the quicker you can pick off each in turn, the easier time you'll have with the rest. After destroying all three wolves, climb up to the walkway surrounding the area, and look for the third shard along the path on the left.

To get the fourth and final shard, drop down into the large open area ahead. After picking up the shard, examine the statue blocking the exit to summon a troll. Subdue the troll, then get on his back and use his strength to blast through the statue. Then kill the troll, and head through the doorway, back into the area in front of the main gate.

If you found the shards in order, you'll have a complete crystal. If you missed any, you'll need to head back into the level and find any pieces you're missing. Fit the completed crystal into the statue, and the gate will open. To finish the level, you'll still need to open one more gate. Take the crystal from the statue outside--the gate will remain open--and fit it into the glowing statue on the far side of the room. Then grab the handle of the statue and turn it so the beam of light is pointing at the statue straight across the room. Turn that statue so that the beam points at the third and final statue, then turn that one so that the beam points at the gate, unlocking the door and allowing you to proceed.

Here you'll face another titan battle, as you may have guessed. When the fight begins, stay where you are; approaching the titan will expose you to an endless series of fiery rocks from above, and gain you nothing. When the titan raises its leg, jump to avoid the damaging shock of its stomp. When the titan plucks a stone from the air and hurls it at you, wait for the stone to glow, indicating that you can grab it. Use the Combat Cross to grab the rock, and turn Left Stick in circles counterclockwise to return the boulder to the titan. You'll have to repeat this step, after dodging a barrage of flaming boulders, if you're knocked from the titan. Hitting it with the rock will stun the monster, allowing you to run toward it and, when you're close enough, grab its grapple point and begin climbing up it.

Move up the titan's leg, clinging on when it shakes. When you can, grapple the point on its other leg, and swing across. From there, descend the ledges on its right leg, until you come to the first rune, on its left knee. Get into position, and shatter the rune with 10 strikes. Cling on when necessary. When the rune is shattered, quickly drop down a few ledges, protecting you from the titan's incoming hand. Grapple onto the hand, and get into position to destroy the next rune. Once it's gone, drop down again, avoiding another hand, and use the huge appendage to approach the next rune. Break this third rune, then climb as high up as you can to avoid another swat. Now you'll have to grapple over to one of the huge stones rotating around the titan's head. Ride it until you can grapple over to the thing's head, and, from there, climb the few ledges between you and the last rune. Smash this, and be ready fro a quick-time event in the ensuing cutscene. If you miss, you'll have to retrace your steps up the titan. If you time it right, you'll defeat the titan and move on to the next level.

Now you'll have to battle the huge Black Knight Golem, who's understandably upset with you. This is a fairly straightforward boss battle, forcing you to avoid the enemy's powerful but slow attacks, while you damage it whenever and however you can. Dodge often, and attack frequently. You shouldn't have too much trouble building up your focus meter here, allowing you to make repeated use of both Light and Shadow Magic. When the golem starts to glow (he'll do this a total of four times before the battle's over), approach him and press Right Trigger, then follow the prompt on the screen, to strip off a piece of his armor. Later in the battle, the golem will start to release oozing black oil slicks, which will immobilize you for a time if they hit you. These can be avoided, but they'll keep coming. They move faster than the golem himself, and can complicate the battle to a great degree. It's best if you destroy the oil slicks as they appear, keeping the arena clear for you to move around and attack in. You'll have to do a downward of upward attack to destroy the slicks; guillotine works well here (and against the golem himself, too). Keep destroying the slicks, avoiding the golem;s other attacks, and dealing damage whenever you can, sometimes with the aid of Shadow Magic. When the fourth piece of armor, the helmet, is off, the Black Knight will be destroyed, and you'll be free to continue your quest, with the added bonus of the knight's gauntlet.

In this short chapter, Gabriel finally meets his first Dark Lord: Cornell, the leader of the lycanthropes. Before the inevitable battle, Cornell reveals some startling information regarding Gabriel's order, the Brotherhood of Light. First, though, Gabriel must gain access to the Dark Lord's realm. To do so, he'll have to harness the powers of the fairies that dwell amidst the ruins of The Three Towers.

Alone again after your brief time with Claudia and her golem, move forward, and use the new abilities granted you by the Dark Gauntlet to smash the statue into the wall ahead, creating a ledge you can use to hop the wall. Only do this if you're out of Shadow Magic. If you have some, activate it, and combine it with the Dark Gauntlet to further smash the statue. On the far side of the wall, battle a few werewolves. Then go down the stairs to the right, and use the neutral energy font in the large open area there to fully recharge both your Light and Shadow meters. Then head back to the statue, and smash it one more time to create a grapple point, which you can use to swing across the gap ahead.

Further on, check the right side of the platform for crystals, then jump over the next gap, and search the knight there for a scroll. There follows a short platforming section; run and jump on each platform to reach the next, and use the ledges and grapple points further on to climb up to the next section of the level. There, destroy a pack of werewolves. Practice using the gauntlet--a powerful weapon--in combat. Toward the end of this battle, you'll notice some of the werewolves becoming immobilized, allowing you to attack them at your leisure. This is because some helpful, naked fairies--who you'll meet when you're done with the wolves--have arrived to help you. They'll open the doorway, allowing you to proceed. Now you can store fairies, which will come in handy soon.

Check the knight in the next room for a Shadow Magic crystal, and use the font to recharge your meters. Look for the grapple point on the left; use it to pull down a section of wall, allowing you to climb a few ledges. Swing across the gap nearby to find a fallen knight with a Light Magic gem. Then return the way you came. Just ahead, use the crank in the floor to open the gates ahead. In the next room, fight a group of wolves. You'll need three fairies to open the door ahead. Go to the left, and subdue the warg you'll find there. Then ride it all the way back to the right, and use its climbing ability on the vines at the end of the path. Jump the gap further on, and use the warg's vicious attacks to defeat the lycans--a few lesser and one greater--on the next platform. Then strangle your mutt, and use the wheel to open the gate ahead. You'll need to time up several circles to keep the wheel moving. In the next room is a series of three runes, which can only be activated with magic. Activate your Light Magic, and examine the first rune. Then switch to your Shadow Magic, and hit the second and third runes.

Before moving on, use the grapple point visible through the doorway on the left, then another grapple point outside, to reach a series of ledges. Climb up to the top of the building to find your first fairy. Descend the nearby set of stairs to find a neutral energy font, and a useless hint scroll. Then return to the balcony outside the room with the runes, via the single grapple point accessible from the ledge past the font, and continue on, using the three grapple points along the length of the giant statue.

Up ahead, when your way is blocked by a gate, pick up the log on the ground, and bring it over to the mechanism on the wall (the mechanism will glow when you pick up the log). A greater lycanthrope is lurking here, but he won't attack until you actually fit the lever into the wall (thus opening yourself up to attack). Don't try to crank the lever while the beast is attacking; let go, defeat the wolf, then turn your attention back to the crank. Once the door is open, you can remove the log, and carry it back into the previous room, where you may have noticed another mechanism in the far wall. Fit the lever in and crank again, giving you access to the ledge outside. From there, climb the series of ledges to the roof, where you'll find another fairy. Then return to the room, and go through the door you opened first. Ascend the series of grapple points and ledges until you come to another fairy location. This should be three, enough to open the main gates. Cross the platform to the opposite side, and drop down the ledges and grapple points there. Watch for the break in the wall as you descend; drop in and examine the knight for a Shadow Magic gem. Then continue down the side of the building. Check the knight at the bottom for another Shadow Magic gem, then go inside. There's a health font on a balcony off to the left. The grapple point nearby will lead you in the right direction; follow it and the next few ledges and points down, to a familiar area. Turn the crank in the floor again, and battle the three greater lycanthropes that appear here. Remember your gauntlet. Wear down the wolves, and destroy them one by one. Then, use the grapple point to the right to pull down a section of wall, and climb the ledges. They'll lead you back to the main gate, which you can now open, using your three fairies. The cutscene will end this level.

Be sure to fill up at the health and neutral energy fonts at the bottom of the stairs. Then hop across the gap to begin the battle. You'll need all the help you can get against Cornell, the first of the Dark Lords, and the toughest boss you've faced so far.

Cornell will take some damage before he goes down, and his own attacks do a pretty good amount of damage to you, so you'll want to stay clear of him and wear down his health when he leaves himself open. He has several attacks, all of which can be dodged if you keep enough space between him and you. Dodge to either side when he rushes you, then lay into him with heavy attacks. When he pounds the ground, use your mandatory jump to launch a guillotine, a useful attack against this dark lord, especially if you've upgraded it with the follow-up upward strike at the end. Keep pegging away at Cornell, using both Light and Shadow Magic as needed, until his health bar is empty, triggering a cutscene.

The battle, of course, isn't over yet. Cornell will wolf up, or wolf out, or whatever it is he does, and you'll have to battle his beast form. He's bigger, and his attacks do more damage, but they're also easier to avoid. He only has the two attacks now: he'll claw at you if you're nearby, and rush you if you're far off. Both can be dodged without much trouble. It's also easier to build up your focus meter during this phase of the battle, allowing you to recharge your magic meters. Stick and move, wearing down the werewolf's health until it's empty.

In the third phase of the battle, you need to destroy the pillars surrounding the area. Note that attacking Cornell directly here is useless; only destroying his pillars will hurt him. Use heavy attacks to destroy each pillar in turn, avoiding Cornell when he rushes at you. For the purposes of Light Magic and your focus meter, the pillars count as enemies, and Cornell doesn't. As long as you remain unhurt, you should be able to take advantage of this to recharge your health and/or your focus meter. Destroy all the pillars to trigger a cutscene. Pay attention, as you'll need to time up a long series of fast-moving circle alignments in order to finish off Cornell. When the beast is dead, you'll get his Cyclone Boots, which will allow you to sprint, increasing your jump distance. Practice this ability as you jump across the gap ahead. Then climb the ledges to meet your new ally, a giant eagle.

Gabriel's next goal is the land of the vampires, and the Dark Lord who dwells there. In order to reach it, though, he'll have to first cross the mountains, which are guarded by the insane and murderous Crow Witch. Before he can even do battle with this guardian, Gabriel must breach her crumbling fortress. Lurking within its walls is a dangerous and enormous monster, which will not allow him to pass while it lives.

