His scythe attack is interesting... he can't jump very well, but any time you are within scythe range of an attackable object while in midair, you get a sort of homing attack prompt that, if executed, will either make you air-dash diagonally upward or downward depending on whether you are above or below the object... I dunno the exact hitbox dynamics here, but it's a pretty fun concept. and, you can already see it being used in really cool ways for the sidepath secrets in this first level.
Oh yeah... the levels have a certain number of red skulls to collect (10 in the first level)... these are used to trade in town for Curios, which are the special A button abilities you can purchase. Curios use up your Darkness meter... and there are Darkness Wisps you can find in certain levels that will increase your darkness meter. A woman in town tells you what levels the Darkness Wisps are, and also says that every level has one Willfullness Wisp in it (increases your Will meter, aka hearts).
And there's a thing in town that you can donate money to... so yeah money does still have a purpose here. I don't know what it unlocks but it's something.
Also you absorb the souls of all the enemies you defeat... I'm not sure what this does though. Do the souls just refill your Darkness meter?
I like this so far... and yeah the story is decent. It has a very Castlevania vibe where you're the bad guy working to increase Dracula's army.
The Red Skeleton misses his beloved, and the red skulls you find throughout the stages remind him of her, I guess? That's why he trades you Curios for them. But you don't just get the Curio power... he sends you to some secret skeleton zone that's like a mini level where you learn to use that Curio.
lol this mirror character... he tells you your various playthrough stats... "I'm not a mirror!"
woah, I think I just completed a sidequest on accident... this gold knight wanted to get stronger or something... and then I destroyed a lantern above him by airdashing through it too many times, and the lantern oil fell on him and turned him red, increasing his strength somehow.
oh, and I found out that donating to those weird spirits that float overtop of pots... well I did one of them at least, gives you access to upgrades for your Curios, in exchange for even more money.
Screenshots of first level:
