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castlecraze

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 38
Date: April 14, 2003
Author: Amazon User

now i like castlevania games and i am so happy they made a new one ive been wating for a new castlevania game or a new game boy system anyway this game has better graphics a new magic system and it the first game to take place in the future and they
took away the whole belmont thing and put in soma cruz alright this is probaly the best to get the game pre order it becuase most likely there going to be sold out at the stores this is a great game for any castlevania fan or anyone for that matergreat game get it

The Castle to Rise Again

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 13
Date: May 01, 2003
Author: Amazon User

So Castlevania has once again risen from the depths of darkness, its time to pick up your sword and take out the evil Lord Dracula once again. Even though this game gets away from the beloved Belmont family line it still inspires Castlevania fans everywhere to grab their GBA's and spend hours on end hunting through the dredded castle to once again destroy the evil within.

Unlike vampires, this game doesnýt ...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: May 10, 2003
Author: Amazon User

First of all, I should warn parents that this is one of the only GBA games that really deserves the Teen rating. Kids under the age of 12 may get scared by some of the creepier monsters, and there is quite a bit of blood and gore (although you can barely see it on the small GBA screen).
If you can deal with those two things, however, I highly recommend that you get this game. I played the other two GBA Castlevania games, and this seems to be the best so far. It has a good plot (for a video game), it has over 300 special abilities to collect and trade with your fiends, er, friends using the GBA link cable, and it is a rare action/adventure/RPG/platformer game, which tends to add up to a good game. The gameplay is fun and action-packed, the RPG elements include multiple weapons, from pocket knives to lances to the traditional Castlevania rope to even a hammer for some reason, as well as various types of armor to increase your defense and power. It even has an element system (water beats fire monsters, etc.) It is a truly great game.

Best Castlevania game since SotN

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: May 11, 2003
Author: Amazon User

SotN (Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, for the PS1), was a monumental experience not just for Castlevania fans, but for videogame fans everywhere.

Ever since it's release back in 97, we've all been waiting for a worthy successor, to no avail. Until NOW. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, is by far the best Castlevania game since SotN. Now, it has to be said that there are certain effects, both graphically and musically, that won't necessarily meet up to the complete quality of SotN, simply because AoS is on the GBA, and not on one of the next-gen systems as we would all like. This though, doesn't really take away from what not only I, but almost all Castlevania fans view as an truly excellent game.

Graphically, the game surpasses the last two GBA incarnations by a land slide. From the backgrounds to the extremely fluid character animation, to the character design (which surpasses SotN in some areas IMO), it all shines brightly. There were certain effects that I honestly didn't think would have been possible to do on a handheld. Graphically, this game is simply beautiful to behold. It's an artistic masterpiece.

Sound wise, AoS won't let you down. The Castlevania series has always been known for it's superb music, but the last Castlevania title's music (Harmony of Dissonance) was flat, boring, and in some cases, just plain annoying to have to listen to. AoS though, does more than just fix that, it has tunes that Castlevania lovers will be hunting down mp3's to listen for, to in the car. One of the tunes (in the Graveyard), actually gave me a sense of dread. The sound effects themselves are excellent as well, and help in the immersion factor (I love the blood gushing sound effect).

Game play? You got it!! While I liked the last two GBA Castlevania games, this one leaves them both in the dust. The new soul collection system is marvelous, and IMO, it couldn't have been done better. The way it works is, basically every enemy in the game (except for two, which are obvious once you've been playing for awhile) have souls that you can collect. Once acquired, each soul, when equipped, provides you with a unique characteristic ranging from simple statistical upgrades, to new forms of attack, to even transformations that turn you into a raging monster taking out everything in you path.

There are a total of 110 soul to collect in all, so you'll have your hands full. Chances are you'll beat the game (the game has three different possible endings) before collecting them all, but one of the really cool features of this game is that once the game is beaten, you have the option to start from the beginning again, with all the souls and items you've collected intact. Also, once the game has been beaten, you have the option to start a new file as one of the games other characters (I'll leave it to you to find out who). You can also select to set the game to hard mode, for a greater challenge.

Story wise, AoS has the best story in a Castlevania game. EVER. Without giving too much away, the game ties in with previous Castlevania game quite pleasingly. Nuff said.

Once I picked this game up, I couldn't put it down. From the gorgeous graphics, to the superb music, to the enjoyable gameplay, to the fan worthy story, AoS is a must have. This game is one of the best reasons to own a GBA, GBA-SP, or the GBA player for the GC. Pick it up today, I promise you'll be glad you did. If you don't, you are REALLY depriving yourself of pure gaming excellence.

Best GB Castlevania, but way too short

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 9
Date: May 11, 2003
Author: Amazon User

If you've played through Circle of the Moon and Harmony of Dissonance, then you pretty much know what to expect from the third Castlevania for the Gameboy Advance. The graphics are fantastic and the sound has been much improved over the blips and bleeps of the last installment (HOD). Konami has really come close to perfection in its game design- the layout of the castle was obviously very well thought out, and there's hardly any backtracking or aimless wandering like the last 2 castlevanias.