After the eagle drops you off, move along the mountain path. Up ahead is a neutral energy font, where you can recharge your magic meters. Further on is a fallen knight, whom you can search to find a scroll. You'll have to use Shadow Magic to burst through the doorway just ahead. Activate your magic, then hold Left Trigger and move the Left Stick forward to use this new technique. Ahead, where the path forks, go right to find a fallen knight with a Life gem. Then go left, and use the ledges on the wall beneath you to move forward.

After climbing back up to solid ground, battle a group of small trolls. When they're all cleared out, use your sprinting ability to jump the gap ahead; hug the left side of the path as you approach the gap, to give yourself more running space. On the far side of the gap, battle more trolls. Then head left, grapple across the gap there, and continue along the path. You'll have to sprint to clear the next gap. After that, use the series of ledges and grapple points to reach a higher platform, where you'll run into another group of trolls. This battle will be interrupted by the gigantic ogre that appears behind the wall.

Once you've cleared out the first wave of trolls, be sure to stay toward the right of the platform; the ogre will send the left side tumbling down, which will kill you instantly if you're there at the time. A thin section of the ground will fall away on the right next, allowing you to flee in that direction. You won't get far, though; after swinging across by the grapple point overhead, your path will be blocked by the ogre's hand. Try to avoid its attacks, and deal damage to it. If the hand grabs you, be ready to rapidly tap whichever button appears on screen. When you've drained the ogre's arm's health, it will withdraw; move forward quickly, and grapple across the gap ahead, and, from there, across to another platform. If you linger too long, the ogre's arm will reappear, and you'll have to battle it again, though thankfully it won't have full health.

Now you'll have to meet the ogre face-to-face. Avoid the massive arms as they slam down, and deal damage to them when you have the chance. You can also attack the ogre's torso when it leans close to the platform. Take advantage of the energy font on the far left to recharge as needed, but be ready to dodge the troll's arms at all times. Watch for the troll's health bar to glow gray once you've lowered it enough; when it does, dodge the next fist it drops at you--and the shock wave this causes--then get close, and grapple onto the glowing hand. Be ready for a quick-time event here.

After poking out one of the ogre's eyes, be ready for it to pound at you with a rock. Follow the same strategy as before, dodging the ogre's attacks, dealing damage to it whenever you can. When it leans in on the right, clutching for another rock, attack its arm and body to prevent it from grabbing the rock. Wear down its health far enough, and you'll be able to grapple onto its hand again. Perform the circle alignments that follow to completely blind the beast. Now it will pound down desperately. Avoid its attacks, and do enough damage to drain the sliver of health it has remaining. Then grapple onto its head, and perform a few more alignments to put the beast down for good.

Fill up at the font, then continue on to the right. Check the knight in the trench ahead for a scroll. Further on, smash through the barrier with Shadow Magic and follow the next passageway to find a room with a Light Magic gem, and a fairy. Then return the way you came, and follow the passage on the left. Move forward, grappling and ledge-climbing when necessary. Eventually you'll come to a battle with a bunch of small trolls, and one large one. Fend off the little guys--who, annoyingly, throw rocks at you from afar--while working on the big one. When you've got him stunned, mount up, then pummel the remaining smaller trolls. Blast through the door at the end of the area, and into a cutscene. When it's over, head up the stairs, where trolls fear to tread.

Shortly, you'll meet a chupacabra, who is a jerk. He'll steal your relics, and you'll have to pursue him to get them back. Follow him out through the hole in the wall on the right, via the series of ledges there. In the next section, climb another series of ledges. Drop down to where the chupacabra waits for you, and grab the filthy little beast to regain your relics. Head back out the way you came, being sure to charge up at the font in this area. Continue up the stairs, and, when you come to the large locked door, use the technique you learned at the beginning of the level to blast through it, ending the stage.

Check the knight on the floor in front of you to find a scroll, and the one at the top of the stairs to find a Light Magic gem. Then head out the broken window on the left side of the room. Before climbing the mountain, drop down to the ledge on the left, and follow the series of ledges and grapple points downward. In the room at the end of the path, battle a few trolls, then collect the Shadow Magic gem from the fallen knight, and replenish your energy at the font. Then climb up, and use Shadow Magic to burst through the door, back into the room you started in. Head back outside, and up the pathway on the right. Climb the series of ledges and grapple points on the side of the tower, and smash through the window at the top, into the lair of the Crow Witch.

You'll have to battle a swordmaster in the next room. Dodge his attacks, and deal enough damage to stun him, then grab him to finish him off. During the battle, you can grab his sword; if you tap the indicated button rapidly, you'll have a free shot on him for a few seconds. Be sure to do this when his sword begins to glow; otherwise, he'll slam it into the ground, releasing a dangerous wave of electricity that will linger all around the floor for several seconds. Several more swordmasters will attack after the first is defeated; take them all out, then head up the circular staircase ringing the large room, and grapple the point at the top. In the next area, battle three more swordmasters. Then look for the grapple point high up on the left side of the room, and use it to reach the next level. Run all the way to the right, and find a neutral energy font--and a fallen knight with a Life gem--on the balcony outside. Then scale the outside of the wall.

At the very top of the fortress, you'll do battle with Malphas, the Crow Witch. Grab the evil-looking eggs she throws, and hurl them back at her by rotating the Left Stick counterclockwise. When she's stunned, grapple onto her back, and tap whichever button appears to send her smashing back to the ground. While she's lying there, run over and do as much damage as you can. Each time you do so, you'll have to battle a few of her birdlike spawn. Watch out for their fire breath, and take out each one as quickly as you can. When these beasts are stunned, you can grab them to finish them off with a flourish, earning a good amount of neutral energy. When the evil witch traps you with her cry, tap whichever button is indicated to escape your paralysis. Dodge the waves of birds she sends at you. Keep repeating the process, wearing down her health steadily. Be ready for her to send multiple eggs toward you along the same trajectory; when she does, grab and throw the first one, then quickly dodge the next. After you've defeated the witch, the magical horse will appear again, saving you from the crumbling fortress.

The approaches to the vampires' castle fill a chapter in themselves. In the decimated village at the foot of the castle, Gabriel reunites with his ally, whose help he'll need very soon. After dealing with a group of the foul creatures known as ghouls, the two must make their way through the booby-trapped abbey of the mad priest, whose cowardice has doomed the whole area to death and madness. After confronting the priest, and seizing the power to wield holy water against the undead legions, Gabriel continues toward his goal. In order to reach the castle grounds, he must first make his way through the sewers beneath them.

Head into the snowy woods, and battle the few goblins who attack not far up the path. To the left is a fairy. Smash through the stone wall ahead on the right with your Shadow Magic to collect a crystal, and a Life gem. Then return to the path and continue down it. Just ahead, a chupacabra will steal your relics, and you'll have to chase it. First, though, you'll have to battle a village of goblins. Once these varmints are out of the way, follow the thief down the path on the right. When the path branches off to the left, refill your health at the font there. Then keep pursuing the chupacabra. When your way is blocked by a heavy door, battle another group of goblins. These ones have a warthog; you'll need to it break through the door, but first you have to strip it of its rider, and subdue it. Pick off the lesser enemies as you wear down the warthog and its rider. When you're mounted up, ram through the door. Strangle the pig, then refill your health at the font on the right. then continue after the chupacabra.

Just past the fallen knight ahead, you'll need to climb the ledges on the right. You'll then be facing the chupacabra across a wide gap. If you try to jump across, he'll shock you, sending you back down to the ground. First, you need to distract the little beast by releasing a fairy. Then, when the chupacabra is distracted, run up to the edge and jump. He'll be stunned when you get there, and you can grab him and get your relics back. Check the knight here for a scroll, and fill up on energy at the font. Then drop down, and continue along the path. After you battle a few more goblins, you'll drop down to a lower level. Use your Shadow Magic to burst through the wall on the right, and follow the path beyond. Before long, you'll have a fine view of the vampire castle you're heading for. Gaze upon its gothic insanity as you approach it along the path, ending the level.

Head forward, into the large courtyard ahead. Search the knight in the left-hand corner to find a scroll, then move forward, into a cutscene. Once it's over, you'll have to battle a bunch of ghouls. Be sure to avoid the noxious gas spewed by the ones that glow green; if it hits you, activate your Light Magic to rid yourself of the toxin. To stop the ghoul onslaught, you'll have to block the hole they're coming from by toppling the statue nearby. when the area is clear, grapple the statue, then press Y to call for your ally's help. Once he's in position, tap X, then press Y, when prompted, to pull the statue down. In order to plug the next hole, you'll have to first use Shadow Magic to smash the statue to the left of the hole into position. When it's near the hole, and when you have some space free of ghouls, repeat the procedure. The third statue is itself blocked by a wall, which you need to smash through using Shadow Magic. Beyond is a neutral energy font. Use Shadow Magic to punch this statue into position, then topple it as you did the others. When the ghouls are finally trapped underground, check the knight near the third hole to find a Shadow Magic gem. Then smash through the gate to your left and move on. In the mausoleum, climb the stairs to receive another upgrade to your Combat Cross. Use the new stake attachment to turn the wheel in the floor on the left side of the room. You'll have to align several circles to open the door completely. When it's open, head through, and move down the hallway to end the level.

Shortly after entering the catacombs, you'll encounter your first vampires. Show these dangerous foes no mercy. If they grab you, be ready to tap a button rapidly. When they're stunned, you can grab and stake them to finish them off, or just keep attacking them. When you've taken out the first wave, grab the log that the game shows you, and bring it back to the mechanism in the center of the room. More vampires will arrive shortly; you'll probably have to leave the lever alone while you fight them off. When you get the chance, insert the lever into the right side of the mechanism, and turn it to open the door ahead. If you leave it alone, the gate will slam shut. While still holding the lever, call for your ally's help. He'll take the bar, allowing you to move through the doorway. On the other side, use Shadow Magic to slam the statue through the gate; it'll take a few hits. There's a neutral energy font in here if you need it. Return to the previous room, destroy any remaining vampires, and grab the bar from the mechanism. Bring it back to the next room, and insert it into one of the two mechanisms in the floor. You'll have to go through both doors eventually, but the order is up to you.

When you go through the left-hand door, take the lever from the mechanism with you. Fit it into the mechanism in the next area, and turn. Then call your ally to hold the bar in place while you jump onto the platform. Ride the platform to the far side of the gap, then climb the stairs ahead to find the first of the two keys. From its platform, you can jump back to the other side. Don't forget to take the lever with you as you return to the other room.

