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My Favorite Castlevania Title

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 13 / 13
Date: December 02, 2003
Author: Amazon User

When I first heard that this game was going to be set in 2035, I thought, "Well, here it goes. Castlevania with lasers." Well, you CAN get a laser (or a photon cannon, more accurately,) but the vast majority of the game stays strictly to the series' roots, and offers a vast amount of innovation not only to 2D gameplay, but to the Castlevania storyline as a whole. I'll write a few blurbs about each element.

Story--gamers find themselves in the role of Soma Cruz, a young exchange student to Japan who finds himself and his friend, Mina, trapped within Castlevania, which itself is trapped in a solar eclipse. I know it sounds far-fetched, to say the least, but trust me, it works. If you can find the final ending of the game, you'll be treated to the greatest twist in the history of Castlevania games.

Gameplay--very tight and solid. The forward dash from Harmony of Dissonance is gone, but Soma gets along fine without it. Soma has the ability to absorb an enemy's power and then use it himself; this opens up almost unlimited gameplay opportunities. Don't worry, though, the system isn't that intimidating; the biggest problem I had with Symphony of the Night was that the inventory was too large and complex for me, a casual gamer. Not so with Aria of Sorrow. There's a large inventory, to be sure, but I've never had to scratch my head over it.

Music--top-notch; the best music to come out on the Game Boy Advance. There's a few Japanese sound bytes thrown in, too, which really helps the atmosphere of the game.

Graphics--detailed and beautiful. Not quite as impressive as Circle of the Moon, but at least you can SEE this game without direct over-head light (I don't have an SP, but I do have a Game Boy Player for my 'Cube.)

In short, Aria of Sorrow is not only my favorite Castlevania game, it's also my favorite Game Boy title. No self-respecting Nintendo fan should be without this 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.

Better than the last

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 10
Date: June 18, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow is, in my opinion, the best of the three Castlevanias currently avaliable for the Game Boy Advance. I was disappointed with the last installment in the series, so if you were too, don't pass this game up solely for that reason. Buy this game! But instead of just telling you to buy it, I'll give you all the reasons too. Here are all the areas in which it trounces the previous installment in the series: Harmony of Dissonance.

Graphics- AoS has about the most fluid animation of any GBA game to date. The character no longer has that annoying blue outline like in HoD. Soma (the main character) has the ability to equip differnt weapons, and attack with different "Soul Powers". Even on the small GBA screen, you can tell whether Soma is using a dagger, short sword, a behemoth dragon-slaying sword, or...the handgun. The enemies and bosses are easily diestinguishable and each have their own fluid movements and patterns of attack. Did i mention that both the hero and enemies spray blood when hit? Its very cool looks amazing. 5 stars.

Sound- Great sound effects; (screams, sword slashes, gunshots...)Great music, many notches above the poor music and sound in Castlevania:HoD. thats pretty much all I have to say about that. 5 stars.

Story- The game takes place in 2035 when Soma Cruz and his childhood freind, Mina become sucked into a solar eclipse and find that they are within Dracula's castle. Somewhat strange but this allows for some neat and ituitive ideas for the game such as lasers and my personal favorite: the handgun. It doesnt do much damage, but it looks badder than anything ive seen in a GBA game. Very similar to the cool pistol whipping in Devil May Cry. Story's kinda strange, yes...but think of the 9mm. 5 stars.

Gameplay- flawless. Controls are convenient and responsive. Over 100 enemies to kill and about 111 different souls to capture and/or collect using the Game Boy Advance Link Cable. You can equip three types of souls at the same time. The first attacks using Up + B. The second is used by Holding/pressing and releasing R. And the Third takes no magic power and needs no attention while playing. Potions, armor, rings, and weapons can either be found deep within the castle or perhaps purchased at the shop outside the castle walls. 5 stars...

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.

The Finest Castlevania Yet

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

Yes, you read correctly. It could be argued that this game surpasses even "Symphony of the Night" in quality. This came as quite an unexpected blow to me, especially since the last two GBA Castlevania games had left me disappointed and somewhat faithless to the series. Even on the tiny GameBoy Advance, this game exceeds my expectations in every aspect of gameplay.

Graphics: Because this is a GBA game, I would have been satisfied with ho-hum graphics, but this game looks incredible. The motions are fluid, and you won't be going blind from watching poorly-used sprites vibrate back and forth endlessly even when your character is standing still (Did someone say "Final Fantasy VIII?"). No complaints here.

Controls: This was the area of gameplay I was most worried about, as it is often a problem with games for hand-held consoles. But "Aria of Sorrow" comes through in fine style, with one of the smoothest, most intuitive control schemes I've ever used. Actually, therein lies the game's only problem: The game plays so well, once you play it, you can't go back and play previous Castlevania installments because the controls pale in comparison. But obviously this is nothing to complain about. This game does a wonderful job of preserving the traditional Castlevania-style two-button interface: one button for jumping, one for attacking. It's ingeniously simplistic.

Sound: Many of the other reviewers have criticized the game's music as being boring and forgettable. While this game's music may not be up to par with, say, "Symphony of the Night," it is still worth listening to, and is MUCH better than the excuse for music found on "Harmony of Dissonance." The sound effects are also good; some enemies will scream when killed.

