Everything the PlayStation Version Offers and More!
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (or SotN, as it’s often referred to as) marked a turning point in the history of the Castlevania series. Gone was the level-by-level progression that the series had already come to be known for, as SotN introduced Castlevania fans to a world not terribly dissimilar from that of Super Metroid in that it allowed for an almost entirely non-linear game play experience.
Originally released on PlayStation, SotN is widely considered to be one of the best 2D adventure games of all-time. It borrowed elements from Super Metroid and built around them to forge a deeper, more immersive experience from start to finish. In Japan, SotN is known as Dracula X: Nocturne in the Moonlight (or NitM, for short). As you may have guessed from the title of this review, yes, the Saturn version is only available in Japan.
So, what makes the Saturn version so special? Well, it offers exclusive areas, enemies and items, as well as various tweaks to the game play. How does it stack up from a technical standpoint, though, and do its flaws keep it from deserving a spot in your collection, even if you don’t typically play imports?
In NitM/SotN, you play as Alucard, son of Dracula. Alucard awakens from what was supposed to be an eternal slumber to find that Castlevania has reappeared several years after its previous appearance. (For the record, Castlevania is only supposed to appear once every 100 years. If it appears earlier than expected, then it’s generally because somebody’s attempting to resurrect Dracula early.) As such, he immediately makes his way to the castle to prevent his father from being resurrected.
Alucard plays nothing like a Belmont, and that’s a good thing. He’s also changed a lot since Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, both in terms of his abilities and in how he controls. Really, the sheer number of ways that you can do any given thing in this game is just impressive, and it makes for an unforgettable experience.
Graphics: B
NitM’s graphics have aged pretty well, with the vast majority of the character sprites being well-animated and full of detail. The backgrounds are equally impressive, not so much for their general appearances, but - rather - for the sheer amount of detail within them. NitM is just one of those games that you’ll notice new things about with each playthrough, whether it be an eyeball watching from the background of the Marble Gallery or a small mouse scurrying about in the Outer Wall. Plus, everything that needs to stand out from teh background does so very well, as the use of color throughout is simply flawless.
The Saturn version of NitM does have some significant slowdown in areas which PlayStation version doesn’t, and this makes the game’s speed somewhat sporadic at times. Furthermore, some graphical effects are altered or toned down, sometimes even missing entirely. These graphical differences are usually greatly exaggerated by a lot of people, and they don’t destroy the experience by any stretch of the imagination.
Altered graphical effects generally involve the use of dithered transparencies in place of the nicer-looking transparencies seen in the PlayStation version. A lot of people seem to think that Saturn is incapable of real transparencies without the game engine taking a serious performance hit. This is only partially true, and it really only applies to 3D games (although there are exceptions to this).
To understand what I’m alluding to, there’s one thing that you must realize before I go any further in this review: NitM/SotN isn’t a 2D game; it’s a 3D game that takes place on a 2D plane. As odd as it may sound, the “sprites” seen throughout the game are actually textured polygons which always face the player. Considering the fact that 3D elements and effects are so easily thrown into the areas, this should really come as no surprise to anyone. Why was NitM/SotN designed in this manner, you ask?
Well, PlayStation simply wasn’t a 2D powerhouse, so its “2D” games tended to mimic 2D elements with the aforementioned method. Large bosses with multiple segments are, in reality, composed of multiple textured polygons that’re simply rotated to form smoother animations. And yes, Saturn seriously chokes in situations such as these. In the Saturn version, some boss battles unfold in slow-motion, due to the constant slowdown that occurs. Oddly, slowdown even occurs in areas that contain little or no enemy opposition. On the plus side, however, the slowdown does tend to make certain encounters easier, so you can’t claim that it hurts the game play. It really only helps you.
Being the son of Dracula, Alucard also has access to some of Dracula’s abilities. Why mention them here, rather than just in Game Play? Well, they fall into the category of altered graphics effects, so it’s only proper to touch on them here. In the PlayStation version, Alucard smoothly changes forms, whether it be bat form, mist form or wolf form. In the Saturn version, however, the transformations into (or out of) bat form and wolf form involve Alucard’s sprite turning completely white, then being replaced with a white version of the respective form’s sprite that cycles to its proper colors. The transitions aren’t completely smooth, but they’re done well enough that they don’t bother me.
