Don't mind me, just confirming I've beat Requiem version first of SOTN rather than on PSP or PS1.
The trackbacking may be tiresome,but I thoroughly enjoyed the game
There's a lot of things I like and dislike about this game.
Starting with the positives, the atmosphere is definitely a highlight. The areas are very distinct and memorable with incredible art direction and some of the best music the series has to offer. The map is also very open so you always have a lot of options on where to go and ultimately get what you need to defeat Dracula. All of this comes together to make the act of exploring very immersive and engaging alongside a moderately fun combat system.
The addition of RPG elements to Super Metroid's formula is a little hit or miss. On one side, having a lot of different equipments for Alucard makes the experience very customizable. On the other, however, it introduces a lot of the same problems RPGs tend to have, which is inconsistent difficulty.
In terms of combat, the general enemy placement starts pretty well made but goes to shit on the inverted castle. There's some areas that have so many enemies that it'd make any classicvania blush. However, due to the RPG elements, I almost never took meaningful damage and it was just a nuisance holding me back from exploring.
And then there's the story. I really liked what they added for Alucard and Dracula's relationship but the way they handled Richter feels insulting. I don't believe anyone with the will necessary to face Dracula's castle and eventually defeat the vampire would be succetible to mind control and ESPECIALLY not to Shaft, the guy he defeated TWICE in Rondo of Blood. As for Maria, she's pretty much there only because of fanservice. She helped defeat Dracula at such a young age and the game wants me to believe that, even with the holy glasses, she wouldn't be able to save Richter? That's just lame to make Alucard being the only protagonist more plausible.
In conclusion, it's a game with a lot of merits that drops the ball in a lot of places that I don't think quite lives up to the legacy of being a direct sequel to Rondo of Blood.
Starting with the positives, the atmosphere is definitely a highlight. The areas are very distinct and memorable with incredible art direction and some of the best music the series has to offer. The map is also very open so you always have a lot of options on where to go and ultimately get what you need to defeat Dracula. All of this comes together to make the act of exploring very immersive and engaging alongside a moderately fun combat system.
The addition of RPG elements to Super Metroid's formula is a little hit or miss. On one side, having a lot of different equipments for Alucard makes the experience very customizable. On the other, however, it introduces a lot of the same problems RPGs tend to have, which is inconsistent difficulty.
In terms of combat, the general enemy placement starts pretty well made but goes to shit on the inverted castle. There's some areas that have so many enemies that it'd make any classicvania blush. However, due to the RPG elements, I almost never took meaningful damage and it was just a nuisance holding me back from exploring.
And then there's the story. I really liked what they added for Alucard and Dracula's relationship but the way they handled Richter feels insulting. I don't believe anyone with the will necessary to face Dracula's castle and eventually defeat the vampire would be succetible to mind control and ESPECIALLY not to Shaft, the guy he defeated TWICE in Rondo of Blood. As for Maria, she's pretty much there only because of fanservice. She helped defeat Dracula at such a young age and the game wants me to believe that, even with the holy glasses, she wouldn't be able to save Richter? That's just lame to make Alucard being the only protagonist more plausible.
In conclusion, it's a game with a lot of merits that drops the ball in a lot of places that I don't think quite lives up to the legacy of being a direct sequel to Rondo of Blood.
Music alone is five stars.
So THAT'S why they're called Metroidvanias
The Good:
- Gorgeous soundtrack
- Great visuals
- Fun combat
- An impressive map design
The Ok:
- Some unintuitive progression
The Bad:
- Not much
Conclusion:
Symphony of the Night is astounding in a lot of ways. It’s almost funny how the two pioneers in the metroidvania subgenre are still considered by many to be the best in their respective series. Here, it’s easy to see why. First and foremost, the music is simply sublime. The various tracks range from catchy, to hauntingly beautiful, to just plain haunting, all within a few rooms. It’s a very impressive feat of composition, and it certainly befits the title. The visuals are also almost all excellent, with some great character designs and environments. The 3D cutscenes do look pretty bad, but I’m sure they were impressive for the time. Gameplay is also mostly a lot of fun. It instantly nails that progression sense that you get out of any good metroidvania, and the abilities you unlock are consistent and fun. The combat is varied (with many different weapons, sub weapons, and spells), and it rewards exploration greatly. The only major critique I have rests upon some unintuitive progression. There are some moments that I don’t think I would have ever figured out without the help of the internet (like how the different statues move in the clock room), and that’s not a good thing in a game like this. Those moments were few and far between, but they did happen. Still, I can forgive that when the rest of the game is this good.
Side Note: This didn't affect the score I gave it, but this specific version of SotN (Castlevania Requiem) is an insanely low-effort port. This is especially true when compared to the more recent Castlevania Advance collection, which featured save states, rewind, an art gallery, and more. Here we get none of that, and the menus could really do with updating. It's still perfectly playable, but it's the bare minimum, as a port of an old game goes.
- Gorgeous soundtrack
- Great visuals
- Fun combat
- An impressive map design
The Ok:
- Some unintuitive progression
The Bad:
- Not much
Conclusion:
Symphony of the Night is astounding in a lot of ways. It’s almost funny how the two pioneers in the metroidvania subgenre are still considered by many to be the best in their respective series. Here, it’s easy to see why. First and foremost, the music is simply sublime. The various tracks range from catchy, to hauntingly beautiful, to just plain haunting, all within a few rooms. It’s a very impressive feat of composition, and it certainly befits the title. The visuals are also almost all excellent, with some great character designs and environments. The 3D cutscenes do look pretty bad, but I’m sure they were impressive for the time. Gameplay is also mostly a lot of fun. It instantly nails that progression sense that you get out of any good metroidvania, and the abilities you unlock are consistent and fun. The combat is varied (with many different weapons, sub weapons, and spells), and it rewards exploration greatly. The only major critique I have rests upon some unintuitive progression. There are some moments that I don’t think I would have ever figured out without the help of the internet (like how the different statues move in the clock room), and that’s not a good thing in a game like this. Those moments were few and far between, but they did happen. Still, I can forgive that when the rest of the game is this good.
Side Note: This didn't affect the score I gave it, but this specific version of SotN (Castlevania Requiem) is an insanely low-effort port. This is especially true when compared to the more recent Castlevania Advance collection, which featured save states, rewind, an art gallery, and more. Here we get none of that, and the menus could really do with updating. It's still perfectly playable, but it's the bare minimum, as a port of an old game goes.