To call Castlevania: Symphony of the Night a classic is to deny it its due. Symphony of the Night was and continues to be a landmark title in action gaming, and is a stunning achievement of design and gameplay.
Defying genre limits, Symphony of the Night embraces elements of platforming, action, and role-playing on its way to delivering one of the most widely-acclaimed games of all time. Its inclusion on Xbox Live® Arcade is a huge addition to the available library of games, and it also marks the first title to embrace the newly-expanded 150 MB limit for Xbox Live Arcade games on Xbox 360™.
A prequel to the action: Richter's showdown with Dracula.
The Son of Dracula The original Castlevania games focused on the vampire-hunting exploits of the Belmont family in their decades-long quest to quell Dracula's nefarious schemes, but Symphony of the Night hands the protagonist's reigns to Alucard, the tormented son of Dracula.
With the rise in power of Shaft, a mysterious dark priest hell-bent on resurrecting Dracula, Alucard dives headlong into his evil father's nightmarish castle to confront this new evil.
It Still Works The most astonishing feat of Symphony of the Night may be how well it stands up to the intense scrutiny of the modern gamer. In a world where every detail is uncovered and every flaw exposed, the only rust this classic retains is its old-school graphics. The level design and game mechanics in Castlevania remain impeccable.
Non-linear Exploration: In stark contrast to standard 2D side-scrolling games, Symphony of the Night delivers a world to explore, not just pass through. You don't progress from level to level, but instead slowly unlock the secrets of the castle, which exists unbroken as a single entity. What's more, the design is just as much vertical as it is horizontal, adding a dynamic dimension to both the exploration and the action.
Hero Evolution: Both Alucard's skills and equipment progress dramatically throughout the game. Increasing levels, bolstering your health and attributes, gaining access to spells, and upgrading your weaponry may seem old-hat to RPG fans, but its inclusion in a fast-paced action-fest like Symphony of the Night adds layers of depth by allowing players to customize their approach to the challenges in the game.
Boss Encounters: Though boss fights had been a staple of games long before Symphony of the Night, the creative strategy this game requires reinvigorated these classic encounters, and many remain vividly memorable to this day.
Beyond the Core: Defeating the core storyline is an achievement, no doubt, but the sheer volume of secret treasures and areas is enough to keep you busy for a long while. Half of the fun is in defeating the castle itself, not just the enemies and bosses. To give you an idea, the 35 point Seeker achievement requires you to explore 200.6% of the game.
Our anti-hero in action.
While the game's content remains entirely intact, Konami has taken the opportunity to tweak its presentation a bit. Both the graphics and the audio have received a polish for next-gen audiences, and gamerscore addicts can rejoice in the 200 achievement points.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is landmark game for Xbox Live Arcade, delivering the biggest, deepest, and most critically acclaimed game to date. Fans of the series know precisely what a jewel of gameplay and design awaits them, and newcomers can experience this hallmark game without leaving the next-gen comforts of Xbox 360™.
