Walkthrough

Prelude to the
Dark Abyss		 House of
Sacred Remains		Anti-Soul
Mysteries Lab
Dark Palace
of Waterfalls		Garden Forgotten
By Time		Ghostly
Theatre
Pagoda of the Misty Moon




ANTI-SOUL MYSTERIES LAB
Mad Scientists Paradise
In the Castle Entrance, head to the Platform Room, and take the first one on the left as you approach.  You rise up into an entrance room where Skeletons meet your arrival.  Destroy them quickly, then head through the doorway to the east.

Ring of Fire
If you've obtained the Ring of Fire from the Garden Forgotten By Time, now would be a good idea to equip it because one of the new foes in this new area inflicts Fire damage.  The ring isn't really necessary against this particular weak foe, but since many of the foes in this area do Fire damage, wearing the ring is a good idea.

Here you find a bend hallway and another door to the south, which you take to a room that contains Ghosts Knights and Flame Zombies.  The Ghost Knights are a spectral foe that may look fierce, but which aren't really more difficult than the normal Ghost foes that you've encountered previously.  The Flame Zombies are, as their name implies, Zombies covered in with a layer of flame, and do Fire damage as a result.  As they are as slow and lumber, like the other Zombies, the damage shouldn't be a big problem.  Win your way past, then continue on through the door to the south.

Here you find another bent hallway.  This one has a door at the bend, as well as a group of Flame Zombies further down the hall.  Pass by the bend, head on to attack the Zombies, then continue through the western door.  Here you face a pair of Hellhounds, canine creatures similar to the various wolves that you've fought before, and the familiar Armor Knight.  Fight the canine enemies -- watching out for the fire breath attacks -- then the slower but stronger Knight.  Once they have fallen you can save in the room to the south, then return to the room and continue on to the west.  The next bend hallway holds more Flame Zombies.  Defeat them, then head north once more.

As the door slams shut, you face more Ghost Knights joined by Skeleton Swordsmen.  You should be able to handle them all readily, even in such a large group.  Head north through the opposite door to finish mapping out the first large circle of hallways and rooms in this area.  No enemies lurk within this hall, so turn back around and head south through the latest room.  Go back down to the door leading west, from the bend in the hallway, and take this door into the next new area.
Out of the Loop
You now stand in a large room holding a group of Skeleton Swordsmen and Frost Zombies, the ice-element counterpart of the Flame Zombies.  You should be able to handle them easily on your way to the door leading south.  This doorway leads to a hallway holding a trio of Flame Swords.  If you don't already have the Axe, claim one from the candlestick in this hallway, then continue south through the next door.

Now you face a somewhat trickier fight -- a group of Skeleton Swordsmen joined by a pair of Axe Armor.  Luckily, the latter is weak against both the Axe sub-weapon and the Whip of Lightning (if you've obtained it in the Garden Forgotten By Time), so they should fall quickly to your onslaught if you use these weapons to your advantage.  When all the foes are gone, continue through the eastern into a new hallway.  Run a short distance down the hall to the first door to the right, and step inside.

You now have a fight on your hands against a pair of Peeping Eyes and an Astral Warrior.  This combat is a bit nastier, in a great part due to the Astral Warrior's teleportation ability in these cramped quarters.  If you can manage to nail this enemy with your Axe sub-weapon it should make short work of him.  Otherwise, do your best to avoid his attacks while watching our for the flame attacks of the Peeping Eyes.  Once you've managed to take out the foes pick up the bag of 400 Gold waiting at the end of the room.  Step back out into the hallway, and continue on your way.  Take the next door along the southern wall.

Here you have another somewhat tricky fight, this one is against a pair of Red Skeletons and an Axe Knight.  Remember that the Red Skeletons cannot be completely destroyed, so concentrate your attacks on the tough Axe Knight.  Once again your Axe comes in very handy here because it can wipe out the Axe Knight in a few simple blows, allowing you to move on and claim Marker Stone 4 from the corner of the room.  Leave the Red Skeletons behind, head back out the door, and go into the hallway.  This time, skip the next door in sequence, and head through the final door along the south wall.  In your path you come across both a candle stand holding a Crystal and Map 2.

Once in this easternmost room, you face a group of Flame Zombies.  Watch out for the Mad Diver tunneling beneath the floor of the room.  This monster is a slightly less dangerous version of the Evil Stabber.  Watch out when it leaps from the floor, in order to use your stronger attacks.  With the foes out of the way, step to the end of the room and pick of the Ancient Text 4.  This particular text tells you of a tapestry of a two-headed beast which marks a false wall.  Keep this in mind for a future reference as you head back out of the room and take the eastern end doorway leading out of the hall.

