Symphony of the Night (SOTN) is the sequel to Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, a Japan-only release that pitted Richter Belmont against the forces of evil. Five years after the events in Rondo of Blood, Richter has gone missing and Dracula’s castle once again looms like a curse over the land. In a break from tradition, the protagonist of SOTN is not one of the Belmont clan, but rather Alucard, the dhampir son of Dracula who was first introduced in Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse.
SOTN established a new gameplay style for the Castlevania franchise that in many ways resembled Super Metroid, which led critics to coin the terms “Castleroid” and “Metroidvania.” Instead of the linear levels that largely defined the series before 1997, SOTN drops players into a huge castle, sections of which are inaccessible at first. As players explore monster-filled rooms, uncover secret passageways, and discover hidden relics, more and more of the castle becomes available. By pressing select on their controllers, players can view a blueprint of the castle, including all rooms already visited. This is a far cry from the stage-by-stage structure of earlier Castlevania games, with the exception of Castlevania II which was also non-linear.
 |
| Alucard faces off against a minotaur and werewolf. |
SOTN also added role-playing game elements to the mix. Alucard has hit points and magic points, which determine how many enemy attacks he can withstand and how many magic spells he can perform, respectively. Moreover, as Alucard defeats more and more enemies, his experience points rise and he levels up, increasing his strength, constitution, intelligence, luck, etc. Players can also equip him with literally dozens of weapons, armor pieces, and accessories that enhance his attack power, defense, and resistance to elemental attacks.
A brief note on Alucard before I continue: he is an exceptional video game hero. Brave, complicated, tortured, Alucard deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Samus Aran, Gordon Freeman, and Solid Snake.
 |
| The status screen in Symphony of the Night. |
Ok, back to SOTN. It plays like a dream. Controls are tight, the story is presented poetically, and the castle itself is stunning, despite graphics that are not exactly high-powered. Castle backgrounds are especially beautiful, with a clever combination of 2D and 3D effects. SOTN is also perfectly paced; if it wasn’t for physical demands like sleep and food intake, I could easily have played straight through for 12 hours.
The best part of SOTN, however, is its music. It has, arguably, the best video game soundtrack of all time. I write this without hyperbole. Each track is unique, gorgeous, catchy, and flawlessly orchestrated. Moreover, it is incredibly varied. Tracks contain elements from jazz, techno, classical, and rock. Standout tracks include "Dance of Pales," "Lost Painting, " and "Dracula's Castle." Music was composed by Michiru Yamane, who is most famous for her work on Castlevania and Suikoden games.
 |
| Death threatens his master's son. |
In the end, SOTN is a terrific, landmark title that really should be played by everyone who appreciates video games, not just fans of the franchise. It was years ahead of its time, and is responsible for some of the best games on the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. There is so much to explore and uncover in Dracula’s castle, including a staggering number of secret areas and Easter eggs, that a single play-through will probably be insufficient. Is it the best Castlevania ever, as many fans and critics argue? I’d probably save that title for Aria of Sorrow, but SOTN is a very close second.
Score: 9.5
Note: SOTN has become something of a collector’s item since its release, and is rather expensive on eBay and other similar sites. If you have a PS3 or Xbox 360, you can download a port of the original game for about $10. I recommend the PS3 port, as it is identical to the Playstation original.
No comments:
Post a Comment