Some shun this for it's anime styling, but it's one of the best castlevanias to date regardless of what artist drew it!
I have NOT played through Aria or Sorrow. I read into it's story but I still apologize for my lack of knowledge on how the last story went. What I do understand is that Soma Cruiz, your average trench coat wearing pretty boy is supposed to be the next Dracula. He denied the opportunity though, and a group of 3 people are now pissed that THEY can't become Dracula. It's effective and keeps the action going. There are people on your side of the field who "help" you but I don't understand them not having played the last game.
On your side is Julius, a classic castlevania Belmont style whip user who threatens to kill you if you dare become Dracula. Yoko, some spellcaster feminist who will be delivering your friendship speeches for the game. Last of the important characters, Arikado, a business suit wearing dude who is apparently big in the castlevania story, not sure how though. Up until part 2 though, they all are useless and only show up in cutscenes.
On the enemy side is Dario, your average bad tempered fire controller, Celia, whose head of this whole operation but you never actually fight, and Dmitrii, an easily exploitable copycat. I like the premise of these rivals in the game but gameplay wise they play out like extremely weak bosses. Dario has a very easy pattern and your refights with him never give him new abilities, and Dmitrii is so easy, I'm serious, so freaking easy. Just use your weakest spell, he copies that and from there your free to punch him in the face while he throws black cats or bones or whatever you threw at him at you. So while interesting for story, the reoccurring enemies are useless in gameplay.
I'm sorry this rant took so long, but when I see characters, I kinda wish they'd play a bigger gameplay role.
Graphics:
You may fear the anime style, but know that it has little impact on anything in the actual game. Your cutscenes which consist of their heads and flipping by text is the only time you will probably notice that it's in an anime style. That being said, all the sprites are beautiful. Everything animates so well, so much is going on, and there's so much detail around the castle that I completely ignored the obvious lack of 3D. There's not much to say beyond that. A LOT of nice animating enemies and bosses to fight around a castle that looks equally nice. You may think because it's 2d that it might as well be a GBA game, but the GBA would lag to hell and back probably trying to run this. There's SOME 3d effects, but only in the form of nice background buildings.
Gameplay:
Let me just say it now, this game is fun. You will keep playing it til you've beaten it, regardless of how stuck you are. From the beginning, you get into a battle that teaches you the basics of combat, then you get to the front door of the castle and after a couple more story things and the rest of the game is yours, no more tutorials.
This game seems to try and have everything, but unlike past games, this game actually has all it's parts working with the game. After the first 2 bosses, the castle opens up a bit to be explored as you wish, and there's plenty to explore. Enemies all can drop souls or weapons which are really things you will single enemies out for if you want a specific ability or weapon. In addition, you have leveling in an RPG like way. This keeps you getting more powerful throughout the game, but you'll still have to learn bosses patterns to beat them still. Never do you grow too powerful that you can't be killed. If you're getting your ass kicked too much though, you can level up or find helpful souls to upgrade your weapons.
The game mixes itself up regularly. Each boss is unique and each section of the castle has a specific layout, look, and way through it. You also get a side story half way through the game to play through, but talking much more about that would be spoilers. Basically repetition is not something this game has a problem with. Everything feels tight, works right, and will keep you playing.
I forgot to mention, touchscreen is fairly useless and gimmicky, but the top screen is extremely handy in the fact that it's a free hand map for this otherwise complexe castle.
Sound:
There's no reason I can really shun this game in sound (or any of it's departments). It's got a main background music, well made I might add, for each section of the castle. Remakes of old musics occasionally, but beyond recognition and still a load of original compositions. It serves to add nostalgia without making the game into nostalgia. Each monster has a satisfying cry as they burst into flames or blood from your weapons, and there's plenty of sound effects for everything around you. It simply serves it's role for the game like it should.
Who wants this game?
Any fan of Metroid or Castlevania, or fan of side scrollers just looking for something to keep them busy a while. One of the best singleplayer games out there this generation.
Extra note:
Yes, I know there's a multiplayer, it's just too damn lame for me to care though. The singleplayer makes this game, the multiplayer is just lame uninteractive races.