When you go to the right, leave the bar where it is. You'll have to support a series of potentially bone-crushing stone slabs as you move along the corridor. Obey the onscreen prompts as they appear, tapping X to support the slabs, pressing Y to tell your ally to move forward. Be ready to move forward under the next slab while your buddy supports the one immediately ahead. Don't let the cutscene-like visuals fool you; as soon as he takes up the next slab, you need to move quickly forward. In the room at the end of the corridor is a key. Luckily, you won't have to deal with the slabs again as you return to the main room.

Once you've found both keys, insert them into the locks on either side of the gate, then climb the stairs on the other side of the door. Ahead, you'll encounter a large room, and a puzzle. The vertically standing portal in the right-hand pathway up ahead will teleport you to wherever the horizontal portal on the floor is positioned. In order to proceed, you'll have to find a way to change the floor-portal's position. Smash through the crumbling wall straight ahead with Shadow Magic, and grab the bar inside. Fit it into the mechanism on the floor. By turning it, you can change the position of the destination portal. You'll first have to battle a group of vampires and ghouls. Take them out, then grab the bar and turn. By teleporting into the small fenced-off area on one side, you'll be able to obtain a Light Magic gem. You'll have to climb out if this area via the ledges on the wall on the right. Upon returning to the main floor, you'll then have to battle more ghouls, some poisonous. You can also position the portal near the life font, glowing green on one side of the room, in order to heal yourself. You'll need to operate the wheel on the left, then battle more ghouls, to return to the mechanism. To solve the puzzle, position the floor portal just beyond the vertical one. Then run into the vertical portal to arrive in the same position as you would have if your way hadn't been blocked. Climb the stairs just beyond to finish the level.

Head down the hallway, past the doorway on the left. Collehe fallen knight at the end of the hallway, then return to the room you passed. After the ensuing cutscene, you'll have to battle two hulking reanimated knights. Avoid their attacks, which cover a good area around them. Jump when they unleash a shock wave by slamming their clubs to the floor. Keep the knights separated as much as possible, and don't let them corner you. Once you've dealt them enough damage, you'll be able to strip away their shields, removing their annoying tendency to block. More damage still will give you the opportunity to grab them, and, with a few quick-time events, destroy them. Once they're both down, run over to the gate behind which your ally is trapped.

In the next room, check the fallen knight for a hint scroll which you shouldn't need. Use your Shadow Magic to smash the glowing mechanism into line with the beam coming from the device on the left. Once it's in position, grab the bar and turn the mechanism until the beam is pointing at the door on the wall straight ahead. This will open the door, allowing you to proceed. Be sure to fill up at the energy font in this room. In the next room, check the knight on the left for a scroll. Then smash the first glowing mechanism you see along its tracks. Then move forward, and go down the narrow row of shelves on the right. Follow this passageway around to a fallen knight to find another Light Magic gem. Then return to the glowing mechanism here, and move it forward. Then use the mechanisms to aim the beam of light at the door on the far side of the room, and move on.

In the next area, you'll have to battle a few gremlins. They'll return in groups of two or three to annoy you as you work; just knock them down, and proceed with your business. In this room, you need to once again use Shadow Magic to move mechanisms around, ten turn them to redirect a beam of light. Move the first two mechanisms until you have them in position--this may take two punches for the first mechanism. Then move them so that the beam of light is focused through the opening, on the far side of the room. Use the neutral energy font here to recharge, then head across to the far side of the room. Smash the mechanism there along its tracks, but don't bother positioning it yet. Smash through the wall just to its left. In the next room, battle another huge knight. Once he's destroyed, smash the mechanism to the right, into the position formerly occupied by the other one. Then smash the previous mechanism all the way along its long track, turning and smashing it to the left when necessary. Line up the light so that it shines at the door blocking this last mechanism from view from the position of the other one. then smash through the door to allow the light to pass. Remember, you can refill your magic meters at the font on the other side of the room. Finally, use the farthest mechanism to align the light with the door at the end of the hallway. Once this opens, head forward, into the next level.

Move down the hallway and outside. Just after sighting the abbey tower, move all the way to the left to find a knight with a scroll. As you move to the right, you'll have to battle a group of ghouls and gremlins. Fight them off, then hop over the ledge of the structure on the far right of the area, and go inside. Find a Life gem on the fallen knight there. Then head all the way down to the end, go back outside again, and look for a scroll (explaining something you learned three or four chapters again) on the fallen knight there. Then jump the gap nearby, and use your Combat Cross to yank down the drawbridge on the other side.

In the next area, you'll be faced with a large flock of gremlins. Once they're grounded, activate the wheel ahead to open the gate, and go through. Follow the halls and stairways forward. When you see a ledge, jump to it, and start climbing. You can jump and shimmy all the way over to the right-hand corner of the wall. You'll want to move fast on the last section of ledge, as they crumble after a few seconds. Be ready to grapple from the last crumbling ledge. From there, climb up to another set of ledges, then grapple up again, and run back and forth at the end of your line to build up enough momentum to reach the platform on the right. Climb up into the building, and move on.

Ahead is another series of ledges. Here you'll need to jump back and forth a few times between the two tightly positioned walls. There are more crumbling ledges ahead; be ready to grapple as soon as you can. Climb up, swing over, and jump around the corner on the left to reach your next grapple point, from which you can climb up to another set of ledges. Jump to the left, and grapple again. Climb almost to the top, but not quite, and bust through the boarded-up window, into a cutscene.

Move down the alleyway, and refill your health and magic meters at the relevant fonts. Then swing across into the battle. First, you'll be confronted by a large group of vampires. You can try out the Holy Water Flasks you got in the last level here, but don't use them all. They;re very effective against vampires, but you'll want to save some for the main fight. After you've eliminated the vampires, you'll be introduced to Brauner, who's considerably bigger and more dangerous than his lesser kin, though he's far from the toughest foe you've fought.

Avoid Brauner's main attacks: his slashing claws when he's up close, and his quick rush when he's farther away. These are pretty much variations on attacks you've seen already, from other bosses, and you should be able to evade them without too much trouble. When Brauner taunts you to catch his projectile, get ready to do so. There's no need to turn the Left Stick here, as in earlier battles; just grab the thing with Right Trigger, and you'll hurl it back at Brauner automatically. Use holy water on the foul creature; it'll take a good chunk of health from his bar. When Brauner is stunned for the first time, run up to him and grab him. Complete the quick-time events to cripple your foe. In the second phase of the battle, Brauner's projectile is considerably harder to catch, so much so that you may want to consider just dodging it, and wearing him down with your own attacks. If you have any holy water left, now is a good time to use it. Brauner will transform into a bunch of bats and fly around the level, and the game's fixed camera can make it a bit tricky to track where he goes, but once he changes back to his humanoid form, lay into him again. Keep the damage coming until he's stunned again, then run up and complete the circle alignment and button tapping needed to put him down for good.

Move forward, into the building ahead. In the large sewer entrance room, go down the stairs and wade through the muck to find a fallen knight with a scroll. By wading all the way to the right of the muck pool, via the track of unpoisoned area, you can find a knight with a Shadow Magic gem. Watch out; there are naiads all along the path. Then go back upstairs, and throw the lever to shut down the jets of sewage and allow you to proceed. Use your sprinting ability to run past the two sewage jets before they reactivate. In the next room, activate the wheel in the floor. After the cutscene, you'll have to battle three skeleton warriors. Keep pounding away at them until their shields break, then deal more damage still to cause them to collapse in a heap of bones. Be sure to use a heavy attack on them while they're in this state, or they'll return to life and attack anew. Watch out for their long-distance rushing attacks, and the whirlwinds they sometimes throw themselves into. They'll be stunned after they emerge from this attack, allowing you a free shot.

When you've dealt with all three skeletons, finish turning the wheel, then return to the previous room. Fill up on life and energy at the fonts there--the jets of sewage should be permanently deactivated--and drop down to the platform just below the second jet. In the room beyond the doorway there, sprint and jump across the poisonous gas, to the platform on the right of the screen. From there, wade across to another platform to find a bag of holy water, and a knight with a scroll. Then return to the previous platform, and head through the doorway. In the next room, check the bag for daggers, then use Shadow Magic to punch the button on the wall. Immediately turn and go right up to the spikes in the ground. The sides of the spikes won't hurt you, so get as close as you can. As soon as the spikes retract, sprint across the floor. The spikes will pop up again quickly, so you need to be fast. Keep Shadow Magic active while you move. The gate ahead will slam down, but don't worry. Just past the end of the spiked floor, turn and throw a Shadow-Magic-infused dagger back at the button. This will activate the gate again (even though the game specifically says "punch this button to turn it on" when you examine it). Then head out through the gate, and climb up to the grapple point beyond to finish the level.

In order to gain entrance to the vampires' castle, Gabriel must first make his way through the garden maze surrounding the edifice. Once inside, he must battle all manner of foul monster. There are ghouls and vampires in great numbers, of course; but fouler, more dangerous enemies await as well. Forced to play a deadly game of vampire chess, Gabriel must use not just his weapons, but his mind. His weapons, however, will come in handy again shortly, as a truly fearsome opponent with a bottomless appetite for carnage--and food--awaits in the castle's kitchens.

When you gain control, finish climbing up out of the well you entered to end the last chapter. In the area at the top, use the life font straight ahead if you need it. Then move to the right. Sprint and jump across the wide chasm there, and check the bag on the other side for holy water. Then return to the previous section. Just past the life font, find a row of ledges along the wall, and use them to ascend. From the top ledge, jump across to the other side of the gate, then drop to the ground. Move forward, and fight the two giant knights. Remember, you need to strip them down enough so that you can steal their shield. When you've finished with these two, use your Combat Cross to turn the wheel in the floor and open the trap door nearby. Once the door is completely open, jump down into the opening beyond. You need to move quickly; the door will close again shortly.

In the next area, quickly refill your magic meters at the neutral energy font. Then, battle the two skeletons waiting for you there. Not long into this battle, a short cutscene will announce the approach of a warg. You have no choice but to battle it along with the skeletons. If you can manage to subdue the warg, you'll be able to use its strong attacks against the other enemies. Then, use the warg's climbing ability to scale the glowing pillar on the right. Up above, destroy two vampires. Then, strangle the beast, and drop down through the opening in the floor at the top of the screen. Follow a short series of ledges downward. In the long, narrow room at the bottom, battle three more skeleton warriors. Once they're dispatched, use the wheel in the floor at the end of the room to open the gate, and move on. Climb the long circular staircase in the next room to end the level.

