Customer Reviews

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

5 star:		(119)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night harkens back to the early and great Castlevanias of the old NES, but with vastly updated graphics, gameplay, and even ambiance. Sure, it's still a 2-D scroller where you roam around and jump around on platforms and what not, but it's at the top of the heap. The game starts somewhat oddly with you as a vampire hunter facing off against Dracula in a fairly wacky fight that always reminds me of a pro wrestling match. You beat Dracula, at which point time warps ahead and you switch to Alucard, Dracula's remorseful son (spell Alucard backwards..yah, clever) who brings the fight to Dracula's vast and labyrinthe castle in an effort to do away with his evil sire for all time. At first I was put off by what I thought was a bizarre and inelegant introduction (the human vampire hunter is a character from one of the mediocre middle Castlevania games, and is very unwieldy) but it turns out the manner in which you use him to defeat Dracula "historically" in the plot affects Alucard's starting abilities. Meaning if you beat up on Drakula with magic, Alucard later favors magic. Ditto for melee combat.

Anyway, the game is lush and filled with endless amounts of loot. Any monster has a chance to drop rare goodies when slain (based on Alucard's Luck stat), fake walls crumble to reveal hidden platemail, accidentally-tripped switches open bookcases or trapdoors, and zillions of types of monsters appear from all over the place. The music is great and quite haunting, and the game's RPG and money system are quite well developed. Alucard has quick "combo" spells you can use while fighting, and many of the weapons, shields, and armors he finds have their own effects which have to be discovered in game play. I've located weapons that let Alucard teleport, summon the undead to fight for him, call lightning, ice, or fire, or even waves of holy light down on his foes. Everything from helms to circlets to rings to boots can be worn, and Alucard eventually even develops the ability to transform into traditional vampire modes. Dissipate into a swirling cloud of mist and waft through a ceiling vent to escape your enemies, turn into a wolf and charge through crowds of zombies, or transform into a bat and fly around breathing fire on everyone. Lastly Alucard collects various magical relics throughout the game, that do everything from let him breathe underwater to have permament familiars that float around with him on screen and help him out (the dancing runesword is not to be missed). As an example of the thought put into this game, your familiars themselves even gain experience and go up levels, growing both stronger and smarter over time. For example, the runesword familiar at first just kinda floats along behind you, lethargically swinging at things long after they took a bite out of you. But after a while it turns into a gleaming heat seeking weapon of vengeance, mercilessly smiting anything the second it shows up on screen. At one point I turned Alucard into mist and just drifted around while the sword familiar took out a boss for me. This game also has more items and secrets in it than your average Final Fantasy, and is more addictive. It is also one of the least frustrating games you can find; you can save as often as you want in save rooms you find on your map (in a coffin, natch), heal yourself easily, and as a vampire you're more than a match for the sluggish beasts you meet early on. The challenge of the game comes from an easy balance of combat and puzzle solving, rather than a heavy reliance on one or the other.

Lastly, and most entertainingly, the bosses in this game are amazing. Unlike earlier side scrollers where the game progressed through 'levels', in Symphony of the Night you simply roam around an enormous, maze-like castle. You never know when suddenly a steel grate will drop behind you and you'll find yourself trapped in a fight with, oh, a grotesque giant mummy suspended on steel hooks that takes up 6 screens worth of animation. That's just the sort of thing that's worth the price of admission.

This is the first game I wanted to buy when I got my Playstation, sadly, it is super rare and took my 6 months to find used. This is probably the rarest Playstation game, which is sad, because it is also one of the best.

It combines classic Castlevania gameplay with RPG elements, such as the use of magic, and level points system, and a deeper storyline. Also adding to the depth is the use of money, relics that give special abilities, and a wider variety of weapons. The ability to equip weapons of your choice is a first for the series. By far the coolest is the ability to transform, you can be a bat, a wolf, or fog (!). The main character is Alucard (spell it backwards), who older gamers might remember from Castlevania 3 for NES. You meed a wide array of characters, some good, some bad, throughout your journey through Dracula's castle. The object of the game: same as the rest-find and destroy Dracula and end the vampire bloodline.

The graphics are classic 2-D, which might turn off some gamers hoping for something more like Castlevania 64 (which was fully-rendered 3-D). Despite the 2-D, the control and character movement is greatly enhanced thanks to better animation and smooth controls. Castlevania games always had great music, and SOTN is among the best in that department. Each score perfectly matches the given environment, with beautifuly orchestrated melodies. Don't let the old-school look discourage you, this is an amazing game.

