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Phantastic!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: November 24, 2000
Author: Amazon User

On the surface, this 2D Scrolling-view adventure game seems no different that all the classic Castlevania games from the ancient NES system... But from the second you start playing it, you remember why those first few ancient Castlevania games were so great. They are as addictive as they are fun to play, as is this Playstation version.

You play as Alucard, half-human son of Dracula. As a plot twist, it seems that Richter Belmont, decendent of Legendary Vampire Hunter Simon Belmont, has called the evil Castlevania back from the depths of oblivion, and summoned forth the evil Dracula. With the help of the mysterious adventurer Maria, you must guide Alucard through the huge maze of Castlevania, to determine if Richter is indeed behind the evil plot.

SOTN combines elements of classic Castlevania with an action packed role-playing game. Find hundreds of items, weapons, power-ups, and secrets hidden throughout this complex new Castle of Dracula. Fight against newer challenging enemies, as well as the classics from the original series. The music is well-orchestrated, and catchy. If you can find the First Edition of this game out there anywhere, it comes with a collector's CD full of music from the game... but that one is out of print and hard to find.

Anyway, I LOVE this game. I can take it out of the console for months at a time, but as soon as I hear anyone make a reference to it, I am immediately hooked again. As soon as you start playing, you will not want to stop. True, some of the bosses seem easy in comparison to other games, but the constant sense of making progress and finding new secrets keeps you interested from beginning to end.

With so many 3D rendered games to choose from this may game seem obsolete, but trust me when I say that Castlevania was never meant to go 3D, and this, the greatest 2D Castlevania environment to date, puts all the 3D versions to shame. I have beaten this game at least 10 times, but I find something new every time I play. If you were a fan of the old-school Castlevania Games, or even Bloodlines from Sega Genesis, then you too will love this game, which I recommend over any N64 version. Plus it's cheap! Stop thinking about it and buy this game!

The best so far in the Castlevania series...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: June 20, 2001
Author: Amazon User

...And one of the best PSx games, period. An outstanding side-scroller with a monstrous array of items, enemies, weapons, special moves, and completely disturbing bosses. A must have for all Castlevania fans, and every other gamer for that matter.

Castlevania ~ Symphony of the Night

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: September 21, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Since Castlevania IV on the SNES is the only other Castlevania I have played up until now, I shall compare Symphony of the Night in relative to it a lot.

Plot:

Alucard, a vampire himself, seeks to rid the world of Dracula's tyranny and his own cursed bloodline. Interesting that it would be a vampire fighting another vampire...and who is this Maria Renard? Why has she come to Castlevania? And how was she able to enter the castle when only members of the Belmont clan are able to?

Graphics:

The graphics seem to look much smaller, flatter, and less detailed than they did in Castlevania IV. Graphics in Castlevania IV seemed to stand out more, but that was probably because they were larger. Still, the graphics in Symphony of the Night are not bad at all, even for the year 2003. They even try to please some of us 3D die-hards with a few polygonal renderings, but there are not many of those.

Sound:

The music, in keeping with Castlevania tradition, is gothic, rock, and gothic rock (Read: excellent). The music sounds even BETTER on the soundtrack CD. Definitely some classy orchestral music in there, too...

The game features a few voice-overs, which are not TOO bad...they at least attempted to add a good degree of drama to the conversations.

Gameplay:

The gameplay was probably what was most intriguing in relative to Castlevania IV. Though an action platformer at heart, it adds some RPG elements; strength and other stats are quantified; you can obtain and change weapons and other equipment, and carry items for later use, like health potions (certainly couldn't do that in Castlevania IV...would've made it easier). Furthermore, your character no longer uses the traditional whip, but a sword instead.

Furthermore, Dracula's castle is one large dungeon that connects back into itself; you can revisit rooms you were at earlier, rather than the linear, one-stage-at-a-time, progression that composed Castlevania IV. This may make the game seem like Metroid, but thankfully, you do not need to backtrack as much, since warps are available to transfer you between distant rooms. And there is always a save-point nearby - making it ideal for a half-hour play when ever the feeling grabs you.

Overall:

Overall, if you are looking for a 2D side-scrolling platformer with some action RPG elements mixed in well, like some of those old but good NES action RPGs, this should be your thing...especially if you want a platformer with a more mature, refined taste. Definitely something that can be picked up easily again and again, even after long periods of withdrawal.

freakin' best Castlevania (and I would know, too)

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: January 19, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is one of the best castlevanias i have played before, aside from lament of innocence; this is a side-scroller (dont be put off by that), but the gothic backgrounds, the subtle shadows, the intricate detail, is just the tip of the fang. the novel spell- casting system is relatively simple, and you can learn them by randomly holding buttons and/or buying the guide. the alternate endings for this game just give you a huge new thing to do; the enemies lack in intelligence, but they make up for it in numbers, so you are almost constatly fighting, or risking your life, making it an energetic, high-strung game. then, there is the music. oh. my. god! it is absolutely perfect for the game !! beit the place, or fight, the music is gorgeous(get the soundtrack to prove me right)who cares if it is synthesized or not!?! its BEAUTIFUL!!!! a must buy for castlevanians