Move forward down the path, into the entrance of the maze. Soon, you'll run into several mandragora, walking plants that will steal your life force if you let them live. They're weak, but numerous. Take them out as quickly as you can. You'll run into these annoying creatures throughout this level. Take them out quickly, using Light Magic to replenish any health they steal. Take the left-hand path, and move as far you can in that direction. Check the fallen knight on the far left to find a scroll. From here, move straight ahead, until you come to a crumbling wall. Use your Shadow Magic to destroy the wall, and check the fallen knight on the other side for a Light gem. Then, retrace your steps back to the beginning of the maze.

Now take the central track. Go straight, past the first left turn. Just beyond it, look to your left to find a statue. Use your Combat Cross to saw through the statue, and search the fallen knight on the other side to find a Light gem. From here, move straight to your right as far as you can go. When you hit the wall, run toward the screen, then to the left, then up, to find a large stone pillar. Charge up your gauntlet, and use it to punch the pillar along its tracks. Then, climb up the ledges on the pillar, and use them to jump across to the next section of the maze.

Move to the right, and into a very short cutscene. Then, battle the throngs of mandragora that appear. Continue all the way to the right to find a giant spider, which you'll need to subdue in order to continue. Do that, then ride the spider back to the left, to where you fought the mandragora. Use the spider's web ability to create a bridge across the gap on the top of the screen. Then destroy the beast, and balance your way across to the far side. There, search the knight to find a scroll. In the next section is a puzzle, which you'll need to solve before moving on. The object is to align the three statues so that all three are facing the central hub of the wheel. As you turn the wheels upon which the statues are positioned, the statues themselves will turn. Unlike the earlier, similar puzzle, there is no time limit here, so feel free to experiment. The simplest and easiest solution is to simply rotate the second wheel twice clockwise. This will line up the statues correctly. When you've done so, return across the web bridge. Turn to the right, and follow the maze back to where you subdued the spider. There, fight another, and ride it back to the far top side of the screen. At the glowing door there, use the spider's web ability to open a hole in the gate. Strangle the monster, and go through the hole in the gate. This will return you to an area from the last level. Jump across the gap, and do what you did before, using the ledges at the far left side of the area to jump over the gate. Now, you'll have the key to unlock the castle's door. Do so to end the level.

As soon as you gain control, battle the three vampires in the room with you. Grapple the curtains on the window on the left to bring sunlight into the room, burning any vampires in the way. There are two more windows on this side of the room, both of which can be opened to expose parts of the room to daylight. The one in the middle will take several quick-time events to open. When the room is saturated with sunlight, punch the mechanism on the right-hand side of the room, then grab its handle, and position it so that the beam of light it reflects is pointing straight through the gate ahead, into the next room. Next, open the gate by turning the wheel on the floor just to the right. The next room is filled with more vampires, as well as a giant knight. Get the windows on the left open as soon as you can, especially the center one. This one will take several quick-time events to open, but its light will shine directly on the hole from which the vampires are emerging, preventing more from spawning. Remember, the knight will not be bothered by the sunlight, so you'll have to battle him directly. Once this room is clear, open the gate on the right by turning the wheel in the floor nearby.

In the next room, punch the mechanism once to move it forward, then once again to move it to the left, into the previous room. Then return to it, grab the bar, and use it to aim the beam of light into the room you just came from. This will open another gate, through which you should proceed. Fill up on magic at the font in the next room, then use your magic to activate the three runes in the alcove just beyond. The rune on the left should be activated with Shadow Magic; the ones in the center and on the right will require Light Magic. Then, head back out of this room the way you came in. Use Shadow Magic to activate both of the runes on either side of the door. Now, turn and run through the door you've just opened. Be careful; night has just fallen, and vampires will appear in great numbers, no longer hampered by the daylight.

In the next room, you'll have the opportunity to play a game of vampire chess. Read the rules carefully before beginning the game. You can skip this game if you want, but you'll be missing out on a lot of experience points. Destroy all of your opponent's pieces before all of yours are destroyed to win the game, and move on. Once the game is over, proceed through the doorway on the other end of the room, and into the next level.

Move forward down the hallway, and refill your magic meters at the font up ahead. Then move to the right, into a cutscene. Take a look at what ghoul feeding time looks like, then move down the stairs, and interrupt the meal. Watch out; the freshly fed ghouls are all poisonous. Wipe them out, then move down into the room in which they were fed. There's a fallen knight with a scroll underneath the far end of the table on the left. Now, go through the door on the left. Grab a piece of meat from the bucket in the next room, and carry it back to the feeding dish in the room you just came from. Then ring the bell to summon more ghouls to the room. Quickly find the grapple point in one of the windows through which the ghouls came, and grapple up to it. Then move along the tunnels, into the kitchen.

Now you'll have to battle the giant cook responsible for the meal you just witnessed. This monster is quicker than he looks, and will put a serious hurt on you if he manages to box you into a corner. Avoid his variety of attacks, which includes several for close-up combat, and several long-range. Be especially careful of the line of fire he sends along the ground with his knife. Pound away at him with your strongest attacks whenever you get the chance. His his attacks are powerful; just a few can drain your health considerably. Be patient with this battle, taking your opportunities where you find them. The butcher will scuttle around the room, picking things up from the shelves along the walls. He'll do something different depending on what he picks up; if it's a knife, he'll throw it at you. If it's a bottle of booze, he'll use it to breathe jets of flame in your direction. Pay attention to what he has, and know how to avoid what's coming. Sometimes, he'll pick up a piece of food and start eating. Attack him with everything you have to prevent him from healing in this way. If you have holy water, this is a good place to use it, as the butcher is susceptible to it. A direct hit with a flask of holy water will often send him to the ground. When you've worn down his health almost completely, the butcher will drink some slop from the stove, and wear the pot as an ineffectual helmet. Jump up and hit him, then, when his knife starts to glow, grapple it, and tap the indicated button. If you're successful, you'll defeat the butcher, and get his key. Use the key to unlock the door on the left, into the room where the ghouls feed. Fight through a group of them, back up to the balcony above. Move down the balcony to the left, until you come to another door. Use your key to unlock it, and move on.

Up ahead, you'll have to fight a group of four skeletons, and a resurrected knight. This area is large, and part of it will be off the screen at any given time, so you'll have to contend with enemies attacking without you being able to see them. Try to take out the knight first, then deal with the lesser enemies. Once you've destroyed this group, go up the short staircase on the right, and, from the top, grapple up to the point above you, and use the series of ledges to climb up to the next floor. When at the far right of the wooden ledges, it doesn't look like there's anywhere to jump to on your right, bu there is. On the second floor, find a neutral energy font, and a scroll describing the puzzle below. Then return to the ground floor. Activate the runes along the walls, using Light and Shadow Magic. Use Light Magic on the first two runes on the left side of the door, and Shadow Magic on the third. For the three runes on the right side of the door, begin with Shadow, then use Light for the second, then Shadow again for the third. When you've solved the puzzle, head through the newly opened door, and into the next chapter.

Penetrating deeper into the castle of the vampire lord, Gabriel faces ever deadlier obstacles, in the forms of both puzzles and enemies. The original mad scientist, Dr. Frankenstein, is responsible for these deadly dangers. Though the doctor has long since departed, his insane creations are still very much present, and still as dangerous as ever.

After the brief opening cutscene, you'll be confronted by a group of three vampires. Take them out, then move forward. More vampires will appear if you linger here too long. At the edge of the level, move to the left, and drop down the series of ledges there. On the platform below, move out onto the narrow boards, and balance your way across. When you reach the far side, use the ledges on the right to crawl back to the fallen knight you may have glimpsed as you walked by. Then return along these ledges. Back on solid ground, move up the ramp on the left, turn right, and move forward. Up ahead, battle three swordmasters; they'll spawn one at a time, so do as much damage to each as you can while you can concentrate on it. Once you've eliminated the swordmasters, scale the wall via the series of ledges on the left.

Check the fallen knight on the roof to find a scroll. The door up here is locked, and you'll have to find a key before you can move on. Drop down via the gap in the railing on the left, and use the ledges and grapple point to descend. In the room below, battle another swordmaster. There's a life font in this room should you need it. Also, find another knight with a scroll. Then, go back outside, and use the grapple point visible from the right to swing across to the ledge on the pillar on the left; climb up about halfway by this grapple point in order to be in the right position. Climb around to the other side of the pillar, and move forward, into another room. Here, you'll have to fight two skeleton warriors. Destroy them to find the key you need. Then go back outside, and retrace your steps, back up to the balcony above. Unlock the door, move through, and use the ledge on the wall straight ahead to climb into the castle. In the large room, check the fallen knight on the left to find a hint scroll. There's another knight near the lower right-hand corner, where you'll find a Shadow Magic gem. Interact with the strange machine on the far wall to solve a puzzle. Each time you drop a ball, all the pegs in its path will switch from red to green, or vice versa. You need to align the pegs so that all are green, and none are red. There's no time limit here, so if you want to fool around with this puzzle for a while, go ahead. There are multiple solutions. The easiest is to drop one ball into the pathway on the left, five consecutive balls into the pathway in the center, then one final ball into the pathway on the right. Once the puzzle is solved and the door is open, head through the doorway and down the hall to end the level.

Check the fallen knight just ahead on the right to find a hint scroll. Then jump and use your gauntlet to punch the button in the floor on the left. Next, punch the button just ahead on the right. Move forward, and punch the final button in the room, on the left. This should clear your way to proceed. In the next room is a much more complicated electrical system. Hit the button directly beneath you, then move to your left, and find a knight with a Light Magic gem. Then find the large battery in the floor, and punch it along its tracks. You'll need to hit the button again to move into the right-hand area. Once the way is clear, continue punching the battery until it is in position, in its slot on the side of the large central machine. Now move forward, and punch the next button, on the wall on the right. Return to the first button, and activate it. Fill up on energy at the font on the far side of the room, and on daggers from the bag nearby. Go as far right as you can without getting shocked by the stream of electricity there. Now activate your Shadow Magic, and use it to throw a charged dagger at the button on the far right. Once the beam directly in front of you is deactivated, move forward. Then hit the same button again, in the same way. This should allow you to proceed through the door at the end of the room.