Calling Castlevania: SOTN simply a nastalgia trip, while true in my case, would degrade the value of the game. It is an excellent and addictive game that satisfies on almost every level. It ranks among the best games for the Playstation, and you sould expect to pay a hefty price for a copy. It is now super-rare.

This game, which started the trend of all those terrific Gameboy Castlevanias, like Dawn of Sorrow, is an awesome play and a top 10 of just about everyones Playstation game list.

First off, this game is huge. You have to play through this game twice to get the entire experience and real ending to this game. It has a second quest, much like the old school Ghosts and Goblins, if you can remember that game... but with its own unique invereted way.

The amount of items you can gather and collect in this game is staggering too. There are numerous swords and spells to pick up and just about every weapon has its own special abilities which adds a lot to this game. Because of that no weapon seems the same.

And the relics just plain old rock. They give you abilities like changing into bats, wolves, mist forms, and allowing you to do super jumps and double jumps to unlock new areas.

Also, the hundreds of different bosses and enemies are all interesting to hunt down and slaughter. Especially the cool looking bosses, which can sometimes span an entire couple of screens...

Though this game is extremely rare to try to get a hold of now, if youre a Playstation gamer or action fan then you owe it to yourself to pick this up. Its one of the most complete and enjoyable action/adventure games of the last ten years.

...one of the best games ever! If you don't buy this you're just not a gamer. The side scrolling 2D graphics lack some parallax, but are very detailed and the color palette is really well chosen. Just remember bosses like Galamoth, or that giant corpse thing surrounded with flies, or the superb Cathedral... The soundtrack is also one of the best (Konami DOES have an incredible musical data), each track save two (including the out of place credits ending, but don't let it cloud your judgment, the game rules) fit each scene perfectly and are very memorable. The gameplay is also sleek, with lots of exploration- and never has a Castlevania character been so playable! Alucard can shift forms, cast spells, slash his sword swiftly and jump in a way so precise it'd make his predecessors squirm. Symphony of the Night is an instant classic, and sadly is probably the last 2D Castlevania... aka, quite possibly the last great Castlevania.

This is one of the most fun games i have ever played. SotN, while a 2-D platformer, is one of the most indepth and epic games for the PSX. The story is a little basic, but it has some wicked twists that add to the fun. Basically, you play as Alucard, son of Dracula, and you try to find out what happened to the vampire-hunter Richter Belmont, who dissapeared when Drac's castle appeared from nowhere. Alucard uses a sword instead to the classic Belmont whips. Also, in addition to weapons, you can equip Alucard with armor, headwear, cloaks, necklaces, etc. that you collect throughout the game. Oh, and there are literally hundreds upon hundreds of items and weapons to collect. Also, Alucard can use a few magic spells which are executed through D-pad combinations. The classic 'heart' weapons are back, along with a few new additions. They include the Cross, spears, lightning, axes, time stopper, holy book, and a couple others. You collect a number of relics throughout the game as well, which adds to the spectacular gameplay. The enemies are well-made, and the bosses are amazing! Some of coolest bosses i've eer seen (the catacombs boss of the upside down castle is incredibly hard if yu don't no how to beat him.) As far as grapics go, they are beautiful and lush. The sounds is superb, especially the incredible scores. Controling Alucard is a charm, from using 'heart' weapons to pulling magic attacks. One of the best games ever made.
Grapics-4.5
Sound-5.0

Control-5.0
Gameplay-5.0
Replay-4.5
Difficulty-easy to medium

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a great game, pure and simple. While many have overlooked this classic to move onto RPGs, one should not forget that this is more than just an action game. It is action and RPG combined. You must guide your character through the maze of Castle Dracula, battling imaginative foes and searching for elusive special powers. The side-scrolling 2D world of Castlevania allows this game superb control, outstanding backgrounds and a level of simplicity that has been lost in many of the newer games available. Don't get me wrong, this game still packs plenty of challenge...it just hasn't been replaced by poor camera angles and complicated controls. The voice talent is good and the musical score is outstanding. This particular installment of the Castlevania series allows your character a few new moves, new weapons and new spells. The map feature is also helpful as you work your way through the castle. I highly recommend this game to any fan of action or RPG.