In the PlayStation version, mist form consists of a rather jittery-looking mess of polygons that - for some reason - a lot of people seem to prefer over the effect used in the Saturn version, which consists of a 2D sprite-based cloud of mist (complete with dithered transparency, much to the chagrin of people who prefer the PlayStation version) and utilizes deformation effects (i.e. squishing and stretching) to make the effect look more pleasing to the eye. Honestly, I prefer seeing the Saturn version’s mist effect, as I hate the jittery appearance of the PlayStation version’s mist effect.
In terms of graphical elements that’re missing entirely, the light rotation effect that is supposed to accompany the Doppelgaenger’s entrance is nowhere to be seen, as is the bright glow that emanates from the waterfall in the caverns. Also, the chapel’s background is missing the trees. Nothing major. There are other examples, but I’m not going into them all here, as they’re insignificant. I just wanted to mention a few examples.
Amusingly, despite supposedly looking vastly inferior to the PlayStation version, the Saturn version appears to throw some extra animations and sprites in at times. Really, I could almost swear that Karasuman’s death animation, for instance, contains nearly twice as many ravens in the Saturn version when compared to his death animation in the PlayStation. Also, some enemies tend to have slightly more detailed death animations. Whether they look any better or not is a matter of opinion, I suppose. I’d say that some look better and some look worse, to put it simply.
Anyway, the game contains all manner of impressive-looking effects, whether it be resulting from any number of the interesting weapons that Alucard finds during his quest, his versatile repertoire of spells or the insane special attacks that some otherwise undaunting enemies might be holding back. And, really, Saturn does an admirable job of handling it all.
The Saturn-exclusive areas, enemies and items, for the most part, don’t quite match up to the quality of those in the original releases. Still, they’re interesting additions and - in the case of the Underground Garden - actually make the game feel complete. (Has Iga tried doing anything better? Thought not.)
Music & Sound: A
NitM has one of the best soundtracks in video game history, and that isn’t merely an opinion. The Saturn version includes some extra tracks, most of which are awesome, one of which blows. It should be noted that both the PlayStation version and Saturn version both contain a song called “I am the Wind” that is widely considered to be a complete abomination. Really, it has no place in a Castlevania game. Otherwise, the soundtrack is pretty solid, although the Saturn version has slightly better audio quality.
The sound effects and voiceovers are better on Saturn, as well. The PlayStation version’s audio, overall, just sounds a bit more compressed in comparison to that of the Saturn version. While I understand that the voiceovers are generally unique to their respective regions, I must say that I prefer the cheesy American voiceovers from the original PlayStation release (not the God-awful voiceovers from the PSP version), since they’re so bad that they can’t help but become embedded into your very soul.
One thing to keep in mind when comparing the PlayStation version of SotN with the Saturn version of NitM is that they use different sounds for certain events, as well. For instance, some enemies sound completely different in the American versions of the game. I prefer the Japanese sound effects, as they seem to be better suited to their respected events.
Controls & Game Play: A
If you’ve played SotN (or understand Japanese), then NitM really shouldn’t be such a chore to play. Many of the items have unique icons, making item selection relatively painless if you’re familiar enough with the game. Of course, you’ll probably mistake a Library Card for a Meal Ticket or a Crissaegrim for a Vorpal Blade here or there, but it’s nothing that a quick trip to the inventory menu won’t fix. The same applies to the U.S. versions of the game, so I can’t really fault this version for icons being reused in spots.
While the standard Saturn controller had more than enough buttons to handle the original version of NitM, the Saturn version’s developers saw fit to give Alucard a “third hand” for the sole purpose of equipping healing items and whatnot. Thus, the Saturn controller ends up being one button short in relation to the original commands available, so you’ll need to enter the pause menu, then press the L trigger in order to view the map. There’s a short loading time as you’re accessing the pause menu. and yes, it’s just one of those things that people seem to exaggerate. The loading time isn’t anything too extreme.
Alucard controls perfectly in NitM, although pulling off spells can be a bit difficult until you get the timing down. Really, once you’ve got the controls down, though, you’ll be more than capable of cutting Dracula’s minions down in droves.