My only gripe, and it is a substantial one, is that the game in its entirety can be completed in under 8 hours. True, there's a hard mode that opens up after you beat the game once, and there's a second character that you can use, but these don't exactly justify the game's extremely short length. If you haven't played any of the past Castlevanias, this may be the best one to start with, as it is by far the most polished; there's just not much overall quantity.

A fitting end (perhaps) to the Castlevania timeline.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: May 11, 2003
Author: Amazon User

There's a Belmont in there somewhere.

First there was Circle of the Moon. Then there was Harmony of Dissonance. For those of you hoping that Aria would get away from the "Castleroid" (or Metroidvania) style of gameplay, you'll undoubtedly be annoyed that Aria once again uses a map system and items that must be picked up.

Unlike the other two games, though, Aria has a focus more in keeping with the CD-ROM based game Symphony of the Night. It's huge! We're not talking about simple length from A to B, or cheap inverted maps, though: instead of the simple Vampire Killer whip/morning star, you start out with a pocketknife and best mink stole, as the style of 2035 dictates one should go into battle equipped. Along with the usual upgradeable armor and profusion of healing items, you have the choice of equipping any of literally dozens of types of insane weaponry. You will eventually meet up with the Vampire Killer...but suffice to say that a number of things must happen first.

The Soul Powers should be mentioned as well. This is a fitting replacement for item capsules, with a somewhat plausible explanation: You have the power to absorb the souls of different monsters, gaining a unique power in the process. Not much more can be said about it, but the variety puts CotM's DSS tarot card combination system to shame.

The graphics are certainly a high point. Unlike CotM's stock graphics, drawn by a company outside of Konami, everything in AoS really belongs in a CV game. Some characters will be familiar, some are brand new...but they're all interesting. What about graphics effects? We've got awesome waterfalls, mirrored corridors, lots of good sprite rotation, and even different angle shots (chariots, horses and similar things run in a virtual circle, with unique sprites for viewing them at different angles). What's more, it all fits. Out of all the 2D Castlevania games, this is without a doubt the most competitive.

The music is very excellently composed, enough to make you forget it's all mono this time around. Forgiving that, the tunes are more nicely executed than the previous two games. Listen for the remix of "Don't Wait Until Night" and "Hearts of Fire."

Finally, AoS has intense replay value. Don't be swayed by people saying "And once you beat the ugly last boss, it's over!" That last 10% of the map played your first time through is where the game actually starts. With a few extra modes of game play, the ability to trade souls between different GBAs, and a profusion of weaponry (some archaic, some futuristic) this game will continue to present you with surprises for a long time to come. Along the way, you'll discover why I call this the end to the Castlevania timeline...and much more.

Destiny needs a new soul...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: May 11, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Time and time again fate holds its bonds within heroes. Every 100 years or so a hero was to take another's place and fight evil. But things have changed..in 1999 there was a "Great War" between good and evil..humans vs evil. After a time an eclipse held within the powers of good closed evil within it.Never to be seen or unlocked again.
Many years later, an 18 year old named Soma Cruz along with a close friend Mina Hakuba join many others to watch the event of the century.(the eclipse)but something bizarre happens as Soma and Mina are taken to a shrine, but this is no ordinary place.
The classic series Castlevania takes a different route, this time in the future. This entry brings back the classic gameplay from the well know CV title to date "Symphony of the Night" and even more. New allies, new foes. Its your turn to choose this heroes destiny. New abilities such as Soul Absorb -take out an enemy.. and you can use their soul as a new attack technique. Or a Guardian which will protect and help you along your journey.
Which side are you on? Good or Evil? Soma's fate and his friends lie in your hands.

A step Under SOTN

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: May 18, 2003
Author: Amazon User

With each new entry into the Castlevania Series on GBA it only gets better. This is by far the best entry of the Castelvania Series for GBA. THe story revolves around SOma Cruz who is a high School student who during an Eclipse get trapped in Draculas Castle. Inside he meets Arikado (ALucard) J. (a Belmont) Grahm (Born at the Moment Dracula was last Slain) as well as others who have had ties to Castlevania in the past. Soma somehow is given the ability to absorb the souls of monsters. He must use this ability (along with a vast array of Weapons) to explore and eventually escape Draculas Castle.

The reason this is the best of the GBA titles is that it combines the best of both games. It holds the mass expanisve castel qualities that both games held, more Difficult that HoD but easier than CotM. THe fights are varied (although some still return Death, LEgion). The real uniqueness to this is the soul absorbing system. By doing this Soma gets over 100 new abilities that he can customize for the situation. One moment he may need extra Defense, the Lightening attack, and the ability to walk on water, the next he needs the Fire Storm, Extra Offense, and an Imp as backup. The possibilites are endless.

Overall this is the best entry thus far. It is not as hard as CotM was (which was very BArabaric) but it is not as easy as HoD (which was laughably easy). This is definatly a must have if you have a GBA.

THIS GAME ROCKS!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: May 18, 2003
Author: Amazon User

The Gameplay of CAOS is an excellent 10!
Graphics are great, and sound is great and everything else is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!

breathtakingly amazing

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: May 24, 2003
Author: Amazon User

my 3 favorite castlevania titles are SOTN,dracula x, and now aria of sorrow. castlevania should stay a 2-D game [forever!!!] i cant see it any other way. ( we proved that with n-64)

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