Speed Demos Archive - Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia was released in October 2008 as the third Castlevania on the DS. Taking place after the events of Symphony of the Night, Shanoa is a member of an organization seeking to seal Dracula with magical "Dominus" glyphs derived from his powers. While still retaining the RPG elements of the previous DS games, Order of Ecclesia harkens back to older Castlevanias with its linear progression in locations outside of Dracula's Castle. However, like the plot, there are a more than a few twists to change up the gameplay.

Hard difficulty with level 1 cap: 1:07:54 by Adrien Monpeyssen, done in 40 segments.

First, thanks to SDA for hosting speedruns. Thanks to Serris for his great strategies and for giving me motivation to try them on Hard Level 1 mode. Also thanks to all the OoE community who found so many cool tricks.

#Basics:
Since the time is not counted in the pause menu, it's faster to change glyphs in the menu than using the glyph sleeve.
I can only take one hit by segment, so I tried to use it wisely to save time on each segment.
I use a bug called accessory glitch, with a manipulation in the menu and some specific rings (Blow Ring and Slash Ring), it's possible to wear 3 accessories at the same time, giving extra strength.
I also use a technique called backdash cancel which allows you to spam union glyph attacks very quickly. Keep up direction pressed, do a union glyph attack, interrupt the animation with a backdash and continue so on.

#Segment 1: Ecclesia
I take the record 1 in the hidden chest to sell it later (750 G)

#Segment 2: Ecclesia, Monastery
I need heart repair (which only can be found in rare chest of Monastery) in order to beat Blackmore later. I go to the warp room to escape quickly after the boss. One stupid mistake costs me about 2 seconds

#Segment 3: Monastery
I need a sword glyph here.

#Segment 4: Monastery (boss), Wygol Village
Arthroverta is a piece of cake.

#Segment 5: Wygol Village, Ruvas Forest, Wygol Village
Ruvas Forest is maybe the more difficult part of the game (with skeleton Cave). It's totally random and I need to grab the Macir and Fidelis Caries glyphs. I use Fidelis Caries to stop axes and bats in my back.

#Segment 6: Wygol Village, Kalidus Channel
Very short segment, I use a damage boost to save a couple of seconds.

#Segment 7: Kalidus Channel, Minera Prison Island (boss)
This is a really frustrating segment. The Sea Stingers at the beginning are random and the boss is hard to beat quickly. I made here my worst mistake of the run by forgetting to use Magnes after the battle. It's pathetic but I decided to keep this segment for two reasons: I managed to pass through the last two rooms (quiet hard) and the chest in front of the save room contained sage. I really need this item to complete a quest, and the contents of the chests are randomly chosen when you enter the level. So I decided to continue.

#Segment 8: Minera Prison Island
I need a spear glyph to regain 10 hearts for the guillotine room. I take the priestess ring to sell it later (5250 G).
The invisible man is a real pain to dodge. And the next room is worst. I use basic union glyph to kill bone archers and I voluntarily get hit by a blade in order to be pushed between the 2 next blades. It's all about luck.

#Segment 9: Minera Prison Island, Wygol Village
I take the Falcis glyph and make spawn the Tin Man. I use Dominus Hatred to kill him easily and grab the Strength Ring in the hidden chest. At Wygol Village I talk to Abram to complete the first quest thanks to the Sage that I took. I can now buy Potions at the Jacob shop. I sell the Record 1 and the Priestess Ring to have enough money for 9 Potions, 8 Magic Tickets and 9 Meats.

#Segment 10: Wygol Village, Lighthouse (boss), Kalidus Channel, Wygol Village
Brachyura needs perfect timing. I screwed up my hammer combo on the last phase, losing about 5 seconds. Despite this mistake I'm quite happy with this fight. I go back to Kalidus Channel to take a Heart Max Up and teleport to the Wygol Village.

#Segment 11: Wygol Village, Kalidus Channel
I need a rare chest with a Gold Ring inside in order to sell it later (2500 G).

