Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

It is, perhaps, a sad thought that commercial success isn't tied to the quality of a game. Other factors, such as current public sentiment, comformance to media trends and keyword marketability can often result in titles falling through the cracks. It is particularly disheartening when that title is one such as Symphony of the Night (SotN). Though successful critically, and lavished with praise by fans, SotN became one of the foremost examples of the unfortunate overlooked classic.

The game starts with a brilliant pre-title scene as the player relives the last chapter in the eternal battle between Belmont and the lord of darkness. Playing as Richter, the player rushes through a playable flashback scene from Dracula X. Richter succeeds and humanity relaxes as the transylvanian keep is sealed up for another century...

Dracula: It was not by my hand that I am once again given flesh. I was brought here by humans who wished to pay me tribute.
Richter: Tribute? You steal men's souls and make them your slaves!
Dracula: Perhaps the same could be said of all religions.

We move forward 5 years. Foreboding dreams awakens Alucard, the bastard son of Dracula, from his sleep after his last battle against his father. Once again, he takes up the fight against the evil of Castlevania, unaware that the 100 year curse has been broken 95 years too early.

The playable prologue that recaps the story for those who missed the last game, help set the scene as well as immediately making this stand out from previous games. This iteration of Konami's long running saga is much more story driven than previous Belmont outings. It is fortunate that the story and characters, are well scripted and for once, provide a human side to the doomed count of Castle Dracula.

As the tragic son of the Lord of Castlevania, Alucard lives up to his heritage. Eternally young and noble in appearence, as well as character and blood, he is also heir to some of Dracula's unholy powers. Alucard is able to utilise magic via streetfighter'esque button combinations and indeed, this is not the only time that SotN borrows elements from other games. It is the skill with which SotN deftly blends in elements from the legendary Super Metroid with its Castlevania lineage as well as mixing in RPG elements that helps to produce the brilliant game it is, a game that is far greater than the sum of its constituent parts.

Alucard: "It's over... Belmont."
Richter: "So the war between humans and vampires finally ends here..."
Alucard: "........"
Richter: "What need for the shepherd when the wolves have all gone..."

Instead of the holy whips employed by the Belmonts, Alucard wields instead other weapons. Swords, daggers, axes, shields and magical rods are a few of the weapon that Alucard employs in his battle for good. Once again, the love and care that Konami takes in the game shines here with veritable feast of excellently designed weapons. From the bloodthirsty Muramasa which drinks from its victims to become stronger to the shield rod, which draws out the hidden power of the various equippable shields, the weapons stand out as strongly as the rest of the games. It isn't only weapons, but Castlevania has enough items to put many RPGs' to shame. From the Fury Plate armour which provides defensive boost when Alucard is hurt to the Blood cloak that converts damage to hearts to items like the Sun/Moon stones which provide protection at differing times of day.

However, it is the equipment and abilities which help Alucard explore that stand out particularly. In a touch reminiscent of Metroid, more and more of the map opens up as he fights his way through Castlevania. For example, Alucard may encounter an impassable sealed grate. As he works his way through the game, his vampiric heritage allows him to learn the ability to turn into mist and he can return to that impasse and find a new area... or he can encounter a spiked corridor preventing progression until he finds the spikebreaker armour.

As in Super Metroid, the levels are brilliantly designed and encourages exploration with secret passages and items to discover... and there is a lot to explore. In a moment of deceptive ingenuity, the game twists halfway through the game and the 100% exploration stat on the save screen is in reality, is showing only half the game. Despite the size of the game, each area is refreshingly distinctive with opponents and major encounters which drive you to progress to see what brilliance lies ahead.

All the time, each area as well as the enemies that Alucard battles are wonderfully designed and drawn. In opposition to the vox populi of the time, the game is 2D and the game is lovingly hand drawn. This brave decision by Konami at a time where the apparent public sentiment was in favour of 3d renders helped produce a game with more warmth, character and beauty than was possible with 3d polygons at that time.

Alucard: "You have been doomed ever since you lost the ability to love."
Dracula: "Ah... Sarcasm. 'For what profit is it to a man if he gains the world, and loses his own soul'? Matthew 16:26 I believe."

This is compounded with all the myriad details found in the game. The skeletons throwing flaming barrels which you can guide into burning through a secret area; the librarian who serves Dracula but isn't adverse to dealing with Alucard once money enters the equation; encountering a doppelganger who turns Alucards abilities on himself; the coffins acting as save-points and the connecting tunnels which act as a loading transition between major areas; Alucard being attacked in a dream, whilst resting in a save point, by a Succabus and forced to relive his mothers death. The game also came packaged with an instruction book which contains a manga comic as well as some beautifully drawn illustrations by one of my favourite artists, Ayami Kojima. All these are some of the touches which help raise the experience above and beyond what it is.

Ultimately, as it is the combination of all the ingredients that form SotN which make it the delight it is. Flowing with finesse and style, produced with polish and love, a tragic hero and story to delight, and fine-tuned gameplay help make what is an amazing example of gaming excellence and an absolute classic.