Story: Alright, so the story is not that great, but honestly: does any Castlevania game have a good story? If you want story, go buy an RPG. Personally, I don't want to hear a lot of talking in a platformer. This game's story does the job just fine, and offers multiple endings as does any good Castlevania game.

Gameplay: This is where the game really breaks ahead of the competition. This is the most fun I've had playing a video game in a long time - I found myself skipping meals to slave away at my GBA. For starters, you get to use swords instead of the Belmont family weapon: a whip. THANK GOD! I've always hated the whip. Second, you will unlock a barrage of special moves to use such as the double jump, the slide, the high jump, the flying kick...the list goes on. These moves really add some spice to the game. And now for the kicker: Soul Collecting. This is the absolute coolest thing anyone has ever put in a video game. Here's how it works: Every enemy in the game (112, to be exact) has a soul that contains an ability. Every once in a while when you kill an enemy, you acquire its soul, which can be equipped and used at the cost of magic points. There are different types of souls, and if you collect 100% of the souls, you will get the best item in the game. You can even trade souls with a link cable! If you play through this game without collecting souls, you might as well have been playing with you eyes closed.

Replay Value: There is tons of it. When you beat the game (depending on which ending you earned), you unlock lots of extra goodies, including the Boss Rush mode, where you try to beat every boss in the game as fast as possible. You will also earn the ability to play as a Belmont, which means you can use a whip.

Closing Note: I realize that this review assumes that the reader is familiar with the Castlevania series, so if you are not, this section is for you: BUY THIS GAME!

Short but perfect.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: June 22, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This is one top notch title that no Castlevania fan should miss. The story is good, the graphics are great, and the combat is the most fun I've had in a Castlevania series to date. When this came out, it was by far the best game I'd played all year. This is one top notch example of old school 2d gaming.

The only thing holding me back from giving this an easy 5 is the length. Some folks seem to think it's the hardest yet, but I found it to be a cakewalk even on the hard level compared to some past titles. An incredibly fun cakewalk, mind you.

I finished this in very little time, and although the ability to start a new game with most your items and souls does add value and keep the game alive and fun, it's life-support. Don't let that stop you from checking out this awesome title.

- Rirath_com

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.

Arguably the best castlevania game Ever

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: July 05, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Overall: This game is arguably the best Castlevania Game ever. The story is the most engaging castlevania plotline ever. I won't give any of it away, but the set up is that a high school student, Soma Cruz, is teleported to Dracula's Castle during a olor eclipse, armed with only a pocket knife.
(the story really picks up after you beat the second to last boss)

Gameplay: Fantastic! The soul system is even better than the DSS system from CTOM, and the controls are much more varied, making it easier to pull off special abilities. Plus, there is lots of replay value here, too, including a Boss rush mode.
however, you have to make sure you get the best ending! (to do that, lets just say you'll be doing something you never thought you'd be doing in a Castlevania game)

Graphics: The graphics are pretty up to par with HoD, but not as colorful.

Sound: I personally didn't have any problem with HoD's 8-bit Music, But I do Love the MIDI quality music in this game, and the compositions are much better. My favorite tracks in this game are: Clock Tower, Study, and Heart of fire. If you listen closely, you can hear several hints of Castlevania II music in "Heart Of Fire"

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: February 04, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I was a little hesitant to buy this game because the only Castlevania I've liked was SOTN. This is about 80% similar to SOTN; it has the double jump, equip options of weapons, armor, and spells, also little other equip features. Some of the monsters are the same, if you played SOTN you'll know about the giant skull and the monsters that jump out of the water, and the flying heads. The music is also great, very much like SOTN, the looks ands feel of the game is also similar. So, if you loved SOTN, you'll have to like this, it's really SOTN, with different monsters and look. The castle is as big as SOTN, it's not a level to level type of game, it's just a continuous adventure.

Graphics: 4/5.
Sound: 3/5.
Music: 4/5.
Difficulty: 2-3/5
Game play: 5/5.
Area size of the castle: 5/5.
Control: 4/5.
Fun: 5/5.
Colors: 4/5.
Frustration: 3/5.
Chances of being bored with the game: 0/5.

Soma And The Soul Stealers

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: October 03, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I honestly don't think this game could have been any better. Even as a Gameboy Advance game, this is easily one of my most favorite games. Soma Cruz adds to this game what Alucard added to Symphony Of The Night. The story is all new and original, so don't be expecting the same old plot twists. Tons of weapons and accessories to find and choose from. Despite the limitations of GBA, the music is still good enough to call Castlevania music. One thing, as most people who have played this game seem to agree, it is too short. Especially for a Castlevania game. But it's an understandable thing. You have to remember, it can't be something like Symphony Of The Night because of the different capabilities of the systems. But don't get the idea that you'll buy this game, and a few days later you'll never touch it again. This game will provide you with as many hours as the best GBA games do, if not more. All in all, this is yet another classic Castlevania game and should stand out in your mind. You'll be more than happy to add it to your collection as a Castlevania fan or even a 2D side scroller fan.

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