#Segment 12: Kalidus Channel, Tymeo Mountains, Wygol Village
I use the Torpor glyph to collect the Scutum glyph trough the wall. Skull Spiders in Tymeo Mountains are extremely dangerous so I use Dominus Hatred to exterminate them. I take the Emperor Ring which gives me more strength, I can now one-shot the Black Crows.

#Segment 13: Wygol Village, Misty Forest Road, Wygol Village
This segment is annoying because I need a Blow Ring on a rare chest.

#Segment 14: Wygol Village, Skeleton Cave
Okay, here is one of the most awful segments. I use the Blow Ring to activate the accessory glitch. Thanks to it I can kill the Bone Pillars with 2 hits instead of 3. I use Fidelis Caries to cover me from their fire. Skeleton Friskies in the third room are completely random, and sliding under the Skeleton Rex without taking any damage is very tricky. I fail the last one but I had enough life to pass anyway.

#Segment 15: Skeleton Cave (boss), Minera Prison Island, Wygol Village
Maneater is simple with Dominus Hatred. I just use Scutum glyph and Fidelis Caries to stop flying bones. I escape with a Magic Ticket and go to the top of Minera Prison Island to free a villager and get the Tower Ring.

#Segment 16: Wygol Village, Tymeo Mountains, Kalidus Channel, Wygol Village
This is a backtracking segment in order to free villagers. I take a Fidelis Aranea glyph in Tymeo to help me during boss fights. I go back to the Kalidus Channel then go to the Jacob Shop to restock Potions, Magic Tickets, and buy Battle Boots.

#Segment 17: Wygol Village, Somnus Reef
I need a Slash Ring in a rare chest at the beginning of Somnus Reef for activating accessory glitch with slash weapons.

#Segment 18: Somnus Reef (boss), Wygol Village
Rusalka is random but not really hard. I activate the accessory glitch and use all my hearts at the beginning with Falcis unions. Then I spam Falcis combo at close range. Fidelis Aranea is a good support here.

#Segment 19: Wygol Village, Giant's Dwelling, Skeleton Cave, Wygol Village
This segment is really short, but requires a lot of reload to obtain a Barbarian Helm on the first Skeleton Beast. The drop percentage is extremely low, but this item increases strength greatly. I do a small backtrack to Skeleton Cave to take a Heart Max Up.

#Segment 20: Wygol Village, Giant's Dwelling
I froze the Ladycat to take the Temperance Ring (I was planning to sell it but finally I didn't need it). I have to obtain a Vol Falcis on the first Miss Murder, and then I save.

#Segment 21: Giant's Dwelling
The Ectoplasm room is completely random, it's all about luck.

#Segment 22: Giant's Dwelling (boss), Tristis Pass
For Goliath fight, I have to use Scutum to protect me from falling rubbish. I keep my hearts to use them when Goliath goes into a crouch. It's the best time to spam Vol Falcis unions.

#Segment 23: Tristis Pass
This segment is a pain because I play on a DSi, and the diagonals are really hard to do consistently with this horrible directional pad. And of I have to use some diagonal dive kicks to pass the two Giant Skeletons. Furthermore the room with the spikes floor requires a lot of luck.

#Segment 24: Tristis Pass, Oblivion Ridge
I make a detour to get the Chariot Ring, which increases my strength.

#Segment 25: Oblivion Ridge (boss), Ecclesia, Wygol Village
Gravedorcus is simple to beat if he doesn't go away to the left. I use Vol Macir union and Fidelis Caries to cancel his spike balls. It's impossible to use Magic Ticket near Barlowe, so I have to get out of the room for using teleportation.

#Segment 26: Wygol Village, Argila Swamp, Wygol Village, Mystery Manor
I use all my hearts to pass through Argila Swamp quickly. In the Manor I lose 1 second by forgetting to crouch before jumping.