The next room is more complicated still, and potentially a slow and tedious experience. Begin by moving forward onto the wheel in the center of the floor, turning left, and bursting through the door ahead to reveal a button. Don't press it yet; instead, return to the wheel, and turn it once counterclockwise. This should open a path by which you can reach the button on the right. Hit this button. Now return to the central wheel, and rotate it once clockwise. Now hit the button just to the left of the door through which you entered the room. Go back to the central wheel, and turn it clockwise again, twice. Then move up toward the other end of the room, and use the slowly moving platform there to reach a fallen knight in the far upper right-hand corner of the area. Search him to find a Life gem. Then jump back onto the platform, and ride it to the bottom of its route, where you'll find another button in the floor. Hit this button. Then return to the central wheel, rotate it clockwise twice, and follow the path back to the button on the far left. Hit it, then move through the path thus opened up. Hit the button a bit further beyond, then the grab the red lens nearby.

After the ensuing cut scene, battle the hideous robotic insect that appears. Avoid its pincers, and the electrical shocks it sends out from its tail. After you've worn the monster down, it will retreat to the metal disc nearby, and recharge itself. The first time it does this, you can do nothing about it. As the cut scene here makes clear, you'll need to prevent this from happening in the future. To do so, once the beast begins to recharge itself, jump and punch the button in the floor nearby to cause it damage. Unfortunately, the game's controls regarding the downward punching move are imprecise, meaning you'll probably have to try several times to punch the floor button. The best way to be sure of hitting the button on your first try is to jump from the bottom of the screen, amidst the machinery there. It can take time to position yourself here, so you may want to lead the creature close to the button, at least when its health is low. Hit the creature three times, then head back to the large central wheel. Rotate it twice counterclockwise. Now, your path out of the electrical grid and into the next room should be clear.

To begin with, fill up on health and energy at the fonts here, then pull the lever on the large machine in the center of the room. Move the red lens into position. Then exit the machine's controls, and go through the door you just opened. Check the fallen knight in the next room to find a hint scroll. Then, battle the group of vampires that appears. Once they're out of the way, stand on the lower left-hand square of the floor. Activate your Shadow Magic, then use your Shoulder Charge attack straight ahead, in the direction of the arrows along the floor. Hit each corner of the floor to open a door at the top of the room. Go through the door, and search the fallen knight in the next room to find the green lens. When the door closes, battle the sword master that appears here. Once you've defeated him, return to the main room, and insert the green lens into the device.

Position the green lens directly beneath the red one. Then leave the device, and go through the newly opened door on the left. In the next room, battle more vampires. Once the vampires are all destroyed, use your Shoulder Charge attack along the series of stones in the floor as you did earlier, beginning with the one directly in front of the door to this room. When the door on the far side opens, go through, and grab the lens from the fallen knight there. Now, you'll have to battle two swordmasters. When you've destroyed them, take the lens back to the machine in the main room, and insert it into the machine. Don't line them up immediately yet, though. Instead, move the blue and red lenses out of the way, so that only the green is active. Go through the doorway thus opened, and battle three swordmasters. Once you've defeated them, sprint and jump out over the gap ahead, and grapple onto the point above. From there, swing forward, and jump across to the ledge on the far side. This requires a nearly perfect jump. If your health gets low while attempting it, return to the life font in the previous room to fill up. On the far side of the gap, Shoulder Charge along the zig-zagging line of stones in the floor. Grab the key thus revealed, and take it with you, back to the main room. Line up all three lenses. Then, go through the newly opened door, and climb up to the next room's higher levels via the grapple points and scaffolding there. Up above, you'll have to balance across several narrow beams to proceed. At the far side of the room, drop down to the ground below. Insert the key into the lock there. In the next chamber, find a fallen knight, with a Shadow gem. Then return to the main room.

Line up only the red and blue lenses. Move into the room beyond the newly opened door. There, you'll meet the little vampire girl you played chess with earlier. She'll send three hideous giant dolls at you, and you'll have to defeat them. Watch out for the needles they shoot out. they'll also sometimes vomit up the black sludge you dealt with during an earlier boss battle. The oil will immobilize you if uit hits you; use a downward attack to destroy it. When the dolls glow, grab them and complete a series of quick-time events to put them down. It's important that you dispatch them in this way, rather then simply hacking away at them, Otherwise, another will appear. Take down all three dolls. The cutscene that follows will not, as it first appears, lead to another battle. Instead, it will end the chapter.

Finally at the gates of the vampire lord's inner sanctum, Gabriel is beset on all sides by enemies and traps. More of Dr. Frankenstein's nefarious inventions litter his path, and vampires and other foul creatures watch his every step, waiting for a chance to pounce. When he finally confronts the Dark Lord of the Vampires, she is both as deadly and as seductive as he could have imagined. Resisting her charms is difficult enough; destroying her, and the evil she commands, will be an even greater challenge.

After the brief opening cutscene, drop down to the ledge beneath the balcony, and shimmy around to its end. Jump across to the next ledge, then use the grapple point above to proceed. Climb up to the top of the wall along the ledges and grapple points. At the top, refill your health at the font. Then jump up onto the next level. Just to the left, find a fallen knight with a Shadow Magic gem. Then move forward. Refill your magic meters at the font on the other side of the area. Check the fallen knight nearby to find a scroll. Now, approach the gate on the right side of the area. Be ready for a group of vampires to arrive. Shortly, a few skeleton warriors will animate nearby. Destroy all of these enemies. Holy water is very useful in this battle. When all of the enemies have been destroyed, use your magic to activate the runes on the walls around the gate. The first two runes on the left side should be blue, the third red. The first two on the right side should be red, the third blue. Once the gate is open, refill your energy at the font before moving on.

Descend the stairs, and move along the long, narrow bridge toward the castle. On the next platform, fight a large group of gremlins. Once they're out of the way, grab the handle of the mechanism in the center of the platform, and rotate it completely around. You won't be able to get through the doorway on the right before the outer fence moves back around into its original position. Luckily, you won't have to. Instead, as soon as you release the bar, sprint directly downward, and squeeze through the opening in the fence when it comes around. On the staircase below, move down, and collect the key from the fallen knight in the room at the bottom. Then, battle the two swordmasters who appear. Once they're defeated, rotate the mechanism in the floor, go through the doorway this opens, and climb the stairs all the way to the top. Run along the bridge, and, in the room at the top, fill up on health, then insert the key into the lock. Head through the gate to end the level.

To begin this level, balance your way across the two girders straight ahead. On the far side, jump onto the platform, and ride it across to the next. Ride this all the way across to the right, and jump up onto the ledges above just before the platform disappears into the wall. Up on the higher ledge, climb all the way to the right, then wait for the wheel there to provide you with an opening. When it does, jump through to the other side. From the ledge there, drop down onto the platform below, and follow the series of platforms to the right. Look for a platform moving up and down at the end of the series of platforms. Jump onto it, ride it to the very top, then jump across to a platform on the right. There, turn the mechanism in the floor to raise the nearby platform. Then balance across to it via the girder. Turn left, and follow the girder there across to another platform. There, move all the way over to the wall in the middle to see a grapple point. Grab onto it, and climb up as far as you can without hitting the electrical beam just above. Observe the pattern of the second electrical beam higher up; you'll need to time out your next move in order to avoid being hit by this beam. Swing outward along your line several times, until you have as much momentum as you can get. Then, at the farthest point from the wall, pull yourself up. Move quickly up your line until you reach the ledge above, then move out along it, jump to the next, and, from there, drop down onto another platform. Jump onto the stationary platform in your path to avoid being knocked off the moving one. Then hop back onto the moving platform, and ride it to the wall, where there's a ledge you can jump to. Move along to the right, and drop down onto a stationary platform. From there, jump across to another one. From the second platform, sprint and jump across to a ledge farther to the right. Drop down to a slightly lower ledge, and follow it all the way across until you can jump to another. Hop up onto the platform, then jump across to the next. Fill up your energy at the font there. Observe the patterns of the many electrical beams that run along the ledges above you. Climb up to the middle ledge, where you're safe from the beams. From there, climb up the second set of ledges all the way to the top. Drop down onto the platform to the left, and use the grapple point further on to swing to solid ground. There, turn the mechanism in the floor. Now you'll have to battle the mechanical insect again. It now occasionally launches projectiles at you, and it seems to use its electrical attack more often, but otherwise, this is the same basic enemy you fought earlier. Once you've worn down its health enough, grab it, and perform the quick-time events to destroy it once and for all. Then return to the mechanism, and turn it all the way. Now head across the girder ahead. Ride the platform upward to end the level.

This big vampire boss is the brother of Brauner, who you fought and killed earlier. This guy is a little tougher, but you should be able to destroy him without too much trouble, once you know what you're doing. Avoid Olrox's attacks as much as possible, and use the intervals between, in which he leaves himself open, to attack. The thrown projectiles he sends at you can be damaging, but they're pretty easy to avoid, and they provide a good opportunity for you to get in close and deliver a few strong attacks. Just dodge out of the way when he throws these, and you should be fine. Note that the blades come out along a line based on your last position before they're thrown, and the timing here is pretty tight, so don't move until the blades are just coming out. When Olrox turns into mist and teleports several times around the room, dodge out of the way of the sword thrusts he attacks with. At least, dodge the first few times, until you have a sense of the timing involved. Later, this is a good opportunity to launch a counterattack, since the sword thrusts follow so predictably upon the teleporting. Needless to say, holy water is your best friend here.

When you've worn Olrox's health down sufficiently, he'll flee to one of the caskets along the walls, open it, and begin feeding on the corpse inside in order to replenish his health. This all happens during a cutscene, so you can't stop him right away (Gabriel is, presumably, staring vacantly into space at the time). When you get control again, rush over to the wall and hit Orlox as fast and as hard as you can, driving him away from his meal. One shot of holy water is enough to do it. Don't return to fighting him immediately; first, you need to destroy the corpse, denying its healing effects to Olrox once and for all. Now you'll have to wear down whatever health he managed to regenerate. The tactics should be pretty much the same here. Olrox will open a total of three caskets; just do the same thing for each of them. Notice that the third casket's contents, when destroyed, will reveal a fallen knight. Don't check it now; you'll have a chance when the battle is over. Once you've worn down Olrox's health again for the fourth time, he'll begin to glow. Grab him, and perform a few quick-times to finish him off.

