"The first female protagonist in the series isn't bringing in anything new! They should have used the same characters they've used every time before!"
You high or somethin'? You are entitled to your opinion but mentionin somethin that is not true is another.
Other than what was mentioned on this forum, Shanoa is anything but generic!! Tell me another person in the CV game who's MP gets drained whenever she/he does a normal weapon attack?
Also, the story is something that is different when the previous titles have been somethin like "Main character's gf is kidnapped by Dracula, resulting in him going to drac's castle.
*Spoiler*
Surely a plot involving a hot soceress whose "sibling" went out to make himself a badguy so he can save her life is not new? IT is better than havin the rival character being under the infulence of Drac.
Even his relationship to Shaona is different as oppose to any cliche storylines out there.
*end spoilers*
Hell, neither characters use a whip or the cross and some of the things they do use are things we haven't seen in Castlevania before.