#Segment 27: Mystery Manor (boss), Ecclesia
Okay, here is the most horrible boss in this run. Albus is quick, random, and all his attacks one-shot me (except magic based shots but I can take only one hit). My strategy is to lure Albus with a jump above him. With a good timing, he will do a vertical fire kick. At the moment I can spam Vol Falcis combos in his back. When he starts to use Torpor glyph, this strategy doesn't work anymore. From now I just do backward and forward movements, hopping to not be hit by Albus.

#Segment 28: Ecclesia (boss), Castle Entrance
Now I have Dominus Agony, I can inflict huge damage but I have to be extremely quick (Dominus Agony consumes 66 HP per second). Barlowe only needs 8 hits to be killed with it. Once Barlowe dead, I can use Magic Ticket in this room and I go directly into the Dracula's Castle.

#Segment 29: Castle Entrance, Library (boss), Castle Entrance
I start to use Tower Ring. With it I'm not knocked back when I take damage. Wallman is the most simple boss in the game, just absorb his glyph and it's over. I prefer to come back later with Rapidos Fio glyph so I teleport and head for the Underground Labyrinth.

#Segment 30: Castle Entrance, Underground Labyrinth, Wygol Village
I take the Nitesco Glyph and I make a detour to pick up the Mercury Boots. Rapidos Fio glyph isn't far away but it saves about 7 seconds to use Mercury Boots anyway.

#Segment 31: Wygol Village, Underground Labyrinth (boss), Wygol Village
Blackmore is the first to experiment the combination of Nitesco glyph, Dominus Agony and backdash cancel attacks, and it hurts. I use a heart repair because I have to hit this boss 10 times.

#Segment 32: Wygol Village, Library, Wygol Village
I go to the Jacob shop for a last restock of items and I backtrack to the Wallman room. From there I go to search the Dextro Custos glyph.

#Segment 33: Wygol Village, Underground Labyrinth, Barraks
The only difficulty is the room full of Polkir, because their movements are completely random.

#Segment 34: Barraks, Mechanical Tower
I reset the position of a Tin Man by going quickly forth and back in the next room. At the beginning of Mechanical Tower, I have to wait a bit to not be hit by the first Imp.

#Segment 35: Mechanical Tower
I make a detour to take the Death Ring. I go to the Warp room at the top of the tower and I go back to the previous save room.

#Segment 36: Mechanical Tower, Arms Depot, Wygol Village, Arms Depot
I head for the second Cerberus glyph. I stop one second between the two Lizardman because there is a minimum time to wait between two Scutum unions. With Rapidos Fio activated, I can pass through the King Skeleton without damage. I teleport to Wygol Village, restock my hearts and save before the boss.

#Segment 37: Arms Depot (boss), Wygol Village
A good strategy and perfect timings are needed to beat Eligor quickly in Hard Level 1 mode. I use accessory glitch, Vol Macir Union, Dominus Agony and Death Ring (which are compatible together since only damages from enemies cause instantaneous death). I use healing item, and equip Tower Ring and Rapidos Fio glyphs to do the Eligor leg's glitch : I pass through the back legs and skip entirely the second phase. The third phase is annoying because I don't understand the HP system of back legs. I need to break them as quick as possible, and sometimes it works, sometimes not. Then I jump on his back, and do four Nitesco unions with backdash cancel to kill him in one round.

#Segment 38: Wygol Village, Mechanical Tower (boss),Forsaken Cloister
Death is so easy, I just need that he follows me to the right part of the screen and I kill him within 3 seconds. I use a Tonic item to activate the 3 Cerberus glyphs quickly.

#Segment 39: Forsaken Cloister, Final Approach
I have to go really fast if I don't want to be jammed by Imps. I make a small detour to take a Heart Max Up and restore my hearts. I voluntary take damage on Cave Trolls to use my lasts healing items. I take the Judgment Ring to inflict more damage to Dracula, a Heart Max up, then save.

#Segment 40: Final Approach (boss)
Dracula is ridiculously easy, I use the last healing item that I have and finish him.