This game is extremely rare. I'm not sure why Konami isn't still printing this game because it is so good. You will most likely have to pay anywhere from 30 to 60 dollars to play this game, but let me tell you that it is worth it. I waited and looked around and was lucky enough to purchase it for only ten dollars. I can't believe I almost never played this game because I didn't want to pay an outrageous price for a used copy. After playing the game I can certainly say that if I lost my copy I would be willing to pay 80 dollars to replace it. This is the best videogame I have played since Chrono Trigger.

BUY THIS GAME NOW!

"Die Monster! You don't belong in this world!"

This was the sort of reaction many long-term series fans gave Konami circa 1997-1998, when they first attempted to bring the Castlevania series into a 3D world on the N64. It wasn't a much better reception a few years later either when Lament Of Innocence & Curse Of Darkness both arrived on the PS2. Even though the rest of the world opted to go into 3D gaming because it was "the cool new thing" back in the 90s, few companies such as Konami & Capcom stuck to their guns and kept pumping out some amazing new (new at the time) 32-bit generation 2D titles... and the mighty Symphony Of The Night stood as the proud flagship and proof that 2D gaming is here to stay, no matter what the trends are.

"Wait a moment! You look familiar. And yet.... What do you here?"

Sporting tons of monsters, RPG elements, outstanding artwork, Super-Metroid style gameplay, a killer soundtrack, and huge areas to explore (as well as the "other" castle later on), Symphony took most of the best elements of previous Castlevanias, gave the series a massive overhaul in the structural and aesthetic departments and started what is essentially the 2nd generation of Castlevania games. To this day, it remains a gorgeous feast to the eyes, ears, and gaming experience that does in fact, stand the test of time. Although at the time, it appeared that this would be the big hurrah of 2D Vampire Hunting... that is, until the GBA arrived years later heeding the cries for more Symphony:

"It was not by my(Team Symphony's) hand that I am once again given flesh... I was called here by humans who wish to pay me tribute."

...Tribute in the form of "Circle Of The Moon". More titles arrived soon afterward such as Harmony, Aria, Dawn, Portrait, and the recent Excelsia, all of them spectacular in their own right, and yet still they borrowed heavily from Symphony's style, making this one the Granddaddy of Classic Metroidvanias.

"Tribute?! You steal men's souls and make them your slaves!"

Well... I'm not a slave to Symphony exactly, but I'll admit, this one's quickly become my favorite 2D game of all time due to the fact that I can keep coming back to it year after year and still find something new and fun about the game (try collecting all the rare items(!)). So I suppose it has stolen my soul. And while I can certainly see how newer generations of gamers could find so much to nitpick about it, this one remains a classic in my eyes... all bumps involved. So let's get the cons out of the way: Yes, most of the voice acting is terrible. Yes, the dialogue is cheesy as hell. Yes, the game's difficulty could be a little more challenging. Yes, the "other castle" is essentially the first one upside down. No, you can't get rid of all the inventory clutter of old items to make equipping items easier. But all in all, the gameplay stays amazing as it's ever had in the series, and a style that many gamers now follow to this day.

"Perhaps the same could be said of all religions..."

Controlling Alucard (and Richter) is as fun and fluid as ever, eliminating all the "oh no!" moments from previous games where managing your jumping direction was much more difficult. The animation of your character, the monsters, the castle details and even some of the 3D backgrounds are top notch for the PS1 as well. Definitely a labor of love. With all the special powers, relics & moves you can acquire throughout the game, you can turn your half-vampire/half-human from a simple dagger wielder to a force to be reckoned with. And by the time you reach your father Dracula, you too (along with Richter) will shout out:

"Your words are as empty as your soul. Mankind ill needs a savior such as you!"

And yes, for the first time in the series (aside from his small playable role in Castlevania III), you get to control Dracula's son. But when the Belmonts are essentially nowhere to be found upon Dracula's arrival (and thus, less whip cracking this time around), mankind seriously needs a savior such as Alucard to pick up the slack and put his father (along with Death, Succubus, and the Dark Priest Shaft) back in their places. Richter brought Dracula down years earlier, but it's up to Alucard to figure out why Richter disappeared as well. And so...

"Evil can only triumph when good men do nothing."

And that leaves us with just one more question:

"What is a man(Metroidvania)? A miserable little pile of secrets!"

