A break from the established formula of the series that helped define a new genre.
What Is It? Castlevania Symphony of the Night (SotN) retains its 2D side-scrolling action platformer roots, but follows the Castlevania II formula rather than that of other games in the series. That is to say; tossing out the level-based approach in favor of a single, giant map which players would slowly unlock through exploration and gaining new abilities. This approach, extremely similar to that seen in the Metroid games, was so much fun that the gaming world decided to name a genre after it: Metroidvania.
Players take the role of Alucard, Dracula’s son, and set off to destroy dad’s castle which has suddenly reappeared a few years after the events of Rondo of Blood (I’m skimming over many details here, please forgive me).
Players will find various weapons throughout the game and gain powerful abilities to defeat a range of ridiculous enemies and bosses. The game is a fantastic blend of platforming and combat, even if it does feel a tad stiff by today’s standards.
Explore the castle, figure out how to progress to new areas, get stronger, repeat. It is a now classic format that blends action, platforming, and RPG elements perfectly to create something special.
The Best Part: A non-linear Castlevania. This not only opens up exploration but also backtracking to uncover hidden items. Backtracking can be a dirty word in video games, but you’ll be running all over the map anyway (and making use of the fast travel system) that it never feels arduous or forced here. Figuring out where to go next is a small puzzle that is constantly repeated in this game and it successfully walks a thin line by never becoming so difficult to bring you to frustration.
The Worst Part: The movement and platforming do feel just a tiny bit stiff compared to modern games in the genre. This is particularly evident while jumping as Alucard will slowly float towards his landing spot and you lose control while this happens. I personally don’t think it is bad enough to turn people away, but it is definitely something I think most players will notice.
The Verdict: At this point there are countless games labeled as Metroidvanias and many of them do particular aspects of the genre way better than Symphony of the Night. However, there remains something special about the complete package this Castlevania entry provides. It’s not any one of the combat, story, exploration, enemies, boss fights, secrets, or customization options that leaves a lasting impression, but rather the whole picture that comes together to produce a pioneer of the genre that still stands among the best.
How to Play: PS1/4, PSP, Xbox 360, Saturn, Android, iOS
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