After the battle, you'll have to solve an extremely anti-climactic puzzle. First, check that knight to find a Shadow Magic gem. Then get to the puzzle. You need to guide the blood from bowl to bowl around the maze, eventually reaching the bowl at the top. The crystals along the outside of the ring will count down how long you have to reach the next bowl; they'll reset once you make it. The bowls act as checkpoints for the blood, so you won't have to start all over if time runs out. Move the blood to the bowl on the right first, then across to the one on the left, and so on. Note that you can begin turning the blood before it actually reaches the next corner, which can speed things up a bit. Once you've solved the puzzle, head out through the door that opens, into the next level.

Fill up on health and energy at the fonts, then head up the stairs toward the throne room. Check the knight on the right about halfway up to find a Light gem. Then go inside. The great thing about vampire chicks is that they can get away with not wearing bras for centuries. This one, after the obligatory attempted-seduction-to-evil scene ("We're not so different you an I," etc...), will launch a large wave of her vampire minions at you. Battle them, as you should be used to doing by now. When the Queen descends, firing off beams of vampire lightning (?), dodge away from it. Try to lead the lightning into any vampires around; it will destroy them pretty quickly. Be patient with this opening section of the battle; destroy the lesser vampires one by one, until none remain.

After you've cleared out the last of the vampires, watch a cutscene, which will make you regret the whole bra-less vampire look after all. Now in her beast form, the Queen will summon more of her minions, and take a more active roll in the battle herself. She'll pursue you around the level, swiping at you with her claws, while the other vampires attack in their own ways. If she traps you, trying to suck your blood, tap the indicated button rapidly to escape. Be aware that the level is smaller now. Concentrate on the Queen, avoiding or destroying the lesser minions as convenient. They're good for building up your focus meter and healing yourself with Light Magic, but they'll keep respawning as you destroy them, so there's not much point in wiping them out. Deal enough damage to the Queen to allow you to grab her, triggering a series of quick-times.

In the final phase of the battle, it's just you and the head vampire lady, and the level is smaller still. Wear away at her as before, avoiding or blocking her claw attacks. When she springs into the air, get ready to move. She has two attacks from up here: when she unleashes a flight of bats (which can suddenly hurt you now, after being mere atmospheric elements throughout the game), dodge away from them; if she uses her electrical attack, get as far away from her as you can. She'll create a circle of damaging electrical energy in a very wide area around her, and your own hope of escape is to not be there when that happens. She'll go up in the air pretty frequently; avoid whichever attack she decides on, and do as much damage to her while she's on the ground as you can. When she's stunned, grab her, and be ready to perform quick-time events throughout the ensuing cutscene. Don't take your hands off the controller until you've broken off your stake in her heart, finishing off the second Dark Lord, and your time in the land of the vampires.

On the outskirts of the land of the dead, where his final target holds sway, Gabriel must find and assist a hideous old crone, whose help is needed in completing the final leg of his journey. This will require not only solving more puzzles and defeating new enemies; it will also force him to transform his very self, shrinking to a tiny fraction of his normal size in order to fulfill the last task the witch sets for him.

When you find yourself in the land of the dead, move forward, and try out your new double-jump ability. Check the corpse on the left of the screen to find a Shadow Magic gem. Refill your health and magic at the fonts up ahead, then move forward down the path. Use the Seraph Wings to reach the high ledge on the cliff face, then climb up to the top. You can clear the gap ahead with your wings, but if you want to find a knight with a scroll, drop down. You'll have to battle some small trolls down here. Then ascend the wall via the ledges and grapple point above, and move on, into a cutscene.

Battle the weird zombies in the clearing ahead. Fend off their flying heads, and be ready for quick-time events when the bodies grab you from below. Deal damage to the bodies to weaken them, then, once they're stunned, grab them to finish them off. Concentrate on the bodies; the heads will keep coming as long as there are any bodies remaining beneath the ground. Once you've finished off all of the zombies, use your wings to reach the ledge on the far side of the gap at the top of the area. In the cave above, find a scroll. Watch out for more trolls inside the cave. When you've recovered the scroll, return to the area where you fought the zombies, and take the path on the left side of the screen. Jump the gap there, and continue on. Look for a corpse with another Shadow Magic gem in the next area, then battle another group of zombies. Once you've eliminated all of the zombies, return along the path and over the gap. Then jump the gap once more, landing in the cave beneath the previous area. In the next area, use a combination of grappling and double-jumping to reach the far side of the long gap.

On the far side, you'll run into another chupacabra. After he steals your relics, climb the ledges on the right in pursuit. Check the corpse on the platform just ahead for a Life gem. Then follow the little monster into the cave. There, you'll have to defeat a large troll. Remember, you are without your relics and magical abilities. Reduce the troll to submission, then get on its back. Use the troll's brute strength to bash through the glowing barrier ahead. Smaller trolls will emerge from the caves up ahead; destroy them as you go. Use the troll to destroy the glowing rocks on the right, and slap some sense into the chupacabra hiding behind them. Strangle the troll, then grab the chupacabra to get your relics back. Continuing on through the cave will lead you to an earlier section of the level. It's better to retrace your steps, and continue on in the direction you were heading before your encounter with the annoying pest. When you come to another drop, use your wings to reach the platform ahead on the left; be careful, it will crumble shortly after you land on it. Jump forward, and find the grapple point ahead. Make your way forward via the ledges farther on. Then, after moving through a small cave, get over another gap using double-jumping and grapple points. Climb the ledges on the far side. After emerging back onto solid ground, check the corpse just to the right to find a scroll. Then move forward down the path to end the level.

After the opening cutscene, head down the path on the left. You need to find three keys for the old crone in order to continue. Check the corpse on the left side of the path ahead to find a hint scroll. As you move forward, watch out for mandragora on the path ahead. When you come to the first glowing wheel, grab it and shake it to send the flock of crows above flying. Fight forward to the next wheel, and do the same. This should send the crows to the post where the scarecrow sits, awakening it. You need to awaken and destroy three scarecrows in order to get the keys you need. Each one is a small boss battle in itself. Avoid the scarecrow's deadly sickles, and do damage whenever you can. Watch out; the scarecrow is fast, and capable of inflicting big damage in a hurry. Watch out for its ranged attack, which sends spikes up out of the ground beneath you.

When you've defeated the first scarecrow, move forward, and shake another wheel ahead. This will not only send the crows above flying, it will also summon another flock off to the right. Move in that direction, into the area of the old village. Fight more mandragora as you go. Look for a corpse with a scroll up ahead. There is another up ahead, around the corner of the building. Move as far to the east as you can go, and use your Combat Cross to saw through a barrier to find a corpse with a Light Magic gem. This area is teeming with mandragora, so watch out. In order to reach the second flight of crows, you'll have to return to the main street, move all the way up, then saw through the barrier on the right ahead. Move up the ramp toward the crows; check the corpse on the left to find a Light Magic gem. Then shake the structure the crows are nesting on to send them flying. Now return to the main street, then to the area around the barn, to find this flight's new nesting place. Send it flying to the nesting place nearby, then move the first flock back to its original position nearby. Send the second flock forward again, then forward once more. The first flock will prevent it from roosting on the post on the left. Return the first flight back to the post on the left, blocking the second from retreating. Now, move forward, and shake the post with the second flight on it. This should awaken the second scarecrow. Battle him as you did the first, and take his key. Once you've finished with the second scarecrow, return to the area of the village. Near the location of the third scarecrow, in the barn to its right, find a corpse with a Life gem. Now, manipulate the crows so that the two flocks occupy the two posts nearest to the third scarecrow. In order to awaken the third scarecrow, you'll need a third flight of crows. To summon them, move into the building on the far bottom left of the area, where you broke through the barrier earlier. With the two posts nearest the scarecrow occupied, send this third flight out of the building to the nearby post, then, from there, up the street to awaken the third scarecrow. Fight this enemy as you did the previous two, and get his key. With all three keys in your possession, return to the witch's abode. Get in her crude elevator and ride it up to her hut to and the level.

Inside the music box, move forward and grab the green cylinder. Inserted into the machine nearby, and use the device to play the cylinder. When the spikes blocking the pathway to the left open, run forward, all the way to the end. Grab the Light gem from the corpse in the middle, but be quick; the spikes will appear again soon. Keep moving until you find the red cylinder, pick it up, and bring it back to the machine, via the teleporting pad nearby. Insert the red cylinder into the machine, put it into the left-hand slot--where the machine begins its sequence when you press play--and play it. As soon as you play the cylinder, run to the right-hand pathway. Use the platforms that emerge from the wall there to bridge the gap ahead. Then, when the green cylinder begins to play, run through the spikes in the hallway on the left. Ahead, grab the magenta cylinder. Then teleport back to the main area. Insert the magenta cylinder into the machine. Play the sequence again, and return along the right-hand passage. This time, take the right up ahead; when the magenta cylinder begins to play, you'll be able to pass through the whirling gears that block the passageway, by rolling beneath the ones above. In the room beyond, find the yellow cylinder. Teleport back and insert the yellow cylinder into the machine. Arrange the cylinders so that the yellow one follows the red. Then play the music. Take the central hallway, using the platforms there as you did before. On the far side of the gap, take the left-hand passageway. When the yellow cylinder begins, move forward, avoiding the jets of flame that emerge from the sides of the hallway. Time out the pattern, and sprint, roll, or Shoulder Charge to get through both sets of flames before the yellow cylinder runs out. On the far side, collect the blue cylinder, then teleport back to the machine. Insert the blue cylinder into the machine, after the red one. Make sure that the magenta cylinder is next, followed by the green. Then take the central passageway again. Time out the pattern of the electrical charges straight ahead, and move through them. Then, when the magenta cylinder plays, roll between the gears. Turn right, and move down the passageway there when the green cylinder begins to play. In the room beyond, take the blue rose to end the level. If you'd like to gather a Life gem, arrange the yellow cylinder just after the magenta one in the final sequence. After getting by the gears, go left instead of right, and make your way through another set of flames.

Now, as Gabriel enters the Land of the Dead, the conclusion to his quest draws near. Some of his deadliest enemies still lie ahead, though. The evil necromancer who rules the blasted wastes commands hordes of hideous, dead minions, and will send every one of them after Gabriel in an attempt to stop his progress.