The only flaw is that there isn't a real sequel

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: August 22, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Video Games are art. The combination of playability, graphics and sound found in this particular game are perfectly balanced.
Graphics: The best of all the side-scrolling Castlevanias. Many enemies are large, and each has its own destruction animation. The castle is massive; you will travel thru many environments with rich detail and tons of colors. Many of the weapons have unique looks and special effects. Bosses are extra big and nasty. Visual effects are exciting and sometimes startling.. not the least of which is when the castle turns upside down.
Sound: The soundtrack is a classic. The classical-style pieces evoke many different moods. Instrumentation ranges from violins and upright basses to harpsichords, to full thrash metal band. The sound effects are many and varied. Many creatures scream as they explode/melt/burn/vanish/etc. The characters' voices are wonderfully campy.
Playability: The closest comparison is Super Metroid because you will need to backtrack through areas to find or use a new ability to further explore the castle. This works well because you will slay more fiends, which will raise the protaganist's level. Hidden rooms abound, secret weapons and spells and familiars are everywhere. You can spend 20 hours exploring the castle and still not have covered the 200% (and beyond) of map.
Overall, this is an excellent game. If you have a PS or PS2, try this game out. If you were a fan of Super Metroid, do not finish reading this review- buy it now.

A true classic in every way

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: September 02, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Castlevaina: Symphony of the night - Circa 1997

GOOD:
- Great-tight controls
- Very large 2D world to explore
- Hundreds of different enemies to battle
- Hundreds of items and secrets to find

BAD:
- Graphics might seem dated to some
- Voice Acting, is not that great

IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE:
- Multiple endings
- A non-liner 2D side scrolling action RPG
- Old school Platforming in a non-liner world

GAME ITS MOST ASSOCATED TOO:
- Super Metriod
- Castlevaina X (Japanese version for the P.C. not the U.S. version on SNES)

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- Put your disc in the CD player and play Track 2 for a bonus music track
- In the Castlevina Time line this game takes place after Castlevaina: Dracula X on Super Nintendo
- The First part of the game states "Final Stage: Blood Lines" this is a recap of the last stage of Castlevaina: Dracula X, but to many it seems as if it's the last stage in Castlevaina Blood Lines (on Sega Genesis) because the level is called "Blood lines". Note Blood Lines is in reference to the Blood Line Dracula and Alucard share and not the game for Sega Genesis
- There is an Extended version of this game for Sega Saturn
- After beating the game in a certain way you open up a bonus world, which really is just an upside down version of the previous world
- This game is now on Xbox Live Arcade. It was the first Xbox Live Arcade title to exceed the 50MB limit restriction, because of this game the limit has been increased to 150MB. The download comes with an HD version of the game (SotN now in Widescreen!) and a original unfiltered port of the game. As well as Xbox Live Achievements (12 in all). It sells for 800 Points or $10.00 USD
- Konami also announced a port of Symphony of the Night will be included in Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles for the Sony PSP. This version will be packed with a Copy of the Japanese Castlevaina: Dracula X (which was never put out in America before) as well as a total remake of Castlevaina: Dracula X (in 3D, but still plays like the 2D version), this PSP version of SotN will feature full screen graphics as well as a touched up localization in terms of all new voice acting.

Best New Castlevania

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: July 10, 2000
Author: Amazon User

There have been a few new Castlevania titles that have come out since the original series on NES and SNES, but the best one is definitely this game. It sticks with the original gameplay that the series started out with. It's story stays with the basics of any Castlevania game. You are a vampire hunter who must hunt down and slay Dracula by adventuring through his castle. The things I like most about the game, is the character you take control of. You are Alucard, half vampire, half human. You can use many vampire powers that you've never been able to use before. And it mixes a little bit of RPG flavor into the game by letting you use equiping options like shields, weapons, armor, and relics. The story line is also very cool. You learn the story of the connection between Alucard and Dracula(who strangly has Alucard's name backwards), and many other characters that you interact with throughout the game. I'd say it is definitely a must-have for the Playstation.

A must for Castlevania fans!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: November 12, 1999
Author: Amazon User

This game is large enough to keep you busy. It is not exactly easy but it's not impossible either. The music and graphics set the scene well. Anyone who is a fan of the old versions of Castlevania will love this game, too.

The Best in the Series

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: April 20, 2004
Author: Amazon User

The game turned me on to the Castlevania series. You think you're done when you beat the game, but you are NOT. It will take a hundred hours to unlock the game to its core: finding all of the hidden items, extra characters, secret passages, and familiar helpers. My only complaint is that once your character collected a certain couple of hidden items, the boss of the game (the real one) seemed too easy.
However, don't let this deter you from one of the most visually stunning 2D platformers ever. Music is elegant and haunting, and a myriad of monsters and bosses roam the absolutely gigantic castle. An excellant buy!

This game [disappoints] the blood out of all the other Castlevania's

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: May 15, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This game is fantastic, there's simply no other word for it. You assume the role of Alucard, the son of Dracula, and venture into Castlevania with Maria in search of Rhicter Belmont, who dissapeared after defeating Dracula four years ago. The game has an RPG like feel because you collect items and gain experience by fighting fiends. It also has a map system that is identical to the Metroid series. While you are exploring, you will come across hundreds of items, weapons, armor, and accessories. Weapons range from swords, fists, spears, tonfas, whips(well they say you can find whips, though I've yet to come across any), rods, chains, clubs, and a wide variety of magical weapons and items. You can also use magic, which is used by executing Street-Fighter type control movments. You also have several transformations that help you to get around the castle. The game has excellent replay value because you can beat the game as many times as you want and still find something new each time. With beautiful graphics, and an awesome musical score, this game is by far, the best Castlevania game out there, quit possibly the best PSX game out there, but in my opinion, this is THE best game of all time.

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