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It's about time someone gave us a new castle map! This changes the whole GBA CV romhacking concept for the better! With each new map layout comes a new feel to playing this game. DO NOT STOP MAKING THESE HACKS!

Thank you, so much, for all of the effort this took. Although smooth a few of the new weapon palettes to look like the realness of the originals.

8/10 Can't wait for the next one!

Well, I do appreciate the attempt at least, but for me, this hack isn't....really overly great. Here's my breakdown of my main points with it:

GAMEPLAY: It's the same AoS, but with a change to weapons, stats, all that. So not a WHOLE lot has changed but you do have to test out new weapons and souls you acquire in order to figure out how it functions differently than the original. For example, some of the items in the original that lacked an element now have one (Lance - Ice Aligned, for example), so testing is important. That part is kinda cool, I'll admit. However, the stats have been adjusted from the +12HP/+8MP per level to +8HP/+1MP per level, which does ramp up difficulty a bit, though many souls don't particularly cost as much as they used to. The 4HP/level difference may not seem like much until you realize that in particular, Soma's Constitution is now the slowest growing stat of the four. At about lvl 15, I only have a constitution of 11, so even basic enemies are kicking me all around.

MAP: Oh dear....this is where I begin having REAL issue with the game. I LIKE the idea of reworking room layouts....but execution seems a bit....underwhelming to me. The in-game map now appears to be useless (so far as I've seen) as some rooms teleport you over to this one or that one several rooms away cause it connects to THAT room now. Certain areas are now blocked off while other areas are accessible in a different order. Somehow, this is where this hack loses me as the strange looking "walled off areas" and new open areas doesn't....look very good. The idea is sound, but while this might be a limitation of whatever editor the creator used, it just looks clumsy, and the strange new directions is kinda confusing since you can't track it on the in-game map properly anymore. Enemy placement is different to accommodate...though there are a LOOOOOOT of enemies in this hack, almost ridiculous amounts.

GRAPHICS: This is hit and miss for me. Some of the changes in graphics look fine with relation to weapons, item pickups, and soul powers. I in particular love the Cutall's new graphic (I'm a sword fanatic, sue me :P). However, some others just look like a bit of a hot mess and just WEIRD. Decent attempt, but could be better...

MY RATING: 4.5/10 I like ideas, don't get me wrong. Reworking many of the new weapons and souls to have different effects is a pretty cool idea. Attempting to change the map layout and the direction one goes is a feasibly good idea. And I don't MIND increased difficulty so long as it's within reason. But does this hack deliver a great experience? I personally don't think so. I have a hard time playing for any length of time and it doesn't really keep my attention like other hacks have. Many new graphics look goofy and weird, the map looks strange with sudden "holes" in the wall/floor/ceiling to accommodate the new directions, and some of the walled off areas are done right while many others just look like copy/paste walls. And difficulty doesn't feel natural since the game just seems to throw small hordes of enemies at you every couple rooms, meaning Soma gets bounced about like a ping-pong ball and you have to watch your HP VERY CLOSELY or you're dead before you know it. Good ideas, not the best execution.

This is quite the accomplishment! I am very much enjoying it so far. The new map layout and other additions give the game a whole new feel. It can be difficult at times, but not impossible. Can't wait to get back to it! Very well done!