Once again you face a group of Ghost Knights in this next room, joined by two more Axe Armors.  Fight them off and continue on your way through the northern door of the room.  Fight the Flame Zombies that lumber around this next hallway, and note the candle to the east that holds a Cross sub-weapon.  Take it, and continue through the opposite door of the hallway to the north.

Here you find a large group of the combined Frost and Flame Zombies, but with their slow attacks you should be just fine.  This room also holds another object of  interest -- a large stone statue shaped like a gargoyle that blocks a side entrance to another room.  Unfortunately, you cannot get past this statue for the moment, unless you already hold the requisite Whips.

UNLOCKED AREA:
GARGOYLE STATUE		ITEMS NEEDED:
WHIP OF FLAMES
WHIP OF ICE
Once you have the two whips in your possession, return to this room and whip out the enemies.  Now switch to the Whip of Flames and begin attacking the statue, quickly and constantly, until the stone glows a bright, steady red.  Immediately switch to the Whip of Ice at this point and continue attacking the statue.  If you make the switch quick enough, and attack with the ice-based whip while the statue is still completely heated, the statue begins to crack.  With repeated ice attacks it crumbles completely to the ground, leaving a new doorway.

Head through the doorway into a small hidden room, and you now find the White Orb, one of the special orbs that allow you to use extra sub-weapon attacks.

Continue through the west door, through the hall, and into the next room to the west, where you can visit the Save Room.  After saving the game, return to the southern hall, then step through the door that you passed over previously.  The room holds no enemies, but contains the stairs leading up to the second floor.  Take the stairs to begin the exploration of the higher level.
Higher Learning
On the second floor, you have a moment's respite.  Continue across to the door, opposite the stairs, and exit the room.  Turn to the left and run toward the western end of the hall, pass by the Knife that you find there, and enter the next room along the southern wall.

Here you face a large group of Astral Warriors, not fun at all in such a small room.  Using one of the Cross sub-weapon attacks can buy you some breathing space.  Otherwise, use light attacks and constantly watch your back, using Quick Step to get out from between multiple attackers when necessary.  Once you defeat them you should claim the bag of 400 Gold sitting opposite the door, then return to the hall and move further west.

The next door along the southern wall is a Save Room, handy if you took a lot of damage fighting the Astral Warriors.  Next return to the hallway and continue west through the door at the end where a bag of 1000 Gold sits.  Leap onto the stone block to claim it, then head through the door in the northern wall.

The short hallway that you find yourself in holds no enemies, but is just a short clear run to the next door at the northern end.  Approach the door, try to open it, and you find that it is in fact the Red Phoenix door.  The Red Phoenix Key, found in the Garden Forgotten By Time, is used to unlock this door.

UNLOCKED AREA:
RED PHOENIX DOOR
ITEM NEEDED
RED PHOENIX KEY
As you select 'yes' to use the Red Phoenix Key to open the doorway, you enter to find a very special item -- the Wolf's Foot.  This relic allows you to run as swiftly as a wolf when it is activated, but it has a second purpose that isn't as apparent.  When active, the Wolf's Foot also allows you to make a much longer jump than usual, which means that using the relic with a double-jump grants you access to areas that you've been unable to reach thus far.

At this point you should consider going back to visit former areas that you've been unable to reach previously, such as the balcony on level 1F of the House of Sacred Remains, or the Thunder Elemental in the Garden Forgotten By Time -- although you may wish to hold off until you find the Yellow Dragon Key later in this area, also used to reach a previously impenetrable area back in the House of Sacred Remains.

Now return to the 2F hallway, and head east.  Walk past the entrance room, and step into the next room along the south wall (the easternmost of the four rooms off the hallway).  This room holds a large group of undead called 'Hanged Man'.  These zombie-like creatures are as slow as their distant Zombie relations, but they have a deceptively long reach that they use to grab Leon.  Keep far back from these foes, especially when you see them begin to reach out, and use quick attacks to keep Leon agile and out of their reach.

When the fight is done, take the High Potion from the opposite end of the room and return to the hall.  From here go through the eastern door at the end.

This room relies more on brains and skill than on fighting prowess.  It consists of four raised platforms in four different areas along the wall, two each on the east and west walls of the room.  Below these platforms is a large open area for you to fall into, with a moving platform to bridge between them.  Wait for the platform to come to just in front of your location and leap on it.  As the platform begins to move, ride it to the second (northernmost) platform along the east wall.  Enter this door, and claim a HP Max Up from a stone pedestal.  Move back out and leap on the platform.

