The Ink Black Butler Emerald Witch arc is a storyline that takes place in the Black Butler manga series. It introduces a new character named Beast, who is a member of the Noah's Ark Circus. The arc explores her backstory and her connection to the emerald witch. The arc starts with Ciel and Sebastian attending the circus and discovering that some of the performers are disappearing. They suspect that the emerald witch may be involved, as there are rumors of her ability to grant any wish. Ciel decides to investigate further and assigns his servants to gather information.
Ciel decides to investigate further and assigns his servants to gather information. During their investigation, they meet Beast, a talented performer who has a close bond with her fellow circus members. As Ciel and Sebastian delve deeper into the mystery, they learn that Beast possesses a unique power that is coveted by the emerald witch.
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness is underrated
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Agni Kai
Member Nov 2, 2017 5,610We all have a list of games we usually go back to from time to time to remember the times of joy they brought us many years ago. In my case, I find myself constantly going back to Donkey Kong Country, Portal 2, Chrono Trigger, The Last of Us and, surprisingly, Castlevania Curse of Darkness every couple of years. I'm writing this thread to read your opinions on this game and, hopefully, to know I'm not the only one who keeps this game in such a high regard.
Hector, the protagonist of Curse of Darkness.
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness is often overlooked in any list about the best Castlevania games. Released at the end of 2005 for PS2 and Xbox, it was the last mainline 3D Castlevania game before the reboot in 2010. It serves as a direct sequel to Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and, while it doesn't add much to the Castlevania lore, I believe it's still a worthwile story that's usually overlooked.
A bit of story
In Curse of Darkness you play as Hector, a Devil Forgemaster who was part of Dracula's army during the events that ravaged Europe few years prior. Apparently, he still cared about humanity and decided to betray his former master by escaping into a human village. In there, Hector meets Rosaly, a girl he falls in love with, but then she is brutally murdered by the villagers after she is found guilty of witchcraft. He finds out this was all planned by his former friend, Isaac, who was also a Forgemaster and part of Dracula's army. Hector then chases Isaac through different locations seeking revenge for the death of his loved one.
While the story follows the standard Castlevania game plot, it is still entertaining and will surely keep you interested until the very end. The conversations between characters can be quite cheesy sometimes, but I believe that is to be expected from every Castlevania game. At the same time, every character has a story to tell. For example, Trevor Belmont appears as a boss and as a support character to the story, following the events of Castlevania III. St. Germain is also a new character to the series (which I believe never appeared in any other Castlevania game ever again) who is a mysterious time traveller that seems to play a much bigger role in how the story unfolds.
Gameplay
Basically, think of this as an 3D Action RPG. You level up, you have stats, different types of equipments with variable stats, etc. There are of course secret weapons and areas, different combos you can perform and a couple of optional bosses.
In most Castlevania games, you are stuck to using a whip. In this case, Hector is not part of the Belmont family, so just like Alucard, you have a wide array of weapons at your disposal. You can use swords, axes, spears and your own fists to fight Dracula's hordes. It's pretty straightforward to be honest, because you have one button for light attacks and one button for heavy attacks. Every weapon has different combo combinations as well, so you can equip different weapons at any time and make the combat more dynamic. You can also dodge and lock onto your enemy. If the whips are your thing, once you complete the game, you can play as Trevor Belmont.
The "Steal" mechanic is one of the best features of this game. You can steal materials and other items from almost every enemy in this game in order to craft more powerful equipment. There are some materials that can only be obtained from certain bosses, so you will find yourseful that finding the chance to steal the materials from certain bosses is much more fun than the fight itself. I remember spending quite a good (and fun) amount of time trying to steal Death's materials because you have like 0,000001 seconds window to do it before you get OHKO. I personally always have lots of fun trying to find the opportunity to steal materials from every enemy to craft every single weapon in this game.
During your journey, you will be aided by Innocent Devils. These are also an essential feature of this game, because you will need some of their abilities in order to progress in the story and, for example, to find hidden areas in the game as well. These Innocent Devils are basically the Castlevania version of Pokémon because You Gotta Catch 'Em All. There are different versions of them and they all serve a different purpose. For example, the fairy type of Innocent Devil will heal you and aid you in battle by using items. The "bird" type will allow you to traverse the map and fight your enemies.
