The game begins at the castle entrance, where Samanosuke arrives at Inabayama Castle. The entrance area features a short tutorial where you learn basic combat against demon soldiers. Defeat all enemies to absorb souls and unlock the first Magic Mirror save point. Check the courtyard near the fountain for a chest containing the bow, your first ranged weapon.
The main hall is the central hub of the castle, connecting to multiple areas. Explore all accessible rooms before proceeding. The east wing contains a locked door requiring the Fire Crest, which you obtain later. The west corridor leads to the underground area. The north stairs lead to the upper floors and the West Tower.
In the main hall, examine all decorative objects and bookshelves for lore entries and hidden items. There are 2 Fluorite stones in this area: one behind the large vase near the entrance, and one in the corner of the east wing behind a destructible crate. Use a charged attack to break crates and reveal hidden items.
- Bow: found in courtyard chest near fountain
- 2 Fluorite stones in main hall area
- East wing: locked, requires Fire Crest
- Save at Magic Mirror before proceeding
Castle Entrance and Main Hall Strategy
The game begins at the castle entrance, where Samanosuke arrives at Inabayama Castle. The entrance area features a short tutorial where you learn basic combat against demon soldiers. Defeat all enemies to absorb souls and unlock the first Magic Mirror save point. Check the courtyard near the fountain for a chest containing the bow, your first ranged weapon.
The main hall is the central hub of the castle, connecting to multiple areas. Explore all accessible rooms before proceeding. The east wing contains a locked door requiring the Fire Crest, which you obtain later. The west corridor leads to the underground area. The north stairs lead to the upper floors and the West Tower.
In the main hall, examine all decorative objects and bookshelves for lore entries and hidden items. There are 2 Fluorite stones in this area: one behind the large vase near the entrance, and one in the corner of the east wing behind a destructible crate. Use a charged attack to break crates and reveal hidden items.
- Bow: found in courtyard chest near fountain
- 2 Fluorite stones in main hall area
- East wing: locked, requires Fire Crest
- Save at Magic Mirror before proceeding
Underground Area and Waterway Strategy
The underground area is accessible through the west corridor in the main hall. This area is dark and maze-like, with multiple branching paths. The primary goal here is to obtain the Enryuu fire sword, found behind a sealed door requiring the Fire Crest. To get the Fire Crest, solve the torch lighting puzzle in the central chamber.
The underground waterway is a sub-section where you control Kaede. Navigate through demon-infested corridors to retrieve a key item. Kaede's dagger has low damage, so avoid unnecessary combat. Use her kunai to trigger switches and hit enemies at range. There are 3 Fluorite stones hidden in the waterway: one behind a waterfall, one in a dead-end tunnel, and one on a high ledge accessible by a hidden ladder.
The underground area also contains the Soul Bracelet, which speeds up soul absorption. It is found behind a door requiring the Water Crest. The Water Crest is obtained by solving the sliding block puzzle in the flooded chamber. This item is highly recommended for faster weapon upgrades.
| Item | Location | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Enryuu | Underground lava area | Fire Crest |
| Soul Bracelet | Underground area | Water Crest |
| 3 Fluorite | Waterway | Kaede section |
West Tower and Keep Exploration Strategy
The West Tower is accessible from the north stairs in the main hall. This multi-floor area features the rotating statue puzzle, which rewards the Shippuu wind sword upon completion. To solve the puzzle, rotate each statue to face the correct cardinal direction indicated by clues in the room. The correct order is: north statue faces east, south statue faces west, east statue faces north, west statue faces south.
The West Tower's second floor contains the matchlock rifle in a chest near the broken bridge. This is the strongest ranged weapon in the game and is essential for certain boss fights. Stock up on bullets from the shop in the main hall before proceeding further into the tower. There are 2 Fluorite stones in the West Tower: one on a ledge accessible by breaking a weakened wall, and one in a hidden room behind the bookshelf on the third floor.
The keep is the central tower where the Osric boss fight takes place. After defeating Osric, examine the chest in the back of the arena to obtain the Raizan lightning sword. The keep also contains the entrance to the East Tower, which has additional Fluorite stones and a Magic Mirror save point on its upper floor.
- Shippuu: West Tower statue puzzle reward
- Matchlock: West Tower second floor chest
- Raizan: keep, after defeating Osric
- 4 Fluorite stones in West Tower and keep
Demon World and Final Area Strategy
The demon world is the final major area, accessed after completing the castle. This dark dimension features enhanced enemies and the entrance to the Dark Realm. Before entering the demon world, ensure your weapon is at least level 2 and you have 10+ Medicines. The phantom fountain in this area allows you to trade Red Souls for the Dragon Orb, which increases your magic gauge capacity.
Explore the demon world thoroughly, as it contains the remaining Fluorite stones needed for the true ending. There are approximately 7 Fluorite stones in this area, hidden in corners, behind destructible objects, and in side rooms. Use charged attacks to break all destructible objects you encounter. The demon world also has several soul fountains that provide Red Souls for weapon upgrades.
The Dark Realm entrance is found in a side area of the demon world. This is the optional 20-floor dungeon that rewards the Bishamon Sword. Complete it before the final boss fight for the ultimate weapon. After the Dark Realm, proceed to the final boss arena for the three-phase Fortinbras fight. There is a Magic Mirror just before the arena; save here and stock up on any remaining items.
| Area | Key Items | Fluorite Count |
|---|---|---|
| Demon World | Dragon Orb | ~7 |
| Dark Realm | Bishamon Sword | 0 |
| Final Arena | None | 0 |