Out of Order
The order given here assumes that you do not miss your leap and land on the floor far below before you are instructed to jump down.  If you do fall, you should just skip ahead just a bit to collect the Heart Max Up now, before making your way back up to the platform and your next location.

After grabbing the HP Max Up and leaping onto the moving platform again, leap onto the other (southern) platform along the east wall.  Here you can claim a Potion that sits upon the ledge.  If you move south to the edge of this short balcony you can see a bar that juts out from the wall.  Double-jump and grab it with you whip.  You flip up onto a new platform with a door that does not show up on the map.  Before entering the door, double-jump onto the pillar to claim a Heart Max Up.  Double jump back to the platform and pause to prepare for a tough fight.  Equip the Ring of Fire and Sacrificial Doll if you have them, along with any other powerful items that you have ready.  Enter and face your fears!

FLAME ELEMENTAL
HPTOLERANCEWEAKNESS
1500FIREICE
If you've already fought the Thunder or Ice Elemental this should be a simpler fight than before -- the Flame Elemental is similar in style to its cousins, but not as fast.  This is still fa tough customer, so don't relax your guard.

The Flame Elemental's main form of attack is a straightforward series of slices.  To keep from having your block broken, leaving you vulnerable, avoid them with a Quick Step when you see the Elemental moving in to attack.  You can counterattack using the Step Attack if you have it available.  Otherwise, wait until the foe finishes his attack, then move in to take a few quick strikes of your own.

Occasionally the Elemental also lets off one of two magical attacks.  When Leon is at a distance the enemy raises his sword and then lowers it in a quick motion, letting loose a line of flame heading toward Leon.  If you see this attack coming it is easily avoided, and you can then take a brief pause after the attack to return the favor with a sub-weapon.

The other magical attack is somewhat similar to the Thunder Elemental's strong attack.  The Flame Elemental calls forth a shield of fire covering a circular area all around it, which can be blocked if you are quick on the draw.  Or, if you stand outside its area of effect, you can let loose a sub-weapon strike of your own.

The main bulk of this combat is really avoiding the attacks of your foe, using Quick Steps, and countering via whip or sub-weapon.  If you keep up the attack the Elemental runs out of steam, collapses and leaves a present behind.

As the Flame Elemental vanishes the Whip of Flames materializes to take his place.  This is one of the elemental-based versions of the Whip of Alchemy, and while it is not particularly useful in this area it can come in quite handy down the road.  With the whip in hand and your HP restored, move back out into the room with the moving platform and leap down to the floor.

Now evade, or fight the Skeleton Flowers near the northern section of the floor and continue on to the large pillar.  Step behind it and you find a second Heart Max Up.  Now double-jump to the low ledge against the western wall, and follow the stairs up to a door leading west.  Step through, then run through the hallway that you find in order to take the door along the opposite end.

In this next room you face a fight against a group of Red Skeletons and the large Red Ogre.  This large creature is one of the enemies in this area vulnerable to the Whip of Flames -- whatever method you use, simply try to avoid the Red Skeletons.  Watch out for its sweeping club attack and backswing, fas well as its special attacks.f  When it dies, leave the room through the northern doorway.  Go into a new hall, and check into the Save Room.  Now, return to the hall and head back to the south, then take the southern door out of the room.  Pass through the next hall, where a Peeping Eye appears, then move through the next door to the south.

Don't be too quick to take the stairs to the third floor!  Take a careful look at the design on the floor -- below the artwork, laid into the floor, is a single golden tile.  Step onto this tile, and after a moment's pause it lowers into the ground.  The Yellow Dragon Key resides in this secret room.

You can take this key back to unlock the room in the House of Sacred Remains, using your Wolf's Foot to reach any other areas that you haven't explored.  Return from your current position, go to the previous 2F room, and step on the golden tile once more.  Now you can move up to the third floor.
Third Floors the Charm
At this top floor you are immediately greeted by a group of Astral Warriors.  These teleporting foes are never good to see, but the combat is a lot easier as long as you still have the Cross sub-weapon.  When you can, go through the north door into a short hall.  Fight your way to the door in the north, and go through.

In this next large room you are trapped with a group of Hellhounds and Flame Demons.  Take to the air to concentrate more on fighting the Flame Demons.  Watch out for their spells in the meantime.  Also, keep an eye on the Hellhounds, which can jump up to bite you while you use the Air Extension attack.  When the Flame Demons have been slain, move on to mop up the dogs, then move through the doorway to the east.

After moving down another short hallway, you enter a room without an obvious puzzle at first.  The trick here soon becomes apparent through when you step onto the walkway in front of the door.  Only seconds after you move onto the walkway, it begins to collapse in a wave from the entrance to the opposite doorway.  Although it can be reset into its proper position, by leaving the room.  Leon cannot cross it in the mean time.  You cannot enter unless you've already retrieved the Wolf's Foot.

For now, fall into the chasm below and meet some monsters.  The Hanged Man here reappears quite a few times when killed, but eventually goes away for good.  Run to the east side of the room where you can gather a High Potion from the corner (it is usually hidden by the camera angle).  Now, move back to the east and leap onto the first short stone pillar to grab a Potion before continuing to leap your way back to the platform in front of the entryway.

UNLOCKED AREA:
COLLAPSING WALKWAY		ITEM NEEDED:
WOLF'S FOOT
This time, the Wolf's Foot comes to your rescue with its speed.  To successfully cross the walkway, stand on the solid area just before the entry and activate the Wolf's Foot.  Now dart at full speed straight across the walkway to the opposite side.  Step through the door into the next small room, where you find the Megingjord.  This accessory allows you to deal increased amounts of damage as your own HP drops.  Now return through the door, and leap into the chasm to cross back to the other side of the room.

When you are done in the room with the collapsing walkway return to the room with the staircase, this time take the southern door out of the room and into another long hall.  The first thing to greet you is another candle stand with the Cross in it.  Move to the east and take the first door that you come across.

This next room quickly fills with a group of four tough armored foes, Axe Armors and Axe Knights-- made stronger in this cramped space.  Keep to the outer edge of he group and pick off the slow-moving Armors as quickly as possible, one by one, before the rest can reach you.  When you are done, collect the Super Potion from the corner of the room, and move back out to the hallway.  Move into the next room to the east.

Super Potions
While normal Potions and High Potions can both be bought at will from Rinaldo (assuming you have the Gold), Super Potions can only be found in a few rare places, and have the ability to heal your HP completely.  You should ration them very carefully -- save them for only the very toughest battles, preferably the final Boss Battle at the end of the game, or the very difficult optional Boss fights that you enter shortly beforehand.

A trio of Mad Divers inhabits this next room, quite nasty if you get pinned between all three at once.  Attack, when one surfaces alone or away from the others.  When all three are out of the way, move to the north side of the room to claim the Ancient Text 3.  This text hints at a way to get through a secret room -- by freezing a scorching statue.  With this bit to mull over, head back out into the hallway and move to the eastern end -- and area with at first glance nothing further to find.

Taking a look at the wall, you can just make out a strange tapestry -- one that looks like it depicts a two-headed winged beast.  Taking the hint from a previous Ancient Text, leap up and into the tapestry.  This turns out to be a magical wall, and as you leap up and into it,  you warp into a room on the other side.  This hidden room contains the Arctic Ring, ice elemental cousin to the Ring of Fire and Ring of Thunder.  After picking it up, head back out into the hallway.  Now move to the third door along the southern wall, and enter.
Life and Death
Inside you must fight off a pack of Hellhounds.  You also find yet another text, this time the Ancient Text 1.  This one gives the meanings of the words "meth" and "emeth", which are "death" and "life" respectively.  Now that you've expanded your vocabulary, head out into the hallway and into the final room along the southern wall.  Here you fight a Flame Demon among a group of Red Skeletons.  As usual ignore the Skeletons when possible, and leap up to attack the Flame Demon.  Claim the MP Max Up from the opposite side of the room, leave the room, and head west through the doorway at the end of the hall.

After the last few combat-heavy areas, this room may be a bit of a relief.  It is a puzzle room, with no enemies at hand to worry about.   Out of sight of the camera, behind the ledge jutting out of the western side of the room you will find the food item Shortcake.  Run to the opposite side of the room, leap up onto the balcony, and go over to the switch on the western wall..  Flip the switch to set off a mechanism.  This causes a pathway of bars and platforms to appear from the wall, leading upward to the top of the room.  Don't dawdle!  These "stairs" only remain for a short while.  Make your way along the path before the room resets.

After hitting the switch, make a double-jump onto the bookshelf just to the north of the balcony also along the west wall.  Switch direction slightly west with your second jump to angle in onto the bookshelf.  Continue north onto the block at the end of the shelf, then leap to the east with a single jump to grab the bar with your whip.  Continue to flip and jump up the side of the wall to the east, then west, using single-jumps.  Turn to perform two sets of double-jumps to the next blocks to the east.  From here you can jump ton a longer stone platform.  Use this as a springboard to pull yourself up onto solid ground where you can pull yourself up onto solid ground that isn't about to disappear beneath your feet..  With that tricky journey behind you, head through the door at the top of the room.