The Saturn version of the game also contains noticeable load times in-between areas. Now, to be fair, these load times are, in reality, no longer than the load times in the PlayStation version. Allow me to explain. There are CD rooms between areas. In the PlayStation version, these rooms conceal the load times by allowing the next area to load as you walk through the room. Sadly, in the Saturn version, these loading sequences aren’t properly triggered upon entering the CD rooms, thus causing the entire load time to take place as you reach the end of the room, creating the illusion of a longer load time. Still, they’re not that long. And, for those who don’t believe me about the load times, just do something that gets you through the CD room faster than intended in the PlayStation version (i.e. Wing Smash). You’ll notice a slight load time, as the CD room didn’t quite get the job done.
The actual game play is so vast that it’s hard to accurately put into terms. Really, there are just so many bad-ass weapons in this game that are just begging to be discovered. Many of them have special attacks, and some weapons that - statistically - appear to be quite weak will cut through enemies just as well as they’d cut through butter. Alucard’s forms and spells also allow you to devise some interesting ways of accessing certain areas earlier than intended, and you’ll constantly be looking for ways of improving your technique and fighting style.
Sadly, because of this freedom, the game tends to be a bit too easy. With certain attacks, Alucard can defeat most bosses (including bosses closer to the end of the game…even the final boss) in seconds. Really, he’s a force to be reckoned with. This is what makes Alucard such a great character to play as, though. He possesses great power and uses it for good. He’s quite a formidable protagonist, even right from the start, but you probably won’t see it as a flaw, per se.
As crazy as it may sound, though, you’ll probably find yourself underestimating certain enemies, only to be completely overpowered by them. It’s actually pretty cool, because leaving what appears to be an insignificant-looking adversary alive for even a few seconds can sometimes result in your demise. Frozen Halves and Blue Venus Weeds come to mind.
The Saturn version also tweaks certain aspects of each of Alucard’s forms. Alucard can no longer swim while in wolf form, but he can perform a Wing Smash in bat form that doesn’t end until you either hit a wall or change forms. It’s a bit harder to exploit the transformations in the Saturn version, however, due to Alucard being unable to immediately transform into another form for a short period of time after reverting back to his human self. I’m pretty sure that this was done to balance the forms a bit more, though.
Unique to the Saturn version is a character select screen that allows you to choose not only Alucard, but Maria and Richter…and right from the start! In the PlayStation version, Richter is accessible only after beating the game as Alucard (although Richter has an alternate outfit in the Saturn version). Maria, however, is only playable in the Saturn version (unless you count the really, really toned down version of Maria in the PSP version). You also have two Saturn-exclusive boss battles, one being particularly challenging.
Storyline: C
Let’s face it: Castlevania games were never really considered to have good storylines. That being said, NitM/SotN has a pretty deep storyline by Castlevania standards, and it’s presented in a pretty decent manner. It certainly isn’t going to win any awards for its storyline, but - again - it’s quite good within the confines of the series. Plus, I love the voice acting.
Replay Value: A
NitM is infinitely replayable. I could go on and on about the ridiculous number of items at your disposal, obviously, and having three playable characters keeps things interesting. You can mix and match equipment to form any number of awesome combinations, tailoring your combat style to fit your desires. A simple shield can become your enemies’ worst nightmare. You can even stomp on their heads repeatedly until they’re dead. Even taking damage can work to your advantage with certain items equipped, and - given the game’s low level of difficulty - this only makes things more enjoyable.
What ultimately serves as the best proof of NitM’s replay value, however, is its community. Really, the NitM community is absolutely incredible, and its members uncover new glitches (one of the game’s strong points, as odd as it sounds), further opening up the game play. You don’t necessarily have to resort to glitching in order to enjoy the game for an extended period of time, but you’re cheating yourself out of some really unique game play experiences by not at least delving into it a bit.
In conclusion, in case I haven’t gushed about this game enough, NitM is easily one of the best games that I’ve ever played. Despite the game having been derived from Super Metroid, a game that I completely loathe, for the record, NitM added so much to an already solid foundation to create a unique experience that - to this day - has yet to be matched in the eyes of many fans. This really isn’t just nostalgia speaking. NitM is really that good. If you’re unfamiliar with the game and don’t want a serious language barrier holding you back, then I’d opt for the PlayStation version. Hardcore SotN fans really should experience the Saturn version, in my opinion, as it can be had for a decent price.
