"What do you here?"
Casltevania as a series can be seen in three very different lights; a set of linear yet difficult and strategic 2D platformers, a side-scrolling Metroidvania, and a set of 3D hack-and-slash action games. The original iterations, which fall under the linear description, hold their place in history in the evolution of the series, but were basically halted production upon arrival of the fifth-generation of consoles. I have personally played the first four games on the NES and SNES to completion, and loved them all (with the exception of Simon's Quest), with the original being among my favorites of all-time. However, I haven't experienced anything past that, including the acclaimed Metroidvania titles. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was the first attempt at capturing a new realization of the series. Simon's Quest had previously attempted to grasp the progressive elements akin to what was incorporated in Symphony of the Night, but it came at the cost of the most incoherent exploration of the era, among other issues found in that game. To say that Symphony of the Night improves upon the blueprint Simon's Quest established, would be an understatement.
The year is 1797. Richter Belmont has just vanquished Count Dracula, but Richter disappears without a trace following the battle. After arising from his recent sleep, Alucard, the son of Dracula, then begins to search the castle for Richter. Very similar to that of the other games in the series, the story in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is complete nonsense and ultimately redundant. Although, the narrative aspects of the Castlevania series have never been stressed, which has most likely been for the best given the ridiculous characters and setting. However, with this given narrative that Symphony of the Night has, it seems extremely bizarre to include its infamous voice acting in the first place. Much has already been said in regards to this, including its mistranslation, but it's nevertheless an entertaining disaster.
Story elements brushed aside, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is renowned for its excellent gameplay. At its core, Symphony of the Night adheres its level design from a mix of Simon's Quest and Super Metroid; all while taking the best from each title. It takes the coherent progression and exploration that captivates players of Super Metroid, along with the interesting role-playing ideas from Simon's Quest, something rarely seen in side-scrollers. Structure-wise, the game is akin to Super Metroid. You are given an unexplored map, in which the entirety of the game takes place. As you pass by certain areas, you will see inaccessible areas that are sometimes required for progression, but can only be reached after you've obtained other upgrades from further in the castle. Perhaps the largest difference between Symphony of the Night and Super Metroid is the way the map is handled. While both titles gradually progress the map as you discover it, Super Metroid had the addition of uncovering the entirety of an area once you find the correct room which will do such an action. Symphony of the Night allows the ability to buy a map, the game's equivalent, but the entire castle map is so massive it's often difficult to decipher where the last few remaining rooms are when you're nearing end-game exploration. Perhaps it would have been better to break up the map into portions, if only to make the exploration more concise. That aside, the remaining attributes of exploration in the game are fantastic, it just gets a hair too convoluted by its conclusion.
Combat in Symphony of the Night also deviates from its predecessors' mechanics. For instance, the iconic whip is replaced with a standard sword and shield. However, describing the equipment a such is underselling the system. Very similar to JRPGs of the era, Symphony of the Night allows a right-handed and left-handed weapon, as well as additional body armor. Don't be fooled though - this is still an action game. Each weapon or shield is used with individual buttons, allowing free-form melee with the game's coinciding movement. Alucard will also learn skills when he discovers certain relics, another feature in the game. Using these relics, Alucard is able to increase the potency of his jumping skills , gain the ability to open magically-sealed doors, travel through water, and even transform into different animals, as well as mist; you can even learn different forms of magic. In addition to these components, Symphony of the Night also exhibits a standard leveling system progressed through enemies that you've defeated. You'll inevitably gain strength as you make your way through the castle, but it comes at the cost of the game's difficulty. While I still died a few times, by the time I reached the game's finale, I was practically invincible. Perhaps this was intended due to the game's sense of progression, and I am fully aware that this is a completely different kind of title, but it was a little strange for me to breeze through this one, especially given the reputations of the originals. In the end, the combat is fast-paced, differing from those originals, but retaining the strategic feel that made them so great.
Symphony of the Night's art-style has stood the test of time better than almost any game from that era. It's primarily a 2D-styled side-scroller with Gothic and Renaissance style influences. There is also a utilization of 3D techniques in the backgrounds that create the illusion of shifting perspectives. As the player walks or jumps, the environment will transform its shapes to match the player's location. The attention to detail in these areas is what makes Symphony of the Night's aesthetic as appealing as it is.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a classic from the PS1 era that has aged better than a majority of its competitors from the time. It incorporates elements from JRPGs into the action genre near-flawlessly, while keeping the strategic components that made the original games so great. Not to mention that it is among one of the most pristine looking games on its original console. I had some minor complaints during this my first experience with this game, but it's hard to find much more at fault when the remainder of this title is so polished. Personally, I still prefer Super Metroid and the first and fourth Castlevania games over Symphony of the Night, but it's also clear to me why this is regarded as a part of gaming's elite. If you have yet to trek through this castle yourself, the game is available through a multitude of sources - and you should buy it. There's something here for everyone.
