Castlevania II: Simon's Quest/Berkeley Mansion


 * Looking for:
 * Other items:
 * Important locations:
 * Town of Jova
 * Town of Veros
 * Berkeley Mansion
 * Important locations:
 * Town of Jova
 * Town of Veros
 * Berkeley Mansion
 * Berkeley Mansion

This first section is relatively short, with only one area to explore (besides the towns and mansions). You start the game in Jova and will head east to get to the first mansion. You will receive two of the most important weapons, as well as a whip that you will be using for quite a while.

Town of Jova

 * Key Items:

You begin the game with 50 hearts, which is enough to buy one of the two items that you need. Talk to everybody if you want, then head out of town to the right. Fight the skeletons and werewolves until you gain another 50 hearts (or more). If night falls the enemies will start dropping 4 hearts at once, instead of 2. Enemies also have twice as much defense and strength at night and the church is closed, so be extra careful. Should you get injured, simply go into the church at the top of the town to be healed. Get both the and the, but skip the Thorn Whip as Veros is very close and has a better whip.

Quotes

Jova Woods
The first section, which is where you should be fighting for hearts, is a very mild area. There are a lot of skeletons and werewolves, but no environmental hazards. The skeletons are a trivial threat, however the werewolves can jump about and make a nuisance of themselves. Run under them if they get to close and whip them from behind. Don't try and jump and whip; you'll just get hit. Head right to get to the river and meet the Fishmen. It wouldn't be a Castlevania game without Fishmen jumping out of the water, shooting fireballs at you.

Move across the bridge slowly; otherwise you risk having a Fishman jump up and hit you from below, probably knocking you into the water. Jump or duck their fireballs, then move in and whip when you have an opening. If you wait around a bit they'll jump back into the water, letting you pass.

On the next screen you'll see a set of platforms that you can use to reach the upper level, or you can use the Holy Water to break the lowest block. The purplish liquid is marsh, not water, so it won't kill you. You will, however, lose life quickly if you stand around in it. It's easiest to take the upper path. Head right and you'll be in Veros Woods.

Veros Woods
Veros Woods is pretty much just like Jova Woods, but even shorter and easier. If you don't have at least 200 hearts, fight the skeletons in this screen. Once you're set, go down the stairs and head right. You'll find yourself in the second town of the game.

Town of Veros

 * Key Items:

Veros is significantly smaller than Jova, but there are some very important things here. When you go in the building, they may seem abandoned, but if you use Holy Water on the floors or walls, you'll find the secret passage where the merchants hide out. In the first building, break through the right wall and buy the, then go back out side. Continue to the right, stopping at the Church needed, and go into the open building on the right side of town. Use Holy Water on the floor and then buy the (which is 3-4 times as strong as the Leather Whip) from the merchant at the bottom.

You're now prepared to go through the first mansion. You can reach it by heading out of town to the right, up to the top of the cavern, and then through the left exit. However, it's easier to get to the mansion from the west, so head back into Veros Woods.

Quotes

Veros Woods
Head left and back up the stairs, then to the right. You can hit the Skeletons on the platforms above the marsh much more easily with the Dagger than the whip. In the next screen, watch out for a Fishman when you go to jump across the pond. Head right one more screen and you'll be outside Berkeley Mansion. If you have at least 50 hearts go through the door, otherwise keep fighting outside until you get enough.

The Mansion
Important items:

Three things that you need to know about this (and every) mansion:
 * 1) A lot of the floors are fake - if you step on them you will fall through.
 * 2) You can find hidden books containing clues that are [usually] useful in the walls.
 * 3) There is a merchant selling ; buy one.

To avoid the fake floors, simply thrown Holy Water down every step. The vial will pass through fake floors, just as you would.

When you first enter, you'll be at the edge of a river with a ledge high above you, that you can't reach. Equip the and you'll be able to see a platform moving up and down. Jump onto the platform to reach the high ledge and head right. When you reach the end of the corridor, you'll see two staircases; go up. On the next level, head left, use the blocks to reach the fourth level. If you head all the way right, past the spikes, and break the right wall with holy water, you'll find the first book. If you got the book, head all the way back to the left side of the mansion. In any case, head up the stairs to the fifth level and go right. You'll reach a point where you have to jump to the next ledge, but be careful as the first two blocks are fake. Head right, into the next screen.

Go all the way right and down two sets of stairs, and then back left. Take the stairs going up and head as far left as you can, over the spikes. There's an old man here who sells for 50 hearts. You need one, so if you can't afford it, fight enemies until you get enough hearts. Past the merchant is a wall that can be broken with Holy Water to revel the second book. Go back to the right and down two sets of stairs.

If you head all the way to the right, you'll reach a dead end. You can break the wall to get the third book, and then backtrack to the stairs. Head down the last set of stairs and then go all the way right, keeping an eye out for fake floors You'll be in a large room with a couple of hung skeletons and a crystal ball. Use the Oak Stake on it (make sure the stake hits the crystal or you'll have to go buy another one) to reveal a bag containing. Equip the Rib and whenever you're stationary, you'll have a shield that can block fireballs and other small projectiles. Note that you have to be completely stationary - Simon will lower the shield to move, jump, whip, or use items.

Head back left, and drop through one of the fake pieces of floor. Being careful not to fall in the water, head all the way left, to the next screen, up the stairs, and left some more to reach the left side of the mansion. Drop down and go through the entrance to get back outside. If you need to heal, head back left, down, and right to get back to Veros, otherwise head right to begin the second phase of your journey: retrieving Dracula's heart from Rover Mansion.

Books