Final Score: A
Originally released on PlayStation, SotN is widely considered to be one of the best 2D adventure games of all-time. It borrowed elements from Super Metroid and built around them to forge a deeper, more immersive experience from start to finish. In Japan, SotN is known as Dracula X: Nocturne in the Moonlight (or NitM, for short). As you may have guessed from the title of this review, yes, the Saturn version is only available in Japan.
So, what makes the Saturn version so special? Well, it offers exclusive areas, enemies and items, as well as various tweaks to the game play. How does it stack up from a technical standpoint, though, and do its flaws keep it from deserving a spot in your collection, even if you don’t typically play imports?
In NitM/SotN, you play as Alucard, son of Dracula. Alucard awakens from what was supposed to be an eternal slumber to find that Castlevania has reappeared several years after its previous appearance. (For the record, Castlevania is only supposed to appear once every 100 years. If it appears earlier than expected, then it’s generally because somebody’s attempting to resurrect Dracula early.) As such, he immediately makes his way to the castle to prevent his father from being resurrected.
Alucard plays nothing like a Belmont, and that’s a good thing. He’s also changed a lot since Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, both in terms of his abilities and in how he controls. Really, the sheer number of ways that you can do any given thing in this game is just impressive, and it makes for an unforgettable experience.
Graphics: B
NitM’s graphics have aged pretty well, with the vast majority of the character sprites being well-animated and full of detail. The backgrounds are equally impressive, not so much for their general appearances, but - rather - for the sheer amount of detail within them. NitM is just one of those games that you’ll notice new things about with each playthrough, whether it be an eyeball watching from the background of the Marble Gallery or a small mouse scurrying about in the Outer Wall. Plus, everything that needs to stand out from teh background does so very well, as the use of color throughout is simply flawless.
The Saturn version of NitM does have some significant slowdown in areas which PlayStation version doesn’t, and this makes the game’s speed somewhat sporadic at times. Furthermore, some graphical effects are altered or toned down, sometimes even missing entirely. These graphical differences are usually greatly exaggerated by a lot of people, and they don’t destroy the experience by any stretch of the imagination.
Altered graphical effects generally involve the use of dithered transparencies in place of the nicer-looking transparencies seen in the PlayStation version. A lot of people seem to think that Saturn is incapable of real transparencies without the game engine taking a serious performance hit. This is only partially true, and it really only applies to 3D games (although there are exceptions to this).
To understand what I’m alluding to, there’s one thing that you must realize before I go any further in this review: NitM/SotN isn’t a 2D game; it’s a 3D game that takes place on a 2D plane. As odd as it may sound, the “sprites” seen throughout the game are actually textured polygons which always face the player. Considering the fact that 3D elements and effects are so easily thrown into the areas, this should really come as no surprise to anyone. Why was NitM/SotN designed in this manner, you ask?
Well, PlayStation simply wasn’t a 2D powerhouse, so its “2D” games tended to mimic 2D elements with the aforementioned method. Large bosses with multiple segments are, in reality, composed of multiple textured polygons that’re simply rotated to form smoother animations. And yes, Saturn seriously chokes in situations such as these. In the Saturn version, some boss battles unfold in slow-motion, due to the constant slowdown that occurs. Oddly, slowdown even occurs in areas that contain little or no enemy opposition. On the plus side, however, the slowdown does tend to make certain encounters easier, so you can’t claim that it hurts the game play. It really only helps you.
Being the son of Dracula, Alucard also has access to some of Dracula’s abilities. Why mention them here, rather than just in Game Play? Well, they fall into the category of altered graphics effects, so it’s only proper to touch on them here. In the PlayStation version, Alucard smoothly changes forms, whether it be bat form, mist form or wolf form. In the Saturn version, however, the transformations into (or out of) bat form and wolf form involve Alucard’s sprite turning completely white, then being replaced with a white version of the respective form’s sprite that cycles to its proper colors. The transitions aren’t completely smooth, but they’re done well enough that they don’t bother me.
