Overview

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Review

Release Date: 1997
Platform: PlayStation
Developer: Konami Co., Ltd.
Publisher: Konami of America, Inc.

Reviewed by Christian Kontul on 5.20.2003

Review Rating: 10/10

User Rating: 9.03/10

Konami’s Castlevania series has always been about action. From day one, these games have focused on endless hordes of undead enemies, huge boss battles, precarious jumps, and one-hit kills. But that all changed with Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. It’s true that Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest on the Nintendo Entertainment System tried to incorporate role-playing elements into the traditional whip-slinging formula, but Symphony borrowed more than a few elements from RPGs and adventure titles. The result was a game unlike Castlevania, yet true to the CV bloodline. Playing more like a Gothic Metroid than anything else, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is the ultimate console adventure game.

Four years after the events detailed in the PC-Engine classic, Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rondo, trouble is brewing once again in the Bohemian countryside. Castlevania, the evil manor of the Lord, Count Dracula, should only appear every century. Richter Belmont foiled the plans of the dark priest, Shaft, to resurrect Vlad Tepes Dracula in 1792. If legend is to be believed, there should be nothing to worry about until the latter portion of the 19th century. In a strange turn of events, in 1796, Richter goes missing. His friend, Maria Renard, who aided in the initial adventure, sets off once again to find the MIA vampire hunter; she stumbles upon a structure fostered in nightmares. Castlevania has returned.

Thankfully, others have noticed the abnormality. Elsewhere, Adrian Farenheights Tepes, otherwise known as Alucard, the half-human, half-vampire son of the immortal Count, awakens from a self-imposed slumber. As a dunpeal, the result of a vampire mating with a human, Alucard knows his powers are a danger to everyone, including himself. After helping Trevor Belmont almost 400 years prior, he secluded himself to rid the world of his potent abilities. However, Alucard’s tormented soul can sense evil gaining momentum. His father, having just been banished from the mortal plane, is already preparing to make a comeback. And with Richter conspicuously absent, there’s no one alive capable of stopping him. Well, almost no one.

The story, guided as it is by simple cutscenes and poor voice acting, is as straightforward as they come. Yet, strangely, it’s utterly enthralling. No small thanks for this juxtaposition should be issued to Alucard, who is the best anti-hero to ever star in a videogame. The concept of father versus son is magnified tenfold by the family’s latent powers, not to mention they look absolutely stunning thanks to designs courtesy of Japanese artist, Ayami Kojima. What’s more, their visual representation is mind-blowing. The PlayStation, generally known as a piece of hardware capable of pulling off some amazing 3D effects, dazzles with one of the most beautiful 2D games you’ll ever see. Alucard is, once again, the star of the show; his sprite is large, orgasmically animated, and susceptible to a variety of changes. For instance, at one point, the player can find a cloak that is purple-tinged and transparent. This, of course, changes the main character’s appearance, so any time the cloth moves over his body, you can see through him. He can also transform into different creatures (more on this later), and their manifestation changes accordingly as well. Other humans and monsters don’t get the short end of the stick, though. Each sprite in the game looks fantastic, with a large variety of different creatures to battle; they can even be as many as three screens tall!

Don’t think for a minute that all the PSone’s processing power is used up on fluid movement and large character models. The castle, described at one point as a “malevolent being,�Etruly feels alive. There are dozens of different areas to explore, all with a unique look and mood that adds so much to Symphony of the Night. The creators at Konami’s Tokyo development studio have done a marvelous job of crafting each section, then placing them together to form a cohesive environment. Backgrounds exhibit a wide array of colors and architecture. Whether you’re hacking some zombies in the elegant Marble Gallery, avoiding Medusa Heads in the mechanical Clock Tower, or spelunking the morbid depths of the Catacombs, it’s easy to become a part of this fictional, fantasy world.

As if Symphony of the Night wasn't captivating enough, Michiru Yamane, the game’s composer, has created one of the best soundtracks found in any videogame. Every song does a superlative job of capturing the essence of the territory it’s played in, and then it makes that part unforgettable for the player. Some of these tunes will haunt most gamers ‘til the day they die, and they’re going to love every second of it.

After doing so many things right, could Konami Computer Entertainment of Japan really screw up the way Castlevania: Symphony of the Night plays? No. The spikes of doom might be gone. The sometimes-insane difficulty might be gone. Hell, even the whip swinging might be gone. But what’s here is Castlevania, undeniably, and it’s the best it’s ever been. As was previously touched upon, Symphony of the Night plays a lot like Nintendo’s Metroid series because, instead of having each area broken up into a set “level,�Eit’s just one giant castle designed for exploration. As such, Alucard can earn experience by defeating enemies, gain levels, acquire more experience and better statistics, find items that enhance his abilities, and record his quest in one of countless “save rooms.�E Dying isn’t so much of a problem now, since there are a wealth of items available to restore health. New weapons and armor upgrades can be discovered by diligently exploring the manor’s nooks and crannies. Furthermore, since he’s part-vampire, Alucard has all the benefits of his father’s undead heritage. He can find power-ups that allow him to transform into a bat, a wolf, and mist, which not only make traveling the lonely halls easier, they can also be used to solve puzzles. Since Castlevania is so well designed, spending hours searching for even the most obscure hidden secrets never gets tiring. And, for those outstanding people that go above and beyond, there’s an incredible bonus waiting for you at the “end.�E

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a triumph. It’s so good, you may actually never be able to enjoy another videogame as much after playing it. From style to presentation to gameplay, the creators have covered everything with remarkable precision and tweaked it to perfection. Symphony of the Night isn’t difficult, but the length is perfect for an adventure/RPG and there’s even some extra stuff to enjoy after finishing for the first time. This game is proof of what developers, when they set their sights on doing something then carry it our properly, are capable of, and should hearten even the most jaded people. No collection is complete without it.

Box art