Two of the many Innocent Devils you can acquire.
The map is slightly open. Most of the time you will encounter two routes, but really, there isn't much left to exploration in here. It's not a straightforward path either. I find it to be the perfect balance when you are just too tired of games which require too much exploration or you are also tired of linear paths. Every map has secret walls you can break or, alternatively, there are hidden rooms you can only access later in the game.
One of the early areas map. It's quite cool I think!
Setting
Unlike many other Castlevania games, in this one, you travel through forests, castles, aqueducts, mountains and even through a town. The graphics are not the best and much is left to imagination, but it's still a nice touch. What sets the game and its atmosphere the best though is the soundtrack. Curse of Darkness has my favorite Castlevania soundtrack ever. It's hard to find a Castlevania game with a bad sountrack anyway. Just listen to this beauty:
This game is completely underrated in my opinion. I see many people don't really take this one into account and vastly prefer the 2D Castlevania games, especially the ones relased during the GBA/DS era. They are great games, that's out of the question, but I still believe that Curse of Darkness tries something different and, even it doesn't excel at most of the things it tries to do, it is still worth a playthrough. If you haven't played this because of X reason, give it a try. It's a great Castlevania game and I consider it one of the best because of my nostalgia goggles, but also because of the Steal and Innocent Devils features. I think they add depth to the combat mechanics which your average Castlevania game doesn't really have.
If you have already played this game and don't think it's one of the best Castlevania games out there. Why not?
I am writing this thread because last week my and my fiancee watched the Castlevania series on Netflix. In there, Hector makes an appearance and made me wonder about its popularity in the Castlevania fandom. His backstory was modified and -we don't know yet- it seems the third season might focus on him. I can't wait for it.
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The main conflict arises when the emerald witch kidnaps Beast and tries to use her powers for her own benefit. Ciel and Sebastian race against time to rescue Beast and put an end to the emerald witch's plans. Throughout the arc, themes of loyalty, friendship, and the consequences of making deals with supernatural entities are explored. The arc also sheds light on Beast's character and her past, revealing the hardships she has faced and her determination to protect those she cares about. Overall, the Ink Black Butler Emerald Witch arc is an intriguing storyline that adds depth to the Black Butler series. It introduces new characters, explores their connections, and delves into the consequences of seeking out supernatural powers. The arc offers a unique blend of mystery, action, and emotional depth that keeps readers engaged..
Reviews for "The Role of Magic in the Ink Black Butler Emerald Witch Arc"
1. John - 2 out of 5 stars - I was really disappointed with the "Ink black butler emerald witch arc". The story felt disjointed and confusing, and the pacing was all over the place. At times, it seemed like the writers were trying to cram too much information into each episode, resulting in a jumbled mess. Additionally, the character development felt lacking, with many of the new characters introduced in this arc feeling underdeveloped and uninteresting. Overall, it was a lackluster addition to the "Ink black butler" series.
2. Emily - 3 out of 5 stars - While I enjoyed the previous arcs of "Ink black butler", the "Emerald witch" arc fell short for me. The plot felt convoluted and hard to follow, and the introduction of new supernatural elements took away from the more grounded and character-driven aspects of the show. I also found the pacing to be uneven, with some episodes dragging on while others felt rushed. However, the animation and art style remained strong, and there were a few standout moments and character interactions that kept me somewhat engaged. Overall, it was a disappointing addition to an otherwise great series.
3. Samantha - 2.5 out of 5 stars - The "Ink black butler emerald witch arc" failed to capture my interest. The storyline seemed forced and lacked the depth and complexity that made me a fan of the previous arcs. The new characters introduced were forgettable and their motivations felt underdeveloped. Additionally, the pacing was off, with certain episodes feeling slow and others hurried, leaving little room for proper character and plot exploration. Overall, it was a forgettable arc that did not live up to the standards set by the earlier seasons of "Ink black butler".