In the PlayStation version, mist form consists of a rather jittery-looking mess of polygons that - for some reason - a lot of people seem to prefer over the effect used in the Saturn version, which consists of a 2D sprite-based cloud of mist (complete with dithered transparency, much to the chagrin of people who prefer the PlayStation version) and utilizes deformation effects (i.e. squishing and stretching) to make the effect look more pleasing to the eye. Honestly, I prefer seeing the Saturn version’s mist effect, as I hate the jittery appearance of the PlayStation version’s mist effect.
In terms of graphical elements that’re missing entirely, the light rotation effect that is supposed to accompany the Doppelgaenger’s entrance is nowhere to be seen, as is the bright glow that emanates from the waterfall in the caverns. Also, the chapel’s background is missing the trees. Nothing major. There are other examples, but I’m not going into them all here, as they’re insignificant. I just wanted to mention a few examples.
Amusingly, despite supposedly looking vastly inferior to the PlayStation version, the Saturn version appears to throw some extra animations and sprites in at times. Really, I could almost swear that Karasuman’s death animation, for instance, contains nearly twice as many ravens in the Saturn version when compared to his death animation in the PlayStation. Also, some enemies tend to have slightly more detailed death animations. Whether they look any better or not is a matter of opinion, I suppose. I’d say that some look better and some look worse, to put it simply.
Anyway, the game contains all manner of impressive-looking effects, whether it be resulting from any number of the interesting weapons that Alucard finds during his quest, his versatile repertoire of spells or the insane special attacks that some otherwise undaunting enemies might be holding back. And, really, Saturn does an admirable job of handling it all.
The Saturn-exclusive areas, enemies and items, for the most part, don’t quite match up to the quality of those in the original releases. Still, they’re interesting additions and - in the case of the Underground Garden - actually make the game feel complete. (Has Iga tried doing anything better? Thought not.)
Music & Sound: A
NitM has one of the best soundtracks in video game history, and that isn’t merely an opinion. The Saturn version includes some extra tracks, most of which are awesome, one of which blows. It should be noted that both the PlayStation version and Saturn version both contain a song called “I am the Wind” that is widely considered to be a complete abomination. Really, it has no place in a Castlevania game. Otherwise, the soundtrack is pretty solid, although the Saturn version has slightly better audio quality.
The sound effects and voiceovers are better on Saturn, as well. The PlayStation version’s audio, overall, just sounds a bit more compressed in comparison to that of the Saturn version. While I understand that the voiceovers are generally unique to their respective regions, I must say that I prefer the cheesy American voiceovers from the original PlayStation release (not the God-awful voiceovers from the PSP version), since they’re so bad that they can’t help but become embedded into your very soul.
One thing to keep in mind when comparing the PlayStation version of SotN with the Saturn version of NitM is that they use different sounds for certain events, as well. For instance, some enemies sound completely different in the American versions of the game. I prefer the Japanese sound effects, as they seem to be better suited to their respected events.
Controls & Game Play: A
If you’ve played SotN (or understand Japanese), then NitM really shouldn’t be such a chore to play. Many of the items have unique icons, making item selection relatively painless if you’re familiar enough with the game. Of course, you’ll probably mistake a Library Card for a Meal Ticket or a Crissaegrim for a Vorpal Blade here or there, but it’s nothing that a quick trip to the inventory menu won’t fix. The same applies to the U.S. versions of the game, so I can’t really fault this version for icons being reused in spots.
While the standard Saturn controller had more than enough buttons to handle the original version of NitM, the Saturn version’s developers saw fit to give Alucard a “third hand” for the sole purpose of equipping healing items and whatnot. Thus, the Saturn controller ends up being one button short in relation to the original commands available, so you’ll need to enter the pause menu, then press the L trigger in order to view the map. There’s a short loading time as you’re accessing the pause menu. and yes, it’s just one of those things that people seem to exaggerate. The loading time isn’t anything too extreme.
Alucard controls perfectly in NitM, although pulling off spells can be a bit difficult until you get the timing down. Really, once you’ve got the controls down, though, you’ll be more than capable of cutting Dracula’s minions down in droves.
