The Sony PlayStation broke ground to the generation of 32-bit gaming in the 1990s in different genres, from racing, to shooters and even turn-based strategy games. But what if the platformer and RPG genres blended so well together that it made for one of the best video games ever? The Castlevania series has always been about jumping, using a whip, and surviving rooms from onslaughts of creatures as you made your way up to Dracula's castle to defeat the evil count on a time limit and a bar of health, but that repeated formula would change when the PlayStation console hit stores.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night would be the 32-bit installment of the Castlevania series, borrowing the map exploration that Metroid was known for, and doing away with the NES style stage-by-stage with limited lives formula that was recurring for so many years from the series.

What's it about?

Alucard, the son of Dracula awakens from his slumber after sensing that the most recent Belmont of the century, Richter Belmont has mysteriously disappeared after the resurrection of Dracula only a few years after his defeat in the year of 1797. When Alucard confronts a distant relative of Richter, Maria Renard, she warns him that Richter may be under the control of someone, who later is revealed to be a dark priest working for Dracula named Shaft. To Alucard's surprise after snapping Richter out of his brainwashed state, a new castle emerges, appearing to be inverted and full of more powerful monsters. While Richter is helpless, Alucard settles the score with his father.

How does it play?

As mentioned before, Symphony of the Night takes a page from the exploration of Metroid as you go from different rooms, and slaying monsters. Alucard will uncover many weapons, armors, and accessories that will affect his stats from attack, defense, and luck. Some of these items will be waiting in plain sight, or uncovered from a hidden wall, while other ways of obtaining them can be from enemies dropping them at a rare rate.

You won't be able to just easily progress from one room to another though, Alucard will be halted by obstructions that require needing an ability to be found in another part of the castle. Perhaps he can't jump high enough to reach a platform, he'll need the Leap Stone to double jump. A caged up wall? He needs to be able to transform into mist to pass through.

Just like playing through an RPG, Alucard will need to level up by defeating enemies throughout the castle, as bosses may prove to be a challenge if he's not properly leveled enough. It's encouraged to slowly progress in the castle one room at a time and not leaving a stone unturned once you've gathered all of Alucard's abilities that are necessary to uncover more rooms.

The combat feels very smooth and responsive, and some weapons even come with their own perks, either by elemental type, a strength versus a weakness, or even a special attack that's done in a fighting game button combination to perform it. 

How are the graphics?

Symphony of the Night stays true to the 2D format with character sprites and design of the castle rooms and backgrounds. But to show off the hardware of the PlayStation, graphical effects like a 3D coffin to save your game is in an example. Some weapons or enemy attacks will give off their own effects as well.

Skies outside of a cathedral will have moving clouds, 2D sprites that change in size from disgusting flies that fly in from the foreground, and even some wicked polygon effects are also some fine examples. For 1997 it was a treat seeing so much that the hardware was capable of.

And the sound?

The game features a staggering amount of sound effects throughout, some weapons that have special abilities will have their own unique sounds, enemies will have voiced yells as they rush in to attack or meet their death, and so much more. Even the satisfying sound of stabbing an enemy is nice as well as you find new strategies to overcome the many rooms.

The soundtrack is a mixed variety of classical gothic, smooth jazz, rock and some spooky tunes for the more challenging areas all done by the same composer of Castlevania Bloodlines on the Sega Genesis. I suppose if there's one thing that you guys are waiting to hear about that's still talked about to this day, is the voice acting.

Of its era, voice acting in video games had mixed feelings upon those who heard it. When it came to video games from Japan coming to America, voice directors were often absent from making sure that acted lines had more than one take. In SotN's case, it's kind of in the middle for some. On one hand, the performances feel lackluster. On the other, it feels that it was intentional for the voice acting to sound the way it did. I feel like it gives these 90s games charm, regardless of how they may sound to others.

Overall

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night opened the door for more fans of the series to be welcomed into the franchise. It innovated, it mesmerized, it became a must-buy. And even today, it stands as quite possibly, the best Castlevania game ever made. The Metroidvania format was so well received that it would become the standard of the series going forward for future entries.

The version of the game we never got

By the year of 1998, the Sega Saturn had already seen its end times in the market, but overseas, Symphony of the Night would get its own release on the Saturn as hinted by in import ads in video game magazines such as GamePro and Electronic Gaming Monthly. Little news was given to us with only a few screenshots given, with its translated title being called "Nocturne in the Moonlight".

All of the level maps and story dialogue were there, but exclusive to the Sega Saturn release were a couple of additional features, such as a music player on the main menu, a new hard mode, the ability to play as Richter's distant relative, Maria, and two new rooms to the castle were added, the Underground Garden, and Cursed Prison that came with an all-new boss.

What are your memories of playing Castlevania: Symphony of the Night? Leave a comment and as always, see you next article!