"What is a man? A miserable little pile of secrets. But enough talk. Have at you!"
These words from a certain vampire lord may not seem much to the average joe. However, to people who have followed or are following the Castlevania series from the earliest released game to the latest, it is a quote from one of if not the best games in the series' history.
Here is why Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is so beloved and fondly remembered by the gamers of that time.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Details - History & Gameplay
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is an action platformer RPG developed and published by Konami for the Original PlayStation in 1997, per the Castlevania wiki.
The game follows the story of Alucard, the son of the infamous vampire lord, Dracula Tepes, in his quest to investigate the rising of Castlevania, his father's castle, four years after his father's defeat by a vampire hunter.
The game is fairly simplistic, with it forgoing its penchant for whips for the first time in the series in favor of Alucard's sword and other weapons he discovers in his investigation of Castlevania, per Gamespot.
During Alucard's investigation, he will encounter various creatures of the night that can harm him if the player is not careful. Thankfully, Symphony of the Night features one of the first RPG elements of the Castlevania series, wherein Alucard will level up and have his stats increased every time he does when he defeats enemies of a similar or higher level.
However, the gameplay is just the backbone of any game, and Symphony of the Night is no different from any game released at the time. According to Engadget's review, the game's graphics and soundtrack made the game feel alive.
Critical And Popular Reception
Symphony of the Night is one of the most beloved and one of the best games in the series due to many reasons, which also include its gameplay, soundtrack, graphics, and art style, per Metacritic. However, what kept the game so close to gamers' hearts was its replayability.
The game features four distinct endings depending on the player's actions.
If certain items were left where they are and not taken with Alucard or the playable character at the time, the game's events would change to fit the new narrative. To players, this means collecting every item that can be found, which also means searching every nook and cranny for anything collectible.
Fortunately, the game's map system is something to be commended on, making navigation easier and more efficient. However, players might want to progress through the game first to be capable enough to enter certain rooms in Castlevania.
The open-endedness of Symphony of the Night carried over to future Castlevania games thanks to its popularity, though the game isn't a commercial success.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night can be played on the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and mobile phones for those who want to try the game out.