The Saturn version of the game also contains noticeable load times in-between areas. Now, to be fair, these load times are, in reality, no longer than the load times in the PlayStation version. Allow me to explain. There are CD rooms between areas. In the PlayStation version, these rooms conceal the load times by allowing the next area to load as you walk through the room. Sadly, in the Saturn version, these loading sequences aren’t properly triggered upon entering the CD rooms, thus causing the entire load time to take place as you reach the end of the room, creating the illusion of a longer load time. Still, they’re not that long. And, for those who don’t believe me about the load times, just do something that gets you through the CD room faster than intended in the PlayStation version (i.e. Wing Smash). You’ll notice a slight load time, as the CD room didn’t quite get the job done.
The actual game play is so vast that it’s hard to accurately put into terms. Really, there are just so many bad-ass weapons in this game that are just begging to be discovered. Many of them have special attacks, and some weapons that - statistically - appear to be quite weak will cut through enemies just as well as they’d cut through butter. Alucard’s forms and spells also allow you to devise some interesting ways of accessing certain areas earlier than intended, and you’ll constantly be looking for ways of improving your technique and fighting style.
Sadly, because of this freedom, the game tends to be a bit too easy. With certain attacks, Alucard can defeat most bosses (including bosses closer to the end of the game…even the final boss) in seconds. Really, he’s a force to be reckoned with. This is what makes Alucard such a great character to play as, though. He possesses great power and uses it for good. He’s quite a formidable protagonist, even right from the start, but you probably won’t see it as a flaw, per se.
As crazy as it may sound, though, you’ll probably find yourself underestimating certain enemies, only to be completely overpowered by them. It’s actually pretty cool, because leaving what appears to be an insignificant-looking adversary alive for even a few seconds can sometimes result in your demise. Frozen Halves and Blue Venus Weeds come to mind.
The Saturn version also tweaks certain aspects of each of Alucard’s forms. Alucard can no longer swim while in wolf form, but he can perform a Wing Smash in bat form that doesn’t end until you either hit a wall or change forms. It’s a bit harder to exploit the transformations in the Saturn version, however, due to Alucard being unable to immediately transform into another form for a short period of time after reverting back to his human self. I’m pretty sure that this was done to balance the forms a bit more, though.
Unique to the Saturn version is a character select screen that allows you to choose not only Alucard, but Maria and Richter…and right from the start! In the PlayStation version, Richter is accessible only after beating the game as Alucard (although Richter has an alternate outfit in the Saturn version). Maria, however, is only playable in the Saturn version (unless you count the really, really toned down version of Maria in the PSP version). You also have two Saturn-exclusive boss battles, one being particularly challenging.
Storyline: C
Let’s face it: Castlevania games were never really considered to have good storylines. That being said, NitM/SotN has a pretty deep storyline by Castlevania standards, and it’s presented in a pretty decent manner. It certainly isn’t going to win any awards for its storyline, but - again - it’s quite good within the confines of the series. Plus, I love the voice acting.
Replay Value: A
NitM is infinitely replayable. I could go on and on about the ridiculous number of items at your disposal, obviously, and having three playable characters keeps things interesting. You can mix and match equipment to form any number of awesome combinations, tailoring your combat style to fit your desires. A simple shield can become your enemies’ worst nightmare. You can even stomp on their heads repeatedly until they’re dead. Even taking damage can work to your advantage with certain items equipped, and - given the game’s low level of difficulty - this only makes things more enjoyable.
What ultimately serves as the best proof of NitM’s replay value, however, is its community. Really, the NitM community is absolutely incredible, and its members uncover new glitches (one of the game’s strong points, as odd as it sounds), further opening up the game play. You don’t necessarily have to resort to glitching in order to enjoy the game for an extended period of time, but you’re cheating yourself out of some really unique game play experiences by not at least delving into it a bit.
In conclusion, in case I haven’t gushed about this game enough, NitM is easily one of the best games that I’ve ever played. Despite the game having been derived from Super Metroid, a game that I completely loathe, for the record, NitM added so much to an already solid foundation to create a unique experience that - to this day - has yet to be matched in the eyes of many fans. This really isn’t just nostalgia speaking. NitM is really that good. If you’re unfamiliar with the game and don’t want a serious language barrier holding you back, then I’d opt for the PlayStation version. Hardcore SotN fans really should experience the Saturn version, in my opinion, as it can be had for a decent price.
Final Score: A