In the Titan Graveyard, jump across the gap just ahead, then onto the ledge on the left. Climb the series of ledges, first upward, then to the right, then upward again. When you see the grapple point in the distance, use it to swing to another set of ledges. Continue up, via the series of ledges and grapple points, until you reach the surface. There, move forward down the path, into a cutscene.

Use another series of ledges and grapple points to descend from the mountain. On the platform below, jump across to the ledge on the left, and continue down. After dropping to the ground, check the fallen knight to the right to find a scroll. Then head forward across the blasted landscape. The fog surrounding the platforms here is poisonous; sprint and double-jump your way from platform to platform, staying clear of the fog. Ahead, fight a few skeleton warriors, and some creeping corpses. Once they're defeated, look for another fallen knight with a scroll at the top of the area. Then climb up the series of stair-like stone outcroppings on the left side of the area. Drop down from the ledge at the top, and search the fallen knight there to find a Light gem. Then return to the previous area. From there, return to the second platform, and jump across to the area on the right. Climb the rocky ramp there, then sprint and double-jump across the gap. On the next platform, battle a group of crawling corpses, including one extra-powerful one, which will crawl into a casket and attack. Once you've dealt enough damage to this enemy, it will retract inside its casket. Interact with the casket, then press the indicated but to defeat the enemy. Once it's destroyed, grab the shard of the rune it drops. Insert it into the device on the top of this area to trigger a cutscene.

Head across the newly formed bridge. At the end, double-jump to the next platform. Follow the series of platforms forward, till you come to an area with more carvings on the wall. Check the area on the other side of this platform to find a knight with a Shadow gem. Then head off in search of the two keys you'll need to advance. Retrace your steps to a platform you visited earlier, from which you can jump across to another area on the right. By continuing to the right, you can find a knight with a scroll. Back on the main platform, follow the path along the left side, into a small cave. Inside, turn right, and proceeded to the next area. There, battle more creeping corpses, some of which will take to their caskets. Defeat these enemies to find one of the keys you need. Take it back to the previous area, and insert it into the lock. After the titan moves again, move around to the other side of the area again, and jump up on the titan's newly extended arm. Run along it, and jump to the platform across the gap. Here, you'll have to battle three casket monsters. This is a good place to use holy water flasks. Once you've destroy the monsters, grab the last key, and take it back to the previous area. You'll need to climb up onto a higher ledge ahead in order to make the jump back. Insert the key into the lock. After the ensuing cutscene, move around to the other side of the platform again. Some enemies have suddenly appeared here, including a skeleton warrior. Take them out, then move up the series of ledges at the top of the area. At the top, move across the extended arm to finish the level.

Now, for some reason, you'll have to battle Pan. In his armor-clad form, Pan is a force to be reckoned with. You'll start this battle without your Light and Shadow abilities, only regaining them as the fight progresses. This is one of the more obnoxious battles in the game, particularly in its later stages, in which Pan will be scoring hits essentially at will. Be ready to string together a series of dodges, to avoid the rapid-fire swings of his whip. When he begins firing his projectiles, dodge out of their way, or simply block them; you'll have plenty of warning. Pan can attack from across the stage with his rush/whip moves, so nowhere here is really safe, and no distance from him is far enough. Counterattacks work well here, although Pan will recover fairly quickly. Generally, it's better to be in close than far away. As you deal damage, be ready to grab Pan when he's stunned, as per usual. Execute the customary series of quick-time events when called upon to do so. After the first such series, Pan will return your Light Magic ability. After the second, you'll get your Shadow Magic back. When Pan himself begins glowing either blue (for Light Magic) or red (for Shadow), switch on the opposite ability, and hit him a few times for extra damage. Keep pounding away at Pan until the final quick-time event, in which you'll finish him off.

In order to clear the gap at the end of the path, you'll have to sprint and double-jump. The ledge there will quickly crumble, so you need to move fast here. Move around to the far left-hand edge, and jump across the chasm. Climb up onto the ledge there, move to the right, and drop down onto a ledge. Move along to the right as far as you go. Jump across to the ledge, and continue on through the chasm. On another platform just ahead, fight a few enemies, then continue forward. Drop down into the pit ahead, battle a large group of enemies, that jump up via the series of ledges on the wall. On the ledge above, find a knight with a Light gem. Then find the ledges on the opposite side of the pit, and climb back up. Though it appears that you need to proceed down this path, across this gap, it's not so. Even sprinting and double-jumping, you won't be able to make it across. Instead, return to the previous area. Use the ledge on the left to move forward. Be quick; these ledges will crumble. Jump across the grapple point, and descend to another ledge below. Move along the path, and fill up at the light font ahead.

Jump from the ledge ahead, and grapple across to the far side of the gap. When the chupacabra steals your relics, follow him forward, into another cutscene. Afterward, you'll have to solve a puzzle in order to retrieve your property. You'll need to fend off enemies the whole time; use the life fonts scattered around the area if you need to. You need to use the three devices around the periphery of the level to destroy the three stone heads surrounding the cage in which the chupacabra has sought refuge. To use the devices, you need to activate them via the nearby panels in the walls by inserting a Dark Crystal. If you don't have one, you can pick one up near the device on the far right. You'll need to use the same crystal to power each device in turn, by removing it from the slot when the device has served its purpose, and inserting it into the next. You can turn the devices by using their handles, and point the beams of light where you want them to go. You'll need to angle the beams between the rocks blocking the way to the three stone heads, and at the other devices. The slot corresponding to the device at the bottom of the area is broken, so some reflecting will be necessary in order to get the device to catch a beam, and project it at the appropriate head.

When you've destroyed the heads and retrieved your relics, head for the gates up ahead. In order to enter, you'll have to bang the gongs nearby. Punch the gong on the right, then the one on the left. Fend off another, huge group of enemies as you do so. This is a god place to wrack up experience points, since the enemies are numerous indeed, and will keep coming as long as you want to keep battling them. When you're ready, head through the gates to end the level.

Here you'll have to battle a fierce demon known as the Gravedigger. When the battle begins, he'll unleash some creeping corpses that you, a few of which will become casket monsters. Destroy these creatures. When they're all defeated, head through the gates that will open at the top of the area. Fill up your health and magic meters at the fonts just ahead. Then proceed toward the main battle.

The Gravedigger himself isn't a particularly difficult foe--you fought harder bosses chapters ago--but the sequence of actions with which you need to finish him off can artificially prolong this battle, as well as making it much more frustrating than it needs to be. Avoid the Gravedigger's attacks, all of which are easy enough to dodge once you know his patterns. When he slams his shovel into the ground horizontally, so that the flat part of the blade strikes the ground, just jump over the shockwave that results. When he digs the shovel in vertically, slamming the ground with the tip of the blade, dodge the line of flames that this attack emits. He'll also whip his weird mouth-tentacles at you, but agaion, this is easy enough to dodge, or even counterattack. He'll summon groups of creeping corpses, too, but luckily, there aren't any caskets around here for them to crawl into, so they'll remain in their weaker form, serving as focus-meter-and-Light-Magic-bait, or, at worst, minor annoyances.

When you've worn down the Gravedigger's health enough the stun him--this shouldn't take too long; he's not particularly tough--he'll go to one knee at the top of the level. Do NOT approach, grab him, and attempt to finish him off with a series of quick-time events, as you have with EVERY other boss in the game. Instead, sprint over to the wheel in the ground just to the right of the Gravedigger's position, and use your cross to turn it, opening the crematory ovens behind the boss. You'll have to be quick to turn the wheel and make it over to the Gravedigger before he revives, regaining health and forcing you to take him down all over again. You need to grab him, but only after the oven doors are open (they'll close again soon after the enemy revives, so you want to get this all done in one go). Follow the series of quick-time events to knock the boss into the oven; be ready throughout the cutscene, even after he's apparently out of the picture.

Now you'll have to climb out of the oven before the lava beneath you rises high enough to get you. This is a pretty straightforward course, except at the top. When you reach the curving ledge near the lip of the first area, crawl around to the right, instead of going straight up via the series of ledges just above. Climb up the series of ledges off to the right, and find a knight with a Shadow gem on the platform above. Then quickly drop back down, and continue on your way. High above, climb up into a cutscene, which will end the chapter.

In the final approach to the Dark Lord of the Dead, Gabriel must battle the evil Necromancer in his dark abode. The sorcerer commands evil spirits, capable of destroying the living with a single touch. Transforming into an enormous beast, the evil sorcerer forces Gabriel into his fiercest battle yet. When the beast is finally dispatched, only one more enemy stands in Gabriel's path.

This level opens with a puzzle, the solution to which is dependent on a knowledge of astrological symbols. Lacking that, just enter the following symbols: in the first slot, enter the symbol that looks like an with a little loop on the bottom; the symbols in the second slot are numbers, and you are looking for the number 24; in the third and final slot, look for the symbol of the completely dark circle, representing an eclipse. When all three symbols are lined up, enter the equation into the machine, forming a path for you off to the right. Follow it to the next platform.

Now you'll have to deal with another puzzle. Unfortunately, since it utilizes the game's awkward downward-punching mechanics, this puzzle calls for some care, totally apart from its solution. There's the potential for a lot of frustration here, even if you know exactly what you're supposed to be doing. Each of the colors of the tiles on teh ground corresponds to a direction, which in turn relates to the course of the blue flame in the map straight ahead. Brown is up, red is right, green is left, yellow is down. You need to recreate the map ahead, so the proper sequence is: brown, red, brown, brown, green, yellow, green, brown, brown, red, brown. Again, the tough part isn't figuring out the sequence, but inputting it. Be as delicate and precise as the game allows while jumping up and punching the proper colored tiles. Of course, if you accidentally hit the rue in the center of the tiles before you're ready, you'll have to start all over again. Likewise, if you hit the wrong colored tile, you'll have to clear the board and start again, since there's nothing corresponding to a "backspace" key. Note that it is physically impossible to have any fun at all in this section of the game. The best you can hope for is to get through it as quickly and painlessly as possible; this isn't impossible, just highly unlikely. When you have the proper sequence, hit the rune in the middle of the floor, then jump through the opening in the wall ahead.

In the next section, move forward, through the teleporting portal ahead. In the next section, ignore the ghostly enemies that appear, and jump into the next teleporting portal. You'll materialize in midair off to the left. Just jump up to the platform nearby, and examine the mirror there to move on. In the next area, hop onto the moving platform on the right when it approaches, and follow the series of platforms forward. When you come to the large platform inhabited by more of the ghost like enemies, ignore them again. You need to build up a good sprinting star, then double-jump across a gap to make it to the ledge for ahead. Once there, climb up, and follow another series of platforms. Examine the Mayor on the platform at the far end. Now, you'll finally get to battle the necromancer you've been hearing about for the last several chapters.

