Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night

[Sephex]

"Die Monster! You don't belong in this world!"

It was not by my hand that I was once again given flesh. I was brought here by humans who wished to pay me tribute!"

"Tribute?! You steal men's souls, and make them your slaves!"

Perhaps the same could be said of all religions!"

"Your words are as empty as your soul! Mankind ill needs a saviour such as you!"

What is a man? A miserable pile of secrets! But enough talk! Have at you!

*********

Castlevania: SOTN is one of the greatest games of all time. Even lame voice acting is one of the many reasons why this game is such a classic. Borrowing the map system from Super Metroid, combined with perfect level design, SOTN is simply a joy to play. This is a game you can have fun while being lost. And the musc? My god, THE MUSIC! One of the best video game soundtracks EVER. I also love the artwork. Yes, the androgynous looking characters can be creepy, but it works with ANY Castlevania game.

You know how there are some games out that that you don't really like, but they eventually grow on you? Well, SOTN is a game that I liked right off the bat, and it still gave me that growing feeling!

http://www.classicgaming.com/castlevania/b-sotn-j.jpg
http://www.classicgaming.com/castlevania/sotn1.jpg
http://www.classicgaming.com/castlevania/sotn4.jpg

Your thoughts?

[faster skating penguin]

SOTN is my # 3 game of all time, behind FF7 and Chrono Trigger.

[edczxcvbnm]

I always did want to get a Sega Saturn so I could play through as Maria.

[Laguna]

I borrowed the Playstation version from a friend and ever since I've wanted to find my own copy. Basically; I think it rocks!

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

Can you believe I've never played this game? I could probably name all the bosses right now if you asked me, but I've never played it. I was going to buy a like-new copy off Amazon a while ago, but I...didn't. Heh. I'll get right on that.

[Vyk]

One of the only Castlevania's I've played all the way through. And through again. Got like 98% total and was sad that there wasn't much more to do. It kicked so much butt it shouldn't have ended so soon T_T Deffinitely one of my TOP favorite games. Period. I wish its sequals could capture my interest. Though I did really enjoy Lament of Innocense.

[Sepho]

Played it on an emulator a few times over at a friend's house during poker games or Halo/2 system link parties, but I've never really sat down and played through it. I've been meaning to, though.

I'm realizing that I've been doing more talking about games than actually playing lately.

[Lord Chainsaw]

I absolutely love the Castlevania artist. I must say that that lady who does the official artwork for the series is probably the best video game artist I've ever seen.

Symphony of the Night is also the best Castlevania I've played. I've pretty much played most of the main ones released in America, aside from Castlevania Legends on the Gameboy (I think that's the one with Sonia), and maybe a few of the other ridiculously obscure ones like Haunted Castle (but then again those aren't really main titles).

Symphony became my favorite a mere 30 minutes into the game. It's just incredible. Previously, I thought a Castlevania couldn't get any better than Super Castlevania 4. I was wrong. Although Super Castlevania 4 still has the best music in the series, Symphony is able to beat it out in the gameplay, storyline, and atmosphere departments. Wonderful bosses, especially the unforgettable Granfalloon and the dastardly Galamoth.

I loved the way Igarashi drew reference to the original story of Dracula by expanding the metamorphosis idea into not only a bat, but a wolf and mist as well. In the novel Dracula, the Count is not only limited into turning into a bat, but has power over "all elements of the night". Abraham Van Helsing uses mist, wolves, and bats as the three examples of Dracula's domain, and I'm pleased to see those elements put into Symphony.

I can't wait for the new Castlevania, Curse of Darkness. It's being hailed as a 3D Symphony of the Night. There's scrapping that godawful level design and those less-than-stellar battle mechanics from Lament and putting back in the Symphony system. I can't wait.

[Sepho]

I can't wait for the new Castlevania, Curse of Darkness. It's being hailed as a 3D Symphony of the Night. There's scrapping that godawful level design and those less-than-stellar battle mechanics from Lament and putting back in the Symphony system. I can't wait.

I've been keeping my eye on Curse of Darkness, too. Lament of Innocence is the only post-NES era Castlevania I own and I haven't bother playing more than four hours of it. I just could not get into it at all.

[fire_of_avalon]

I love love love love love love love LOVE this game. It was my first Castlevania game EVER, and absolutely the best I've played. The music and the history and the fact that if you suck, you won't even SEE the second half of the game. Oh man, it's awesome. Yay for this thread!

[Del Murder]

I agree with everything Sephex said. Truly one of the great games of all time. The Music kicks butt, I jam with it at work sometimes.

Alucard is one of the cooler characters ever.

[JaytodaP]

have you got all 200% to get the best ending and play as Richter. Damn Richter was hard!

[edczxcvbnm]

I got all 200.6% ;) Richter was disappointingly easy. Its a pain in the ass to get 200% with Richter. I don't think it can be done all the way to 200% but you can get really damn close. I think my top richter time was something like 160% before I said screw this and kill shaft.

[Lord Chainsaw]

I've gotten pretty close to 200% with Richter. An easy way to get % you aren't supposed to with him is by using the Flash Effect of Hydro Storm. I was able to get the area of the Catacombs behind the spike room using this.

[Vyk]

That's right... it goes beyond 100% I had 198... not 98. Reverse castle ruled.

[fire_of_avalon]

I didn't finish the game with Richter. That was too hard for me, way back when. Perhaps I should buy this game and replay it...

Man, I have to stay out of this forum. Everytime I come here, I think of another game I want to buy.

[Sephex]

Can you believe I've never played this game? I could probably name all the bosses right now if you asked me, but I've never played it. I was going to buy a like-new copy off Amazon a while ago, but I...didn't. Heh. I'll get right on that.

WHY GOD WHY? :cry: I remmeber you saying this before. I was hoping you would have played it by now. This time you BETTER really buy it and play it! ARGH!!!

Seriously, though...enjoy it when you play it!

Thanks for your comments everyone. I am also looking forward to Curse Of Darkness as well.

[edczxcvbnm]

Thats it! Tomarrow I play Rondo of Blood! My friend game me an Emulator and Burned Copy of the game. I can't wait...and no this is the real deal and not the /xxx.gif/xxx.gif/xxx.gif/xxx.gifty SNES version.

[Lord Chainsaw]

I really need to play Rondo. I keep hearing awesome things about it, and I want to know a bit more about the characters from Symphony, too. Perhaps I'll have to check that one out on an emulator, although I'm really not a fan of playing emulators due to the control scheme. Nonetheless, it's not like I have a choice to play it on a console when it comes to this game.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

IGA has been hinting at Rondo of Blood and Dracula's Curse remakes since 2001. He's such a tease.

[Excelsior]

you can tell this game is classically awesome because it still costs like a billion dollars for an original copy. hah. me and my friend, back in 6th grade printed out the characters from the computer, and we did a little skit. it was so awesome.