Make your way along the short hallway and into the room at the end where you find the "e" Tablet.  Make your way back to the second floor, and save your progress within the Save Room to the northern side of the area.  Now move into the hallway, and switch your whip to the Whip of Flames.  Equip your preferred accessories such as Sacrificial Doll, then step inside the door to the north for the final fight of the area.

As you enter this abandoned laboratory you can see various pieces of stone statuary scattered around the room.  Move across the room, where a large stone slab stands against the wall -- a slab with one significant piece missing.  The slab currently reads "meth" which, as the Ancient Text 1 pointed out, means "death".  As there is a conspicuous hole in the tablet just above the writing, it is clear that the "e" Tablet that you picked up is meant to go into this space.  Press SQUARE while standing in front of the slab to inspect it, then select "yes" to put the "e" Tablet into place, turning "death" into "life".

As the tablet slots perfectly into place, the stone pieces lying around the room begin to stir of their own accord, flying together to construct a large stone monster -- the Golem.  You must now fight this foe that you returned to life, and turn life into death once more.

GOLEM
HPTOLERANCEWEAKNESS
1500
LIGHTNING, KNIFENONE
While the large, hulking Golem may seem to be a formidable foe, its attacks are slow and usually easy to avoid.  It tends to leave large openings for you to use to counterattack.  Don't despair.  As soon as the fight begins, move in for the kill.

Your large enemy tends to attack mostly using its weighty fists, winding up briefly, and unleashing a sweeping attack back and forth around its body.  This attack hits all around it, so when you see the Golem prepare its attack, move back out of its reach.

The next attack to watch out for is when the Golem slams its huge fists into the ground.  You can be forewarned of this attack by the way it raises both fists up high just before bringing them down.  You should easily be able to avoid these fists, but then you must watch out for the rain of stone that falls from the ceiling.  Avoiding these stones is a matter of luck more than skill, but even if you are struck they don't deal a great amount of damage.

A third attack is also triggered by the Golem striking the ground, but this time he leaps into the air, coming back down with his entire body.  This is the attack that you should watch out for, as it sends a wave of force streaking outward in a circle.  If you do not jump over the ring as it moves outward it not only damages Leon but paralyzes him as well.  This gives the Golem a chance to attack with his fists, if you cannot break free of the paralysis before he draws near.  Remember to move your left analog stick around as quickly as possible if this happens, and you may become free before the Golem can reach you.

During any of the Golem's attacks, try to use a sub-weapon -- the Golem often protects itself from a sub-weapon attack after being struck for a moment, but when it is already attacking it finishes with its offense instead of going on the defensive.  A stationary attack is perfect in a situation like this.  When the Golem's attack ends, it is a good time to step in and take a few swings of your own, before it can begin to move into its next attack.

After the Golem's dual HP bar empties completely, it would seem that the enemy must fall.  But be prepared -- as he yellow HP bar empties out, the Golem sheds some of its parts and begins to glow red.  Its HP bar refills with just its yellow colorer and the Golem shifts its attack style.  You now begin a quicker fight against a different version of the Golem, one that seems at first to be invulnerable to attack.

Luckily this hard-hitting foe has only one new type of attack, with a significant weakness.  the Golem may still strike out physically just as before (minus one fist), but its preferred method of attack is to aim at Leon for a moment while its hand spins in its socket, then lets the fist fly in a projectile attack.  This attack is hard to avoid by just moving around, and cannot be blocked, so try to avoid it with a Quick Step.  Heal yourself with a Potion, or other healing item, if you are struck too many times in a row.

The weakness to this attack on the part of the Golem is significant, however.  The only way that this form of the Golem can be damage is by hitting the red stone protruding from its chest.  When the Golem attacks by sending its fist out in this way, the hand remains lodged in the stone of the room's walls for some seconds.  This gives you plenty of opportunity to rush in, leap up, and attack the stone while the Golem is standing still and helpless.  After a few moments the hand returns to its starting position, at which point you need to watch out for another attack.

After the Golem attacks by sending out its fist a few times, you should have had plenty of opportunity to land enough blows to take its remaining HP down once more  -- and that should finish it for good.

As the Golem drops to the ground -- this time staying there -- a new orb coalesces from the air inside the room.  Run to the center of the room, and leap up in order to claim the Red Orb, expanding your repertoire.  As usual, your HP is restored as a violet circle of magic appears on the floor, ready to transport you safely to Rinaldo's shop.  Go there so you can replenish your stock before heading back into the Castle Entrance.
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