The Necromancer is dangerous; the various attacks he unleashes with his staff will take major chunks out of your health, and he can deliver them very quickly, and from a great distance. You need to be constantly on the move here, dodging pretty much anytime your enemy does anything, fitting in your own attacks whenever you get the chance. The Necromancer will summon hordes of weak, slow-moving enemies, which you can destroy or simply avoid. Keep pounding away at the main threat, and avoiding his attacks. Each time he spawns his minions, it costs him life energy. However, any minions left alive after a certain amount of time will be reabsorbed, restoring some of his life. So it's a good idea to take out as many as you can. He's not all that tough himself, so if you can stay alive long enough to deal a fair amount of damage, he'll become stunned. It'll only take one series of quick-time events, when his health is near bottom, to finish him off.

After defeating the Necromancer, you'll be presented with two teleporting mirrors. Take the one on the left first. In the next area, jump to the portal to the right, then double-jump again as soon as it drops you in mid-air, and grapple the point ahead, swing over to another platform, and teleport again. In the next room, jump and punch the button in the floor to activate another teleporting mirror, back in the area where you fought the Necromancer. Take the mirror to teleport back there yourself. This time, take the mirror on the right. Go through the portal on the next platform, then jump to get into the one above. Move into another portal, timing it out to land on the moving platform nearby. Ride to the platform on the far right to find a knight with a Light gem. Then ride across to another platform, on the left, and follow the series of ledges upward. Avoid the enemies above, and jump up to the higher section of this platform. Go through the mirror there. In the next room, you need to hit another button in the floor, while avoiding a huge amount of the instant-killing grim reapers. Unfortunately, the game's awkward downward-punching mechanic is once again in the spotlight here, with the added bonus of instant death awaiting a few misses. Hit the button, then get the hell out of the room, via the mirror. The game won't hesitate to slash you dead the second the cutscene is over. Back on the main platform, head through the left-hand mirror again. This time, jump to the ledge on the left, drop into the portal below, and grab the grapple point beyond. Swing across to another platform, swarming with reapers. Quickly run to the right, and find the series of ledges along the edges of the platform. Follow these around to the left. Climb back up onto the platform via the grapple point, fill up on life and energy at the fonts, and hit one last button. Then teleport back to the main platform, run through the now-open gate, and use the mirror there.

Now you'll have to fight the Necromancer again. The same basic strategies apply, except that, instead of just the weak, slow enemies he spawned before, he now also brings forth reapers. Needless to say, this complicates matters quite a bit. Again, any reaper you destroy will ultimately cost the Necromancer health (the same goes for the hordes of weaker foes, which he continues to spawn). However, you need to be smart about taking them on. One hit, and you'll have to start the battle all over. This is by far the quickest and easiest way to win the fight, though. Use any holy water you might have to destroy the reapers quickly, denying the Necromancer their life energy. Another new move he brings to this fight is the cracks of energy he sometimes sends out by ramming his staff into the ground. Avoid these as much as possible. When you've defeated the Necromancer, head through another mirror. Beyond is a long series of ledges, grapple points and portals. Eventually, you'll come to the end of this seemingly endless level.

The titans you fought earlier in the game prepared you for this battle. You'll need the same basic skills and strategies you used to defeat them here. Though the beast is bigger than those earlier monsters, and the course across its massive body longer, this is still just a series of ledge-to-ledge jumps, rune-destroying strikes, and periods of clinging to the monster for dear life. You'll start off, after the cutscene that begins this level, on a platform, with the massive Dracolich circling menacingly. When it approaches, dodge its fiery breath, then turn and grapple onto the point on its tail. From there, climb around, and begin scaling the beast. You'll have to jump from ledge to ledge, sometimes briefly going up onto the platforms of the monster's spinal columns to advance on foot, sometimes crawling down one of its ribs, using the end of the bone as a ledge, and advancing across the series of rib bones. The first sequence is by far the longest, so be patient. Failing to hold on, or trying to make a jump while the platforms are too far apart, will land you back on the original platform, and force you to start you ascent all over again. You'll have to crawl back and forth across the belly of the beast, using four different grapple points, before you come to the first of the runes you'll need to destroy. Though you'll often switch directions in order to get around obstacles, always go in the only direction you can to advance, never go backward. the level will guide you through it, as long as you keep moving forward (forward in the figurative sense; you'll often find yourself going backward). Keep going until you find the first rune, and destroy it. From there, it's not far to the second rune, which you should destroy in the same manner. Ditto the third. The beast will start flying straight up at one point, making the platform you're on shift suddenly into a ledge. Just keep moving, up the sheer belly of the monster, and find another rune to destroy. Be ready for quick-time events during any cutscenes that occur here, including any falls you may take. Find and destroy the fourth rune to bring the battle to its final phase.

Back on solid ground, grapple up to the beast's glowing jaw, and into its mouth. You won't be able to proceed at first, but be ready. As soon as it starts building up its flaming breath, move forward, and smash the rune inside its mouth. It will probably spit you out after a few hits. Just repeat the process to destroy the rune. Twice should do it. Once the beast is defeated, the chapter will be over, leaving just one more battle for you to face.

Finally, Gabriel's quest is at the brink of completion. Only one more battle lies before him, but his enemy isn't who he's been expecting. After Gabriel's trust is betrayed, after his illusions are shattered, after his very soul is seemingly forfeited, he'll still have to battle the most fearsome enemy he could possibly imagine. With the fate of all mankind--including his beloved Marie--in the balance, Gabriel will have only his skills as a warrior, and his powers as the champion of God, with which to stand against his dark foe.

Your final foe, Satan himself, isn't ridiculously difficult, once you know how to respond to his various tricks. For starters, you'll want to avoid his attacks, which can be devastating to your health bar. The earthquake he summons by slamming the ground covers the entire stage, so the only way to avoid it is to jump; double-jumping will give you a bit more safe time in the air. Dodging will suffice for his other direct attacks, but you'll have to be quick, and be ready to dodge two or three times consecutively, to stand a chance against them. Pay attention to Satan's movements and patterns; predicting which move is next will give you that much more time to dodge. The fireballs he calls down from the sky are too numerous and fast to dodge fully, so just do the best you can, and try to gain back any health you lose once you can start hitting Satan again. Satan will sometimes summon waves of reapers, color-coded, like many of his moves, either red (for Shadow Magic) or blue (Light Magic). Equip the opposite colored magic to take out the reapers quickly, and remember, one hit from their sickles will kill you instantly, so avoid them at all costs. Similarly, using the right color of magic is crucial to avoid taking big damage when you're inevitably trapped in one of the huge circular runes Satan periodically calls forth. If you remain trapped, Satan's swooping attack will take a big chunk off your health. In order to escape, you need to activate the magic corresponding to the color of the rune that holds you; if its blue, select Light Magic, if red, Shadow Magic. You'll still need to jump out of the way quickly to avoid the devastating attack that always follows your being trapped. When fully deployed, these runes will together cover almost the entire screen. Standing still in one of the narrow alleys of safe ground is often counterproductive, opening you up to Satan's attacks, or, worse still, a deadly swipe of a reaper's blade. It's actually quicker and easier to get trapped, escape, and continue the battle, since this will dispel all of the runes at once.

To do damage to Satan, and to heal yourself during the battle, you'll need to activate the color of magic opposite to the one Satan himself is currently using. You have unlimited supplies of both types of magic, so there's no reason to conserve it. When Satan's staff glows blue, equip Shadow Magic, and wail away at him. This will not only damage him, but heal you, counter to all your experience up to this point. Though your instinct may be to equip Light Magic when your health gets low, only do so if Satan has Shadow Magic equipped; otherwise, Light Magic won't heal you here. Satan switches magic types frequently, so you need to keep an eye on him at all times.

Once you've taken Satan's health about halfway down, he'll be stunned, and you'll be able to grab him. But don't rush at him right away. The circles that appear while he's stunned must be crossed, and the only way to do so is to activate the same color of magic as the circles themselves. This will mean passing through a circle, stopping and switching to the other color, passing through another, over and over, until you reach Satan. He'll only stay stunned for so long, but if you ram into too many circles in your haste to reach him, you'll not only lose a bunch of health, but also give him the chance to regroup, gaining back his strength. Be quick here, but don't hurry. Take as much time as you need to safely pass through the circles, but no more. When you reach him, grab Satan, and watch carefully for quick-time events. You don't want to start the battle over again just because you missed one. Satan will need only two rounds of this to be finished. The circles on the second approach are much more difficult to navigate, since they move constantly, changing positions and sweeping toward or away from you. You'll have to be quick on your feet, and anticipate the patterns of the circles. Again, you'll need to get to Satan reasonably quickly, or risk him regaining his health. During the climactic cutscene, don't take your eyes off the screen, or your fingers off the button, until Satan is safely dispatched back to hell. Complete all of the quick-time events to finish this final battle with evil.

Controls

Achievements

Chapter 1

• Besieged Village

• Hunting Path

• The Dead Bog

• Pan's Temple

• Oblivion Lake

Chapter 2

• Enchanted Forest

• Underground Caves

• Labyrinth Entrance

• Waterfalls of Agharta

• Agharta

• Dark Dungeon

• Sanctuary Entrance

• Sanctuary of Titans

• The Black Knight

Chapter 3

• The Three Towers

• The Darlk Lord of the Lycans

Chapter 4

• Mountain Fortress

• The Crow Witch

Chapter 5

• Veros Woods

• Wygol Village

• Abbey Catacombs

• Abbey Library

• Abbey Tower

• Brauner

• Castle Sewers

Chapter 6

• Castle Courtyard

• Maze Gardens

• Castle Hall

• Refectory

Chapter 7

• Balcony

• Electric Laboratory

• Chromatic Observatory

Chapter 8

• Outer Wall

• The Clockwork Tower

• Olrox

• Throne Room

Chapter 9

• Bones Forest

• Woes Moor

• The Music Box

Chapter 10

• Titan Graveyard

• Fire Pinnacle

• Fire Cemetery

• Crematory Ovens

Chapter 11

• Necromancer's Abyss

• The Dracolich

Chapter 12

• Final Fight