Secrets. There are LOTS of secrets. But this adventure is also an amazing ride into gaming history nonetheless. If you dig the Metroid style 2D gaming of the newer titles (or just any game like this period), then I HIGHLY recommend you pick up this game in any form you can. (It's also available on the PSP release "Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles" and Xbox Live Arcade, thus eliminating the need to hunt down the original for high prices [9/15/09 UPDATE: I learned that the voice acting changed in Dracula X Chronicles... for the worse. So it's your call]). I also suggest (if you haven't played them already):

-Circle Of The Moon (GBA)
-Harmony of Dissonance (GBA)
-Aria Of Sorrow (GBA)
-Dawn Of Sorrow (DS)
-Portrait Of Ruin (DS)
-Order Of Excelsia (DS)
-Metroid Zero Mission (GBA)
-Metroid Fusion (GBA)
-Super Metroid (SNES)

"But enough talk... HAVE AT YOU!"

Castlevaina: Symphony of the night - Circa 1997

GOOD:
- Great-tight controls
- Very large 2D world to explore
- Hundreds of different enemies to battle
- Hundreds of items and secrets to find

BAD:
- Graphics might seem dated to some
- Voice Acting, is not that great

IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE:
- Multiple endings
- A non-liner 2D side scrolling action RPG
- Old school Platforming in a non-liner world

GAME ITS MOST ASSOCATED TOO:
- Super Metriod
- Castlevaina X (Japanese version for the P.C. not the U.S. version on SNES)

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- Put your disc in the CD player and play Track 2 for a bonus music track
- In the Castlevina Time line this game takes place after Castlevaina: Dracula X on Super Nintendo
- The First part of the game states "Final Stage: Blood Lines" this is a recap of the last stage of Castlevaina: Dracula X, but to many it seems as if it's the last stage in Castlevaina Blood Lines (on Sega Genesis) because the level is called "Blood lines". Note Blood Lines is in reference to the Blood Line Dracula and Alucard share and not the game for Sega Genesis
- There is an Extended version of this game for Sega Saturn
- After beating the game in a certain way you open up a bonus world, which really is just an upside down version of the previous world
- This game is now on Xbox Live Arcade. It was the first Xbox Live Arcade title to exceed the 50MB limit restriction, because of this game the limit has been increased to 150MB. The download comes with an HD version of the game (SotN now in Widescreen!) and a original unfiltered port of the game. As well as Xbox Live Achievements (12 in all). It sells for 800 Points or $10.00 USD
- Konami also announced a port of Symphony of the Night will be included in Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles for the Sony PSP. This version will be packed with a Copy of the Japanese Castlevaina: Dracula X (which was never put out in America before) as well as a total remake of Castlevaina: Dracula X (in 3D, but still plays like the 2D version), this PSP version of SotN will feature full screen graphics as well as a touched up localization in terms of all new voice acting.

On the surface, this 2D Scrolling-view adventure game seems no different that all the classic Castlevania games from the ancient NES system... But from the second you start playing it, you remember why those first few ancient Castlevania games were so great. They are as addictive as they are fun to play, as is this Playstation version.

You play as Alucard, half-human son of Dracula. As a plot twist, it seems that Richter Belmont, decendent of Legendary Vampire Hunter Simon Belmont, has called the evil Castlevania back from the depths of oblivion, and summoned forth the evil Dracula. With the help of the mysterious adventurer Maria, you must guide Alucard through the huge maze of Castlevania, to determine if Richter is indeed behind the evil plot.

SOTN combines elements of classic Castlevania with an action packed role-playing game. Find hundreds of items, weapons, power-ups, and secrets hidden throughout this complex new Castle of Dracula. Fight against newer challenging enemies, as well as the classics from the original series. The music is well-orchestrated, and catchy. If you can find the First Edition of this game out there anywhere, it comes with a collector's CD full of music from the game... but that one is out of print and hard to find.

Anyway, I LOVE this game. I can take it out of the console for months at a time, but as soon as I hear anyone make a reference to it, I am immediately hooked again. As soon as you start playing, you will not want to stop. True, some of the bosses seem easy in comparison to other games, but the constant sense of making progress and finding new secrets keeps you interested from beginning to end.

With so many 3D rendered games to choose from this may game seem obsolete, but trust me when I say that Castlevania was never meant to go 3D, and this, the greatest 2D Castlevania environment to date, puts all the 3D versions to shame. I have beaten this game at least 10 times, but I find something new every time I play. If you were a fan of the old-school Castlevania Games, or even Bloodlines from Sega Genesis, then you too will love this game, which I recommend over any N64 version. Plus it's cheap! Stop thinking about it and buy this game!