Castlevania: Mirror of Life Locations for Narcissus Trophy

Updated 6 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

To earn the Narcissus trophy in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate, you must collect all 40 Mirror of Life shards hidden across the game’s stages. These shards are the only collectible tied to this specific trophy, and they are spread across every major area, often tucked behind breakable walls, in hidden rooms, or requiring specific sub-weapons to reach. This guide lists every Mirror of Life location in order of appearance, so you can sweep each stage clean on a single playthrough.

How the Mirror of Life Works

Mirror of Life shards are the game’s primary collectible, and each one permanently increases your maximum health by a small amount. The Narcissus trophy is awarded the moment you collect the 40th shard, not at the end of the game. Because the shards carry over between playthroughs (if you start New Game+), you can collect some on one run and the rest on a second, but the trophy only pops when the final shard is picked up. The shards are visible on the map as small blue icons, but only if you have the map upgrade that reveals them—otherwise you must rely on memory or a guide.

All Mirror of Life Locations (in Stage Order)

The game is divided into two main campaigns: Trevor Belmont’s and Simon Belmont’s. The shards are split between them, with 20 in Trevor’s story and 20 in Simon’s. Here is the complete list, stage by stage.

Trevor Belmont’s Campaign

Castle Entrance (2 shards): After the first save room, break the floor in the room with the chandelier to find one. The second is behind a breakable wall in the courtyard, just before the first boss.
Main Hall (3 shards): One in the upper-left balcony (use the whip to swing), one behind a fake bookshelf in the library area, and one in the secret room under the stairs.
Clock Tower (3 shards): One on a platform that only appears after you hit the gear mechanism, one inside a breakable clock face, and one at the top of the tower, behind the pendulum.
Underground Caverns (4 shards): Two are in side rooms reachable only by swimming (use the air bubble plants), one is behind a waterfall, and one is in a hidden alcove after the spike pit.
Chapel (3 shards): One behind the altar, one in the bell tower (use the double jump), and one in a secret room to the right of the main nave.
Laboratory (3 shards): One in a glass tube (break it), one behind a movable bookshelf, and one in the ceiling of the room with the giant vat.
Throne Room (2 shards): One behind the throne itself, and one in the upper-left corner of the room, reachable by wall-jumping.

Simon Belmont’s Campaign

Castle Keep (2 shards): One in the first tower room, behind a breakable wall, and one on the roof, near the gargoyle statue.
Art Gallery (3 shards): One behind a painting (attack it), one in the upper right of the main hall, and one in a hidden room behind the large statue.
Dungeon (4 shards): One in a cell (break the bars), one under a false floor, one in the torture room (behind a rack), and one in the sewer tunnel.
Catacombs (3 shards): One in a skull pile, one behind a breakable wall near the first save point, and one in a hidden room after the spike corridor.
Forest (2 shards): One inside a hollow tree, and one on a high branch (use the chain whip to swing).
Castle Exterior (2 shards): One on a ledge over the moat, and one behind a waterfall at the base of the castle.
Final Tower (4 shards): One on each of the four rotating platforms—these are easy to miss if you don’t ride them fully.

That totals 20 + 20 = 40. If you miss any, the map will show a blue icon once you obtain the map upgrade from the merchant (found in the hub area).

How to Choose Which Shards to Get First

Because the shards are all equally valuable (each gives the same health boost), the only reason to prioritize is convenience. If you want the trophy as fast as possible, grab the ones that are on your main path first, then backtrack for the hidden ones. The shards in the Clock Tower and Final Tower are the most likely to be missed because they require precise timing. A practical strategy:

Play through the game normally, collecting every shard you see.
After each boss, use the map to check for any blue icons you missed.
If you miss some, use New Game+ to grab them—your collection carries over.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

One frequent mistake is assuming the shards are tied to difficulty. They are not—the same 40 shards appear on all difficulty levels. Another is thinking the trophy requires a single playthrough; it does not. The game tracks your total shards across all saves, so you can collect 20 on one file and 20 on another, and the trophy will unlock when the 40th is collected on any file. A third misconception is that the shards are infinite or respawn; they do not. Once collected, they are gone forever on that save file.

If you reach the end of the game with 39 shards, you can still go back and find the last one because the game allows free exploration after the final boss. The only exception is the Final Tower shards—if you missed one and the tower collapses after the boss, you may need to start a New Game+ to get it.

Comparisons to Other Collectibles

Mirror of Life shards are often confused with the game’s other collectibles: the “Belmont’s Crest� pieces (which unlock sub-weapons) and the “Scrolls of the Dead� (which provide lore). The Narcissus trophy is exclusively for the Mirror of Life shards; the other collectibles are tied to different trophies (e.g., “Collector� for all Belmont’s Crest pieces). So if you are aiming for 100% completion, you need all three, but for Narcissus, focus only on the mirrors.

Safety and Accuracy Notes

There are no real-world safety concerns with collecting virtual items, but for accuracy: the shard locations listed above are based on the 3DS and HD remaster versions, which have identical layouts. If you are playing the original 3DS version, the controls differ slightly (touch screen for map), but the locations are the same. Always save your game after collecting a shard, because if you die before reaching a save point, the shard remains collected (it does not reset), but you will respawn at the last save point and may have to re-navigate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to collect all 40 Mirror of Life shards in one playthrough?

No. The trophy unlocks as soon as your total collected reaches 40, even if that happens across multiple save files or New Game+ runs. The game tracks the total globally, so you can split the collection.

Can I get the Narcissus trophy on easy difficulty?

Yes. The shards are in the same locations on all difficulty settings. The only difference is that enemies hit harder, but the shards themselves are unchanged.

What happens if I miss a shard and the area becomes inaccessible?

Most areas remain accessible after the story, but the Final Tower collapses after the final boss. If you miss a shard there, you must start New Game+ and collect it before the boss. All other areas are free to explore post-game.

Are the Mirror of Life shards visible on the map?

Only if you purchase the map upgrade from the merchant (found in the hub area). Without it, you see the map layout, but not the shard icons. The upgrade costs a small amount of gold, which you earn from defeating enemies.

Does the Narcissus trophy require the DLC?

No. The Mirror of Life shards are all in the base game. The DLC (if any) adds no additional shards, so you can earn the trophy without any extra content.

Can I use a guide to find all shards without spoiling the story?

Yes, most guides list locations without revealing plot twists. The list above is spoiler-free—it only mentions stage names and general areas, not story events.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.